Noble Audio DXII Review

Noble Audio is one of the most respected manufacturers of artisanal in-ear monitors right now. One of the newest additions to their lineup is the DXII, which is set to be one of the biggest releases for Noble this year. At $599, these are a chance to get a high-quality IEM at a relatively accessible price range. I love Noble’s products, especially the Kublai Khan, so I’m excited to see what the DXII has to offer.

What’s in the Box

• Noble Audio DXII IEMs
• 8 Core Cable with 3.5mm Termination
• Pelican 1010 Carrying Case
• Assorted Silicone and Memory Foam Ear Tips
• Felt Pouch
• Carabiner Clip
• Owner Identification Card
• Noble Audio Sticker

Look and Feel

As with all of Noble Audio’s other high-end IEMs, the DXII comes with a protective hard case to ensure the safety of your product. The DXII looks and feels fantastic, with several of Noble’s signature design features being present, such as the multitude of ear tips, ergonomic design, and backplate decals. I especially like the red carbon backplate, the material is mesmerizing to look at.

Design

The DXII has a 12mm single dynamic driver with a gold-plated brass chassis. The Housing is 3D printed and has a red carbon glass backplate, providing both an accurate ergonomic feel and durable build quality. The “W” sound signature gives it pronounced bass, smooth mids, and detailed highs.

The Noble Audio DXII has an impedance of fewer than 35 Ohms.

Soundstage

The DXII has a nicely separated stereo field. There’s a pleasant amount of wraparound and a good feeling of contrast between the two sides. This is a closer sound than a lot of other IEMs, and while it can get airy and spacy when it needs to, its strength lies in its ability to make instruments feel like they’re in a close orbit of you rather than feeling distant. The noise cancellation is excellent and the dynamics can go pretty far to both extremes before losing clarity.

Lows

The bass is pleasantly strong on the DXII. I could feel kicks in louder mixes, but never overly so. Subs add more of a pleasant, supportive hum than a constant barrage of low end, which is refreshing. The DXII’s low end feels balanced and still provides support and detail, but also contrast and subtlety that’s intriguing.

Mids

The DXII’s “W” curve gives the mids a unique sound character. Some people may not enjoy it if they’re looking for something with more faithful studio accuracy. This sound signature gives the low-mids and high-mids a slightly subdued sound, which gives the highs and lows the bulk of their character. This makes the DXII a very mellow listening experience, with a strong definition in the central mids. It’s hard to describe exactly how this sound makes me feel, but I found it interesting and it made me want to check out more W-curved IEMs to compare.

Highs

The treble on the DXII is fascinating and unlike anything I’ve heard previously. The extreme end of the highs is present and provides some definition. However, because of the dip in the DXII’s high-mids, the highs as a whole tend to come across as thin at times. While not fully muffled, I personally prefer a bit more definition, but this also boils down to preference and is an intentional characteristic of the DXII that W-Curve enjoyers will love.

Overall

The DXII was made to fit a specific niche, and it fits into that niche extremely well. While the DXII won’t fit everybody’s taste, you can’t deny that it still delivers an incredibly high-quality listening experience regardless of taste. Noble set out to create a fantastic and unique IEM that could deliver their signature attention to detail at a much lower price than they usually go for, and they succeeded. If you’re looking for a good pair of upgrade IEMs or just want to try something new, the DXII is definitely for you.

You can buy the Noble Audio DXII at Audio46