The Noble Audio Knight In-Ear Monitors bring the brand’s signature craftsmanship and innovative engineering into the entry-level market. With features like a tri-brid driver configuration, a high-quality silver-plated cable, and a striking aluminum shell, the Knight promises to deliver exceptional audio performance and unmatched value. Whether you’re a budding audiophile or a seasoned listener looking for a stylish yet affordable option, the Knight offers an intriguing blend of aesthetics, comfort, and sound quality that’s hard to ignore. Does it fulfill its promise?
What You Get
- Knight Universal Fit In-Ear Monitors
- Premium 8-Core OCC Silver-Plated Cable
- Premium Travel Case
- 2-Pin Detachable Connectors
- Cleaning Brush & Cloth
- Silicon and Foam Eartips
- Noble Audio Warranty
Look & Feel
Everything about the presentation of the Knight is fantastic. I’m a sucker for the theming of this specific product, with the box looking like a fantasy book cover instead of IEMs. The actual appearance of the IEMs matches the standard build quality they’re known for, even when coming down to this price range. It’s encased in an aluminum shell with a 3D acrylic faceplate showcasing the flashy artistry common with higher-end Noble IEMs.
The fact that this design is easily translated for an entry-level product is quite a feat for Noble Audio, almost automatically making the Knight one of the most premium-looking IEMs in its price range. In terms of fit, they may look a bit bulky, but I find them very form-fitting and comfortable. The housing is a good size for my ears, and the ergonomic shape of the cavity makes the Knight sit in my ear in a way that feels unobtrusive to my listening experience.
Design
The Knight is one of the few entry-level IEMs to have a tri-brid driver configuration. It uses a 10mm dynamic driver for low frequencies, a balanced armature from Sonion for mids, and a Piezo driver for ultra-high frequencies. The dynamic unit has a dual-magnet design with a composite diaphragm, working alongside the rest of the drivers to deliver a signal flow with tonal richness. I also want to mention the cable, which is one of the better stock cables to be packaged with an IEM in this price range. It features an 8-core silver-plated cable with a 4.4mm termination. It is a strangely high-end cable for a product like the Knight which brings up its value considerably.
With the cable and its driver construction combined, the signal flow should consistently meet its potential, and that has a big impact on impedance and sensitivity. Suffice it to say, the Knight is extremely easy to drive. With the 4.4mm connection, you’ll still need a DAC that supports a balanced connection. I used a Fiio KA15, which gave the Knight more power than it really needed.
Soundstage
My immediate impression of the Knight’s soundstage is that the width and spatial imaging were exactly where they needed to be for the price. While the sound elements don’t always feel exact, they bring out one of the Knight’s best attributes: its non-linearity. The headspace it reproduces always feels like it is on the cusp of breaking out into a truly holographic stereo field. However, the Knight brings its soundstage into a controlled space with more interior display than an exterior one. With that said the imaging has a ton of dimension to it, showcasing layers that fold underneath and wrap around others.
There are a few sonic aspects like vocals and other dominant sounds that appear like they are being performed in front of your face. Everything has a close proximity, but the headspace has much more depth than a lot of IEMs I can name in this price range.
Low End
I would describe the Knight’s bass as having a controlled warmth. The response is very dynamic while also having a wealth of defined frequency content for the price. Bass instruments have tons of clarity, with a tone that feels like it’s pulsating with rumbly vibration. With this type of sound signature, you don’t get a lot of sub-bass, but the lows contain enough natural lift that the drive of the vibrations feel powerful. The Knight has a solid impact, but not in the way I would describe for bass-heads. I think they would definitely enjoy this response, but the bass of the Knight has more detail to it than you might expect. It still balances itself well with the low-mids, even when the resonance reaches a grander scale. The timbre has a ton of character to it, but don’t expect the bass to be the Knight’s most dominant feature.
Mids
Acoustic instruments have a lush quality to them that defines the midrange frequencies quite well. They feel incredibly transparent for the price, supplying clear details and artifacts that can be closely inspected. It keeps a tinge of low-mid warmth while heightening the resolution of the sound. Some vocal performances get a bit shaky though. Lower-register male vocals perform well through the Knight, but female vocals have a slight sharpness to them. Everything about them is still easily digestible though, and rarely distracts from the studio-like personality of the midrange.
Highs
The sharpness of some vocal performances that I mentioned resonates into the highs a bit, but everything is kept under control. It won’t shy away from brightness, but you’ll never hear anything too harsh or piercing. Unlike the lows and mids, there isn’t much flavor to the highs. Good detail and clarity are being displayed, but it all comes across as raw.
Summary
The Noble Audio Knight is a standout in its class, combining premium aesthetics, innovative technology, and a compelling sound profile. Its tri-brid driver setup and ergonomic design make it a comfortable, high-performance choice for a wide range of listeners. While its bass and midrange stand out as highlights, its overall sonic balance and intricate detailing elevate it beyond what you’d expect at this price point. For those seeking an IEM that offers both style and substance, the Knight is an investment that pays off in spades. Noble Audio has once again proven that entry-level doesn’t have to mean compromising on quality or experience.
The Noble Audio Knight is available at Audio46.
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