Short answer: the Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Noire. It ranks #143 of 216 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.3/5, at $899; the Audeze LCD-GX ranks #156, rated 3.2/5, at $899. With prices this close, go by the sound-quality ranking rather than the cost.
What the Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Noire does well: Bass is well controlled, with sub-bass within 0.3 dB of target and a gentle 1.9 dB lift from 60 to 200 Hz that adds warmth. The tradeoff: Treble from 6 to 10 kHz sits about 3.8 dB under target, and a 10.5 dB dip near 9.9 kHz dulls cymbals and sibilance.
Why pick the Audeze LCD-GX: The open-back 106mm planar magnetic driver offers a large, spacious presentation. Watch for: Sub-bass is about 7 dB below target and presence is roughly 7 dB low, with a 10 dB dip near 4.9 kHz, so vocals and snare lack clarity and bass lacks rumble.
Buy the Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Noire. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Audeze LCD-GX at the same price, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Noire | Audeze LCD-GX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $899.00 | $899.00 |
| Ranked | #143 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones | #156 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 67 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 63 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.49 dB standard deviation | 3.10 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.06 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.82 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.9 dB at 30 Hz) | Falls 6 dB below target at 45 Hz (-7.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Back | Closed | Open |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic | Planar magnetic |
| Impedance | 13 ohms | 20 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 92 dB/mW | 100 dB/mW |
| Drivers | - | 1 x 106mm planar magnetic |
| Frequency Response | - | 10Hz - 50kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
Related Headphone Comparisons
How Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Noire compares with other leading options:
- Denon AH-D7200 vs Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Noire
- Audeze LCD-2 vs Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Noire
- Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Noire vs Focal Elear
- Focal Elear vs Audeze LCD-GX
- Audeze LCD-2 vs Audeze LCD-GX
Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Headphones In Full
Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Noire: $899.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: Bass is well controlled, with sub-bass within 0.3 dB of target and a gentle 1.9 dB lift from 60 to 200 Hz that adds warmth. The planar driver is a closed-back design that isolates from room noise. Mids from 200 Hz to 3 kHz stay within about 1 dB of target, so vocals stay natural.
Cons: Treble from 6 to 10 kHz sits about 3.8 dB under target, and a 10.5 dB dip near 9.9 kHz dulls cymbals and sibilance. A 3.6 dB peak near 5.5 kHz can add some edge to vocals and brass. At 13 ohms and 92 dB per mW it is the hardest to drive in this group and benefits from a proper headphone amp, and the Focal Elear has the same rating. See headphone amps and DACs with enough power to drive it.
Full Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Noire review and specifications →
| Back | Closed |
|---|---|
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.49 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 67 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 13 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 92 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.9 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.06 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -4.3 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +0.7 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 108 Hz | -3.5 dB | 0.79 |
| Peak | 7,952 Hz | +3.8 dB | 1.01 |
| Peak | 3,620 Hz | +4.7 dB | 1.74 |
| Peak | 5,424 Hz | -7.1 dB | 2.66 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -6.2 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 1,189 Hz | -1.8 dB | 3.03 |
| Peak | 300 Hz | -1.1 dB | 1.30 |
| Peak | 183 Hz | +1.6 dB | 3.08 |
| Peak | 1,976 Hz | +1.4 dB | 2.98 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Audeze LCD-GX: $899.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: The open-back 106mm planar magnetic driver offers a large, spacious presentation. At 20 ohms and 100 dB/mW it can run from a phone or portable dongle, and the midrange stays close to target, with low mids about 0.7 dB above it.
Cons: Sub-bass is about 7 dB below target and presence is roughly 7 dB low, with a 10 dB dip near 4.9 kHz, so vocals and snare lack clarity and bass lacks rumble. Treble from 6 to 10 kHz is about 5 dB down, making the overall sound dark. The open back leaks sound and offers no isolation.
Full Audeze LCD-GX review and specifications →
| Released | Jul 2019 (7 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Open |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 3.10 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic |
| Drivers | 1 x 106mm planar magnetic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 50kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 63 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 20 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 100 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 45 Hz (-7.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.82 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.5 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +7.1 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 4,232 Hz | +6.1 dB | 1.97 |
| Peak | 100 Hz | -3.6 dB | 0.29 |
| Peak | 825 Hz | -2.9 dB | 1.38 |
| Peak | 7,329 Hz | +2.6 dB | 1.27 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -6.9 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 130 Hz | +0.7 dB | 1.72 |
| Peak | 59 Hz | -0.6 dB | 1.94 |
| Peak | 242 Hz | -0.5 dB | 1.99 |
| Peak | 2,773 Hz | -0.7 dB | 4.21 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons