Official Denon AH-C700 Comparisons/Impressions

[cn11]

Originally Posted by antonyfirst

That's good to read. It seems that the Denon fix all the issues I used to have with the Atrio, at least concerning the sound signature (lows, mids, highs).
I hope that instrument placement will be comparable to that of the Etys and the Shure E500.

Tony, I find that to be a superior aspect to these over the Atrio. Detail, placement, soundstage are all slightly better to my ear. I'm sure you will enjoy them... if you're anything like me, impatient, the wait is intolerable!! Be sure to report back in once you've received them & listened, I can't wait to hear your thoughts.

[tstarn06]

Originally Posted by warrior05

It has been awhile since I've had the PK1s so take this with a large grain of salt.

I would say the Denons have a fair amount more bass extension. The mids are more upfront but I think the highs would go to the PK1s but barely if so. The thing with the PK1s is they are very open and headphone sounding. They certainly offer a more expansive soundstage than the Denons. I would recommend them over the Denons for walking because they aren't as isolating, thereby safer to use. I still use my JBL 220s when I walk the dog because I can easily hear cars coming from behind me. The C700s are too isolating for this.

The PK1s are more of a laid back sound than the Denons but I think that is largely due to the inherent format differences. If I listened to a ton of classical music - I might give the nod to the PK1s. It is why I usually reach for my balanced K701s for classical. I want to get that sense of instrument placement and spatial qualities of listening to a full orchestra. The C700s have more of a fun sound - certainly not analytical but very musical.

Personally - I feel the Denons have more to offer than the PK1s. I'll gladly sacrifice a bit of soundstage and that "headphone sound" for the musical presentation that the C700s offer up. To me it has just about everything - wonderful bass with impressive extension, sensual mids, detailed enough highs with no sibilance or harshness, decent soundstage especially in regards to IEMs/canalphones, quick and easy insertion, terrific build quality as CN mentioned and no cable microphonics.

Hope that helps.

Helps a lot. With CN (a major Atrio fan) and his post, it's time to start saving up my money, though I think I will wait until the new Denon models hit the street (either buy the newer models or see if the price drops even more on the 700s). Odd how these have been around since 2005, yet all of a sudden (at least here) they get such recognition. No matter, I will certainly get a pair of Denons eventually. This is getting crazy. On the other hand, that gives me a "triple play" for portable phones (PK1s for walking, Denons for semi-serious isolation situations, and the Atrios for hard-core isolation situations). Anyway, thanks. This place is going to make me nuts.

[cn11]

Originally Posted by tstarn06

Helps a lot. With CN (a major Atrio fan) and his post, it's time to start saving up my money, though I think I will wait until the new Denon models hit the street (either buy the newer models or see if the price drops even more on the 700s). Odd how these have been around since 2005, yet all of a sudden (at least here) they get such recognition. No matter, I will certainly get a pair of Denons eventually. This is getting crazy. On the other hand, that gives me a "triple play" for portable phones (PK1s for walking, Denons for semi-serious isolation situations, and the Atrios for hard-core isolation situations). Anyway, thanks. This place is going to make me nuts.

Heh, I certainly am an Atrio fan! Now a Denon C700 fan too... they're so similar in sound signature.

So the Denon AH-C700 has been around since 2005?? ...and to think all that time I could have been enjoying these! They pair so well with the Trekstor Vibez, and take EQ'ing very well.

Soozieq made a great discovery for sure....

Cheers....

[jant71]

The design makes it better. The Shure, Ety, and Atrio have the skinny sound tube. This hurts soundstage height. No way around the physics of the design. It is just easier for them regarding tips. Also Ety's and others that go in your ear further hurts soundstage. Same as in headphones, more driver distance equals more soundstage. Your canal is a sound chamber and the less the phones insert the better for soundstage. Of course, isolation is less. I like to think there is a possibility for a good balance and in-ears can sound big like headphones.

I'm waiting on the Senn CX-95(same physical design) which should have good soundstage also but the C751, when it comes out, is on my radar. I just have a feeling the Senns are gonna sound better. Won't know for a while. Thanks for the impressions on the Atrio vs. Denon.

I just grabbed this for $22 while I'm waiting to have some fun with...


Some Denon-like action with "aluminum housings and special ported enclosures for deep clear bass and highs" . Should be some fun and they will actually have a good soundstage.

[Aevum]

dell, Denon presetned the C751 recently, supposed to be an inprovement, havent seen them on the market yet,

[jant71]

Well, I think it just has a case and short cable but is the same otherwise. I just want the short cable. The C700 should be the better deal price-wise for a while though.

[warrior05]

Originally Posted by soozieq

And you didn't notice the bass drops out a bit? I've got the CX300 tips here which fit nicely, but I found it affects the bass (not a lot) but enough to make me feel cheated

Honestly - I haven't tried my Denons with any other tips. I don't think I have any others to try. When I discovered the Senn tips I gave away a lot of my other ones. Guess I'll scrounge around and see if I can find something else to try just for giggles.

[antonyfirst]

The C700 and C751 should be the same beast, with different cables.

***

Kudos to "Julieeq" for having let us discover such a gem.

[cn11]

Originally Posted by warrior05

Honestly - I haven't tried my Denons with any other tips. I don't think I have any others to try. When I discovered the Senn tips I gave away a lot of my other ones. Guess I'll scrounge around and see if I can find something else to try just for giggles.

Try the tips from the Vibes.. you have a pair if I remember correctly, yes? Also it looked like the JBL 220 has the same tip size as the Vibes... or am I mistaken? I've landed on the large clear silicon tips from the Vibes. Looks cool with the black Denon c700. Just cut the grass with them in, and they didn't budge at all while walking. No seal loss or anything- very nice.

[warrior05]

Originally Posted by tstarn06

Odd how these have been around since 2005, yet all of a sudden (at least here) they get such recognition.

Are you sure they've been out that long? Or maybe they were released in 2005 in Japan but just made it here. I ask because I bought the C350s just about the day they were available on Amazon and that was less than a year ago. The C700s were released - on Amazon - the same time. I thought of trying them but I didn't feel like paying that much at the time.

I reported on the C350s. I felt they were better than my CX300s but not by a lot. Bit more refinement with bass and a bit more detail overall - not night and day though. Those never took off.

[soozieq]

Originally Posted by cn11

So the Denon AH-C700 has been around since 2005?? ...and to think all that time I could have been enjoying these! They pair so well with the Trekstor Vibez, and take EQ'ing very well.

Soozieq made a great discovery for sure.... Cheers....

Thank you. In my first post about these, I said I was really surprised there wasn't more interest in them, because I honestly felt they deserved it.

Now there is, but it was the initial view I read on here (coupled with what I'd read about the Denon engineers) that convinced me to buy them. I didn't know much about them at all, but I did figure they weren't going to sound bad, no matter what. Still, it's always a concern when you buy something without much feedback on it. But then, when I'd heard them, I was so excited I just had to write about them. It's nice when an unknown 'underdog' gets noticed.

So the Denon AH-C700 has been around since 2005?? ...and to think all that time I could have been enjoying these!

I didn't know they'd be round that long. I know the 350 came out before these, but cnet only reviewed this model a couple of months ago, and all the editorial reviews are very recent. If they HAD been around for 2 years, I could have saved myself a lot of money and disappointment!

I'm really glad we're all liking them so much. I'd be gladder if anyone from Denon popped along to read this thread and give us some TIPS!

[soozieq]

Originally Posted by warrior05

I reported on the C350s. I felt they were better than my CX300s but not by a lot. Bit more refinement with bass and a bit more detail overall - not night and day though. Those never took off.

Oh. . . now I remember. Someone else reviewed the C700, not you. . . you didn't push me over the edge. . . someone else did

Either way, the thread vanished really fast

[soozieq]

Originally Posted by Aevum

dell, Denon presetned the C751 recently, supposed to be an inprovement, havent seen them on the market yet,

I think, like jant said - it's the same phone but with a cable extension along with an entire accessory - a carrying case. Much like the E500 and SE530 'difference'

[antonyfirst]

For sure not worth the price difference: the C700 can be had for 123$ shipped from Bluetin. The newer model would cost 200+$ out of Japan.

[soozieq]

It was 'youspenthowmuch?' who first mentioned them back in May this year.

So a HUGE thank you!!! Still wonder why there wasn't more interest in them at the time. Never mind, they've been resurrected now.