My Denon D2000s recabled with Jena Labs 18G - Review/Impressions

[Charles_1985]

Greetings Head-Fi - this is a review of the Denon D2000s coupled with a Jena Labs 18G cable, but mostly about the cable which is why I posted here. I'm a first-time reviewer.

Why?
I had the opportunity to listen to a friend's D2000s with Jena Labs cable and instantly noticed the difference between the stock D2000 cable and the Jena Labs. I will get more into that in a minute, but in short, I decided I had to have that sound!
You can go here to learn about the Jena Labs cable.

How?
I contacted Lil' Knight here on the forums and purchased a 7.5' Jena Labs 18G cable ended with a Furutech 1/4" connector. I then had Zach @ Enigma Audio do the install.
Total cost was about $320 for the entire process; total value of the headphones is now around $350 + $320 = $670.

Setup
Source: KECES USB D/A Converter DA-151
Amp: Little Dot I+ Hybrid
IC: Grado Labs Prestige (to be replaced soon)

Music
I used these artists/albums to conduct listening tests:
BT - Rare & Remixed, 10 Years in the Life, Movement in Still Life, Emotional Technology
ATB - No Silence
Fleetwood Mac - Tango in the Night
Kaskade - Strobelight Seduction
The Thrillseekers - Nightmusic Vol. 2 & 3

Background Info on Denons
Denon's model line of AH-series headphones (D2000, D5000, and D7000) use the same construction and the drivers are very similar; they are the same for the D2000/D5000 and only slightly improved on the D7000. So, the only real difference between them lies in the cable. Therefore there is no point to getting anything but the D2000 sound-wise. You can re-cable the D2000s to sound much better than the stock D5000/D7000, which is what I did and saved money in the process.

THE RESULTS
The stock D2000 cable is, quite frankly, a piece of crap and really holds back the D2000s potential as evidenced by my ears. Going from several hundred hours of listening time on the stock D2000s to the recabled Jena Labs D2000s, the difference is very apparent. The Jena Labs cable improves the D2000s sound every way but in some areas more than others.

Overall Impressions
The sound is across the board more transparent; by comparison, the stock cable is a bit opaque and simply not as clear. The sound is overall much more pure with the Jena Labs. With the stock cable, it's like the sound was going through a screen and now that screen is gone.

Bass
Next, the bass. One of my criticisms of the stock D2000 was its somewhat uncontrolled/bloated bass. The Jena Labs cable tightens up the bass considerably and it is able to provides a measure of control; the bass is more accurate as a result. The bass is still somewhat bloated but I desire such an effect due to the nature of the music I listen to (Dance&DJ, Electronic). Another plus with the Jena Labs is that the bass extends deeper.

Mids/Highs
The mids/highs improve noticeably; the Jena Labs cable makes them pleasingly smoother. The transparency of the Jena Labs cable is especially evident in the mid/high ranges. Most of the music I listen to has female vocals and vocals are where the most pronounced differences are with the Jena Labs cable; they are a smoother and a bit sweeter, like all the creases have been ironed out. Truly a great improvement.

Detail
Detail - there is a positive difference here but it's not to the degree that the mids/highs or bass are improved. Details at the edge of the soundstage are resolved slightly better due to the overall increase in transparency, and drum hits and similar details are smoother all the way up, but that is about it. Nothing huge, and I wasn't looking for improvement there either (already satisfied @ stock).

Visuals
This is a gorgeous cable. The copper is very pink and you can look through the clear casing to see how fine it is. The Furutech connector is huge and also nice-looking.

Conclusion
The increase in sound quality I experienced going from the stock D2000 cable to the Jena Labs 18G has been nothing short of fantastic. The overall sound is noticeably more transparent, the bass is tighter, deeper, and more controlled, the mids/highs are smoother and a bit sweeter, and there is some increased resolution in small details. After the Jena Labs upgrade, the D2000s are still warm but the side effects are lessened (e.g. bloated bass). To top things off, the cable is absolutely beautiful, real eye-candy.

The Jena Labs cable upgrade won't make you like the Denons if you don't already like them at stock. If Denons are the type of can you're looking for (and there are plenty of Denon reviews here that I agree with so I won't bother with that), then my recommendation is to just go with the D2000 and have the cable upgraded - as I noted, Denon uses the same drivers for the D2000/D5000 and only a slightly improved version in the D7000 so really there is no point to getting anything but the D2000.

Everything in life is relative, so naturally take what I said above with a grain of salt. Everyone has different ears and preferences. For my ears and music preferences, this is awesome and I'm very satisfied.

I hope you enjoyed the review - thanks for reading!

[tonsosnot]

Great write-up!

Do you have any interest in performing the MarkL mod, or have you heard MarkL D2000s? I wonder how much it would improve upon the recable, but sounds like the recable has a much great affect on the sound.

[RushNerd]

This is GREAT! I love all the modding interest in D2Ks!!! My new D2K's are still in the mail but further down the line I will try the Markl Mod, and maybe even this recabling.

Just a question: Jena cable might be the best, but are there any healthy(less costly) alternative manufacturers? I'm no cabling whiz but I bet even mid-grade cabling would be a step-up over stock.

Also, who are these enigma audio guys, a real store, or just online?

[boozcool]

I had my D2000s recabled by Aphrodite Cu29 (Weeeeesquirrel) last year.
They were recabled with the MaXimus 195L (19.5AWG Cardas Pure Copper Litz)
Truly amazing, top-notch work. Exceptional quality and meticulous attention-to-detail are the two best descriptions which come to mind.
In addition, he was one of the nicest, most knowledgeable guys I've ever come in contact since picking up this hobby ( addiction is more like it :P )

Here is the website:
Headphone Cable

Some reviews:
Aphrodite cu 29

And pics of my baby:
http://www.aphroditecu29.com/image/M...2000Booz1T.jpg
http://www.aphroditecu29.com/image/M...enonGreenT.JPG

[McCool009]

For different rewirings, I've been looking at Moon-Audio as well as Apuresound V3 cable. From various accounts Jena Labs seems to be the best you can get, but I'd like to see a comparison, though that would be hard to set up.

[padam]

Enigma Audio has some nice cables as well. But if you (or someone you know) are handy with a soldering iron you can save a lot by doing it yourself (there is also a recable guide here by FallenAngel). The total cost in this case is nearly the same as a D7000.

[Charles_1985]

Thanks for the feedback.

Originally Posted by tonsosnot

Great write-up!

Do you have any interest in performing the MarkL mod, or have you heard MarkL D2000s? I wonder how much it would improve upon the recable, but sounds like the recable has a much great affect on the sound.

The MarkL mod is next on my list, followed by the wooden cups. I have a friend with MarkL-modded D2000s and it definitely improves the sound even more. Better soundstage, even more comfortable (hard to believe that is possible, I know), and improved bass.
I think the cable is where it all starts, based on my observations with different D2000s. If you really want to take your D2000s to the next level, then the cable upgrade is a must.

Originally Posted by RushNerd

This is GREAT! I love all the modding interest in D2Ks!!! My new D2K's are still in the mail but further down the line I will try the Markl Mod, and maybe even this recabling.

Just a question: Jena cable might be the best, but are there any healthy(less costly) alternative manufacturers? I'm no cabling whiz but I bet even mid-grade cabling would be a step-up over stock.

Also, who are these enigma audio guys, a real store, or just online?

Congrats on the cans - you made a great choice. Make sure you have a proper amp and source otherwise you won't do the D2000s justice; the amp is most important. I suggest using the stock D2000s for a while and then doing the upgrades one at a time so you can see and enjoy the differences.

Really, the cheapest option if you want to bump up your D2000s sound is a D5000 cable - you should be able to get it for cheap from one of the places that do Denon recables (Lawton, Enigma). BTW - Enigma Audio is an online audio shop: www.enigma-audio.com

About other cable - McCool mentions another cable source, Moon Audio.

Originally Posted by McCool009

For different rewirings, I've been looking at Moon-Audio as well as Apuresound V3 cable. From various accounts Jena Labs seems to be the best you can get, but I'd like to see a comparison, though that would be hard to set up.

For me it came down to the Jena Labs cable and the Moon-Audio Black Dragon. In the end it was just a matter of what I had heard; I loved the Jena Labs sound so I went with what I knew. The Black Dragon is about the same price; $275 installed + ship. You can see it here:
Headphone Cable

APuresound makes sick cables from what I have read, I have not read about anyone who has hooked them up to D2000s though.

Originally Posted by padam

Enigma Audio has some nice cables as well. But if you (or someone you know) are handy with a soldering iron you can save a lot by doing it yourself (there is also a recable guide here by FallenAngel). The total cost in this case is nearly the same as a D7000.

This is true. I unfortunately am not a good solderer so I didn't want to take the chance.
About the D7000 - I can't see spending the money for those, especially since they are barely improved at all. You can see here:
Denon D7000 Deconstructed
The cable is the same as the D5000s, the drivers are the same as I noted in this review, and really I'm not sure how the D7000s pricetag is justified.

Originally Posted by boozcool

And pics of my baby:
http://www.aphroditecu29.com/image/M...2000Booz1T.jpg
http://www.aphroditecu29.com/image/M...enonGreenT.JPG

Those look awesome. Looks like that cable did a lot for yours and other members D2000s. The stock cable truly holds back these wonderful cans.

[aragornmustdie]

i dont get the fetish towards colourful cables? isnt it better for the eyes if you cover them up again with the usual black sleeve? forgive my ignorance- really curious here

[boozcool]

Better for your eyes? So it would be bad for your eyes to have anything but a black cable??
By that rational, we would all be driving black cars and wearing black clothes
Its really a matter of taste, but I find a regular black cable to be a bit boring and mediocre. If you spend a significant amount of money on a cable, an improvement in sound quality is foremost, but some people also prefer something aesthetically different. Plus, a cable with a different color gives the cans a more personal touch

[QQQ]

There's such a thing as taste and color-matching. If anything, it's tasteless to have, say, silver BMW with pink wheels...

[aragornmustdie]

i see.

i myself am looking forward for giving my cans a personal touch as well, but i think im not into pink or green... i think some cables made by EFN are very nice in that they are simplistic and complement the cans nicely. its not really about having black sleeve though.

[boozcool]

Color coordination is very important, yes, but its all relative
I can't say I've ever heard of a car with pink wheels (except for maybe the ice cream truck), but some people find a pink car with silver wheels to be a classic combination

[Charles_1985]

The way the cable looked had basically nothing to do with my purchase; I actually forgot to add a "Visual" part to my review when I first wrote it. I cannot lie though, having the cable look nice is a plus.

You should be able to get your cable sheathed in nylon or a similar material if you want it to look nondescript.

[Lil' Knight]

The correct link to Enigma Audio is Enigma Audio
Zach is a great guy to work with.

[RushNerd]

TYVM Charles!! I'll definatly look into all this, very helpful. But your right, first thing I will need is that amp.