The Denon AH-D5000 - My latest HeadRoom purchase

[aimlink]

Since it's a HeadRoom purchase and no one seems that interested in them since the rise of the AH-D7000 and even moreso, the Sennheiser HD-800, I thought I'd make a few comments anyway. It took some consideration to purchase these cans especially while being swooned by the craze for the more expensive and newer model, the D7000, as well the other alternatives currently carrying the rave.

Looks and Ergonometrics:

- They're nice looking.

- A little heavier than I expected. I haven't put them on scales, but I do get the feeling that it's heavier than the HD 650. It's nice and comfy though. It fits differently from the HD 650 in that it grips my head less and the ear pads have more bulk. This makes bending over etc. give that feeling of the phones losing their hold. However, they actually don't fall off or move out of position, requiring a readjustment once I'm back in the upright position.

- I'm happy that it comes with a 1/8" plug. It suites my ultra micro amp just fine. The power cable has a cloth weave finish with some limitation in flexibility (no less than my Cardas cable) and some degree of memory. However, the bulk is reassuring.

Sound:

The sound signature of these Denons are to me, very different from the HD 650's. If I were to use single words to describe the sound, I'd say 'clinical' for the HD650's and 'fun' for the Denon's.

To appreciate the Denons, the phones will need some burnin and you'll need some conditioning.

When I first heard them, I was taken aback by the richness of the bass response. The fullness and depth of the bass stands out big time and perhaps too much when listening to particular musical selections. Despite the prominence, I wouldn't use words like uncontrolled or distorted. I'd use only one word 'prominent' or 'pronounced'. Where bass is prominent in the music words like 'visceral' and 'thundering' come to mind. These Denons do produce detail of timbre in the bass that the HD650's do not. The Denon's present it to you, while you have to listen out for it on the HD650's.

The mids do seem to have a bit more presence and the highs about the same as the HD650s.

Soundstaging and overall sound are interestingly affected by the wooden enclosures. A resonance chamber of sorts is created creating a lush echo effect that's subtle and leads to an enhancement of soundstaging and base response.

They do leak sound despite their being closed. Not much, but more than I expected.

Conclusion:

Overall, I think the HD650 is the more balanced of the two since the HD650's are absolutely exquisite when listening to well recorded and balanced music.

OTOH, the Denon's do add extra fun to listening to a lot of the contemporary music I have collected. For example, they are absolutely fun for listening to Iron Maiden, Paradise Lost, Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin. It's base response makes for an excellent mate when listening to the Reggae genre.

I'll be having a lot of fun with these new cans and I agree with HeadRoom's 5 bars/stars. I'm very happy with this purchase and highly recommend it to anyone who wants to try an interestingly different sound signature to the Sennheisers without burning the wallet too much.

My next cans may well be another open back with wood in the construction, i.e., a pair of Grado's.

[mrarroyo]

Nice impressions, I too love my Denon D5000. So much I bought a D2000 and had it extensively modded. Both sound fantastic albeit a tad different due to the diference in cables used. Enjoy your new toy and let it burn in for about 250 hours.

[Tyll Hertsens]

Thanks for the impressions. Feel free to post here to enjoy a noise-free environment for your posts.

[aimlink]

Originally Posted by Tyll Hertsens

Thanks for the impressions. Feel free to post here to enjoy a noise-free environment for your posts.

On that note, they are now about 75 hours burnt in.

After switching back to the HD650's for a spell, I then recognised the profundity of habituation/sensory burn in. The HD650's for a little while sounded anaemic and too crisp. Soon enough, my old ears and appreciation came back and I could again appreciate the HD650 sound.

My above average cans experience started with a pair of Sony MDR7506's. I then moved to the Sennheiser 595 and then the 650's. The Denons have a very different approach to sound that struck a cord in me. I now realize how much the appreciation of a new set of cans is determined by what one is already listening to. If I had started with the Denons, I doubt I'd have given the HD650's any chance to show me what they could deliver. The HD650 to Denon sound transition makes for a curiously interesting jaunt that bears fruit. The Denon to Sennheiser sound transition, I doubt I'd have given a chance, though the Sennheisers are terrific in their own way. I've had many hours of wonderful listening with the HD 650's and will continue to once I've gotten my fill of the Denons and wish to listen to something else.

The Denons are now sounding fuller with splendid detail across the sound spectrum. They are generally smoother sounding than the Sennheisers, a quality that goes with my personal preferences for general listening as its full and lush low end response. I have no doubt that the DPS powered Ultra Micro Stack is contributing to this overall smooth and rich sound.

I can now fully appreciate why the D5000's feature so much in the (amp/cans) packaged offerings on HeadRoom's site.

[kboe]

Mrarroyo is right when he says it,(I have the 2000s) needs a good bit of burn in for the cans to come into their own. I too found the bass almost to much at first but this relaxed over time.
Kevin

Enjoy

[aimlink]

So which of your cans is getting the most attention?

[aimlink]

This users comparison of HD800 and Grado PS1000 is reminiscent of my comparison of the AH-D5000 and HD650. Makes me now think that if I'm going next into the Mega Headphone category, I'd go for the PS1000.

[mrarroyo]

Originally Posted by aimlink

So which of your cans is getting the most attention?

At home I currently spent 40% of the time with the D2000, 40% of the time with the D5000, 15% of the time with the RS-1, 5% of the time w/ the rest of the cans. In portable mode about 70% Yuin OK1 and 30% Etymotic ER4P.

[aimlink]

I grew up listening to some vocalists. My Dad was an audiophile and spent a lot on his systems. I got to love the voices of Barbara Streisand and Neil Diamond, the tenors of the Bee Gees and the voice of our recently deceased Michael Jackson. There are a lot more artists, whose singing voices I grew to love and know very well.

All I can say is Wow!!!... these AH-D5000's certainly do wonderful things with those voices. Absolutely wonderful reproduction. The HD650's have not been able to do it this well. In fact, it was the one little axe I had to grind with the Sennheiser HD650's. The reproduction of voice would not be quite right for some singers. I couldn't quite put a hand on it. Anyway, I am listening to Barbara Streisand's 'Memories' and it's really great.

But then again, the prominent bass of these cans make listening to the Buddha Bar albums a problem. Those albums carry heavy bass in the sound production or a quality that is too exaggerated by the D5000's. I'm wondering how the D7000's would handle those CD's.

[kboe]

It lightens up with time, only a little, but enough.

[aimlink]

Originally Posted by kboe

It lightens up with time, only a little, but enough.

I'm over 150 hours into burn in. Not sure if it made any real difference past 75 or so hours. The base hasn't really changed as such, but the mids and highs have come forward significantly more.

The overall sound of these Denons do not allow for listening at a meet unless you're already a 'sucker' for its characteristic sound. A lot of the 'lightening' up is psychic.

If you've been listening the Sennheisers and AKGs and then pick up the Denons, you'll be overwhelmed. Even today, I was listening to the Senns to see if I was really enjoying vocals reproduction that much more with the Denons. Sure enough, it wasn't made up. The HD650's have a comparatively 'harsher' and more accentuated midrange. The low mids reproduction is also not as I prefer with the HD650's. It makes for a less smooth and lush reproduction of vocals. On going back to the Denons, I was transiently 'hearing' that heavy bass again until my ears settled right in.

Overall, I have less listening fatigue with the Denons, so it would seem that its signature is more suited to my ears. The base is a tad too much making it certainly not perfect, but the smoothness of sound production is great, one that I generally prefer.

[DoYouRight]

midrange on D7000 is slightly recessed compared to D5000 so take that as you will. I am having a hell of a time deciding, probably will end up with both because of it and the fact I cant afford L3000 which does bass and mids perfectly.

[KCT]

Hi,

I am new to the Denon D5000 and I am very impressed with the mid and high frequency range more so than with the bass. I am using these headphones with
a custom made digital headphone amp (with digital volume adjust only and optical in only) and the
bass seems normal to me, not as reported by some which feel it is too heavy on
the bass.

That leads me to a question, as I was immediately turned off when I figured the AH-D5000 is apparently made in China and not in Japan. Is this a true statement ?

Is it possible that some have received earlier shipments which were made in Japan ?

It just irritates me that Denon calls up a sales prices which is not in line with a product made in China. To me this is bordering on legal fraud.

Also, I noticed sales price variations ranging form $US385, £500 to Euro 699.

Am I missing something here or are there two different qualities the headphones are sold with ?

What is your opinion on that ?

Cheers

[aimlink]

KCT,

I'm curious about what headphones you used prior to the AH-D5000 since your impressions will be affected by this.

Compared to the Sennheiser HD650, the base is definitely more pronounced and the reason/s one could give for this may be different. Some may say it's just plain excessive. Others may say that it's fuller and with more depth. I personally do feel that there is more depth and fullness to it. However, it may be somewhat too pronounced, making it a bit overbearing with recordings that inherently carry a lot of base. The interesting thing is that some very basy recordings sound just fine while others sound overbearing. I suspect it may well have to do with the engineering where some recordings have the base unnaturally exaggerated for the mobile music era.

My Denons were purchased from HeadRoom, an authorised dealer. These were made in China as inscribed on the headset. We do know that China is the land of the cheap ripoffs. However, we do know that China is a major territory for Japanese companies to outsource their factories and assembling of their electronic products. Thailand is another place.

The wide variation in cost is concerning and may well have something to do with fakes being out there.

Be that as it may, the Denon AH-D5000/7000's signature sound of prominent base is hugely popular to the point where the MarkL mod is a big thing of late. You can even purchase a pair of these phones pre-moded!! However, the MarkL mod is close to US$500!!!

[KCT]

Hi aimlink,

many Thanks for your reply. Well, mostly I do enjoy my music with full size speakers, a set of Klipsch RF 35, but occasionally I listen to (bass heavy) content using Sony legacy MD and Sony Earbuds Headphones. That may be the reason and the headpone amp I am using with the Denon's is quite linear over frequency, why I find the Denon's a little flat on the bass.

That's ok, as I expected more so the mid and highs to be far better, and the Denons definitely deliver that.

I borrowed a cheapy Audio-Technica ATH-M40fs for some comparison, but as it turned out there is no real comparison. The low end frequency seems about comparable but the mid and highs are just out of this world with the Denons, no question about that.

Yes, I read a number of posts here regarding this Markl mod, but I am not really convinced this is what I need to do with my headset. In fact some posted pictures I have seen here with this mod are not really implemented professionally in my opinion, to put it polite. And therefor I hardly doubt that it is actually a real improvement, since there are nowhere actual comparison measurements to be found such as Pulse Response, Frequency Response and Harmonics.

All I read is, "it sounds better". Well, I am sorry, that is not quantitative enough, in particular when keeping the images in mind of some 'butchered ' headsets.

Well, about the fake ones, how can they be separated from the genuine ?

Does the image below qualifies for a fake or do Chinese ears grow sideways ?

Cheers