Review: Stock Denon AH-D2000 v. Stock AKG K501

Equipment:
EVS-modded Oppo 970HD universal player
Bada PH-12 hybrid headphone amplifier w/1x Mullard ECC33 & 2x Sylvania 6SN7GTB
EVS IC100 PCOCC interconnects
MAC Sound Pipe Source and HC power cords

Music:
King Sunny Ade and His African Beats: Synchro System (Mango)
Qunicy Jones: The Birth of a Band, Vol. 2 (Mercury/Alpha Plus Series remaster)
Claudio Abbado/Chamber Orchestra of Europe: Schubert, Symphony No. 9 (Deutsche Grammophon)
Cat Stevens: Tea for the Tillerman (A&M)

(1)
King Sunny Ade
(Track 3: "Penkele")
The K501 bring the lead vocal forward and showcase their wonderful midrange coherency with Ade's entrancing vocalizations. Due to the K501’s bass drop-off, the treble-favored nasal quality/delivery of the vocals is emphasized, as are the sounds at the top of the drum skin. The amazing complex of drums and the strictly rhythm-serving guitars step back a bit in the mix and further highlight the vocals. The overall treble-some edge adds to an immediate, open and well-tagged sense of space/performer placement. Although this could sometimes be construed as imposing an unnatural isolation between individual performers, the K501 are so very good at integrating the several parts, of seemingly rendering the full fabric with every single thread, that the composition is delivered intact. The brightness inherent in this recording is exacerbated by the K501’s unforgiving scrutiny.

The D2000 arrive with the balance of bass, and a better frequency balance, overall. Vocals have settled further back in the mix, couched in and “aura-fied” with the bass, sounding more detailed, "manly" and perhaps more intimate as well. If the D2000 weren’t so incredibly well resolving, this [added bass] could be perceived as a loss compared to the K501. The D2000 have instead turned the added bass into gains all around. This drum-heavy track is served more faithfully, carrying this piece with the rhythmic authority it requires. Bass guitar and the different bass “voices”/pitches of the various drums are well sorted out and easy to discriminate. The D2000’s superior resolution improves virtually everything: spatially, tonally and harmonically as well as rhythmically, imparting a stamp of believable balance and therefore heightened realism to this piece. (Grant it, this song is more suited to the popularly understood “strengths” of the Denon, but aside from conceding an arguably tiny degree of midrange coherency and perhaps a slightly less tiny degree of openness to the K501, the D2000 bring so much more to the table as “compensation” that such a concession is readily—and even gladly—made.) The brightness is just about completely gone, too—or was it simply resolved(?).

. . . More to come, God willing . . . : )

Golden,
Bass anomalies with the D2000 are quite often recording/source-dependent, IMHE. While I cannot speak to a direct comparison between the HD650 and the D2000, my experience with the D2000 and the HD600 leads me to believe that--given a well transferred bass track and all other things being equal--the D2000, in addition to going deeper, were more detailed and articulate in the bass, while possibly giving ground to the HD600 with regard to "tighter grip." Since the HD600 don't go as deep, I could argue that they don't have as much that needs to be controlled, either. However, that last iota of bass control that perhaps leaves room for improvement in the D2000 wasn't enough to make me cease to prefer the lower frequency response of the D2000 to the HD600, though.

Vocals can be very up-close with the D2000, too. It's as much, or perhaps even more, a function of the miking, I think, as it is has to do with the D2000 being "midrange recessive" per se. Also, I do consider the D2000 to be better frequency-balanced-sounding (and better balanced on just about every other front) than either the HD600 or HD650.

Finally, the rather large leg up that the D2000 seem to have in terms of resolving detail goes a long way in making them sound more believably compelling--or is it compellingly believable?--than either of the Sennheisers, IMHO. The D2000 are, to me, by far, the most "complete-sounding" of the three headphones currently under discussion on this segment of the thread.

PAB

(2)
Quincy Jones
(Track 2: The Hucklebuck)
The K501 deliver this jumping track with flash and flare. Again, due to the K501’s mid and, to a lesser degree, upper frequency prominence, big band instruments are brought into more bold relief. And what the K501 do with the mids is very special indeed, letting you hear “completely through” them in a seamless fashion. Rallied ‘round the superlative midrange, the K501 integrate the treble and bass (the modicum there is of it) very well, too. The trumpets’ bite feels just right, saxes intonate a fine, uninterrupted line all the way from their spitty, raspy reed beginnings to their ultra-mellow, flared, brassy bell ends. This song takes on a very open, liberated character with the AKG.

The D2000 deliver “the rest of” the goods: treble, midrange and bass, with more drive and a better sense of speed/urgency. Resolution of massed instruments is better, with more carefully defined detail evident in the cymbal hits: not as “splashy” and loose as the K501, rather more “vibrationally intact” with each swelling and dampening quiver easily traceable and accounted for. The D2000’s window into the transient information is more detailed, but less dynamic than the K501’s. While not as wide and expansive from left-to-right as the K501, the D2000 offer appreciably more front-to-back depth on this track, IMHO. In that respect, I would judge the D2000 more spatially balanced in terms of its more “symmetrical” use of all three dimensions.

Two very distinct but equally enjoyable vantage points into this exuberant, swing composition/performance. If threatened at gunpoint, I’d give the nod to the D2000 for “more holistic realism,” while not forgetting to give proper place to the K501 in terms of sheer, midrange magic.

(Track 8: “After Hours”)
A small ensemble arrangement, with nice, extended solo piano work. This is where the K501 really shine, leaving no stone unturned in a simple, uncluttered acoustic space. The tone, timber and ambient textures of the piano were superlative, simply revelatory!

Oodles of detail and excellent resolution of piano key strikes with the D2000, so delicate and precise, and that rounding out with the bass really makes things special. Everything full throttle and unstrained with the Denon.

This is a tough one! You know, I think I've found my tag team of open and closed headphones. : )

Replaced the Mullard ECC33 driver with the RCA 6SN7GTB tall bottle in the Bada. Not quite as expansive overall w/the RCA, and tipped a bit to the brighter side of an ECC33. The upshot is slightly better HF resolution with the RCA (as the recording allows).

(3)
Claudio Abaddo/Schubert
(Track 3: “Movement 3, Scherzo. Allegro vivace”)
This movement charges in with massed strings at high speed. The D2000 sort and lay out the measures very well. A smooth, balanced, slightly warm and well delineated presentation, and another job well done by the Denon.

The movement plays more forward and more expansively with the K501, with more high frequency detail (and overall brightness) brought to the fore. The K501 provide a more open view into this piece, and their remarkable coherency really draws this movement together extremely well, I think, serving it slightly better than the D2000.

(4)
Cat Stevens

(Track 8: “Into White”)
This is traditionally K501 territory. Just a lovely, nigh faultless rendering of vocal, acoustic guitar, viola, violin and what sounds like an early period wind instrument (or a kazoo!). This is one of the reasons that the K501 are my favorite pair of open headphones for folk genres. : )

Curiously, the D2000 have brought Stevens’ gentle and soulful voice further forward--out more completely may be a better description--than the K501, and added an extra measure of intimacy and expressiveness (it’s in the miking, and the D2000’s faithfulness to the source, IMHO). It’s the “bass-complete” nature of the Denon: pleasingly warming/humanizing, settling the vocal and planting this performance squarely on terra firma, where it best belongs. Treble is smoother, too (the RCA 6SN7GTB is a better match for the D2000 than the K501).

Surprisingly, the D2000 get the nod here. "Holistic realism" is my hackneyed catch phrase for the Denon.

Postscript:
Just put the K501 back on for another go around with the Cat. The AKG are more open-sounding--“sprawled/filleted out” in the midrange, and their midrange more seamless.* The K501 accentuate the somber tone of this composition, with a quiet deliberateness and sober peal to things.

Now I could either way. Oh, my! : )

(*) NOTE: It is difficult to determine whether the more open-sounding midrange response is due to the K501's comparative absence of bass, or whether, in absolute terms, their midrange is simply better than the D2000's. That said, the D2000 sound more complete and balanced along the entire frequency spectrum than the K501--but we already knew that coming into this review. : )

Just swapped the RCA 6SN7GTB driver with a GE, rebranded Hytron, 6SN7GTA. Much more open with better extension and excellent bass control. Great driver, this GE! : )

It's given the D2000 an edge with some Duke Ellington selections. Bada PH-12 + 6SN7 dual triode + D2000 = Tube Roller's Dream!! : )

Last night I re-tubed the Darkvoice 337 w/2x Svetlana 6H13C and 2x KuhlTube CAA-6SJ7WGT. This combinations suits the K501 very well. Plus, I think I got my K501 "ears" back. : )

Vocals are peerless, fuller, with more reach and depth w/the K501 than with the D2000. However, the D2000 bring deep, well articulated bass into the listening experience, and "round out" vocals with smoothness and warmth.

In short the D2000 and the K501, IMHO, constitute an excellent complimentary pair of (closed/open) headphones.

For now, I'm looking into some amp upgrades; the "headphone" part is taken care of for the time-being. : )