Denon AH-D7000 - Headphones

I purchased these in 2021 after I got the D7200 couple of months before. Its great I can compare these two.

Overall, the D7000 is very balanced and detailed with slight v shaped sound. Its not a reference type / too neutral sound but its very engaging and extremely enjoyable to listen to them. Their nice warm and detailed sound combined with soft angled pads and pretty light weight makes these a fantastic set of headphones. You can listen to any kind of genre out there and these will not let you down. You will find a hard time to take them off your head and replace with something else, trust me.

Trebles are nice and sparkly and tuned slightly down which makes them warmer and not fatigue at all. They have still amazing details and clarity but they are definitely not harsh in any way. The mids are fantastic, full of enjoyment and dynamic with nice separation. They are also very detailed but in the same time they are slightly tuned down as well. I believe this is maybe done by purpose because on the other side the bass... OMG. Its such nice punchy and dynamic bass with a lot of depth and weight. One thing to describe it is WOW. One of the best bass presentation you can experience with closed back headphones.

To make them even better sounding I am using APO Equalizer with PEACE plugin. I have tuned the EQ just slightly to make them a bit more open and clear like sounding. I think these settings work well as I have tested those on many different kind of genres. Plus you can simply turn it ON / OFF to hear the difference by yourself.

Comparing to the new D7200 the D7000 feel like a toy. They are too light, too loose and here its very obvious the age difference. The sound is pretty close to my ears but the D7200 are definitely darker sounding. They are also easier to drive. Out of the box I think the D7000 might actually have better and more balance sound. The bass is pretty similar but I think the D7200 cups are making it slightly better sounding. But when listen to them both closely and making A/B comparison I can hear that the D7200 has better mids. There are more details, a bit more air. Note this is all before the EQ.

Now, after the EQ its a different story. The D7000 do not need a much of EQ tweaking, they sound pretty good even without. My EQ settings made them just a tiny bit clearer and open like sounding. But the D7200 EQ (shared my settings in D7200 thread) is becoming a different kind of beast. With the right EQ settings the D7200 sound simply magnificent. All the darkness is gone, all the muddy upper mids are also gone they just sound so neutral but still a lot engaging to my ears. As one of the user reply to me thank to the EQ settings he feels like his headphones changed from £500 to £1500 sounding unit. I personally also think they must be very close to the D9200 after the EQ in terms of the sound and that was my aim.

I am sharing with you my D7000 EQ settings for those who can try them please do and improve your sound. If you find different settings working better for you please share them with us.

The AH-D7000 are still an amazing headphones even after 12 years from their release. The quality sound is quality sound.
If you can get these in great condition DO NOT HESITATE AND GRAB THEM. You wont be disappointed. Well done Denon.

The Extinct Denon D7000

Posted on August 4, 2013by HeadMania
Hey guys,

I’ve been waiting for a long time for an opportunity to listen to the famous D7000 and I am really happy I have a few days with it.

In one of my visits to Jack-Fi, I found a pair of forgotten Denon D7000 there, as they are specialized in speaker systems mostly. After 3 weeks I’ve been there again and found them in the same place and same position. So it was clear they would part with them easily for a few days 

I like its’ overall looks, but it feels a little cheap compared to other headphones at that price. They are very light weighted and very comfortable though.



One thing that popped into my attention was the fact that the cable is not detachable, and at the price was selling, I don’t find that ok.



Sound Impressions

The first time I have listened to them I liked them very much. They have an interestingwow factor because of their fun and engaging tonality.

Bass

The bass is very present in these cans, especially the mid bass. However the bass lacks some punch and is a little loose. Overall I like the bass presentation, but sometimes there is too much bass leaking into the mids.

Mids

Some of the instruments are a little in the background but still enjoyable. However, the mids bring the vocals forward. I just love listening to Leonard  Cohen, Frank Sinatraor Lana Del Ray on D7000.

Treble

I’ve heard people complaining the D7000 is bright. I found the treble quite on the smooth side, even recessed on some ocasions.

Fun Tonality

I like the  fun tonality of the D7000 a lot. It has a meaty & full sound.

Transparency & Openness

What I felt was missing is clarity,  transparency & openness in the sound that made me putHD800 on, just to take a “breath of fresh clear air”.

Transient response & decay

I find that the transient response is not that impact-full as I would like. The decay is a little slow in my opinion. I feel this could be a little improved with a good silver cable.

Imaging

The positioning of the instruments is not so clear, the sound being somehow congested, instruments tend to blend in on the same layer.



Conclusion

Overall the sound of the D7000 is very engaging, energetic and fun. They are absolutely brilliant with rock.

I also love both male & female vocals with it.

So in the end loved to listen to rock, electronic music, vocals, pop and even some jazz with it.

Even-though they have a lot of cons, I think they are my favorite closed cans now for the music genres above.

I am quite sad Denon discontinued them. I am very curious how D7100 stands near it.

Pros:

1. full bodied tonality
2. energetic & fun
3. excellent with vocals
4. good build quality
5. very comfortable

Cons:

1. loose bass
2. congested
3. lacks transparency and clarity
4. poor imaging and instrument separation
5. the cable is not detachable

Really good sounding headphone with incredible bass.  I owned these for about six months.  They sound powerful for lack of a better word.  Definitely a V-shaped sound signature.  The bass can be a bit much sometimes, a bit sloppy, but I usually find it quite enjoyable.  Just a really fun headphone to listen to.  That being said I don't feel that they quite compare to some of the other $1000 offerings from competitors (in terms of overall sound quality) or really outperform less expensive models by that much (Pro900, He-400, dt990 for example).  I also didn't care for the headband, the earcups always slid when I didn't want them to and I've read a few stories of the cups falling off at the hinge, which I don't find hard to believe since it's attached by one small screw.  Overall I enjoyed these, but I do prefer a "colored" sound signature.  These certainly aren't neutral, but a very fun listen.

Fun cans. Very enjoyable warm and bassy but good detail. Not as fleshy and forward in the mids as some but a very good sounding phone. No complaints.

If you need a pair of headphones that you can use everytime, everywhere and with everything being playing from every kind of source, this is an absolute to-go for you!

Full review here
 
(I know this review is pretty late seeing as how the new line of Denon headphones is almost out. I still hope this review is of some use to people, seeing as how there will still be a lot of old Denons going around. First review on Head-Fi...here goes)
 
 
Let me start off by saying that I am not a sound engineer, nor am I a musician (I'm a vocalist but I have never put the voice to any good use >.<). I am just a man with a passion for music. I suppose I can thank my dad for that, as he started introducing me to all the classics of his era when I was very young, and before I was even aware of the more modern artists within my own generation. Zeppelin, The Stones, The Eagles, Queen, oh yeah...he pretty much succeeded in making me a classic rock enthusiast by the age of 7. What I am trying to say folks, and I apologize if I went off topic, is that I am just an 'everyman'trying to give my insight to a community that has been so good to me about helping me make informed decisions. If my criticisms are less than perfectly accurate, please don't crucify me.

This love of music has lasted throughout my whole life, but it wasn't until just recently that I have had the expendable income to afford audiophile equipment in order to more thoroughly enjoy it. While my first audiophile headphones were some cheap IEM's while I was deployed to Afghanistan, it was from that moment I was hooked and the rest was history. As of now I own the Denon AH-D 5000's (first over ears), the AH-D 7000's, and the Sennheiser HD 598's powered by a Fiio E9&E7 DAC/amp combo (that I plan to upgrade soon).
 
Now let's get down to business! I bought my all my headphone's used, but when the AH-D 7000 came in someone was actually thoughtful enought to hold on to the box and I got to experience the 'unboxing' of a headphone for the first time. The box's presentation is of the same simple elegance as the headphone itself. Nothing but black leather on top with Denon in gold lettering and upon opening the headphone is presented in a bed of burgundy silk type material. After owning the AH-D 5000 for 8 months, I wasn't surprised to see that the D7000 borrowed from the same basic design. The headband is covered with very soft, comfortable leather. I did not feel any clamping force when I put them on but as far as I'm concerned that's a good and bad thing. These cans leak a lot of sound. So much to the point that they may as well be open cans. Maybe just a 'little' clamping pressure would help make a better seal with the 'pleather' pads. I also have a tendency to want to head bang a little when listening to the Denon's (they are VERY fun cans) and it is so loose that they almost fall off my head sometimes. I also have a pretty big dome, so I can only imagine people with smaller heads. The wood cups look generally the same as well. The D7000's just have that waxy finish that makes them a little sexier and they also look to be a bit more red in color than the D5000's. The 'pleather' ear pads are exactly the same as well. It still amazes me just how close they are to real leather. Most people in a blind test would never be able to tell the difference.

But how do they sound? The first word that comes to mind is 'dynamic'. They still very much have that same house sound as it's other Denon brothers, but everything sounds more smooth and refined. As soon as I pressed play I immediately felt the sensation that more effort was put into smoothing out the over exaggerated peaks of the D5000 and bring the mids and sound stage out a bit more. In a way, Denon did succeed. But, despite the effort, the AH-D 7000's still sound very far from neutral. Whether this is good or bad is up to you. I personally enjoy the how the bass and treble is presented and despite being somewhat forward, both ends of the frequency are very articulate and clean. Allow me to be more specific:

Bass: The lower frequencies is still very much the focal point of the D7000's (surprise!) and they easily have the best bass I have heard out of a headphone. Coming from the D5000, the D7000 has noticeably tighter bass and the faster electronic tracks in my collection such as "Adagio for Strings" by Tiesto respond by having even more detailed and rhythmic beats. It still retains some of that flabby, vibrating but it is not as bad as the D5000's. It is true, the drivers have been upgraded, but both Denons suffer from lack of dampening which still results in this effect. Despite this, fans of the D5000 will be pleased to here that not one ounce of that famous bass impact has been sacrificed and it still hits like a ton of bricks. Overall I would call the quality of the bass excellent and very detailed, although I still think the markl mods would make it even better.

Mids: The mids are still admittedly recessed compared to my HD 598's. Quiet, intimate acoustic songs like "Cocoon" by Jack Johnson are shockingly detailed but still has an overall warmness to it I don't think should be there. This is an example of how the the bass can sometimes bleed into the mids. Maybe this can be fixed with some EQ but I have never tried. By no means am I saying the mids are bad, they just lack the same forward presence of the bass and treble and yet it still retains all the detail of both.

Treble: This is an area where I do not think the D7000 gets enough credit. Too often I feel the D7000 is written off as a bassheads wet dream and the astonishing peaky treble goes unnoticed. The Denon D7000's give a lot of 'wow' factor to vocalists with exceptional range. Tracks such as "Walking on Clouds" by Tiesto give me goosebumps every time when it gets to about 5 minutes in and Kirsty Hawkshaw shows off her tremendous singing voice. However, when I say 'peaky treble' it can be both a good and a bad thing. I do not feel as though these headphones would pair well with a particularly bright amp. Too much more treble and you ears will bleed. The treble is also a bit unforgiving when it comes to low quality tracks and they can come off as being harsh. All in all, I do love how the treble sounds on these cans and I think this area shows the biggest improvement over the harsh and sometimes shrieky D5000's. It retains all the range of the D5000's but just smoothed out a lot.

Sound stage: Well being a closed headphone, it is not going to give you the same sound stage as a good Sennheiser. That being said, I would describe the sound stage as being small but accurate. The size of it does not come anywhere close to the wide open sound of my HD 598's but instruments are separated very well. While istening, I feel as though the sound I am hearing is a result of several instruments and effects being layered into an orchestra of music. It is only on the lower quality recordings that I get that 'wall of sound' effect. With the bigger pads, I do feel as though their sound stage would increase in size so I think either the Lawton mods or the J$ pads would be a great improvement. I have read on many threads, that for a closed headphone, the D7000's have a big sounstage, although I cannot personally  verify this as the D5000's and D7000's are the only closed headphones I have owned. Regardless, I still thought it was worth mentioning.

Final Thoughts:
All in all, the D7000's are my favorite headphone to date, despite some of the criticisms. Maybe it comes down to personal preference. I am somewhat of a basshead (although not as much as others) and I love electronic music. Perhaps it could also be my lack of experience with other headphones. I have in fact only owned 3 pairs of full sized headphones, other than the various
ear buds, IEMs and surround speakers I have owned. All this is true but, in the end, I KNOW what good music sounds like, and the AH-D 7000's make good music. I still think if Denon/Fostex could make some bigger stock ear pads and bring the mids out more they could have a truly standout product. Ultimately though, these are just nit picks out of what is otherwise an incredible
heapdhone.

Overall rating: 91/100

 
 
 

Denon D7000 review
 
To all those who want to stay away from my mindless babble, I'll answer the final question right now. Do I like the Denon D7000's? Yes.
 
Now let's get on with the review!
 
 
Note:
 
Unfortunately, not long after getting these headphones, my current DAC and amp broke, and am currently working to afford a nice DAC and amp. Currently I am using an old surround sound receiver. I will update the review when I get the proper source components.
 
Also, I made some comparisons between this and the Pro 750's (Kees modded), my previous headphones of 3 years. It isn't a fair comparison.
Also, while I wanted to keep this review as literal as possible, I decided to have a little fun with a small part or two. So please excuse any overly dramatized parts of the review.
 
 
Unboxing:
 


Bottom of box, silk, and plastic.
 
The box it comes in is gigantic. It's primary construction seems to be of very highly compressed paper wrapped in a vinyl with a leather pattern. It can definitely take some abuse. The top is covered in padded leather (most likely the same pleather used on the headphones). The box itself looks like a miniature leather ottoman. Once the top is slid off, you're greeted by the headphones relaxing on a bed of silk. The silk is most likely fake, and they include a lot of it. The headphones are held in by a plastic mold; the silk is draped on top, and the two are connected by a metal plaque with Denon's logo on it. The cable is hidden by a compressed paper "drawer", as are a few pieces of documentation. With the exception of the box, said documentation, and a small microfiber cloth, the box is empty. With the Pro 750's, I received a case, an extra set of earpads, an extra cable, a CD, a 1/4" female to 3.5mm male converter. The D7000's do not come with any accessories.

Denon Plaque
 
All in all, beautiful  presentation, and a fantastic box (which I now use as a holder for my headphones when not in use). However, I would expect a little more for the price of the headphones.  Maybe a converter or headphone stand, but that's a relatively minor gripe.
 
 
Construction:
 


Source: Tyll @ Headroom
 
The leather used in these headphones have me a bit conflicted. It feels like really nice glove leather; it is soft, pliable, and feels exactly like my leather gloves. Denon even says on their site "leather".  However, in his review of the D2000/D5000/D7000 series, Tyll opened up the cups to find that it was pleather. While I do have to hand it to Denon for making such a realistic pleather (it's really quite miraculous how much it feels like leather), I do feel as though these should be made of real leather. The headphones have an MSRP of $999, and a street value of $700-$800. I would appreciate it if they spent the extra dollar or two and went with real leather. Real leather is more breathable, it lasts longer, and is more durable. It's something I'd expect to come with a headphone as expensive as this.
 

Source: Tyll @ Headroom
 
 
The inside of the headband consists of what I believe to be a thick metal band with wings made of either plastic or a thinner metal. The wings simply make the band wider, and are either thin metal or plastic to make the edges compress easily for added comfort. The thick metal core gives it rigidity. This is then wrapped in the same pleather the cups are made of.
 

Inner seams and texture of headband leather
 
The hinge is made of duralumin. It feels rigid and strong, and I doubt it will ever be a problem. However, the screws do seem to be a weak point. I've heard of people that have problems with the screws, but I do believe them to be the minority. I wouldn't throw these headphones around, however. While they are *very* high quality, they feel delicate, like a luxury item. They will not like being thrown into a bag and transported every day. Also, they do not fold. The headband is adjusted by a very satisfying ball-bearing system similar to the one used in car headrests. It feels very high quality, and simply moving the action gives you some very satisfying meaty clicks. The frame is made of magnesium and is very rigid and light.
 

Both sides of hinge
 
The cups are made of mahogany and are very nice to look at. The grain is very minor and subtle, something you rarely see with mahogany, which usually has a very wild and virulent grain. Images really don't do them justice, especially the ones Denon provides which are harshly photoshopped. Also, the mahogany is solid, it is not a veneer around a cheaper wood. Looking at the grain, it's very apparent. When it curves in, the grain channels change to a different perspective. Difficult to explain, but very evident when you're looking for it. Connected to that is the frame, it is made of magnesium and is very rigid and light.
 

Denon Cups, beautiful grain!
 
The earcups have an interesting design, they're much thicker in the back, and thinner in the front. It seems like a strange choice, when mixed with the strangely designed hinge, they give a great fit very easily. They are made of a very soft pleather, which feels shockingly like leather. The stitching and overall construction is very well done, they should last quite a long time. The earcups do need to be fiddled with a bit during first use, rotating the cups to form a proper seal will help with leakage and comfort. For me, the seams in the front are now located around the connection between the cup and the  headband (the "nut" a few have been calling it). This is actually quite important for isolation/leakage. See third image for my placement.
 

Cups front, back, and "nut" 
 
The cable begins with a 1/4" jack that feels very high quality. The contact area seems like a fairly standard gold plated jack. The rest of the jack is made of aluminum. The exterior shell can be screwed off to reveal the internals of the plug. The cable is very nice, it isn't what I would call stiff, but it isn't loose either. The cloth wrapping makes it very tangle proof, but makes it very susceptible to twisting. What I mean by this is, if you twist the cable, it will coil itself. It has a very strong rigidity in the twisting direction, which isn't a drawback as it helps keep it untangled. It splits into two much thinner cables that run into each headphone cup.  The cable is quite long, I wouldn't recommend it for anyone who wants to wear headphones on a run. The cable itself feels extremely durable, I wouldn't worry about it getting damaged, it is very thick and very solid. The split part of the headphone isn't quite as durable. Feeling inside the cloth, the wire seems to be very thin inside. Though I do feel as though the cloth is adequate protection.
 

Braided cable, jack, and jack interior
 
Overall, the headphone is shockingly light, it feels as though it is made of light plastics instead of metals and wood. The lightness makes it feel as though they aren't as durable (or expensive) as they really are. All the actions feel solid, all the materials feel solid, but it feels very light which will most likely make you more careful with them, even if it is not warranted. Everything on these headphones is made of metal or wood. I've only found one part that is plastic, and that is the bracket that holds the pad on the cup. Not to worry, however, it is a durable plastic.
 

Yes, that is a triple beam balance. And for those curious, it weighs 414.25g
 
Durability:
 

 
As I said before, I wouldn't throw these in a backpack every day, they don't feel bulletproof like the Pro 750's do. I could pretty much do anything to the pro 750's, and they'll just laugh at how weak I am. They're immensely durable, and have taken quite a lot of punishment over the years. The Denons are not like the Pro 750's, they feel delicate, but they don't feel cheap (they feel like a luxury item, as I said earlier). I wouldn't subject them to the punishment I subjected my Pro 750's to. As far as general at home use goes, they're definitely durable enough for the average home user.
 
Comfort:
 

 
The Denons really excel in this area. A combination of lightness and earcup design make it feel as though they disappear on your head.
Nowhere on the pad does it feel like there is more pressure than any other part of the pad. In the beginning, the front of the pad felt overstuffed, making it harder on the front than the back of the pad. This caused a bit of minor discomfort, but it has subsided with use. The pads are large, which gives large ears the ample space they deserve, but rarely receive. My pro 750's feel like I'm mashing my ears to my head in comparison (though I still believe they're comfortable). My only gripe with the earpads is heat. Over time, it can get hot and sweaty inside the cups. The pleather prevents the area from getting fresh cool air, and I find myself taking them off to cool my ears every so often. Much less of a problem than taking them off because of discomfort, which is fairly common in other headphones. I do, however, wish they came with both a leather cup and a cup made of a breathable material. The added breathability would be very helpful, though realistically it would probably alter the sound in a negitive way. I never had a heat problem with my Pro 750's, but they use velour pads. The clamping force is very low, but enough to keep them on your head (they fixed the problem with earlier D5k's that would fall off your head if you leaned forward). The headband is not really cushioned at all, the only thing that really cushions them is the two thick seams that run all along the bottom of the headband, and some *very* small amount of foam. I do wish that they cushioned the headband as well as they did the earpads, but it is still quite comfortable because of how light these headphones are. I've seen some people use a snap-on Beyerdynamic headband on the Denon D series, and it is something I intend to try. I will report the result once I've had a chance to try them. Gripes aside, they're *very* comfortable. I've never had a headphone disappear on my head quite like these do. Though if I could fit a softer pad and velour earpads (or at least leather ones with holes) on the D7000's, they'd be ideal.
 
Sound Leak / Isolation:
These headphones don't really leak much sound, at listening volume they really aren't audible by any bystanders. Unfortunately, they aren't the best with isolation. They aren't bad, but they're moderately worse than the Ultrasones. However, with music playing, you won't hear anything, with the exception of audiobooks and quiet moments in songs. I've used the D7000's numerous times at work, where people play music through large concert speakers (played at a moderate volume), and I haven't had any issues. If I had to place them, I'd say it leaks about the same as any closed headphone with leather pads, and it islolates a bit worse than the average closed can. It's something I personally wouldn't worry too much about. They're not open cans by any degree, but the design that gives them a nice soundstage did sacrifice some isolation along the way.
 
Warranty:
 

 
The warranty is a 1 year Denon warranty *if* you buy from an authorized distributor. It seems a bit short for headphones that can be $1000. I would expect some kind of special lifetime warranty with some extra benefits for this price (especially for how much *more* it costs to buy from an authorized reseller). However, I could be expecting too much. For a company like Denon, gear that runs you a grand isn't exactly rare, and they are a large company, they have very few reasons to add an awesome warranty.
 
 Sound Characteristics:
 

 
I would say these headphones are on the "fun" side of balanced. They are fairly flat, and have won me over from the "U" shaped colorization found in a lot of headphones (like the Ultrasones). They are detailed and warm, which is a bit of an odd combination. The detail seems slightly rolled off because of the warmness. However, I do believe it makes them more natural sounding than the icy Ultrasones. While the cold and tight combination of the Ultrasones complimented each other very well, it made them sound digital and surgical. Sometimes this is great, especially for electronic music, but it doesn't fair as well in most other genres. The more natural sounding Denons shine with pretty much every genre. When I listen to music with the Ultrasones, it seems like they are hiding behind colorization, while the Denons sound much more like my brain simply has an audio input, and I'm plugging a cable straight in there. Listening to songs sound "just right" as though the headphone really isn't there. While it isn't perfect, it is very refreshing.
 
The Denons aren't nearly as analytical as the Ultrasones. I could really dissect individual notes with the Ultrasones, but I don't seem to do that as much with the Denons. It seems as though I'm more "distracted" by the Denons. It may be because they don't sound quite as hard or "digital" as the Ultrasones, or it could simply be because I don't have enough time on the Denons. I'd say I've had thousands of hours on the Ultrasones (at least). I'm a very active listener, I tap my foot, shake my head, close my eyes, and even do a little dance every so often (it's quite embarrassing). With my Denons I'd say I do just as much dancing, possibly even more. The Denons are very musical, and really give life to the music it plays.
 
The soundstage is impressive for a set of closed cans. Ultrasone always seems to tout its "S-Logic" technology, which does do a bit for soundstage, but not a whole lot. The Denons outclass any closed headphone I've ever heard in soundstage by quite a margin. They're not like open cans, but for closed cans, the soundstage is very impressive.
 
Music separation is very nice with the D7000's. I'm used to very good music separation (which I think is the Pro 750's best aspect), but the Denons do a fantastic job of it as well, even better than the Ultrasones. Each instrument is clear and separate from everything else. This is especially apparent in dnb music, which is purely euphoric with the Denons.
 
The Denons are much more forgiving of lower quality bitrates than the Ultrasones are. Spotify sounds surprisingly nice, but FLAC is still very much better. But I don't hear as many issues with compression as I did in the Ultrasones. Unfortunately (fortunately?) the Denons vary widely depending on the quality of the mastering of the album. With the Ultrasones, I felt as though the quality of the mastering was what was holding them back, and with the Denons, it's far more apparent. Even the worst mastered albums sound better on the Denons, but the gap between a badly mastered album and a well mastered album is now *much* wider. This has caused me to continually search for quality mastered and mixed albums. The denons have a lot of "life" to them, and that is what is lost through poor mastering. The Denons feel like a living, breathing creature; one with a soul, ambitions, and dreams. When using a well mastered album, you can see all of that, experience it. It's vibrant and livid; joyful, exuberant, and soul-crushingly beautiful. But once you put on a poorly mastered song, you can feel the life slipping away. The heart beating slower, softer; clamoring on to life, but watching it slowly flicker and die.
 
Highs:
The highs are clear with some nice sparkle. They're not shrill because of the moderate amount of warmth the D7000's have. They sound natural, which is nice compared to the Ultrasones. However, they can become sibilant. Usually I don't have an issue, but sometimes they become sibilant, and it can be frustrating. Sometimes I listen to music on Spotify, and every sssssssssspotify commercial talkssssssss about how you're ssssssssupposed to buy ssssssspotify premium because it doesn't have adsssssssss. It can get tiresome. Outside of Spotify ads, I've had issues with Disturbed and another band or two mostly, but only in lower quality recordings. It isn't common by any means, but it is moreso than my Ultrasones. I usually roll off the highs a bit in the EQ to fix it. But besides some sparse sibilance, the highs are lush, clear, and absolutely fantastic. Classical and electronic really benefits, detailed and precise when it needs to be, lush and smooth when it doesn't. Layered and complex with violins, and shining with flutes.
 
Mids:
The Ultrasones didn't exactly have what I would call a midsection, so the Denons are a nice change of pace. What surprised me most was how much nicer rock was; Billy Joel has never sounded so good. In fact, it was the first thing I noticed when I first put them on. Music that originally was "okay" with the Ultrasones became "fantastic" with the Denons. However, the real winner with this is the cellos. Cellos are nothing short of breathtaking, complex, and enchanting. Yo-Yo Ma's Yanzi (Swallow Song) is magical with these headphones. I have heard that the Denon's midsection is just ever so slightly recessed, so take that into account.
 
Bass:
The D7000's little brothers, the D5000 and D2000 are on the bassier side. The D7000 doesn't have the large bass hump of the other Denons. When I first got them, I really thought the bass was far too weak. I was used to a headphone that would kick you in the teeth with bass. However, as I got used to the D7000's signature, the bass really seemed to develop and become stronger. It's tight, super tight. I thought the Pro 750's had tight bass, but they sound flabby compared to the D7000's. It also has more of a focus on sub-bass as opposed to midbass. It's tight, quick, and surprisingly powerful. It takes getting used to if you are used to a bassier headphone, but it's worth the wait. The bass is absolutely glorious once you take the time to listen to them a bit. It doesn't interfere with the mids or highs, and is fantastically quick, but is still meaty.
 
Music Genres: (Click name to listen to an example song)
 
Metal:
Metal is a very difficult genre for most audio gear. Personally, I believe metal overall has the *worst* mastering of any genre I've run into so far. Bands looking for that "wall of sound" effect take most of the true kick and power out of their music. The bass drum is an important foundation in metal, but it's hard to find a song that features a bass drum with any of its natural kick to it. When you do, it's very satisfying. Overall, the life that it brings out in music really helps metal. Bands like Xerath sound truly intense and epic, the harmonics between the synth, and the vocalist mixed with the intense and tribal low end sends shivers up my spine. Disturbed sounds forceful and domineering; the Denons reproduce the overdrive and clipping effects well, which was surprising. Agalloch has a certain musicality that is nice on the Denons. Some songs sound better than others, and the difference in quality from one song to the other is pretty noticeable. The ones that do sound good, however, sound very nice. That would be an issue with the album itself, however, not with the Denons. Cynic's newer stuff is a great example of what sounds good on the Denons. A mix of airy, well mixed metal, and hints of electronic.
I would like to say, however, that I do prefer my modified Fostex T50rp's for most metal, as I tuned it to have a very strong midrange.  While this did make them better for metal, it also made them much less suited for pretty much every other genre.
 
 
Dubstep/Industrial:
Electronic music really shines with the Denons, and dubstep is really able to show off how good the bass really is. The three most important things for dubstep (in my opinion) are bass kick, bass speed, and cleanliness. The D7000's have all three. Separation is fantastic, and the bass is really satisfying, it almost has a tautness to it, much like a drum. Bassnectar is a great example of the tight bass the Denons have. Noisia's Machine Gun and Split the Atom show the intense detail the Denons are capable of.
 
dnb:
For me, dnb has some of the best cleanliness out there. The cool calm notes with a fresh, clean background make me love the genre. Electrolyte's Ray of Light is a great example of this. Quick hits, chill notes, and very little excess noise. The Denons plus dnb is pretty much fatigue-free, and very relaxing.
 
Gaming:
Personally, I prefer gaming with speakers. Game audio and sounds are usually pretty compressed. Even so, the Denons are great for gaming. The soundstage gives you great positioning even without something like Dolby Headphone.
 
Classical:
For classical, I'm mostly going to talk about one album. That album is Yo Yo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble (Beyond the Horizon). It's the most well mixed and mastered album I've ever come across by a nice margin. I have the non-remastered version, which I think is a bit better (it has much more dynamic range, almost too much). It's the album that I judge all headphones on. With the Denons, the album is as good as ever.  Songs like Mountains are Far Away and Mohini are amazing and immensely emotional. Kor Arab is simply amazing on the Denons. Haunting, etheral, and utterly fantastic. The voice is like nothing I've ever heard before. And Yanzi with the Denons is flat out the *best* cello I've ever heard from any speakers or headphones. It's utterly soul-shattering.
 
Classic Rock/Country:
With the nice mids, these do nicely with classic rock and country, much like metal. Johnny Cash's guitar is fantastic, very musical, warm, and lively. It's got a very comfortable and welcoming feeling to it. Definitely makes his music sound fantastic. However, it doesn't make his music any less depressing. Yes is a good combination of rock and psychedelic. Psychedelic is a precursor to modern electronic music, and so shares in a lot of the benefits with the Denons. Close to the Edge sounds great, even though that song is really meant to played live (it's an incredible experience). The drums hit with confidence, something rare in more modern music. Songs like Siberian Khatru sound amazing, each sitar twang can be heard, and felt. It's a very tactile song. Jethro Tull's Living In the Past is a great song, the guitar is meaty, and overall it's quite musical with the Denons as are songs like Bouree, and Aqualung. Emerson, Lake, and Palmer's Lucky Man is much like yes's songs in that it utilizes synths, which sound great. The guitar is replicated quite nicely, and I love the harmonics. Oh, and Billy Joel is awesome with the Denons. All of it.
I think the added warmth gives the Denons an advantage with classic rock and country over the Fostex's I mentioned earlier.
 
Acoustic Guitar/Indie:
Solo acoustic guitar music is great because of how good the mix and master is. Being able to hear everything, and even the texture of the vibrating strings is a good feeling. My favorites are Michael Hedges and the California Guitar Trio. And for Indie, Bon Iver and Dad Rocks! are great on the Denons. Mount Modern (the song) sounds fantastic. Whats nice about the Denons with Indie is it benefits from the relatively small amount of coloration. It sounds very natural and acoustic, and the warmth ads to it nicely, making the music comforting and calm.
 
 
 
Conclusion:
These are a great set of headphones. I'd recommend them most as a primary headphone because of how good they are with pretty much everything. A pair of the D7000's as a primary can with a few secondary specialty cans should fulfill almost anyone's needs. The combination of comfort, warmth, and quality make this a fantastic at-home can. The best I've owned or heard by far. I wouldn't use these as a portable can, however, even if you're simply taking it from place to place. The fact that they're so sensitive would make them a great portable can if it weren't for their size and lack of folding. I think these headphones are a steal for their price, and the fact that you can sometimes find them open-box for about $545 makes them an even better deal.

 
Hello!
I am a new user of D7000
I bought this D7000 because of D5000.
I listened D5000 with my iphone in Denon shop. And i bought in the internet.
I expected that D7000 is better than D5000. But Sound is little bit different to me...
Because I liked D5000 more. D5000 has more boomy bass. which is i enjoyed. and D5000 treble doesn't make my ears hurt.
D7000's treble is strange for me. This is so high that my ears hurt. Sounds like screaming.
So, This is not comfortable treble for me. Sounds D5000 is much comfortable than D7000.
Maybe I have to used to this....
 
Value 3 stars : because best headphone in Denon, but this is made in china.... too expensive for that.
 
Audio Quality 3 stars and half:  I like the sound but something miss. 
 
Design 2 stars : this design doesn't make me 'wow'
 
Comfort 4 stars : I wearing more than 1 hour, My ears want fresh air....
 
Overall 3 and half : D7000's box doesn't look good for me. for me looks cheap. even the manual this very thin and cheap. Sound is good, but my ears still want something more....
 
PS: I'v never given 5 stars for review in my life ... 

I upgraded to these from the Sennheiser HD590s. Huge difference in the sound. The overall range and clarity sets it apart from lesser headphones. The lows it can reproduce are amazing.
 
It's design and look at really nice and elegant. The box they come in is very nice as well.
 
The only gripe I have are the leather cups retain heat from the body and can make your ears very warm over time.

I started my journey with my first decent pair of Koss PortaPros, moving up to the Denon D2000s, the Beyer Dynamic DT990s, Ultrasone Pro 900s, still not being satisfied with those previous head sets I finally took the plunge and found  great deal on the Denon D7000s. Truly the best headphones I have heard to date, even after owning the Beyer Dynamic T1 and HifiMan HE500, I still prefer my D7000s as my go-to headphone.
 
For those who have heard the D2000s, 7000s differ from the 2000s with much richer sound, by that I mean a better interaction between bass, treble, and mids.. all while increasing soundstage and clarity.. I can definitely tell the difference in sound between the two, not to say the 2000s sound bad, they sound great, but the 7000s are priced high because they are the best in the lineup (aside from looking awesome). Something I noticed with the 2000s was presence of some sibilance, the 7000s are better, not perfect, but a warm amp will correct the sibilance.
 
I can't recommend this to everyone, its a premium price to pay for a headphone, but the way I look at it, if you are the type of person who enjoys headphones, you need a pair for daily use (something that can handle being beat up a bit) and you need a pair for winding down at home and relaxing to some of your favorite music.. for that the Denon D7000s are perfect; super comfortable and light with excellent audio quality.
 
Here's a little story for some of you disbelievers.. My DJ friend never liked Denons, *because he thought their DJ equipment was poor* never gave Denon headphones one look (he was always a Pioneer/AKG man), I let him demo my D7000s for 5 minutes and he got the biggest grin on his face, it was really funny, he just couldn't believe how great they sounded and now he's craving a pair . 
 
Conclusion, if you have money to spend on a great headphone and already have a good amp/dac these will be perfect for you, I listen to a lot of electronic, house, pop and some rock/jazz these do everything well, you can't go wrong..
 
 
 
 

  Early this year I saw what I thought must have been providence: A pair of Denon Ah-D7000s for $600 from a reputable dealer.  I had been doing a fair amount of research into the upper-tier of flagships: LCD-2, HD800, T1, Ed 8, etc.  When I saw the Denons, I knew these would be the headphones for me.  And after opening the box and viewing my new mahogany headphones, I was 100% correct.  For 8 months these headphones spent several hours a day on my head, giving me musical bliss.  Note: these were fed with a Nuforce Icon HDP DAC, which I highly recommend for them.  And here's why:

 Comfort and Design: The Denons disappear on your head like no other headphone can.  I've never once encountered a pair of high-end cans that were so comfortable to wear, especially for somebody with a big head like me.  Not only are they comfortable, they're gorgeous: piano-glossed mahogany wood cups with leather pads and headband.  They're very simple, but also very elegant.  If the LCD-2s - which replaced the Denons - were this comfortable, I would be permanently satisfied with my headphone set-up.
  On to the sound!
 Highs: Being bright and warm, the highs on the Denons are actually very good.  They're natural and focused, and sound amazing for pretty much any good recording.  Female vocals and electronic music are smooth and pleasant.  Although the highs aren't the highlight of the headphone, I can definitely say if you listen to music with a lot of the high-range, you won't be disappointed.  String music is lifelike, detailed and all around incredibly enjoyable.
  Mids: If you're coming from a pair of mid-tier headphones, you won't notice how recessed the mids are.  However, after comparing them to the LCD-2s, the mids are definitely recessed.  You can see this on the FR graph, but how good are the mids?  I would say they occasionally suffer with music that also incorporates a lot of low-range music, since that seems to be their focus, but on their own the mids are excellent.  Vocals are sweet and intimate, and everything feels real in vocal-intense recordings.
 Bass: Oh the sweet bass.  If you love electronic music, the Denon will be your go-to headphones.  The bass is smooth, impactful and sweet.  Percussion music is wonderfully refined and in-your-face, dubstep is otherworldly and heavy metal is beautiful.  I cannot recommend these headphones enough for a bass-head.  Out of the entire spectrum, this is the range the Denons do best.  It reaches extremely low and provides some great texturing.  One might expect this with fun headphones, but I definitely don't regret the Denons being fun.
 Presence and Transparency: One of the things the Denons also excel at producing is presence.  Every note feels distinct, clear and powerful.  This may very well come with the Denons just being powerhouses for the highs and lows, but overall I think the Denons have a very special flavor concerning presence.  As I stated in the bass section, percussion music is phenomenal with these headphones.  If you love hard-hitting music, you can't possibly go wrong with these.  However, when considering presence, one must also consider transparency.  Being fun headphones, transparency doesn't seem to be as much a focus, and (may) have something to do with a closed design.  I'm not an audio engineer, so I don't know.  But coming from the Denons to the LCD-2s, there seems to be a very thin space between the music and the listener.  It's almost unrecognizable until you actually do a thorough comparison between the headphones, but the transparency certainly suffers from the flavor of the headphone.
 Soundstage: The headphones are of a closed design, so the soundstage simply won't be as good as other open flagships.  However!  The soundstage is still very good.  Music has a brilliant intimacy, and everything is defined very clearly in space.  There's no 'blob' with the Denons by any stretch, so long as you don't expect them to be soundstage-focused.  I can't really expect a pair of fun, closed headphones to compete with the HD-800s or T1s, especially considering that they do everything else very well.
 On a comparison with the LCD-2: As I stated in my review of the LCD-2s, when buying the LCD-2s I intended to make a decision between them and the D7000s.  I eventually chose to sell the Denons, but I must add how difficult it was.  The problem in choosing between either headphones arose in a very strange manner: they're simply different.  The D7000s are excellent headphones, and had been my absolute favorite for 8 months. I've heard the 600 models from Sennheiser, the Thunderpants, DT880 and Dt990s, but I didn't love any of them like I love the D7000s.  It was merely that the LCD-2s don't have any faults concerning SQ.  When switching between the D7000s and LCD-2s, it became increasingly apparent that they were both excellent but nothing - excluding naturalness, transparency and soundstage - was starkly better or worse in either.  That being said, I still find the LCD-2s as the natural upgrade for somebody who loves the D7000s.  I must still recommend a degree of scrutiny when choosing which stays or goes, since the LCD-2s are several hundred dollars more expensive and scale much better with more power.
Conclusion: The D7000s are an excellent pair of flagship headphones.  They're elegant in design, amazingly comfortable, and provide an extremely pleasant listening experience.  The bass and highs are wonderful, but the mids and transparency leave something to be desired.  However, they are definitely affordable in terms of flagships, and if you're somebody who loves fun headphones and doesn't have the scratch for a pair of LCD-2s or T1s, go for the D7000.  You won't be disappointed.

Squidoo
 
On April 17, 2011 I asked "TheWuss"--a Head-Fi member who has a LOT of headphones--what headphone was best for watching movies.  The next day--April 18, 2011--he replied:
 
fred,
that easy.  hahahaha.

for cinema, the denon d7000 is pretty much without equal.  (impactful sound for explosions, big and layered soundstage for immersive listening experience, etc. etc.)

 


On April 19, 2011--the very next day--I went out and bought the Denon AH-D7000.  So I consider him the one who pushed me off the edge. And for that I am thankful.  Thanks Brent!

 

This is my reply to him at 2:51pm-- April 19, 2011:

 

"aaahhh.....I finally took the plunge!  Got the Denon D7000.  Tried it out at the shop versus the T1, Pro 900, DT880(600).  The D7000 is very immersive...and the bass....really put me on the edge while watching some movies with "suspension" scenes/sounds.  The other headphones sounded further.  However, for music ...the T1 was quite nice.  I was able to "follow" sounds from left to right as well as discern which instrument was from the left or from the right.  The Denon was "too much" for me when listening to music.  Put me "on the edge" and when I took it off, I felt as if it was a "relief".   That didn't happen with the T1.  With the T1/DT880 I felt like sinking into my seat, closing my eyes, leaning back ....and relax.  T1 was better than DT880 at "exciting" me with the differences in loud/soft when listening to music, while with the Pro900 and DT880, I didn't really feel anything.  Just like listening to music from a distance with the DT880 giving me much more "imaging".  I was able to "hear/feel" whether the sound came from the left or right."

 

[size=10.0pt]…before I continue, just want all to know that I don’t consider myself an audiophile because I just started reading up on headphones 3 months before I got my D7000.  I decided using my ears and “feeling.”[/size]
 
[size=10.0pt]My purpose of buying was to get a pair for night-time movie watching.  My sound system’s overall volume was too loud when it was at dialogue-understandable level.[/size]
 

 
[size=10.0pt]$833 for me IS a lot of money and so I do consider this expensive.  When I went to Jet Live Audio Store, I was initially looking forward to trying the Ultrasone Ed8, Ultrasone Pro 2900, Denon AH-D7000, and the Beyerdynamics DT770 because of what I read on websites and forums on “bass headphones” and “movie headphones.”  [/size]
 
[size=10.0pt]I asked for the Ultrasone Pro 2900, Denon AH-D7000, Beyer T1, and the Beyer DT770 but did not dare ask for the Ultrasone Ed.8 because of the price.  Since Mr. Jet did not have the Beyer DT770, I tried the DT880(250)instead.  After listening to some music, I put down the Ultrasones because it did not feel comfortable.  The DT880s had great left to right continuation when watching movie trailers.  They also sounded great when used for music.  The T1 sounded way better than the DT880s when used for music because of the soundstage and imaging—I could tell the difference between left and right clearly and “felt” as if I could pin-pointing instruments positions (virtually with my eyes closed).   The T1 impressed me very much—might get it in the far future?  [/size]
 
[size=10.0pt]I decided to go with the D7000 because of the physical vibrations and “shock” factor that kept me on edge while watching the Predator Movie Trailer.  The “bangs” and “booms” startled me so much (I usually hate being startled!) I was on high alert throughout the whole short clip. Another clip I found on Youtube that also caused facial vibrations.[/size]
 
[size=10.0pt]After a month or so of using the set, I realized that I had to take it off to wipe off my sweat from time to time.  Also, when listening to some types of music, the highs can be quite painful (did not burn yet).  Other than that, the D7000 is a beautiful set, soft on the ears, a bit heavy, has great bass, expensive, is worth the price because it delivers (for movies)and is definitely a keeper.   [/size]
 
[size=10.0pt]I gave Value 4.5 stars because it IS expensive. For this price, they should include a nice carrying bag/case as well. I gave Audio Quality 4.5 because for music the T1 and the STAX do better.  Design 5 because I like it.  Comfort 4 because it is kinda heavy and the leather causes me to sweat.  If they have a "for movies" option...I'd give that a full 5 !!![/size]
 
[size=10.0pt]If you’re looking for a headset only for good bass music, there are cheaper sets out there.  I recently (July, 2011) tried on the V-moda Crossfades LP and they sounded amazing when used for “disco”-type music.  It made me feel as if I was “inside the dance club”, “right there at the party. “  I’ve tried the Audio Technica M50, Audio Technica Pro 900, and Beats Pro among others.  These also sound good but I prefer the V-modas for their cool design and the “I’m right there” feeling.  They don’t work that well with other types of music though and the owner of the pair I listened to complained about it not having enough clear highs. For movies, my gaming headset (Creative Fatality HS-1000) and the normal Philips SCB-HP200 paired with the Creative X-mod sounded good but no physical vibrations or "shock" factor.[/size]
[size=10.0pt]To conclude this rambling….Wooooooooo!    I love my Denons!   Yeah![/size]
 
[size=10.0pt]Sincerest thanks to all Head-Fi members who helped by graciously answering my PMs:[/size]
[size=10.0pt]Head-Fi member Acix[/size]

Head-Fi member Must Lust Envy

Head-Fi member LFF

Head-Fi member Skylab

Head-Fi member IJokerI
Head-Fi member TheWuss

 

Thanks to Mr. Jet from Jet Live Audio Store here in Bkk, Thailand for allowing me to try out your headphones...and for the nice Hokkaido chocolates from Japan! 

 

Review Denon AH-D 7000 Headphones
My first set of headphones were purchased in 1974. I’m excited to write that over the years my favorite headphone has improved every so often. I am not a complete obsessive type who compulsively is upgrading my system. I have a relaxed process where if something works then it stays in use for awhile.  As we build our headphone systems each piece of equipment is interdependent on each other for the overall sound.  That old saying that your system is only as strong as the weakest link stands true as ever. It is actually really hard at times to get all your components to complement each other. When you have system synergy going strong, I have felt it is just better to leave it alone and enjoy the music.
 
For a ten year period the Sony MDR-CD-870 closed back headphones were my reference set. Sure there were lots more out there. At the time I was using 1960s Scott Amplifiers and the Sonys were a good match. My goal was a fun, comfortable and rocking set of headphones. If you have a system which works enjoy it and leave stuff alone. We all know of the crazy upgrade condition. The upgrades are a great way to spend time with this hobby. Basically every purchase is a learning experience. I’m a little conservative so having a purchase be a financial learning experience is not my idea of fun.
 
At a Head-fi show I tried as many headphones in my system as I could. I already had a wonderful pair of AKG k701s which were great and all but are not the best for rock. Even for dance music the AKGs leave something missing. Put on some well recorded vocals and guitar and then the AKGs show their true potential. So to shorten this story the Head-fi member next to me had a pair of AH-D7000s to sell. The price was right in my ballpark at $450.00 usd. I had spent the whole morning with modified Sennheiser HD 800s. Heck I had seen the HD800s with the t-shirt modification where you take and pack a cotton t-shirt inside them. I had used a stock set of HD800s with a super expensive after market cord which was $500.00 usd itself. I played the HD800s with a limited edition remaster of Dark Side Of The Moon on an $80,000 usd vinyl rig. I came to try the Sennheisers but somehow maybe I’m not a Sennheiser guy! Don’t get me wrong as the HDs sound very, very clear. Each part of the recording is rendered in the right sound field place. I just didn’t feel it in my heart.
 
So he hands me the Denons from next door and I put them into the high impedance output of my Woo Audio 5 LE. I could tell right away that I was there. In three minutes I was done, all done. But some say that if you have this instant satisfaction that maybe you will not like the equipment over time. There is this theory that some manufactures put this color in their products so everybody is floored on first listen and open their pocketbooks, only to go home and find the color is somehow keeping them from audiophile truth. I really don’t know. There is a woody feel to the sound of the AH-D 7000s. You could call it color. The sound of great and controlled bass going as low as you need it to go. The overall experience is just in one word, fun. Can you have too much fun? It’s been about 13 months and the honeymoon is not over.
 
When you wear the Denons for weeks on end then swich to somthing like the AKGs then you realize how light and perfect the AH- D 7000s fit your head and ears. I had always thought the AKGs were nice to wear but again the AH-Ds rule. The HD-800s felt just like they look, big heavy cages on your head! The HD-800s are as enjoyable as a hospital and the AH-Ds are as enjoyable as a redneck keg party in the woods!
 
The build quality is great. When you first study them they look a little fragile in the armatures. The piano lacquered cups seem like they could even dent if you get a little loose with them. Knock on wood, it has been 13 months and they are holding up perfect. So they are made in China and not the brisk mountains of Italy. They are made really, really well. The cord is a Y configuration which carries no micro phonic properties at all. At times there is a small adjustment phase just before all the equipment gets on. This adjustment gets to be an easy thing to get used to with time. The cord does need to be sorted out straight at times. The plug is really well made and feels like it will last for years. The plug has a heavy quality which just feels right when adding it to amps. A short right at the plug is an issue with many headphones used a long time. This plug seems truly first rate. I also use the AKG mini plug adaptor to plug the AH-Ds into the mini plug of my Nuforce Icon USB Desktop Amplifier And Headphone Amplifier. A great combo for the Nuforce using it as a USB digital output for a laptop playing Foobar2000 or Macintosh playing aiff lossless files in I-tunes. The high impedance of the AH-D 7000s results in truly great authority just going directly out of an I-pod Touch playing lossless aiff files.
 
So later that day we found a couple more tube amps to fit into our test system. The AH-D 7000s were always polite and never became harsh in the high end. Everyone said the system was simply divine with the AH-Ds in place. What they did say was that the system was perfect for jazz and classical. We still had some issues. Everything was buttery smooth; there was warmth and detail in a very sublime way. The problem was what they call speed. I was using cheap Monster RCAs and my old computer cord for power. Could the Denons improve? The question was how much did they have in them to improve. What the Denons lack in midrange reproduction is overcome by the lush silky midrange reproduced by 300b tubes. The fact is that the midrange is one of the finer points of the Woo 5LE. What could be done to improve was cords. What I thought was a little too much bass response was all just problems in my system due to the cords I was using. After changing cords the bass became focused, tight and better placed into the sound stage.
 
The Electra Glide Audio Reference Glide-Reference Standard "Fatboy" Power Cord enters the power feed to the amps. The addition of speed takes place. What I thought was a deficit in the speed of the Denons was a flaw in what was brought to them in the system. It was like finding out they were a new set of headphones. Drums would attack and decay with harmonics, tone shifts would take you almost out of your seat with surprisement.  Could these things really be world class headphones? What else could be done for them and how would they react?  A set of Virtual Dynamics Master Series RCA interconnects are then put in between a Rega Planet Compact Disk Player and the Woo 5 LE RCA inputs. Now the Denons responded with speed and detail. OK, I said I’m not into the upgrade cycle! I’m not, I’m not. I do need a new CD player though.
 
 
 
 
Equipment Used For Denon AH-D 7000 Headphone Review

Sony MDR-CD-870 Headphones
AKG k701 Headphones
Denon AH-D 7000 Headphones

Headphone Amplifier Inventory
Woo Audio 5 LE Headphone Amplifier And Custom Modified Preamplifier
Nuforce Icon USB Desktop Amplifier And Headphone Amplifier

Source Inventory

VPI Scout Turntable
Clearaudio Aurum Classic Phonograph Cartridge
PS•1 Phono Preamplifier and HC•1b Dual Mono Power Supply by Monolithic
Rega Planet Compact Disk Player

Cable Inventory

Virtual Dynamics Master Series RCA interconnects
Electra Glide Audio Reference Glide-Reference Standard "Fatboy" Power Cord
Electra Glide Audio Epiphany X2 Power Cord

I post all my reviews in this thread
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/333953/denon-ah-d7000/315#post_5172055

The Denon D7000's are perhaps the most used headphone in my collection because it has a very relaxing sound and a great soundstage.
 
Soundstage
The soundstage is excellent for movies. I can hear absolutely everything in a movie. For instance, I often get lost in the background every time I watch a movie. From the gentlest wind gust to the smallest drips of water hitting the window, I can hear them. I suspect these headphones might be amazing for gaming, but I haven't tried them yet for that.
 
Bass
I've tried my share of headphones. Most of the time you have one headphone that gives you amazing soundstage, but stinks in bass. This isn't the case for the Denon D7000. It has the best of both worlds in this case. Although, there is one problem. I kind of find the bass to be a bit fat and slow. It doesn't stand out, it is blended into the music. Some people like this. I actually think this bass is meant to be for this headphone because it is a full-sounding headphone (meaning you get everything treble, vocals, and bass with nothing standing out).
 
Vocals
As almost everyone else has pointed out, the vocals are pushed a few rows back. They are still distinguishable, but just not very loud. Think of someone trying to talk to you from about 10 feet away, sounds like that.
 
Treble
The treble is not hot at all. It's there, just not screaming at you. Again, this is a relaxing headphone with nothing standing out. Everything is there, just not killing your ears. I can sleep to these on my head all night without hurting my ears with piercing sounds.
 
Comfort
I barely even notice these things on my head. They are very light and don't have a high clamping force like other headphones do.
 
Overall
This headphone is amazing for movies and relaxing. It is not an intimate headphone. If you want to rock and roll like there is no tomorrow, I don't suggest this headphone.  I mean I still listen to rock with it, but it doesn't give me the adrenaline rush like a Grado would. Sometimes I consider the headphone boring and flat. For instance, on a rock-heavy song  I like, everything comes and goes without sounding much different. It sounds too slow and blended together, but I still hear everything.
 
Every headphone has its' purpose, this one to me is movies and relaxing.

I have just finished running these in (100hrs). I am amazed with the SQ. The base and balance of sound is stunning. Tonally gorgeous to me. Sweet smooth treble. The texture on vocals is astounding.
I was tempted to get some JH16's but was concerned about fit and comfort if the moulds are not done correctly. These cost me half the price of the JH16s (UK prices) and they are everything I dreamt a pair of cans could be. I cannot recommend them enough. 

In the process of reaching 50 hours burn in mark. Highly dependent on source (recording quality and DAC). Obvious bottlenecks. Still under observation and after 300 hours listening period, will update my impression again.

I have been  looking at these headphones since I started posting to HeadFi last year and havd  always wanted to try them and finally the opportunity came for me to audition the cans and see if they were  as good as all the hype that I had been hearing about them.  When I first started to listen to the Denon's I really did not like them at all. Out of the box the bass was overpowering, bloated and flabby. They were also very dark. I then proceeded to burn them in for the next 125 hrs using both my Outlaw 2150RR and Matrix M Stage as my primary amps with both the DV6001 and the Onkyo DX7555 CD player on repeat.. 
 
Usually when I get a high end piece of equipment my past experiences has always told me if it sounded good out of the box it was usually going to sound better after burn in was completed. With the Denon I thought they really did not sound good before burn in, and never thought I would hear a significant difference after the burn in. Boy was I not only wrong but  I was shocked at the difference in sound.
 
The Matrix M Stage amp and my Marantz DV6001 Universal player was the source used for my audition. I used the Audioquest Black Mamba interconnects with my source and amp. Music listened to ranged from Classical,Jazz,Vocal and Rock. I did not listen to any Metal or other types of music. The Albums I used were mostly well recorded audiophile grade CD's  and SACD for my audition.
 
Initially upon listening to the D7000 before burn in I noticed sibilance presence on female vocals. The transformation after burn in I noticed the sibilance was gone. The bass became very well defined and tight. The soundstage really became focused and very wide for a closed can and 3D, as I noticed the performers were more defined and imaging was spot on, and the bass was no longer bloated.  The biggest difference I noticed over both my 701 and the 840 was a refinement. The Denon's projected a very smooth and well balanced presentation in regard to my other cans. I could see the reason they were priced so much higher than the 701.
 
The midrange on these cans is excellent. I find the slightly recessed mid very much suited to my taste. Having owned many high end speakers these remind me most of my PSB Stratus Gold's They were warm with deep bass into the low twenty's and very defined and balanced with a slightly tipped treble. Hearing and listening to the FIM SACD of Antiphone Blues with pipe organ and solo saxophone, recorded in Spanga Church. the pipe organ was produced unlike I had heard with any other headphone. I could feel the pipe organ petal and feel the power of the instrument. It was a wow moment. To produce the lower register of a pipe organ requires bass to go into low 20's to achieve the proper sound of the instrument and the D7000 reproduced the organ with no problem. 
 
Listening to albums with vocals and live recordings on these headphones is a pleasure. On Sinatra at the Sands it was like I was in the room sitting at a table and listening to my favorite Sinatra performance. I could hear all of Count Basie's orchestra with a very wide soundstage .Listening to Jerry Garcia and David Grisman, I was in the studio listening to two great artist create their masterpiece. Shady Grove. Garcia's playing was a revelation of detail on hearing guitar strings and hearing the inner detail of his acoustic guitar.  The presentation was eye opening. Listening to Beyond Missouri Sky with Pat Metheny and Charlie Haden was another wow moment.
 
I heard the best separation of the two performers that I have heard,  and you could hear the guitar strings snapping and the glory of Hadens Acoustic bass, with nice separation between the performers.  . I knew it was two distinct performers. Many headphones and speakers do not get this track right. The Denons reproduced this recording without effort. You could really hear the detail in Haden's bass not present with my other headphones
 
Classical recordings were somewhat more of a mixed bag for me. I enjoyed the power of the bass and detail in general but on large scale orchestra I prefer the 701. On smaller scale recording's the D7000 shines. Violins are produced without etch or grain and cello is aided by the bass. I noticed no etch in tremble on well recorded albums. I would define cymbal reproduction as accurate with no etch.I could clearly hear space in high hat reproduction. Good air and space around instruments and nice depth to the soundstage. In the higher regions of recordings the Denon were no match for the 701.  The AKG reproduce triangle and high's better than any other can I own.I do find the AKG701 and the Denon are perfect stablemates. The open cans give me the presentation I desire for classical music. The D7000 gives me the dynamics and power I desire for most other music.
 
In concluding I have to say I am very impressed with the D7000 I find them very much refined with great detail and bass extension.  Outstanding musicality and it makes me believe I am listening to a full range speaker with much more intimacy. They are now part of my headphone collection and I am enjoying many hours of pure music magic.  Denon produced a winner with this headphone. It is a beautiful and balanced headphone that has really grown on me and I have come to enjoy a great deal.
 
The matrix M Stage amp is a perfect match with its powerful bass and detail. It really made the D7000 shine. If you enjoy 3D sound with super bass and a very balanced midrange these headphones are a must audition. Be prepared to buy them if you do listen to them. Nice indeed.

My Denon AH-D7000 finally arrived, and I've been putting it through its paces. My perspective on the D7000 is from a slightly different angle from most people who have reviewed it, since I have used the previous generation of Denon flagship AH-D950 headphones from mid-90's to 2005 or so. It was already falling apart around 2001, and I kept taping it back together until it could no longer be fixed and looked like crap. Here's the D950 all beat up, with electrical tape, worn out pleather earcups, snapped off housing...etc:

 

It's been with me all over the place throughout the years though, and will always stay in my memory. It still sounds great too, after the countless dropping on the floor, accidentally blasting at full volume, getting crushed/knocked around in the luggage...etc. 
 
And here's how the D7000 compares to the previous flagship model:

 

 
What was immediately apparent to me about the sound of the D7000 is that it carried the torch of the D950 into the modern age. They have a very similar sonic signature. The D950 have that somewhat hi-fi sound where the treble and bass seems to have that smiley face EQ'd enhancement (just enough to be "exciting," but not too to become grating and fatiguing), while the D7000 is more accurate, but still retaining the excitement due to the superior sub-bass and detailed treble. The D7000's sub-bass is definitely more substantial in the 30Hz range, whereas the D950's sub-bass starts to roll off after 40Hz or so. The D950 emphasizes the upper bass for more punch, but the D7000 does not have any obvious peaks or dips in its bass region and is remarkably flat all the way down to 30Hz. The D7000 is also a tad more refined across the entire frequency range--higher resolution, if you will. In terms of comfort, the D7000 is very comfortable to wear--much more than the D950, since the D950's earcups are shallow, with your ears touching the drivers, and it can get uncomfortable after a while (my ears would hurt after prolonged listening with the D950). The D7000 is hands down the most comfortable pair of headphones I've ever worn--its clamp is feather light, with luxuriously soft pleather earcups that are very well cushioned. Although the clamp is light, the headphones stay on the head pretty well, but I wouldn't do any dramatic head-banging with it on though.
 
Compared to my Sennheiser HD650, the D7000 sounds like a smiley face EQ'd version of the HD650, with the treble being sharper, and the sub-bass more extended and prominent. The one thing I wish the HD650 could do better in is the sub-bass, since below 40Hz it starts to roll off, and the D7000 takes care of this problem, with the sub-bass remaining prominent and flat all the way down to 30Hz (I haven't tested frequencies below 30Hz yet), which is a rare thing for headphones. The sharper treble of the D7000 can be a tad too bright on listening material that's mixed/mastered on the bright side, and on such materials, I would prefer if the D7000's treble is slightly more subdued. Although the D7000 is a closed-back design, it might as well be open-back because it barely isolates outside noise at all; however, the strange thing is that it isolates the headphone's output much better, so leakage isn't nearly as bad as with actual open-back cans (in other words, it sucks at blocking outside noise, but controls leakage into the outside world pretty well). Comfort-wise, I do think the D7000 is more comfortable due to the feather-light clamping of the earcups, but with pleather, no matter how soft, will never be as comfortable as velour, since pleather will get too warm and your face might sweat a little (or at least get slightly sticky). I bought a bag of headphone sanitary covers and with them on, the D7000's pleather problem is solved. The sanitary covers are of similar material as some of the disinfectant moist wipes, so while they are soft, they are still not as soft as velour. At least they don't get sticky like pleather though. The HD650 while has very soft velour earcups, clamp a lot tighter, but it's a snug kind of tight, and quite comfortable, unless you have a ultra-sensitive head where any amount of pressure will give you a headache. I never had any problems with the HD650's clamping pressure. Here's how the D7000 looks with the sanitary covers on:

 
One of the reasons I got the D7000 was with the wish that it would be like if the Audio-Technica ATH-M50 and the HD650 got married and had a kid. So, does the D7000 sound anything like that? Well, yes and no. I already talked about how it compared to the HD650, so now I'll talk about how it compares to the M50. One thing I really liked about the M50 is it's sub-bass capabilities, remaining prominent down to 30Hz. Not many headphones can sound like there's a subwoofer in your head, and the M50 is one of them. While the M50 sounds pretty neutral and flat in general, it doesn't sound quite natural--as if the engineers somehow pushed and pulled it into sounding that way, instead of it naturally sounding that way with the way its components naturally work together. For example, the treble has a slightly metallic feel, as if a very narrow band of the treble frequencies was EQ'd to get that clarity, but it's carefully tweaked so that it sounds very comfortable and never fatiguing. In fact, the M50 is one of the most comfortable headphones in terms of how pleasant it sounds. It is never too bright, but has plenty of clarity. The same goes for its bass--it's full and substantial, but never overwhelming like some of the bass-head headphones where the bass is so bloated that it intrudes into the other frequencies.
 
So how does the D7000 compare to the M50? In terms of sub-bass prominence, they are about the same, although the D7000 distorts less when reproducing pure 30Hz sine wave test tones. The D7000's treble is sharper for sure, and the overall clarity is also better, making the M50 sound warmer in comparison. The soundstage of the D7000 is also very good--almost on par with the HD650, while the M50 has a more typical closed-back sound with smaller soundstage. In terms of comfort, while the M50's pretty good, the D7000 is definitely more comfortable. Without the sanitary covers, the M50 gets warm faster than the D7000, but with the covers, the M50's pleather problem is also solved. Here's the M50 with sanitary covers on:
 

 
In conclusion, the D7000 is a beautiful sounding pair of headphones (though with obvious flaws), possessing  authoritative sub-bass presence and punch, a smooth, clean, and detailed sonic signature, a big soundstage that's highly unusual for a closed-back design, very comfortable to wear, and visually attractive in that "premium high-end" style. Some people say the D7000 has recessed mids, and I agree. To me, it's not just because the treble is more detailed and the sub-bass is substantial that it creates the illusion that the mids are recessed--the mid-range is actually recessed--at least compared to my Klein+Hummel O 300D's and other headphones. But it needs to be said that the recessed mid-range is in general not a good thing, especially when the vocals and instruments end up lacking body and weight on the D7000. Whether it sounds a tad bright and sibilant in treble depends on personal taste. I'm very sensitive to bright sounding headphones and speakers, as I find them very fatiguing and grating to endure--as if my ears will start bleeding if I keep listening, and the D7000 usually sounds detailed instead of fatiguing, but on some really bright material it becomes brighter than comfortable for me. It's only somewhat of an issue though, as most of the music in my collection are not mixed and mastered by half-deaf engineers who have lost most of their hearing above 6Khz. But when the recessed mids combine with the slightly sibilant brightness, it can make some material really splashy, such as the song "William, It's Really Nothing" by The Smiths--the hi-hat, tambourine, and strumming of the guitar all blend into this splashy mess that has no real body or definition. While the treble is up for debate, I don't think the bass is--since I did extensive tests on its bass region and found it to be very flat and neutral all the way down to 30Hz and probably lower too.
 
The D7000 is a premium high-end pair of headphones, and as such, its price tag reflects that. Is it worth the money? I paid $571 for it before taxes and shipping, while some places sell it at its full retail price, which is $1,000. I don't think I would pay $1,000 for it, but at $571 it's acceptable (relatively speaking, since high-end anything is always a game of diminishing returns. It sure doesn't sound five times better than the M50. In fact, with the recessed mids and slightly bright sound, it's hard to say if it's really "better"--maybe just different). Will I sell off my other headphones and keep just the D7000? It's too early to say right now--I'll have to live with the D7000 for a while longer before I even contemplate that thought.
 
To accommodate the new arrival in my headphone collection, I got a triple stand with adjustable arms. It's very convenient and flexible, and since I don't foresee myself adding anymore headphones, I think it'll do just fine: