Denon AH-D7100 Music Maniac

When I purchased these, I did so on a lark. Slowly, over the last year, I have more or less stopped listening to anything else, and I have dozens of headphones. Unlike many on Head-Fi, I find these superior to the prior generation of Denons. The soundstage is of course limited, but about average for closed headphones. And the bass is emphasized, but not too much to be distracting in my book. I am not a bass-head by any means. The PS1000 is my all-time favorite headphone, so factor that into your assessment of my review. I'm not going to write anything more than that, I would just say that these are almost perfect for me. I'm really glad I bought them and am sorry Denon discontinued them rather quickly

Used with Teac UD-H01 and Matrix M-Stage they sound great and are extremely comfortable. The sound is musical with deep controlled bass and detailed Mids & Treble. They also have a great sound stage for a closed headphone.
 
Playing The Ultimate Headphone Demonstration Disc by Dr. Chesky will show you how well these truly sound. I paid £449 about 18 months ago and think these have been a great buy as I have used them for hours daily since then.

I love these.  I have BeatsPro, Monster Inspiration and these blow them away!  They are super comfortable and I can hear the  nuances of all sounds.

I am from China and I'd like to say Chinese people are lucky enough to have the opportunity to reach most of device in the area of audio especially some brand only provided in China.So it made me crazy not have the access to many headphones and amplifiers.Isn't it weird that many Chinese people use amazon.com not amazon.cn to buy things.
So I want to introduce myself. I come from a university which is next to Nankai University(the CEO of hifi man graduated from it). I was so lucky to join a wind band that I can so closely know and perform many pieces of music. I became a leader of the band and sometimes I help with the conductor to do many practice and improvement .  It is also a reason why I love classical music so much. 
This summer before I came to America, my mom gave me the d7100 as a gift and there is no reason I do not love it though it was not pretty my taste. I love classical music like Mozart Mahler and Schostakovic. The d7100 gave me good quality of music and much more details than any headphones I heard before. However the powering bass really gave me a bad impression when I listened to some pop music, so I got tired after long time listening.It is my first impression of d7100 under my colorfly C4. I'd prefer to say I was disappointed because the advantages of it were what a 1000usd headphone must have, but it also had deficiencies that a so much expensive headphone shouldn't have, at least under portable devices, I like dt800 better under my c4.
But d7100 made it different when I had the chance to try some devices of my friends. He got da32, da8, ha2, graham solo ......let us begin with the dac/amp. The da8 yulong from China and ha2 from Taiwan. They are both very good devices but I think the d7100 is more like a German sound under ha2,good quality and details but lacking emotion which I think is the most important things in the performance of a concerto or chamber music like quintet and quartet.We need the unique character and emotion to thrill us. I test the no.2 string quartet of Borodin ,violin concerto of Tchaikovsky in D major and the concerto for wind(oboe,flute,bassoon,horn) on da8, it is pretty much better voice especially the solo part, the tremble of violin and oboe ,flute is really wonderful with the proper sound field and bass. After I try the other more expensive devices I realize we cannot judge the d7100 a fail since we don't even sense it and listen to it carefully, it deserve better dac and amp.
I think if I write the review in Chinese it will be a really moving and exciting one. I am also very happy to talk about my experience of music and hifi(I think music is prior to hifi)

i was so disappointed with these head phones when they arrived. i always thought i had a slightly larger than average skull. boy was i wrong. these cans are for water-heads! how could Denon F-UP this bad? it's like someone got these headphones, stuck them in some boiling water and then placed them on  a 40LB bowling bowl. i dont care how good they sound, their to damn big! huge waste!

The AH-D7100's immediately became my go-to headphones for daily use since the day I purchased them three weeks ago.  They sound much  fuller compared to my Beyerdynamic T5P's and produce high sound levels with unamplified portable music devices.  They produce deep, rich, better-defined bass compared to my Ultrasone Pro 900's..   
 
Sound is uniformly clear and well defined across the audible spectrum.  Given their high efficiency, transient responses and punch are state of the art with  unamplified devices....the sound is powerful, an adjective usually reserved for amps. 
 
All these descriptions are good and well, however the most significant compliment I have for  these headphones is that they reveal details and nuances that go unnoticed with other cans, and that,  plus the quality of the overall sound,  make you want to re-listen to your music collection.
 
Aside from great sound, the Denons are comfortable  and listening fatigue has been minimal for extended periods.  Some reviews have panned the build quality and materials....I find the design to be modern, materials to be high quality and build to be meticulous. The provided accessories are also high quality (headphone stand, travel bag and alternate cables).
 
In sum:  Highly recommended.

Yes, initially I also experienced what many others did: Excessive bass with related compression effects at higher volumes.
Still, after in between let's say 500 hrs the sound has changed dramatically. And frankly, Denon should burn them in at least 300hrs before distributing. They could avoid some irritation sides their customers. 
 
I really would like to know how the d7100 would measure now! The bass is still pronounced, but it integrates much better and  can I not recognize any compression effects anymore.

Anyway, recently the d7100 gave me some of the most impressive music- experiences I ever had with headphones. Claexico, Chambawamba, dEUS... and many more of the kind...

Why do most of us own more than just one pair of cans ...? Surely not because they all sound the same... in a "imperfect" world, where not all measures against a perfectly flat frequency response and where personal preferences vary, it simply seems likely that sound-reproduction parameters will differ in order to achieve best results.
So what "absolute" qualities remain in such a relative framework of requirements? To me, there is low-distortion, low-coloration, transparency of the entire frequency-band, dynamic musical reproduction independent of volume and last but not least the musical flow. All of such is abundantly provided by the d7100 .
 
The d7100 may not be feasible for all genres and tastes, and some headphones definitely cover a wider range of different recording qualities; but if there is a match between the 7100, the music and the equipment, the 7100 can be a real super-performer.

As such, to me it is absolutely worth the ~600 Euro I paid.

Cheers!
 
PS.: I used an HDVD800 to drive the d7100 when I wrote this review; in between, a year later, I even like it better out of an iPod touch with the Onkyo high res app, or the ifi iDSD micro... Killer combo!
PPS 28.06.2014: After several hundreds of great listening hours more, I would now also call it an allrounder. I wouldn't know any genre that doesn't sound fabulous....

I state that I'll write this review in Italian, if you want to know my judgments, please watch at the end of this review.

Premetto che queste non sono le "migliori cuffie al mondo", tuttavia gli ingegneri Denon hanno cercato di avvicinarsi il più possibile a tale traguardo, molto vicino direi..
Uscite da non molto hanno subito lanciato sul web una marea di polemiche e discussioni a riguardo, le AH-D7100 prendono infatti il posto delle D7000, le ex portabandiera di casa Denon, considerate senza dubbio tra le migliori cuffie audiofile d'alta gamma, utilizzando circa gli stessi materiali (tra cui mogano africano e pelle di qualità) la Denon ha voluto rimpiazzare le D7000 con qualcosa di più "economico", risparmiando sul tipo di driver cambiando il fornitore e risparmiando sui materiali, utilizzando plastica (seppur d'ottima qualità) al posto del caro vecchio alluminio presente nelle D7000.
C'è chi si scontra giudicando migliori le D7100 e chi preferisce ancora le D7000, insomma gusti sono gusti.

Parliamo ora delle specifiche, con un'impendenza d'ingresso di 25 Ohm le D7100 possono essere usate anche su qualsiasi dispositivo portatile come iPod, cellulari ed MP3 vari, cosa molto rara tra le cuffie audiofile.. c'è però da dire che spendere 1200€ per ascoltare musica esclusivamente da un cellulare è un po' come comprare una Ferrari e non superare mai i 20 Km/h, sarebbero sprecate, tuttavia il poterle utilizzare anche in viaggio è un'ottimo punto a favore.
Ma se volete liberare "la belva" che c'è in loro, come minimo c'è bisogno di un ottimo amplificatore, sedersi e godersi ogni dettaglio che la cuffia sa esprimere grazie ad una risposta in frequenza che parte da 5Hz fino alla bellezza di 45.000Hz.
Il driver è di tipo dinamico da 50mm in Nano Fibra avvolto da un cabinet in legno di mogano africano, una sensibilità di 110dB ed un peso di 370 Gr (cablaggio escluso), potrebbero sembrare pesanti.. ma dopo averle provate posso confermare il contrario, dopo un'ora addosso non si sente per niente il loro peso sulla testa grazie all'archetto imbottito di MemoryFoam rivestito in un'ottima pelle nera con cuciture marroni a vista, ed appunto qui arriviamo ad uno dei pochi difetti presenti nelle D7100, dopo qualche ora la pelle non lascia traspirare e si comincia a sudare leggermente nella zona dove essa appoggia attorno all'orecchio, sarebbe stata meglio un'imbottitura in velluto per le "EarCups" che le avrebbe rese più comode da indossare anche dopo delle ore.
Parlando di ore, premetto che le D7100 richiedono un minimo di 40 ore di rodaggio prima di poter suonare come si deve, in modo da "sciogliere" la membrana dei driver e renderli più morbidi dandogli lo spazio che gli serve.
Nella confezione troverete un'elegante "stand" in alluminio dove poter appoggiare le vostre D7100 ed esibirle allo stesso tempo, il manuale di istruzioni con garanzia, una comoda confezione in tessuto nero dove poter mettere le cuffie e trasportarle ovunque vogliate senza rovinarle e una coppia di cablaggi, una adatta a cellulari e iPod con jack da 3,5 e comandi diretti del volume incorporati, mentre l'altro cablaggio è più spesso, professionale e adatto all'ascolto tramite amplificatore, con jack da 6,3.

Arriviamo ora a parlare della qualità audio, ho provato le D7100 con diversi tipi di amplificazione e da diversi tipi di lettori multimediali:
Amplificatori:
-Arcam Solo Neo
-McIntosh MA6900
-Fostex HP-P1/DAC
Lettori Multimediali:
-Samsung Galaxy S4
-iPod Classic 7th Generation
-iPhone 4

Ovviamente non c'è un minimo di paragone tra l'ascoltare da un McIntosh ad un iPhone, ma devo dire che le D7100 se la cavano egregiamente anche da un semplice cellulare, ma non si può nemmeno elogiarle dato che 25 Ohm sono comunque tanti oserei dire, infatti da cellulare pur mettendo il volume al massimo, le cuffie non riescono a "spingere" come dovrebbero, il volume rimane ad un livello piuttosto basso per i miei gusti e la qualità compressa dei file audio unita ad un equalizzatore di livello commerciale, non permettere alle cuffie di dare il meglio di loro, limitandosi a riprodurre musica ad una qualità mediocre in confronto a ciò che riescono realmente a dimostrare; tuttavia se paragonate ad altre cuffie su un dispositivo portatile, le D7100 sono sicuramente tra le top di gamma.
Arrivando ora all'ascolto da Amplificatore si comincia a ragionare, anche qui tutto dipende da che tipo di amplificatore le Denon vengono fatte suonare, infatti tra un Arcam ed un McIntosh la differenza è abissale, quindi mi concentrerei di più sulla qualità del Mcintosh che risulta nettamente superiore.
Dopo aver regolato l'equalizzatore ad un livello (per me) ottimale, vengono a galla pregi e difetti delle D7100, le basse frequenze sono quelle che più caratterizzano le D7100, infatti con una discesa fino ai 5Hz le Denon riescono a dare una resa profonda e morbida ad ogni bassa frequenza avendo allo stesso tempo un grande impatto, il tutto senza esagerare troppo; ma proprio a causa delle basse frequenze, quelle alte ne risentono leggermente, in certi brani vengono quasi "oscurate" dall'imponenza delle note basse, ripeto "LEGGERMENTE".
Un grande pregio che mi è subito saltato all'orecchio è la velocità di risposta dei driver, suoni molto spaccati e decisi, nei brani caratterizzati da batteria il suono è diretto, istantaneo e realistico ma sopratutto limpido e trasparente.. quasi come avere la batteria direttamente in testa.
Oltre a questo il suono risulta molto arieggiato, distribuendosi ampiamente.

Riepilogando darò dei voti riassuntivi:
(Bass frequences) Basse frequenze: 8/10
(Mids) Medie frequenze: 7/10
(Trebles) Alte frequenze: 7/10
(Comfort) Comfort: 9,5/10
(Esthetic) Estetica: 8/10
(Materials) Materiali: 8/10

Pro: comodità quasi assoluta, bassi imponenti, eccellente velocità di risposta, ottimi materiali (escludendo la plastica), possibilità di riprodurre su dispositivi portatili, cablaggio intercambiabile.
Contro: prezzo esagerato, telaio in plastica, bassi leggermente eccessivi.

(Complessive judgment) Voto complessivo: 8/10

There has been a lot of debate about this headphone on this forum in particular and the value it offers for the price.  I must admit, the pricing is a little steep but it has been coming down and can be had for sub $1000 constantly.  Sound quality is just perfect (for me).  I have found out that this new Denon Music Maniac line is sort of like a love it or hate it among audiophiles.  I certainly love mine and have nothing but good things to say about it. 
 
Sound reproduction is on par with other closed headphones I would say minus of course the TH-900 from Fostex.  The mids are clear, and although the bass was a bit sloppy/bloated in the beginning, it tightened and was more articulate after about 100 hours of burn in time.  The sound stage as noted by me and other members on here feels actually better than that of the D7000, yet the headphone isolates better than the D7000.  I listen to mostly EDM, so I had to choose between this headphone and the Ultrasone Sig DJ/PRO.  I will eventually get to listen to those as well and compare it to them but as of now I am happy with the D7100.  Contrary to what other people think about the design, I actually love it.   
 
The only thing that irks me the most with this headphone is the comfort sometimes.  It is quite heavy and the band is a bit skinny so it tends to rub on my skull and cause irritation after prolonged hours of use.  
 
All in all, I would rate the headphone a solid 8/10.  I am sure Denon will pickup on most of these reviews and make the next set of headphones much better, but they got to start somewhere. 

Lets see. If you know who Adventure Club, Skrillex, Katy Perry, MGK, Lady Gaga, Kanye West, Rihanna, pretty much anyone relevant And not so relevant any more like Marilyn Manson,  Alice in Chains, Micheal Jackson and Whitney Houston. These babies got you covered. All sound awesome. Whitney's vocals gave me chills. I'm moving from the  DT 880 250ohms. I brought the 880s because of numerous raving  reviews of how transparent they are for the price..When you hear guys say how headphones sound to YOU is what matters not charts- LISTEN. I kept the 880s  because that was my first foray in to quality audio in a headset. And they were great. But I had to  bump the bass up to enjoy the music I like. And i'm by no means a bass head. But getting back to the 7100. These things get  low when required and punch when ordered by the music. I wouldn't call it overpowering bass, Because it's never out of control. And never  is included when it's not called for.But if you listen to any of the music genres above, It's welcome in a pair of cans that have so much separation and clarity as these. Audiophile Cans don't have to be boring or lifeless if your primary listening choice happens not be classical music or the like..  
 
Also if i may add, these babies are great for gaming.  Of course sound is outstanding but,3D positional cues are accurate as hell. Playing borderlands 2 I found myself hearing efx I never heard, or was aware of before. So much for the 880's transparency.   
 
The looks to me look way better than the 7000. The 7000 look like something I used to listen to in grade school in the 80s during those listen along story times.  It was time for an update. The choices of covering the much hyped African wood makes no sense But still looks better than the 7000s. And they feel solidly built, while floating on your head
 
Let me end this like this.if you listen to your music laying back in a chair with your eyes closed get the  T1's or hd800s, if you listen to your music laying back in a chair but bop your head while listening to music, get 7100s..,,period. Simple as that.
 
equipment
e17
e09k
FLAC
Also these have to break in. When i first put these on these were LMAO shrill.

I’ve started to enjoy the music. Not the kit!
 
I read as many reviews as I could lay my hands on and they were mostly a little disparaging. How? They made constant reference to their lineage (AH-D7000) and comparisons with their old wooden aesthetic styles. Maybe I’m lucky (or unlucky) because I’ve never heard the previous model. I studied endless comparative Charts which told me all I wanted to know (that I wouldn’t like these – far too bass heavy and not reference enough).
 
BUT- (after 50+ Hours Burn In) I was enjoying them and even tried them direct from my iPad Mini (although I was pushing the top of the volume ’pot’-not much to spare there) and yes they sounded quite good.
 
They are MUSICAL – out of the box just a tad too heavy on the bass (for me) but that’s what EQ is for and just a small adjustment of those lower frequencies and a burn in saw me through my critical phase. I confess I never EVER uses EQ. This has been an education for me. Using EQ on cheap kit is different from using it on quality.
 
But when I just wanted to relax and listen to the music (not the equipment) it was great. It brought me back to what it’s really all about and that’s the music not the equipment. They are really comfortable, even though they seem to be designed to fit a huge head. I also think the isolation is pretty good. They have an elongated cup which fits my ears beautifully and I can listen while sitting next to my wife on the sofa and, provided I play at my normal levels (I still have good ears and don’t want to destroy them with ear bleeding volume) she can’t hear the music.
 
I like the style (which is a ‘marmite’ design I agree) but why oh why do headphone manufacturers use real wood and then polish it so highly that it looks like plastic? No case, which is very unusual for this level and no 1/4 to 1/8” adapter, which isn’t (I use and recommend the Grado Adaptor Cable 6.3mm to 3.5mm). Amping? As I’ve argued not absolutely necessary, but I use these with my iRiver AKA100 player, a AudioMinor Pure Copper Cryoed Mini-To-Mini Cable, a Just Audio AHA-120 amp (which adds no coloration-just clean power) and the Denon provided 10 foot 7N-OFC cable. I like it for musical enjoyment!

Acquired a pair of 7100's at a reduced brand new price of 449.00 and have been pleased with them. Comfort wise the memory foam earpads are one of the most comfy I've used. Sound is great for dance, hip hop as well as a bit of rock. Bass is plentiful but doesn't overpower the mids / highs. Generally a great pair of fun cans for general listening.

Many people in the head-fi community disappointed by the new denon lines, music maniac. But i think the other way.... well, initially when i got mine, the design  and presentation was jaw dropping, but the sound signature was horrible, it was bright and harsh treble with muddy bass. After burn-in them for 10 hours the treble settle a bit but the bass was still sound muddy.  After 40 hours burn-in, it was totally different headphone,wide and airy sound stage, smooth treble, and strong bass. I  can dare to compare to many high-end headphones. 
 
Audio Quality - Bass - 8/10
                      Treble - 7.5/10
                      Mid - 6/10 
                      Sound stage - 7.5/10
                      Vocal - 8
                                           Overall audio quality - 7.4/10
Isolation - 6/10
Leaking sound  - 6/10
Durable - 9/10
Presentation - 9/10
Design - 8/10
Comfort - 10/10
                                           Overall headphone rating - 7.8/10
 
Conclusion
Denon ah-d 7100 requires minimum 40 hours burn-in to enjoy your music. i think suitable music for the headphone are classic, jazz, and rock. 
Note - i will try to re-evaluate  after 100 hours burn-in

I will have to be succinct, however after trying the AHD5000s as well as the LCD-2 and Sennheiser HD800s (also 380s), I would rank them among these headphones (and above the 380s -- which are $200 headphones, that i highly recommend). I would say they shine across most genres; though I mainly auditioned these cans with electronic and classical music, I cannot think of a real caveat in genre.  
 
Frankly I cannot hear the issues raised by other reviews, my ears are far from naivety as well, I feel the subtleties described are subjective issues, differences in pros / cons have differed highly between myself and colleague whom have also auditioned these cans; an objective audition  is next to impossible without proper metrics, anyway.
 
Low quality compression and recordings do make for bleeding roll offs of some notes. 
 
The low does not trespass into the mids, despite being very impactful. The sound stage is impressively broad  considering this headphone is closed. The low impedance does allow them to play from a portable audio source though it is not comparable to a decent DAC and amp. 
 
I would recommend these headphones, though the price does seem a bit steep. I was also disappointed the headband is encased in plastic -- meant to look like aluminium, meaning it can scratch without proper care. 

I am a quite happy D600 owner. They are not neutral by any means but as a general-purpose headphone the sound suits my needs. Loads of super-deep bass, nice midrange tonality and an open if somewhat troublesome high-end. The best thing is that they are great portable companions, with good fit, good isolation, iPod-made cable and the fact that they are very easy to drive. I think they are worth what I paid for them (bought them on a discount weekend)

When I first held the new Denon flagship D7100 in my hands the first thing that struck me was the lack of luxury feel. I was certain the frame would be made of magnesium, or aluminum. But no, it's the same plastic as the D600 - just painted silver. The wood earcups on the D7100 look really nice though and work great as a contrast to the silver frame and black leather padding. Still, this isn't in any way a build worthy of its predecessor - the beautiful Denon D7000 - or any other similarly priced headphone I know of, including cans like the Ultrasone Edition 8, Audeze LCD-2, Beyerdynamic T1 and the Senn HD 800 (which I also own). 

Luckily, the comfort is every bit as good as the D600 (surprise, since they are identical in construction). With perfect clamping force, supple pads and great weight distribution these hug your ears with the kind of love a mother hugs her child. Being a closed headphone using (fake) leather, they do heat up your ears after long listening sessions, the only thing keeping the score below a perfect 5. 

Sound-wise, these did not make me want to upgrade from my D600s at all. 

The first thing I noticed is that the tonality, soundstaging and especially midrange performance are very, very similar to the D600. The only significant differences I could find are a slightly more present lower treble on the D7100, which gave a bit more air to the sound and made the treble sound a bit more coherent. The D600 by comparison is a bit rough here, with some sharpness to the sound and audible recession.

The other difference was in the bass. 
 
I think the D600 bass is enjoyable and though very powerful, quite well controlled. The main issue is a pretty significant midbass bump that can overpower the mids at times. The D7100 has an *even bigger* bump, which makes the bass sound too thick and way too forward. The bass overpowers the lower mids. 

This is, IMO, not acceptable at this price range. There is simply too much bass, I find the bass of the D600 flatter and still capable of sounding good with acoustic instruments. Otherwise, bass performance is very similar between the two cans. I heard no difference in tightness or extension.

My guess, based on my listen, is that the only thing setting the cans apart is the wooden cups. Other than that, I do think they are identical in every way.

In short, I would call the D7100 more of a sibling to the D600, with some slight differences in the lower treble and mid-bass. They do NOT sound like a definite improvement the way the D7000 sounded compared to the D5000.

As for the D600 vs D7100 I would say the midrange is similar, the D7100 has the better treble and the D600 has the better bass. I actually prefer the D600, I can't live with the excessive bass boost on the 7100. 

Not saying these are bad, they are just not worth even half their price in any way. Considering the D600 exists, I have a tough time recommending these to anyone. 

 
 
Hello Head-Fi’ers


Here's my amateurish review about the new Denon D7100, including comparisons with the Sennheiser HD800, HD600 and the Fostex T50RP.
The D7100 is sold in the US for about 1000-1250 USD, therefore it will have to be measured against headphones such as the HD800 or the T1.
Just in case you’re wondering  about the comparison with the Fostex T50RP, I recommend auditioning a modded one. This small Ortho can keep up with much more expensive headphones quite well.
Unfortunately I can’t draw any comparisons to Denon’s previous offerings, as I have only heard the D2000, and that only for a short time.
 
Please note: English isn’t my first language, so please don’t be too harsh about grammatical faults and spelling errors.
 


Test system:
Marantz CD6004 or Notebook PC> Meier Audio StageDAC> Meier Audio Concerto / Yamaha R-840 (for direct comparison).

Level adjustment:
All headphones were set to about the same volume level (± 1 dB), measured by a cheap Voltcraft SPL-meter using a 2 kHz test tone. I usually listen at 75 ± 5 dB.
 
 


Sound:
(Note: I deliberately avoided looking at any measurements of the D7100 before and during the review to avoid being influenced by them)

In general, the D7100 is bass-heavy, fun-sounding with a typical V-shaped frequency response somewhere in between “fun” and “HiFi”. The V-shape however isn’t too pronounced, the mids are clearly present and do not get drowned out by the bass.
Treble is pronounced only in certain areas, particularly at about 8-10 kHz (not having seen the frequency response graph at this point, this is merely an estimate). This peak is not unlike the one found in many Beyerdynamic headphones.
Another peculiarity is a severe drop in the lower mids at about 500 Hz.
 
The bass is very strong in general, both mid- and lower bass are clearly pronounced. Unlike most open headphones, the D7100 (and other closed HPs) actually delivers bass that doesn’t roll off early. In case of the new Denon, roll-off starts at about 30Hz, which I’d consider very good.
On the negative side, the bass isn’t as controlled as one could wish for, especially in this price class. This often manifests in resonances (generated in the wooden earcups) and bass that bleeds into the mids.
Still, overall I’m impressed by the D7100’s bass performance. It delivers strong mid-and lower bass that can be a lot of fun without overpowering the rest of the frequency range or being muddy.
 
When evaluating the midrange, I focus on the human voice. For me personally, this an area where weaknesses in headphones are most readily audible.
In general, the midrange performance is solid. In other words, there are no horrible faults in the mids, despite the audible drop at around 500 Hz. Still: Comparing the D7100 to the Sennheiser HD800 and HD600 quickly reveals weaknesses in the Denon’s midrange: Firstly, the aforementioned drop in the lower mids. This area is important for deep male voices, for example. Secondly, the upper mids however seem to be pronounced a tad too much, which can make female voices screechy. Thirdly, and possibly most importantly, the Denon seems to struggle with more complex musical passages, turning everything into watery mud. However, this rarely happens, and is a common weakness of many headphones – it’s only evident when comparing them to something like a HD800.
 
Treble is the area where the D7100 has the most issues. As mentioned before, the area at around 8-10 kHz is strongly pronounced, which creates an impression of sparkly treble and is necessary as a counterbalance to the powerful bass. But this peak also creates some issues, such as slightly pronounced sibilance which is apparent in some recordings. However, the D7100 isn’t bright, especially since the rest of the treble range is subdued when compared to the 8-10 kHz peak. This isn’t much of a problem for most contemporary music, but it clearly makes the D7100 unfit for classical music.
 
I was impressed by the D7100’s soundstage. Despite being closed, they actually sound very open – not unlike the semi-closed Beyerdynamics (DT880, T1) where soundstage size is concerned. Don’t expect a concert hall feeling like that of the HD800 or K701, but definetly impressive for a closed HP.
There’s one big issue with the soundstage: The center is mostly a gaping hole, with most of the instruments placed on the left and right wing of the stage. At least voices are centered more or less correctly.
A redeeming point: Unlike some other phones, the D7100 avoids placing instrument above or behind the listener’s position.

The D7100 features a surprisingly high resolution, I can perceive a level of details that is usually only apparent in “detail monsters” such as the HD800. The 8-10 kHz peak contribute to the impression of a detailed sound (=fake detail).
 
The D7100’s most apparent problem are the resonances generated in the wooden earcups. These cause a number of issues, such as uncontrolled bass and a noisy background (Orthos and Stats on the other hand are excellent examples of a quiet background).
Important: These resonances depend very strongly on how loud you’re listening. Personally I listen at lower-medium levels (around 75 dB). At some point I turned the volume up and understood at once why the D7100 has already received a lot of criticism from various people – the higher the volume level, the more resonances are apparent, the sond becomes one big mess that certainly isn’t enjoyable.
 
 
 
 
 

 


IMPRESSIONS SORTED BY MUSIC GENRES + comparisons with HD800, HD600 & T50RP:
Personally I think ratings for individual tracks or albums are not very helpful since not everyone is familiar with them. For this reason my impressions are sorted by genre rather than individual tracks.

Rock & Metal: The D7100’s powerful bass makes listening a lot of fun for these genres; the sound has weight to it but remains crisp and clear. However, the Denon occasionally struggles with complex passages, especially in Prog Rock, making the sound muddy and losing clarity. The HD800 isn’t a prime choice either because it often lacks the necessary weight in the lower frequencies. The HD600 fares a bit better, but occasionally struggles in complex passages. The T50RP doesn’t have these issues and handles complex passages with ease, even though the soundstage can be a bit small.
 
Pop: As the term may be "pop" is applied to many different musical styles, a clear assessment is difficult. Generally, the D7100 is doing well here, listening can be a lot of fun. In this genre, bad recordings are common, so a headphone with a lower resolution generally has an advantage: The D7100, however, resolves welll enough to expose poor recordings clearly. The 8-10 kHz sometimes causes exaggerated sibilance, especially on poor recordings. The HD800 has an even higher resolution and mercilessly exposes any flaws in a recording – therefore its use in this genre is limited.
Here the HD600 and the T50RP, neither of them a “detail monster” are my preferred choice.

Hip Hop & Electronic: This is where the Denon “fits” best, the bass is definitely there, without being excessive. Treble is clear and voices are nicely present. HD800, 600 and T50RP also work well with this genre, but the Denon is definitely more fun.

Classical: Possibly the most demanding genre, the D7100 is a double-edged sword. On the one hand the strong bass gives instruments the necessary weight to sound convincing - something I miss in many other headphones. Also, the D7100 is one of the few headphones that can reproduce organ music down to the lowest frequencies.
On the other hand, strings sound just plain wrong due to the messed-up treble. Definetly not enjoyable! The soundstage presentation suffers from the "hole" in the middle. Also, resonances are clearly audible. The HD800 is without question the top dog for classical music, there are plenty of reviews that describe this in more detail. The HD600 also does a very good job, but it lacks the resolution and airiness of the HD800. The T50RP is not suitable for classical music due to the small soundstage.

Jazz: Here  I found the D7100’s resonances particularly disturbing. For Jazz a quiet background is important, but the Denon can’t deliver. Still, it’s not all bad since the bass emphasis combined with a medium-sized soundstage create a certain live atmosphere that can be enjoyable.
I don’t particularly like the HD800 for Jazz since the soundstage is rather too large, the instruments are too far apart. The HD600 & T50RP are my first choices for Jazz, both manage to create a certain cozy atmosphere.


My personal “reference” albums:
(Note: These are albums that I’ve used during testing. They’re albums that I am familiar with, not particularly “audiophile” recordings.)

Bob Dylan - Oh Mercy (folk-rock)
Janelle Monae - the ArchAndroid (RnB)
PJ Harvey - Let England Shake (Rock / Folk)
Collegium Aureum - Bach: Brandenburg Concertos (1967) (Classical, Baroque)
Anais Mitchell - Hadestown (folk, pop)
The Beatles - Revolver (Pop)
Yello - Yello Best of (electronic)
The Clash - London Calling (Rock)
Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (Metal, NWOBHM)
Polish Festival Orchestra / Krystian Zimerman - Chopin: Piano Concertos (Classical, solo piano) 1 & 2 (1999)
Tom Waits - Small Change (Blues)
+ various Hip Hop, Electronic and Jazz tracks from Spotify, as I rarely listen to these genres.

 
 

BUILD QUALITY, ISOLATION & WEARING COMFORT
 
Basically the D7100 is comfortable to wear, which is primarily due to the large, very soft earpads.
Denon calls the material that covers the pads "Protein Leather", which apparently is some sort of pleather mostly used for car seats. In any case, the earpads are very comfortable, they actually feel like real leather and do not get "sweaty" like cheap pleather.
The headband however certainly isn’t a prime example of ergonomic design – not only is it very thin, but also insufficiently padded. Even worse: It’s is a continuous padding, unlike Sennheiser headphones (for example) there is no recess in the center of the headband (see picture). Such would be important, because many people are sensitive to pressure at the top of the skull - in case of the Denon you’re placing a generous part of the not inconsiderable weight (weighed: 380g without cable) right on this sensitive area.
 

 
 
Clamping force is very feeble, almost nonexistent. This means the D7100 isn’t going to be much use as a mobile pair of headphones, even moderate movements of the head can dislodge it easily. Apart from this, the size and weight make mobile use difficult.
 
One of D7100’s greatest strengths is the noise isolation. Almost all high-end headphones are open, here the Denons are one of the few exceptions along with some Ultrasone models. Unlike some other "closed" headphones however, the D7100 headphones actually does isolate - not as much as IEMs or certain on-ears, of course, but still quite good. Outside noise has never been an issue for me while wearing the D7100.
This also opens up a new field of use: A quiet room is no longer necessary, the D7100 can be used outside just as well. Add the fact that the D7100 can be driven easily by a portable player and you get a possible solution for a semi-portable rig that does not require an external amp. Personally I could hardly notice any differences between my Cowon J3 and the “big” system when using the D7100.
 
The build quality is … alright. In other words, it doesn’t fall apart and doesn’t feel cheap...
However, in a comparison to the HD800 or T1 the Denon can’t keep up, not by a good margin.
The two "Made in Germany" headphones clearly are in a different league where build quality is concerned (sound quality, too!).
The D7100’s main build quality issue lies in the big, ugly plastic shells that dominate the exterior of the D7100. They just don’t feel like parts of a >$1000 headphone. Also, it’s a shame that the nice wooden earcups mostly disappear beneath the plastic covers.
 
 


SUMMARY:
 
Tough one! The Denon D7100 does many things right, and very little wrong. But for a $1200-headphone "good" just isn’t good enough! In this price range potential buyers can, and should, expect a product without any major flaws. Here the D7100 fails. It certainly isn’t a bad headphone, on the contrary: I had a lot of fun listening and possibly even keep them. Rather, the problem is the exorbitant price Denon charges for its newest flagship - $1200 are too much for what is offered.
At half the price - and not a cent more – I’d consider the D7100 a solid investment if you like the sound signature. For the current price however I have to advise against a purchase and recommend a different choice.
There’s a numer of headphones available in this price range (or below that) that clearly offer more sound quality: Apart from the HD800 I’d especially recommend the Beyerdynamic T1 as well as  the Koss ESP-950 electrostatic.  All three deliver better sound quality than the D7100. Additionally there are various offerings by Audeze and Hifiman, even though I’m not particularly enthusiastic about these new orthos.
 

In short: Objectively the D7100 is not a good pair of headphones. It’s way too expensive and has too many flaws where sound quality is concerned. And yet: For some weird reason I do not feel the urge to get rid of the D7100.
This is partially due to the fact that the D7100 can be used effectively as a semi-portable ‘phone, that can be run straight from a DAP and offers good isolation. And, to be perfectly honest, in spite of all its shortcomings I’ve had a lot of fun listening with the Denon, and still do.
Not for anything in the world would I want to exchange my two Sennheisers for the Denon, but as a complementary headphone I’ll give it one more chance.
 
 
 
Of course everything in this review is merely my personal opinion.
Thanks for reading!
 
Here's a link to the D7100's measurements by Innerfidelity:
http://www.hifi-forum.de/extURL.php?goURL=http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/DenonAHD7100.pdf
 
 
 
Lastly, some pictures:

 

 

 
 
 
The internals: