[dougms3]

Just recently acquired a set of the D7200 and I'm really enjoying them.

The bass is quite amazing considering how small the earcups are, it is thus far the hardest hitting headphone I've heard, the impact of the bass hits are on another level. Its also the fastest dynamic headphones I've ever heard, even faster than my focal clears.

These are some very underrated headphones.

 

[Hyde00]

Just recently acquired a set of the D7200 and I'm really enjoying them.

The bass is quite amazing considering how small the earcups are, it is thus far the hardest hitting headphone I've heard, the impact of the bass hits are on another level. Its also the fastest dynamic headphones I've ever heard, even faster than my focal clears.

These are some very underrated headphones.

I've tried the D5200 and D9200 and I'm always curious to try the D7200 (just want to try all 3 LOL).

But I keep hearing about treble being dark or recessed which is the main reason why I haven't pull the trigger yet.

I actually do enjoy the treble amount on D5200 and D9200.

Would you say you agree with the statemen regarding the treble?

 

[krenky]

I've tried the D5200 and D9200 and I'm always curious to try the D7200 (just want to try all 3 LOL).

But I keep hearing about treble being dark or recessed which is the main reason why I haven't pull the trigger yet.

I actually do enjoy the treble amount on D5200 and D9200.

Would you say you agree with the statemen regarding the treble?

They are definitely dark, treble are pushed down a bit but I would not call it recessed. They are very relaxing and you can listen to any kind of genre.
You would not notice it because your ears get used to that sound... The problem occurs once you compare them with something else or EQ them.
I liked them until I tried EQ them. Since then my EQ is enabled as default...
Now they sound like mine MM400 just with better bass, isolation and soundstage.

 

[dougms3]

I've tried the D5200 and D9200 and I'm always curious to try the D7200 (just want to try all 3 LOL).

But I keep hearing about treble being dark or recessed which is the main reason why I haven't pull the trigger yet.

I actually do enjoy the treble amount on D5200 and D9200.

Would you say you agree with the statemen regarding the treble?

Ihavent heard the 5200 or 9200 but i would not say it's dark at all. Slightly recessed maybe in the lower treble but definitely not dark.

I should mention i used after market sheepskin pads tho. I have ferengi ears so the stock earpads are too shallow to be comfortable for me.

 

[dougms3]

I've also noticed that due to the powerful bass, there is alot vibration transmitted to the metal forks from the earcups.

My theory is that since the metal is more rigid than the wood, its reflecting some of that vibration back to the earcups. Causing a bit of distortion or what some might describe as bloat. I place some fo.q tape on this part of the fork and it seemed to significantly clean up the bass without losing any punch or volume.

 

[dougms3]

Has anyone found a third party option for replacement mounting rings?

 

[dougms3]

While this headphone is very good, I've come to find some things quite annoying about it.

Bass is clean and tight for the most part but certain frequencies are lacking clarity, it has a messy texture/poor detail. In general the lower half of the mids have a haziness/fuziness and lack resolution. Its a bit messy. In particular when theres alot of overlapping instruments, especially multiple electric rock /metal guitar.

I've found that some people are offended by mods so just a spoiler alert, mods ahead.


First thing I like to do when modding, is to swap out the driver wire. In my experience alot of the headphones use really cheap internal wiring. The highest quality wire I've seen in headphones thus far is in the Focals, the elex and clear both use 24awg silver plated copper wiring. The 7200 use what looks like 28awg stranded copper wires.

My choice of driver wire is mundorf silver gold solid core wire, it enhances everything to a whole new level. In my Focal Clear I used 18awg because the stock was 24awg, in the 7200s I used 24awg because the pcb looked too small to accomodate an 18awg wire.

After listening to it for a few days, I found that this mod did not help much with the clarity issues in the lower half of the FR.

I listened to the driver while it was out of of the housing and felt around for areas that were vibrating excessively. The plastic housing holding the driver in place is quite thin and cheap and I could feel alot of vibration coming through it. I placed some fo.q tape to dampen it. 4 spots around the driver housing and some tape under the 3.5mm jack. The pcb holding the 3.5mm jack is floating and looked prone to alot of vibration so I placed the tape underneath it. It fit snugly and firmly supports the jack.

The negative aspect to this part is that there is a small loss in bass volume, about 5% if I had to quantify it as a number.

The tape cleaned up alot of the messiness but there still seems to be a little bit left. I will listen to it for a week or so and reevaluate more tape around the driver since that area seems to be the cause of the issue.

 

[Chronos]

Wondering how to to upgrade my headphone setup.

I have had my endgame D7000 for about 14 years now. I still love the sound but they’re definitely showing their age. Not sure where to start after being out for so long. Right now they’re just connected to my desktop and sound blaster x-fi card for DAC. Was thinking of getting my source / amp setup upgraded first to get the last bit I can from the d7000. But if I do upgrade the headphones, anything out there that would be similar to d7000 tuning (probably V shaped with amazing bass slam and bright airy treble) but an expected 14 year improvement?

The abyss 1266 tc looks hideous and if it’s as uncomfortable as people describe then I don’t think it’s for me. Any other options? How do the d7000 and d9200 differ? What amp and dac suit them? Or is the d7000 still the kind of bass slam with air treble and detailed resolution?

 

[krenky]

Wondering how to to upgrade my headphone setup.

I have had my endgame D7000 for about 14 years now. I still love the sound but they’re definitely showing their age. Not sure where to start after being out for so long. Right now they’re just connected to my desktop and sound blaster x-fi card for DAC. Was thinking of getting my source / amp setup upgraded first to get the last bit I can from the d7000. But if I do upgrade the headphones, anything out there that would be similar to d7000 tuning (probably V shaped with amazing bass slam and bright airy treble) but an expected 14 year improvement?

The abyss 1266 tc looks hideous and if it’s as uncomfortable as people describe then I don’t think it’s for me. Any other options? How do the d7000 and d9200 differ? What amp and dac suit them? Or is the d7000 still the kind of bass slam with air treble and detailed resolution?

I own the D7000 and the D7200, they are both great headphones and enjoy them on daily basis.

1) You could try to improve your DAC although I do not have any experience with the SoundBlaster X-FI. But one thing for sure I would prefer to have the DAC as an external unit rather than have the card inside of your computer. The reason is that there is way too much sound interference and some time you can hear this when you turn the volume up while there is no sound playing. I have the FiiO K5 Pro and its a great DAC for very reasonable price. If not this one then look for the DAC which has another output so you can connect an amp to it too.

2) You could try to connect some good quality amplifier to your DAC to improve your sound. In my case I am using the Denon PMA-800NE and can say the difference is significant. The amplifier adds a lot of power and in my case also a tiny bit of warmth to the sound. I was doing a lot of A/B testing where I used DAC only against the amplifier sound. The DAC sounds great but for my taste it is just too clean / analytical / boring like sound. It would be great for some mastering maybe but for the music enthusiast its asking for something more. The amplifier adds this warmth to it and also improves the bass quality. On the Denon amp I can also use source direct feature which avoids the internal amp and just sends direct signal from the DAC. This way rather than fiddling with the cables and plugs I can simply by pushing one button test the original DAC sound against the amp.

3) There are way too many options to improve the D7000 sound but I would say you would probably have to go further up in case of your budget. Especially if you like the D7000 sound then I would consider the D7200 or the D9200 for sure. I can confirm that the D7200 are definitely an improvement over the D7000, especially now with the EQ settings they are superior to the older brother. Depending on your budget but I think the D9200 would give you the exact sound you are looking for. Great clarity sound, deep bass / sub-base and mainly the desirable sound signature you like. Oher than these I would consider the Kennerton Rognir Dynamic or ZMF Verite Closed. I always prefer closed back with wooden cups. I believe the wood makes the sound more natural the same way wooden speakers do.

4) If you are using your computer then you should definitely try the EQ software. Im using the Equalizer APO with Peace interface but there are other solutions too. The APO is great that it can be tweaked in many different ways and its also automatic. It can be turned on as soon as your PC is on so no action required, it will work by automatic. I have actually made an individual settings for all my headphones. It simply can improve any kinds of headphones you are using including the D7000.

5) Do not give up on the D7000. Although they are old they still sound amazing. They have this very characteristic sound which is pretty addictive. Their sub-bass is phenomenal and they have very good quality in the mids and treble region too. Take a good care of them.

I spent a lot of hours playing and tweaking my set up. I think I achieved a great sound without wasting too much money but of course there is always a space for improvements

Happy Listening

 

[Chronos]

I own the D7000 and the D7200, they are both great headphones and enjoy them on daily basis.

1) You could try to improve your DAC although I do not have any experience with the SoundBlaster X-FI. But one thing for sure I would prefer to have the DAC as an external unit rather than have the card inside of your computer. The reason is that there is way too much sound interference and some time you can hear this when you turn the volume up while there is no sound playing. I have the FiiO K5 Pro and its a great DAC for very reasonable price. If not this one then look for the DAC which has another output so you can connect an amp to it too.

2) You could try to connect some good quality amplifier to your DAC to improve your sound. In my case I am using the Denon PMA-800NE and can say the difference is significant. The amplifier adds a lot of power and in my case also a tiny bit of warmth to the sound. I was doing a lot of A/B testing where I used DAC only against the amplifier sound. The DAC sounds great but for my taste it is just too clean / analytical / boring like sound. It would be great for some mastering maybe but for the music enthusiast its asking for something more. The amplifier adds this warmth to it and also improves the bass quality. On the Denon amp I can also use source direct feature which avoids the internal amp and just sends direct signal from the DAC. This way rather than fiddling with the cables and plugs I can simply by pushing one button test the original DAC sound against the amp.

3) There are way too many options to improve the D7000 sound but I would say you would probably have to go further up in case of your budget. Especially if you like the D7000 sound then I would consider the D7200 or the D9200 for sure. I can confirm that the D7200 are definitely an improvement over the D7000, especially now with the EQ settings they are superior to the older brother. Depending on your budget but I think the D9200 would give you the exact sound you are looking for. Great clarity sound, deep bass / sub-base and mainly the desirable sound signature you like. Oher than these I would consider the Kennerton Rognir Dynamic or ZMF Verite Closed. I always prefer closed back with wooden cups. I believe the wood makes the sound more natural the same way wooden speakers do.

4) If you are using your computer then you should definitely try the EQ software. Im using the Equalizer APO with Peace interface but there are other solutions too. The APO is great that it can be tweaked in many different ways and its also automatic. It can be turned on as soon as your PC is on so no action required, it will work by automatic. I have actually made an individual settings for all my headphones. It simply can improve any kinds of headphones you are using including the D7000.

5) Do not give up on the D7000. Although they are old they still sound amazing. They have this very characteristic sound which is pretty addictive. Their sub-bass is phenomenal and they have very good quality in the mids and treble region too. Take a good care of them.

I spent a lot of hours playing and tweaking my set up. I think I achieved a great sound without wasting too much money but of course there is always a space for improvements

Happy Listening

Wonderful write up, thanks so much for taking the time to write a detailed response. Will definitely look in to all these things. Was also thinking of doing a Lawton stage 1 upgrade as a way of refreshing the d7000 itself. Any thoughts on those? I still have my original cups and headband and everything is pretty worn.

 

[krenky]

Wonderful write up, thanks so much for taking the time to write a detailed response. Will definitely look in to all these things. Was also thinking of doing a Lawton stage 1 upgrade as a way of refreshing the d7000 itself. Any thoughts on those? I still have my original cups and headband and everything is pretty worn.

Me personally I would not get into Lawton mod. Only if I have second pair of the D7000. Some owner complained that the sound is quite different plus for some the trebles were too harsh. I think I would need to hear the original vs the modded version to decide.

Their hinges are not well made but other than that they hold pretty nicely for me. I would use a headband padding for sure, it makes them more comfy and protect the headband. I still have the original pads but I am keeping them in box when not used.

 

[Chronos]

Me personally I would not get into Lawton mod. Only if I have second pair of the D7000. Some owner complained that the sound is quite different plus for some the trebles were too harsh. I think I would need to hear the original vs the modded version to decide.

Their hinges are not well made but other than that they hold pretty nicely for me. I would use a headband padding for sure, it makes them more comfy and protect the headband. I still have the original pads but I am keeping them in box when not used.

Any recommendations for replacement ear pads and headband?

Any other DAC and Amp recommendations? I don’t really know where to start and what seems to pair well. ie. are tubes better or solid state? Warmer or more analytics DAC?

 

[krenky]

Any recommendations for replacement ear pads and headband?

Any other DAC and Amp recommendations? I don’t really know where to start and what seems to pair well. ie. are tubes better or solid state? Warmer or more analytics DAC?

For the pads and headband replacements you should look into the D7000 thread, type in "pads" into search and you will find plenty.
Other than that just keep checking ebay or similar sites.

For the DAC and amps just use youtube reviews and online reviews plus customer ratings / feedback they will guide you all the way.
If you have a chance to dig out some older amp I would definitely try that too, amps from 80s and 90s sound overall warmer than
the latest equipment.

 

[Hyde00]

Wonderful write up, thanks so much for taking the time to write a detailed response. Will definitely look in to all these things. Was also thinking of doing a Lawton stage 1 upgrade as a way of refreshing the d7000 itself. Any thoughts on those? I still have my original cups and headband and everything is pretty worn.

Me personally I would not get into Lawton mod. Only if I have second pair of the D7000. Some owner complained that the sound is quite different plus for some the trebles were too harsh. I think I would need to hear the original vs the modded version to decide.

Their hinges are not well made but other than that they hold pretty nicely for me. I would use a headband padding for sure, it makes them more comfy and protect the headband. I still have the original pads but I am keeping them in box when not used.

I would agree Lawton Mod changes the sound, even if it's just stage 1 mod. So if you already like how it sounds then I wouldn't touch it. It will be more "different" than "upgrade".

If you have 2 D7000 lying around then I think might be ok to experiment. But otherwise I might keep it as is.

Any recommendations for replacement ear pads and headband?

Any other DAC and Amp recommendations? I don’t really know where to start and what seems to pair well. ie. are tubes better or solid state? Warmer or more analytics DAC?

Ear pad replacement has been a SUPER complicated matter for me personally (tried like 10 different pads). I have D2000 and those things are super sensitive to ear pad change. Closest I've find is TH610 but TH610 will have a little bit less treble and a little bit more bass than stock pad. But otherwise they're identical in shape just the foam inside is different and that influence sound.

Another popular pad that everyone praise about is ZMF Eikon pad, you might or might not need the Dekoni Attenuation Ring, this you need to experiment.

DAC and Amp is ANOTHER SUPER COMPLICATED story. Depending on your taste/preference the answer can vary a lot. I'm currently using Violectric V200 + SDAC, but because Violectric V200 is a somewhat warmer amp so I like it with SDAC where it has a bit forward treble and forward vocal so it balance out. I also have Lyr 3 and Bifrost 2 on the way so will update you later.

Otherwise keep in mind that D7000 has low impedance so if you go tube you can only use hybrid tube amp with low impedance rating. So go solid state or hybrid tube. I was recommended Project Ember http://garage1217.com/g1217_004.htm before but I find it TOO powerful, so you could possibly try Project Solstice instead. http://garage1217.com/g1217_005.htm

Again........ huge complicated matter depending on taste/preference or what you're looking for. But as krenky said newer gear tend to be more lean/cold while 80s or 90s gear tend to be more rich/warm sounding.

Good luck!

 

[Art Garfunkel]

While this headphone is very good, I've come to find some things quite annoying about it.

Bass is clean and tight for the most part but certain frequencies are lacking clarity, it has a messy texture/poor detail. In general the lower half of the mids have a haziness/fuziness and lack resolution. Its a bit messy. In particular when theres alot of overlapping instruments, especially multiple electric rock /metal guitar.

I've found that some people are offended by mods so just a spoiler alert, mods ahead.


First thing I like to do when modding, is to swap out the driver wire. In my experience alot of the headphones use really cheap internal wiring. The highest quality wire I've seen in headphones thus far is in the Focals, the elex and clear both use 24awg silver plated copper wiring. The 7200 use what looks like 28awg stranded copper wires.

My choice of driver wire is mundorf silver gold solid core wire, it enhances everything to a whole new level. In my Focal Clear I used 18awg because the stock was 24awg, in the 7200s I used 24awg because the pcb looked too small to accomodate an 18awg wire.



After listening to it for a few days, I found that this mod did not help much with the clarity issues in the lower half of the FR.

I listened to the driver while it was out of of the housing and felt around for areas that were vibrating excessively. The plastic housing holding the driver in place is quite thin and cheap and I could feel alot of vibration coming through it. I placed some fo.q tape to dampen it. 4 spots around the driver housing and some tape under the 3.5mm jack. The pcb holding the 3.5mm jack is floating and looked prone to alot of vibration so I placed the tape underneath it. It fit snugly and firmly supports the jack.






The negative aspect to this part is that there is a small loss in bass volume, about 5% if I had to quantify it as a number.

The tape cleaned up alot of the messiness but there still seems to be a little bit left. I will listen to it for a week or so and reevaluate more tape around the driver since that area seems to be the cause of the issue.

WOW, $1000 in my neck of the woods and appears to resemble a $80 studio headphone. Is this normal for Denon?