Hi there!
I would like to share my experience with the Denon AH-D7200. I have been looking for a good closed headphone for a while, which I can use at home with an amplifier at home, but also on the go with a DAP (Opus#1).
Experience
Meanwhile I have already had many headphones, including Beyerdynamic DT770PRO, B&W P5/P7 Wireless, NAD HP50, PSB M4U2, Sennheiser HD650 /HD800, HiFiMAN HE400i, Meze Classics 99 (the last one is really fun)
Positive reviews
Based on all the positive reviews, I bought an AH-D7200 for a nice price in UK (GBP 499) and it seemed to me useful to share my experience with others who have one or consider buying one.
Conclusion
Let me start with the conclusion: for me personally this is the first closed headphone that plays virtually all genres music (classical/jazz/acoustic/pop/indie) in an impressive way. But ...
this headphone is extremely sensitive to the correct amplifier. Much more than other headphones!
Sound (first impression with Opus#1)
I started connecting to my DAP, the Opus#1. The sound signature is pretty flat with a slightly reinforced bass (not very much so not suitable for bassheads). The bass is well balanced and all my taste. The high's are spot on and I hear enough micro details and space. But the mids were disappointing. The sound is thin and there was a certain hardness in the midhigh that irritated me. So a disappointment!
Other sources
I was astonished at the promising reviews and thought, did I do something wrong? Then I started using other amplifiers and sources. First of all, the Hegel H160's headphone output: better, but no width and depth. The AudioQuest DragonFly: better, but not enough control. My La Figaro 339 with different tubes: much better, but still a slight hardness in the midhigh on some tracks. This combination plays 90% very well.
What to do now?
I did not want to give up because I heard many things that appeal to me: low, high, space, microdetails. Then I realized that I had a Gustard H10 in the cabinet. I have dusted and connected the amplifier. It's a Class A so after a quarter of a minute I've connected the Denon. Wow! Do not ask me how it works, but the H10 is a great match with the AH-D2000.
Sound (with Gustard H10)
Where the Denon is not as detailed as an HD800 but not as fun as the Meze 99 Classics, it was a "just no" headphone. But with the H10 it sounds great. What's so amazing? The H10 gives body to low and middle. It does not sound thin anymore, everything has weight but sounds natural. Control on the bass increases dramatically. The high is somewhat smoother but also natural. Everything sounds "analog" now. Also the width of the stereo image is just right. Male and female voices are so nice. I played tracks from José James, Sara K., Eva Cassidy, Diana Krall, Gregory Porter, etc. Especially piano's sound so natural (Jef Neve & José James – For All We Know and José James - Yesterday I Had The Blues: The Music Of Billie Holiday). Yes, I am a fan of José James
Finally
My personal experience is that you must combine the Denon with a relatively warm and powerfull source/amp. Class A amps seem the way to go. My Opus#1 I'm going to sell, and I've bought a warmer sounding Cayin i5. In addition, I have plans for finetuning with cables, Burson opamps, etc. Because the used equipment used makes the difference, I'll mention the configuration that suits me: Denon AH-D7200, Gustard H10, Opus#1 line-out, QED Performance J2P Graphite cable.
If you have experience or tips to optimize the sound, I would like to hear that!