[fjrabon]

Just a note for political correctness: the title of this thread should be Denon AH-D7200 instead of Denon AH-7200.

Denon USA has had the D7200 on their website for a little while, but they have no stock yet. The price is listed as $999.00. In my opinion the price should be more like $799. I think Denon is trying to use the past popularity of the D7000 to justify the $999.00 price.

Look at the Massdrop Fostex models. $399 for mahogany, $449 for purpleheart, and $499 for Ebony; E-MU Teak for $499; Fostex TH610 for $549.00. Now I agree the D7200 has a nicer looking build quality to the frame, earpads, and headband pad, but I don't think that justifies the large price difference between them and the others mentioned above. I will be watching for reviews, but personally I will have to wait for a used pair or maybe an Amazon open box deal.

Denon overprices most things they sell, going off their name.

 

[Audiolic]

wooden cup to make it more heavy on your head = dumb

 

[1974]

  wooden cup to make it more heavy on your head = dumb

 
Denon and Fostex have always produced lightweight headphones with wood cups, aside from the D2k and maybe some of the other lower-end offerings. Should everything be made of plastic?

 

[xinghui0711]

  wooden cup to make it more heavy on your head = dumb

 
Wood is actually a good material for both aesthetics and weight. It can be lighter than metal alloy.
 

   
Denon and Fostex have always produced lightweight headphones with wood cups, aside from the D2k and maybe some of the other lower-end offerings. Should everything be made of plastic?

 
Many headphone companies have implemented Wood into headphone design for reasons. Even Sony's legendary R10 uses wooden cups 

.

 

[1974]

 
Many headphone companies have implemented Wood into headphone design for reasons. Even Sony's legendary R10 uses wooden cups 

.

 
Yeah, I know - my response to [color=#000000]Audiolic[/color] was to point out that the only thing that was dumb was his/her post.

 

[Scott Branham]

Denon overprices most things they sell, going off their name.

I can't say I feel this way about them at all.
I love the Denon items (Fostex yes, but a denon decision) I've experienced so far. I have happily paid the price and feel I've got exactly way I was paying for. Can't say I feel I overpaid at all, really. Have they gotten a lesser rep these years I've been away from headfi? I did read the 7100 might not have really hit the mark some some.

 

[fjrabon]

I can't say I feel this way about them at all.
I love the Denon items (Fostex yes, but a denon decision) I've experienced so far. I have happily paid the price and feel I've got exactly way I was paying for. Can't say I feel I overpaid at all, really. Have they gotten a lesser rep these years I've been away from headfi? I did read the 7100 might not have really hit the mark some some.

I mean they're fine, but it's definitely a luxury name brand that charges a premium price. Remember that when the D7000 first came out, it cost over $1000. The D5000 cost more 9 years ago than a THX00 does today, before you even factor in inflation. I don't think Denon are ripping people off per se, but you are definitely paying a bit more for the Denon name.

Nothing illustrates the fact that you pay more for the Denon name than the fact that for years the Denon D1001 sold for a $50 premium over the Creative Aurvana Live! despite the CAL! being the same exact headphone with a different color. I bought the D1001 because I had an original 2007 iPhone and needed th recessed headphone jack, so if anything I'd be biased towards the Denon, but yeah, they were the same.

 

[Redcarmoose]

wooden cup to make it more heavy on your head = dumb

If you have ever taken an AHD-7000 apart the wood cups weight very little, almost nothing.

 

[warrenpchi]

 

   
I haven't yet, though I wouldn't mind checking them out.  I've got an AH-D7000 and an AH-D7100 here for comparison, and I think it'd be interesting to do a three-way multi-generational shoot-out.

 
I would certainly love a comparison of the three!

I'll contact them to see what can be arranged.  

 

[Scott Branham]

I mean they're fine, but it's definitely a luxury name brand that charges a premium price. Remember that when the D7000 first came out, it cost over $1000. The D5000 cost more 9 years ago than a THX00 does today, before you even factor in inflation. I don't think Denon are ripping people off per se, but you are definitely paying a bit more for the Denon name.

Nothing illustrates the fact that you pay more for the Denon name than the fact that for years the Denon D1001 sold for a $50 premium over the Creative Aurvana Live! despite the CAL! being the same exact headphone with a different color. I bought the D1001 because I had an original 2007 iPhone and needed th recessed headphone jack, so if anything I'd be biased towards the Denon, but yeah, they were the same.

 
I guess I maybe look at it a little differently. I consider what quality, and performance,  the d5000 and d7000 were actually delivering,  at almost a decade ago, rather than today's cost of a remake? Currently there are many that continue to seek those models out, own additional pair, and still pay a premium for those models. I know as it took me quite a bit of work to get them at prices and condition, I could live with. I can't say at all It's because they have the Denon name. I believe it's because they are just fantastic and give the most speaker like performance in a can. I know I had no idea about Denon cans, or reputation, until I researched headfi. When I finally got to experience a set for myself, the praise was quite clear and warranted. And to get that kind of performance a decade ago, at that price, I don't find their pricing structure unrealistic or at all questionable. I rather see them as good money for a great can. I guess I prefer to wait to hear the 7200, before stating what it I think it should be priced at.

 

[fjrabon]

   
I guess I maybe look at it a little differently. I consider what quality, and performance,  the d5000 and d7000 were actually delivering,  at almost a decade ago, rather than today's cost of a remake? Currently there are many that continue to seek those models out, own additional pair, and still pay a premium for those models. I know as it took me quite a bit of work to get them at prices and condition, I could live with. I can't say at all It's because they have the Denon name. I believe it's because they are just fantastic and give the most speaker like performance in a can. I know I had no idea about Denon cans, or reputation, until I researched headfi. When I finally got to experience a set for myself, the praise was quite clear and warranted. And to get that kind of performance a decade ago, at that price, I don't find their pricing structure unrealistic or at all questionable. I rather see them as good money for a great can. I guess I prefer to wait to hear the 7200, before stating what it I think it should be priced at.

sure, but my point is, if you take the same exact thing and put a different name besides Denon on it, it often sells for 40% less.  How do we know this?  Because it's happened.  It happened with the Foster 40mm bio-dyna design, it's happened with several other products branded as Denon as well.  Part of the reason Foster and Denon "broke-up" a while back and Denon stopped using Foster for its headphone OEM was because Foster refused to stop selling their OEMs to companies like Creative, who were then turning around and essentially selling the exact same headphone for fractions of the price.  Denon got mad that other brands were undercutting them on price for the Foster OEM headphones, gave an ultimatum, and Foster said "fine, we don't need you."  Foster gets a lot more business from Creative, so they were never going to stop being Creative's OEM, regardless of Denon's threats.  Denon was then forced to choose a different OEM for their headphones, do some work in-house.  It went pretty poorly, hence the D7100 and MM series headphones that have not been popular.
 
None of this is to say the D7000 and D5000 weren't worth the price, they were and are incredible headphones.  I used to own a D7000, and currently own a THX00.  It's just to say that Denon definitely upcharges based on their name.  Which is a right they earned due to releasing quality products (mostly by carefully selecting only the best OEMs).  It's not a slam on Denon to say they charge a premium based on their name, it's to say that people know the Denon brand has been quality overall, and are willing to pay more for the Denon stamp of approval.

 

[Scott Branham]

 
sure, but my point is, if you take the same exact thing and put a different name besides Denon on it, it often sells for 40% less.  How do we know this?  Because it's happened.  It happened with the Foster 40mm bio-dyna design, it's happened with several other products branded as Denon as well.  Part of the reason Foster and Denon "broke-up" a while back and Denon stopped using Foster for its headphone OEM was because Foster refused to stop selling their OEMs to companies like Creative, who were then turning around and essentially selling the exact same headphone for fractions of the price.  Denon got mad that other brands were undercutting them on price for the Foster OEM headphones, gave an ultimatum, and Foster said "fine, we don't need you."  Foster gets a lot more business from Creative, so they were never going to stop being Creative's OEM, regardless of Denon's threats.  Denon was then forced to choose a different OEM for their headphones, do some work in-house.  It went pretty poorly, hence the D7100 and MM series headphones that have not been popular.
 
None of this is to say the D7000 and D5000 weren't worth the price, they were and are incredible headphones.  I used to own a D7000, and currently own a THX00.  It's just to say that Denon definitely upcharges based on their name.  Which is a right they earned due to releasing quality products (mostly by carefully selecting only the best OEMs).  It's not a slam on Denon to say they charge a premium based on their name, it's to say that people know the Denon brand has been quality overall, and are willing to pay more for the Denon stamp of approval.

I don't know about other products, don't own any, but the silver lining from the departure, as far as phones go, is this TH900mkii I'm listening to as we speak. In looking at the 7200, do you think it's safe to assume the 7200 is a mended Foster/ Denon  relationship? And if so, do you think the sound quality will be derived, or a variant of the TH610, rather than TH900, or something else? 

 

[fjrabon]

  I don't know about other products, don't own any, but the silver lining from the departure, as far as phones go, is this TH900mkii I'm listening to as we speak. In looking at the 7200, do you think it's safe to assume the 7200 is a mended Foster/ Denon  relationship? And if so, do you think the sound quality will be derived, or a variant of the TH610, rather than TH900, or something else? 

Regarding the first question, it sure as heck seems to be a Foster design.  If it's not, I'd almost expect some lawsuits.  On the flipside, if it is, it seems like Denon may have gotten their wish for a fully customized OEM from Foster that nobody else is using, because although the D7200 looks like a Foster design in spirit, it very clearly doesn't match anything in the Foster OEM catalog currently.  Of course, these things are super tight lipped, as most OEM agreements expressly forbid either side from disclosing that they are the OEM.  
 
As far as sound, really impossible to say without hearing it, as nothing from looking at it would tell you that level of detail.  It will almost certainly sound like a 50mm Foster Bio-dyna headphone, but as to specifically where in that spectrum it falls is anybody's guess.  

 

[Mistyc]

Audiosanctuary.co.uk has it on preorder.

 

[blablablack]

wow only 499 pounds?