Denon AH-7200
Dec 27, 2017 at 5:21 PM Post #1,546 of 3,155
ZMF Ori pads on 7200 work for some genres of music, but they change the sound signature too much. In my trio of headphones i prefer Ori pads on HE-560, its a match made in heaven. I'm still waiting for Zach to release a thinner version of Ori pads (he promised in August to release by end of year). Thinner pads might work really well on 7200s.

P. S. The 7200s do get better after 100-150 hours of burn in, especially in high-mids and low-highs. I'm switching headphones rather often, but I do notice a difference, albeit very slight.
Like you I didn't think the Ori pads worked that well on the D7200's. They changed the sound signature a little to much for my liking. The stock pads still sound the best to me on the D7200's. I tried the Ori pads on the HE-560's as well but ended up going with the FocusPad-A's on them. Both are improving as I log more hours on them. The D7200's are special headphones. They are making me think about offloading some of the other headphones I have in that price range, the T5P's and the P9's. I don't think I need all 3.
 
Dec 28, 2017 at 7:28 PM Post #1,548 of 3,155
Do they also make your Z1Rs redundant? I had the Z7s for a while and really liked them (modded), but I've always been curious about the Z1Rs.
No they don't. The Z1R's are more resolving, have better imaging, have better treble clarity, and hit just as hard in the bass department. The Z1R's sound more open as well to my ears by comparison.
 
Dec 30, 2017 at 8:48 AM Post #1,549 of 3,155
Hello everyone!

Finally I ordered a D7200, the seller dropped the price even lower after Christmas :D - Now I simply could not resist anymore.
Besides, since I tried out some Mr.Speakers headphones, I know, that the HifiMan 901s is held back by the AH-MM400. Sadly the standard (minibox gold) amp module is not fully sufficient for such electrostatic headphones :frowning2: - so either stick with high-tech membranes, or buy a portable amp for the electrostatics, which I think would be too much of a hassle on the go (considering the 901s is already a big silver brick).

I'm looking forward to test this beauty, and how it works on the streets. Now I have to go back and read once more, which short cables you have recommended.


Cheers, and happy new year for everyone!
 
Jan 3, 2018 at 11:05 AM Post #1,553 of 3,155
Can anyone help me with a comparison of the 7200 versus the 7000? I own the 7000 and like it, but I would wish for a bit tighter bass. Also the 7000 is just a tad too V-shaped for my taste.

If someone has knowledge of both I'd appreciate your comments.
 
Jan 8, 2018 at 8:38 AM Post #1,554 of 3,155
Can anyone help me with a comparison of the 7200 versus the 7000? I own the 7000 and like it, but I would wish for a bit tighter bass. Also the 7000 is just a tad too V-shaped for my taste.

If someone has knowledge of both I'd appreciate your comments.

Hi, I've had the D7200 for a few months now and owned a bunch of biodyna Fostex' and Denons in the past.
Just keep in mind we all have different ears so it's still going to be a pretty subjective comparison, but it should give you at least some idea about what to expect:

compared to D7000:

Sound:

  • Tighter and punchier bass with better sub-bass extension, definitely not a basshead headphone tho, the D7000 has more bass quantity
  • A little better resolving overall, amazing micro-details, however can sound slightly artificial at times, depends on the music itself and genres, D7000 is still a little more natural even with its flaws
  • More forward midrange (could be 1-2db too forward for some people but I personally love it and think it makes it very unique sounding), also very well integrated into the bass, no bleeding
  • Has a slight 3k peak, it's not horrible at all but it can be audible depends on how sensitive you are to this
  • Smoother more rolled-off highs that never get fatiguing, unlike the D7000
  • Amazing imaging, soundstange seems to be slightly narrower due to shallower wood cups, however it CAN be greatly improved with aftermarket pads, giving the D7200 more depth, I suggest perforated leather pads
  • It's a slight W signature overall but everything sounds very close to neutral to me
  • Will definitely require burn-in, at least 50-100 hours before it smooths out completely, expect it to be a little harsh sounding in the midrange right out of the box
Build quality:
  • Headband is a hit and miss with people, mostly designed for smaller heads but give it some time to break in, for me it went from being quite uncomfortable to being extremely comfortable after a few weeks
  • It is physically a little smaller than D7000, more modern and compact, it is fully closed but has perforated pads (from the inside) so it still leaks sound outside a little, wouldn't take it into open-office environment
  • Much better build quality, improved hinges and headband system, gorgeous matte wood, quality 3.5mm detachable cables - feels more premium overall!
Overall I'd say they're fantastic for the price and easily one of my favorite headphones so far.
 
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Jan 8, 2018 at 8:51 AM Post #1,555 of 3,155
for me and for the price that i´ve paid is a surprise. i´m in a break-in period so if the headphone improves better
about build quality, in my opinion really really good
 
Jan 8, 2018 at 9:48 AM Post #1,556 of 3,155
Hi, I've had the D7200 for a few months now and owned a bunch of biodyna Fostex' and Denons in the past.
Just keep in mind we all have different ears so it's still going to be a pretty subjective comparison, but it should give you at least some idea about what to expect:

compared to D7000:

Sound:

  • Tighter and punchier bass with better sub-bass extension, definitely not a basshead headphone tho, the D7000 has more bass quantity
  • A little better resolving overall, amazing micro-details, however can sound slightly artificial at times, depends on the music itself and genres, D7000 is still a little more natural even with its flaws
  • More forward midrange (could be 1-2db too forward for some people but I personally love it and think it makes it very unique sounding), also very well integrated into the bass, no bleeding
  • Has a slight 3k peak, it's not horrible at all but it can be audible depends on how sensitive you are to this
  • Smoother more rolled-off highs that never get fatiguing, unlike the D7000
  • Amazing imaging, soundstange seems to be slightly narrower due to shallower wood cups, however it CAN be greatly improved with aftermarket pads, giving the D7200 more depth, I suggest perforated leather pads
  • It's a slight W signature overall but everything sounds very close to neutral to me
  • Will definitely require burn-in, at least 50-100 hours before it smooths out completely, expect it to be a little harsh sounding in the midrange right out of the box
Build quality:
  • Headband is a hit and miss with people, mostly designed for smaller heads but give it some time to break in, for me it went from being quite uncomfortable to being extremely comfortable after a few weeks
  • It is physically a little smaller than D7000, more modern and compact, it is fully closed but has perforated pads (from the inside) so it still leaks sound outside a little, wouldn't take it into open-office environment
  • Much better build quality, improved hinges and headband system, gorgeous matte wood, quality 3.5mm detachable cables - feels more premium overall!
Overall I'd say they're fantastic for the price and easily one of my favorite headphones so far.


Thanks Camper, really appreaciate your comments.

Re your comment about the ear pads: I intend to replace them with Dekoni sheepskins. Hopefully that will take care of sound leakage. It is an important aspect for my decision, since I need to use them in an environment wher other people should not be bothered.

The 7000's are really semi-closed only, there is intentional space between the wood cups and the frame for sound waves to escape. Do the 7200's have this as well or are they fully closed (other than the pads)?

Thanks again
 
Jan 8, 2018 at 9:57 AM Post #1,557 of 3,155
Thanks Camper, really appreaciate your comments.

Re your comment about the ear pads: I intend to replace them with Dekoni sheepskins. Hopefully that will take care of sound leakage. It is an important aspect for my decision, since I need to use them in an environment wher other people should not be bothered.

The 7000's are really semi-closed only, there is intentional space between the wood cups and the frame for sound waves to escape. Do the 7200's have this as well or are they fully closed (other than the pads)?

Thanks again
I have only tried regular Dekoni Sheepskin pads (both X00 and 900) on those and it didn't really work well, you lose too much detail. If you have the perforated version, give that shot it might work much better.
I'm currently using ZMF Ori perforated. Also the D7200 has a new system of attaching pads, but it does work in the same way as with D7000 except that the diameter of the pads and the plastic ring for attachment is smaller so some pads might fit quite loosely (like Eikon pads)

And as for the design, they're fully closed, not gap between the cups and metal this time. They definitely leak less sound outside than stock D7000 but still would be audible to coworkers that sit next to me which is a shame since I would love to use this headphone at office all day long (unless you listen to really quiet music).
 
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Jan 8, 2018 at 12:20 PM Post #1,558 of 3,155
They definitely leak less sound outside than stock D7000 but still would be audible to coworkers that sit next to me which is a shame since I would love to use this headphone at office all day long (unless you listen to really quiet music).

I agree with your observations about the D7200, and also about the pads. Leaking is IMHO fine in the office (co-workers have headphones as well and they can also go to separated rooms if total silence/solitude is needed for the flow).

I am among the few people who consider the D7200 too forward (albeit I am fine with the 1-3 KHz bump that most e-stats show), but I agree that aftermarket pads are mostly worse. I made my own pads, and I agree the D7200 benefits most from pads designed in a similar way as the D7200 stock pads (perforated from inside, with oval opening). AFAIK there are no aftermarket pads that are like that (please tell me if you know otherwise). I use pads that are slightly more shallow in the back, a bit softer, a bit bigger inner opening, and not with memory foam. The stock pads can also be modified to be like that, although that needs some tools and skills: it's still easier than making pads from scratch. The ZMF Auteur pads (or similar) might work best, based on their sound difference compared to the Eikon pads.

Between the modded D7200 and modded TH900 I am still using the latter much more often, as it sounds pretty good with everything (less W shaped than the stock), whereas the D7200 sounds pretty bad (too much upbeat mids) to my ears/brain with a few types of music/recordings. I will tell when I find pads that solve that problem completely.

Between the (stock) D7200 and D7000 I might choose the latter as well, as the treble of the D7000 is less of a problem for me that the midrange forwardness of the D7200. However, the D7200 is the best measuring (most linear) closed headphone I've had, and the midrange forwardness is apparent more on the CSD/spectrogram than on the FR.

Aftermarket cups for the D7200 would be pretty hard to make, as they have two chambers (the second, small one perhaps acting as a Helmholtz resonator, or it might be closed, just to hold the connector). It would be much more difficult to create an exact copy than with the TX00, and it might also clash with some IP. One thing I can tell, the smaller cups volume doesn't seem to limit bass extension, which goes pretty flat down to 20 Hz. But deeper cups might help with the midrange forwardness. I've been pondering to make R10 lookalike cups for the D7200, they might deserve it, as I consider them the best closed headphones after the Sony R10 (the ZMF Auteur is not closed, the Klipsch HP3 is a slight letdown and not closed either, and the Nighthawk is also a bit of a letdown). But the modded TH900 is just fine enough for me to stay lazy on that front :).
 
Jan 8, 2018 at 5:28 PM Post #1,559 of 3,155
Great posts guys! Keep it coming :)
 

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