I can post some impressions/a review (my first one, so constructive criticism would be appreciated). I'm actually about to put my barely-used pair up for sale here (EDIT:
link), since I'm finding I just don't listen to them enough compared to my home set-up (an AH-D7000). Also, I'm a broke student. Sigh.
My listening set-ups were:
- iPhone 4S w/ Denon Audio App --[LOD]--> iBasso D12 Anaconda: MP3s @ V0 [no equalization]
- MacBook Pro 6,2 w/ Vox --[USB]--> Centrance DACport: MP3s @ V0, FLAC (16bit/44.1KHz + 24bit/96Khz) [no equalization]
First off, I should say that I have a TINY ear canal, and that I haven't listened to anything through universal IEMs since roughly 2009 -- I purchased the C400s in August of this year. The main reasons I don't listen to these 'phones enough is because I can't fit them into my ears in such a way as to establish their full effect, and that I haven't been listening away from home as often as I thought I would be. I hope to switch to customs in 2013.
The C400s are very sturdily built, both in terms of its earpieces -- with dual armature drivers in a zinc die-cast housing [size=small]
-- [/size]and a strong, double layer jacket cable. Included in the box is:
- Wide selection of ear tips (Silicon, "Double Solid" Silicon, Comply™ Foam TX-100Ms)
- Protein leather carrying case
- Gold plated 1/8" - 1/4" jack
- Detachable karabiner
Some hardware specs:
Weight: 9 grams
Driver Type: Dual Balanced Armature
Impedance: 430 0Hms (power on) @ 1kHz
Sensitivity: 106 dB/mW
Maximum power input: 100mW
Frequency Response: 4~ 20,000 Hz
Misc: In-Line Remote for control of iPod, iPhone
On to some listening tests!
Sirius/Eye In The Sky -- Alan Parson's Project [MBP, DACport, FLAC 24/96 (vinyl source)]
I chose these two tracks because I always recall the beautiful melodic tension between the left and right soundstage in
Sirius, and how this tension is resolved by the time
Eye In The Sky begins. Introductory bass sweep is pleasingly transparent, paving a slightly raised floor for the incoming, brighter synth leads and lush string section. Bass lovers should look elsewhere -- perhaps to the C300s or other bassy IEMs -- as the goal of the C400s would appear to be towards reference, rather than providing a coloured aural experience. Not to say that the C400s aren't bassy, however! The deep, punchy guitar/cymbal crashes seem to spill, rather than leak over into other parts of the soundstage, giving the listener an idea of the depth of this stage. Highs are pronounced, bass is clean and deep but can seem slightly raised due to these same pronounced highs. Drums are rather "flat" here, i.e. unmodulated or even dampened in terms of bass or reverb, but I get the same effect when I'm listening through AH-D7000s; I'd imagine this is due to the track's production, rather than the phones. The overall effect of these tracks was surprisingly complex, with a 'deep focus' available to the listener at almost all times, allowing all or most layers to shine through. Sometimes this effect is muted or absent, but it doesn't appear to be the fault of the phones. Virtual soundstage width is great -- voices to either side of the soundstage in
Eye In The Sky seem perfectly situated -- but attempts at true soundstage width are not always successful. Still, this is probably because I'm so accustomed to over-ears. If you're looking for an escape from muddy-sounding IEMs, these might be a great choice for you.
So American -- Portugal. The Man [MBP, DACport, FLAC 16/44 (CD source)]
Again, the brightness of the track shines through immediately, with the bass staying relatively unobtrusive except for the periodic cellos. Other than in the chorus, the drums here sound like they could be lowered just a tad, and this may actually be the fault of the headphones (or my tiny ear canal). Soundstage remains pleasingly wide throughout most of the song, especially in terms of the vocals. Autarky of each instrument (contrast) could be more pronounced, as this track sounded more packaged than
Sirius/Eye In The Sky, but never muddy. Some sounds are harder than I would like. Listening to this on my AH-D7000s later made me realize 1. the autarky of each instrument is not the fault of the headphones which presents them, but rather the track itself; on my full-sized headphones the chord progression was even more amalgamated 2. production of this track may have been intentionally rough around the edges for effect.
The Herald -- Comus [MBP, DACport, MP3 16/44 (vinyl source)]
It is always beautiful to hear that acoustic guitar emerging out of the softly wailing electric (or is it actually a theremin?), joined slowly by harp and then high female vocals, with each component coming together to sound almost like a softly bubbling cauldron in mystical woodlands. The content of the track no doubt helps with this effect, but the composition could stand almost on its own, at least when good equipment is involved. A song like
The Herald was perfect on the C400s, being composed mostly of natural, clean bass, dynamic, often reverberating mids and clear highs, leading me to believe that acoustic, classical and jazz would be a perfect match. That violin at roughly 6:30 was perfectly placed on the soundstage to compliment the preceding guitar, effortlessly ceding to the even higher flute, which then calls to the lonely right side of the stage at 7:30 like a spinning modern dancer. A near-perfect showcase of the C400s' abilities.
Old Thought -- Nils Frahm [iPhone, iBasso D12, MP3 V0 16/44 (CD source)]
This track was chosen for its beautiful transparency and realism as auditioned earlier on my full-sized AH-D7000, and it replicates this effect (to my shock) as clearly as on the larger headphones. With true bass frequencies only being established around half way through the track, the mids and highs had the opportunity to prove themselves; soft piano, mouth organ (?), and what sounds like a glockenspiel are central in this neoclassical foray, which manages to reveals every touch on its several keyboards, every intake of breath from the talented German composer. The soundstage here is again complex, perhaps the most complex of my tests, with the sound of the room itself being a central protagonist of this gloomy, beautiful track, along with the various instruments. The C400s were able to extend the recording room out into a world of its own, allowing the listener to "see" through the walls despite their sustained integrity throughout the track.
The Facts -- Afta-1 [iPhone, iBasso D12, MP3 V0 16/44 (CD source)]
As a track I already knew to rely more on bass than my other tests, I went into
The Facts quite skeptical, but was pleasantly surprised at what I heard. The bass here is expectedly balanced and clear, with greater focus being placed on the mid and upper aspects of the track, which can result in a harder sound than one might enjoy if played at higher volumes and/or unequalized. However, I gratefully found I could still hear all the intricacies of the sub-bass, despite their comparative lack of presence.
Bright Whites -- Kishi Bashi [iPhone, iBasso D12, MP3 V0 16/44 (CD source)]
Holy ****. After auditioning several songs and realizing how well the C400s presented bright music, I thought the very "bright" Kishi Bashi would be suitable. And it was. The soundstage here greets you like an old friend you've been wanting to see for years showing up out of nowhere on an early summer evening with a grin on his face and two bottles of Dogfish Head. I actually turned on the equalizer briefly for this track, just to see what frequency the bass was registering at, since it was a PERFECT compliment for the rest of the instruments (it was -4dB, rarely dropping below ~64hz). String sections on either end of the soundstage sound like an orchestra of little pixies. Vocals are perfectly placed, first behind, then in gradually front of, the two guitar sections. As usual, the C400s rarely allow anything < 250Hz to become more important than the vocals or other detailed aspects of this track, which tend to shine like a starry sky in a place unaffected by light pollution. Terrible metaphor, that, but a beautiful auditory experience all the same.
Summary
Overall, the Denon AH-C400s are a great pair of IEMs, despite their price tag being simply too high with a suggested MSRP of $349.99. Even $299 would have been acceptable for these phones, though $249.99 would have been most appropriate. They provide a great neutral frequency response, with greater attention given towards the mids and highs. I actually fell more in love with them as my audition progressed, which is always a good sign.
Sound
With dual balanced armature drivers providing a bright, vivid presentation that loves a natural source, the C400s try very hard to live up to their series' name, "Music Maniac", and ultimately succeed. Bass response is detailed and very adequate, but if you are a basshead (EDM, dubstep, certain hip-hop genres, etc), these headphones are not recommended. Ideally, you would be listening to indie, acoustic, jazz, classical, or any genre which attends to a > 250Khz response. Noise isolation is superb, almost too good; if you're listening to these in urban areas, be sure to watch out for what's going on around you. Soundstage often transcends good into great, at least for an IEM, especially when tenor and soprano vocals and/or real instruments are involved.
Build Quality & Accessories
Very good build quality; I can't see these headphones being damaged very easily, let alone destroyed. The double layer cable makes it just a little more difficult for knots and coils to appear, which is a nice feature for IEMs. I'll remind the reader that these phones include a black in-line remote for controlling iOS devices. Ear tips are numerous enough to almost guarantee a decent fit, but listener beware: these IEMS will lose their bass if you don't have a decent fit for yourself! I would recommend finding the right tip for your ear before you do any committed listening.
The Denon audio app (Free for Android and iOS) is a surprisingly well-crafted piece of software, as well. The main features are an entirely customizable graphic equalizer and real-time spectrum analyzer, with access to international and local web radio via TuneIn and the ability to create and save custom playlists. I now use Denon's app more often than the standard Music app.
Thanks for reading! Constructive criticism and feedback is welcome.
).
I do like them though despite a few caveats 
