[size=10pt]Ok let's settle the debate about this as to whether the D2000s are worth it. Yes. [/size]
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[size=10pt]A little while ago I picked up the D2000s on sale for about $210 new. At first, the highs were piercing, and at times sibilant, then it became a little dull, and eventually they burned in fully and left the final sound, which is very good. [/size]
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[size=10pt]Comfort: [/size][size=10pt]I can't really elaborate much on this but they are definitely great to wear. One of the big concerns that is reiterated on this forum is that they are too loose. These statements are way overblowned if not entirely misleading. I am not sure what kind of clamping force they are used to but if they find the D2000s lacking then they must be used to getting their skulls crushed. Perhaps they are referring to the fact that the D2000s are not really portable. While you could get away with it, it's just stupid to try to use the D2000s while you are moving around, exercising, or anything other than being relatively stationary. There is a long cord so yes you can move around in the house, but again, this long cord is part of what makes the D2000s not very portable. This cord is way too long for my liking, I do not know why people need or want a cord that is probably something like 6 feet long. I don't know where to put it when I am listening out of my laptop. Besides this, it's a comfortable headphone, and my ears do not get hot - in fact the XB700 made my ears a lot hotter. It's good enough, if you complain about this headphone, you're just being picky. [/size]
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[size=10pt]Durability: [/size][size=10pt]If you have not heard about the frequent problem with screws falling out then you haven't researched the D2000 well enough. They aren’t exactly the most durable headphones but I wouldn’t really expect the screw to fall out of this thing. The cord is extremely well built and almost requires wire cutters to destroy. One good feature is that the part of the cord that connects to the source is reinforced, in prior headphones this part would break apart or warp badly. The headphone is made of good materials, and the size adjustment works superb – it clicks right into place and doesn’t shift. [/size]
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[size=10pt]Lows: [/size][size=10pt]Better than the M50 because it’s more natural and not just pumped up so you can get more bass [quantity]. Impact is lacking but it seems audiophiles prefer even bass rather than a boom. I can agree with that, I don’t want impact, I want subbass. [/size]
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[size=10pt]Mids:[/size][size=10pt] This is a bassy headphone relative to Sennheisers and AKG and whatnot, but the mids are above average. It’s what most bassheads strive for – bass that you can hear, but without drowning out the rest of the spectrum like the mids. The D2000 strikes a good equilibrium between the different parts of the sound spectrum such that it can be described as an audiophile-quality headphone. [/size]
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[size=10pt]Highs: [/size][size=10pt]At first, it was bright, and sibilant, but it tamed down after burn in. They are a bit more pronounced than what would be ideal, as they tend to intrude where they shouldn’t. The highs are a big reason why the mids seem recessed to some. It would be a better headphone if the highs were reduced a bit. [/size]
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[size=10pt]Value: [/size][size=10pt]This is why you get the D2000s. It can play any type of music well or at least decently. Lower tier headphones such as the XB500/700/M50/CAL/HARX simply cannot. No other headphone at $200 can do what this headphone does, and to get a decent upgrade from this headphone you might have to go to the $260-ish HD 650. After that, there isn’t really a headphone worth it until the D5000/D7000, or better yet the Audeze LCD-2. I have tried the Pro 900 and if you want an accurate reproduction of music as the artist intended then you would avoid that headphone. Based on the headphones I have tried, the best upgrade path for someone who wants somewhat accurate music but with bass presence is to go (1) If you’re broke, cheap IEMs i.e. Koss or Sennheiser CX300 at $30 (2) Don’t go for any of the garbage in between like the XB series or M50, save up and get the D2000s, it’s a better value and investment at $200 (3) When you can afford it (I cannot which is why I’m stuck with the D2000), the Audeze LCD-2 at $700+. The D5000/7000 is preferred by some but I don’t see enough of a change from the D2000s to justify the price increase. [/size]
