[daggah]

And also, apparently, the left headphone cup is just a little looser when swiveling up and down compared to the right one. It doesn't really affect the usability but I'm wondering if there's something I could tighten down on the yokes if I took the wood cup off. Anyone have experience with tearing these down?

 

[daggah]

According to an encompass rep, the pads do *not* come with replacement pad mounting rings. I might be stuck with the double-sided tape idea. :/

 

[Hinomotocho]

According to an encompass rep, the pads do *not* come with replacement pad mounting rings. I might be stuck with the double-sided tape idea. :/

I think on one of the Sony headphone threads (perhaps MDR-Z1R) there was someone who had success with 3D printed mounting rings. I don't know if you can get one done off the other ring or if the mounting rings are the same design/size as he had shared the print specs.

 

[Hyde00]

According to an encompass rep, the pads do *not* come with replacement pad mounting rings. I might be stuck with the double-sided tape idea. :/

Awwwww, man that's sorry to hear.

I guess in that sense I do like Fostex headphones better where it's much easier to find/order new parts.

 

[daggah]

Yeah, I talked to one person in my neighborhood that does 3D printing and he seemed to be skeptical that he could do a good job with this problem. I think he believes that the little tabs would be a weak point.

I'm now waiting on Denon customer support to get back to me, asking if I can just send the headphones in to them to basically have them refurbished, to fix the loose gimbal issue and pad mounting issue at the same time. As long as they're not gonna charge some stupid price I might just pay to have them fixed. I think that some of these problems are stemming from the fact that the previous owner disassembled them to clean them prior to selling them, I'm guessing that they didn't get re-assembled correctly. I think the loose gimbal issue, I think they probably lost a small spring, just guessing based off teardown/part breakdown I've seen of one of the older Fostex-based Denon models.

 

[Hyde00]

Yeah, I talked to one person in my neighborhood that does 3D printing and he seemed to be skeptical that he could do a good job with this problem. I think he believes that the little tabs would be a weak point.

I'm now waiting on Denon customer support to get back to me, asking if I can just send the headphones in to them to basically have them refurbished, to fix the loose gimbal issue and pad mounting issue at the same time. As long as they're not gonna charge some stupid price I might just pay to have them fixed. I think that some of these problems are stemming from the fact that the previous owner disassembled them to clean them prior to selling them, I'm guessing that they didn't get re-assembled correctly. I think the loose gimbal issue, I think they probably lost a small spring, just guessing based off teardown/part breakdown I've seen of one of the older Fostex-based Denon models.

Wait so the loose rotation thing, are you saying the hinge that rotate toward/away from you OR the hinge that rotate the woodcup up/down?

Though either case as far as I know the hinge is clip on by those C shaped ring that snap into a locking mechanism. So it's either locked or not locked there's no adjustment.

I mean I could be wrong, but even when I had D9200 one of the hinge is more loose than the other hinge, maybe it's a Denon thing........ LOL.

But we can always wait and see what Denon has to say about it.

 

[daggah]

The hinge that rotates up/down is loose. I did a teardown myself just now and I think you're right, there's no spring or anything. I kinda fixed it so that the right cup is a little looser too, so at least they match. It doesn't really affect the overall operation of the headphone. Technically the pad mounting thing doesn't either, these are things that just bother me.

 

[daggah]

I don't know if this is genius, or ghetto.

I bought some of these o-rings from Amazon because they can be used as neck cinches (got the idea from Super* Reviews on YouTube), and of course, having way more than I needed for that purpose, I got the idea to stretch the o-rings over the pad mounting ring tabs, like so:

And it works. It actually works! The earpads can still be removed, but it needs a firmer, more purposeful pull instead of coming off easily with a gentle tug.

 

[SoundDouble]

You know, these hp still surprise me. I just changed tubes on my little hp/preamp and put these on. Out of my collection only these allow me to hear the rumble from my cheap record players motor.

 

[TomKure]

So today my new E-MU Teaks have arrived. And to me, they definitely are an upgrade from the AH-D5200. More bass (especially low bass - more rumble), similar but slightly more distant midrange - I like it that way, smoother, more laid-back treble with less distortion and sibilance. Also, the Teaks have a more punchy sound. Generally the Teaks sound more natural and dynamic. But my friend prefers the Denons because they have more treble and he likes that, as it sounds "clearer" to him. I sill like the Denons, but since I have the Teaks, I don't think I will be listening to the AH-D5200 much anymore and might sell them.

 

[Hyde00]

So today my new E-MU Teaks have arrived. And to me, they definitely are an upgrade from the AH-D5200. More bass (especially low bass - more rumble), similar but slightly more distant midrange - I like it that way, smoother, more laid-back treble with less distortion and sibilance. Also, the Teaks have a more punchy sound. Generally the Teaks sound more natural and dynamic. But my friend prefers the Denons because they have more treble and he likes that, as it sounds "clearer" to him. I sill like the Denons, but since I have the Teaks, I don't think I will be listening to the AH-D5200 much anymore and might sell them.

lol I actually agree with everything you said but I also agree with your friend LOL.

I had E-Mu Teak before but I always thought it had too much mids if that's a thing LOL. It's great for string instruments but unfortunately voices is its weakest point. It had this veiled distant vocal type of sound no matter what I do. It always sounded like the singer is behind a wall or curtain or something. Even when I crank up the volume it had this "yelling really loud but still behind a wall/curtain" type of sound.

Otherwise I agree Old Denon/Fostex generally speaking is more dynamic and more open sounding (since they are semi-open, as oppose to D5200/D7200/D9200 being more closed). But where Old Denon/Fostex lose out is they're a bit less refined. I think New Denon tuning is more refined but also more restrained. Different trade off.

All things considered I prefer D5200 over E-Mu Teak (where I agree with your friend lol). That being said I haven't used my D5200 since I got my Hifiman R7DX LOL surprisingly. It just has very good imaging and soundstage and very open sounding, though I guess D5200 has a bit more tighter/cleaner sound.

To this day all the Denon/Fostex I tried all have their different pros and cons, none of them is perfect. But depending on your preference I think each person will like different one for different reason.

Ones I've tried:

D2000
D5000
D5200
D9200
TH600
TH900
TH-X00 Mahogany
TH-X00 Purpleheart (only demo for like 5 min)
TH-X00 Ebony
E-Mu Teak
E-Mu Rosewood (bought cup separately)
E-Mu Bamboo (bought cup separately, Bamboo sound like halfway between Teak and Mahogany)

Still need to try:

Creative Aurvana Live!
Creative Aurvana Live SE
E-Mu Walnut (Creative Aurvana Live with Walnut, on its way to me)
E-Mu Purpleheart (Creative Aurvana Live with Purpleheart)
D7000
D7200
TH610
TH900 (Anniversary Tuning, Sapphire and Pearl White)
TH909
Lawton Wood Cup

Honorable mention:

Focal Elegia with Dekoni Stellia Pad (Still want to try one day)

 

[TomKure]

lol I actually agree with everything you said but I also agree with your friend LOL.

I had E-Mu Teak before but I always thought it had too much mids if that's a thing LOL. It's great for string instruments but unfortunately voices is its weakest point. It had this veiled distant vocal type of sound no matter what I do. It always sounded like the singer is behind a wall or curtain or something. Even when I crank up the volume it had this "yelling really loud but still behind a wall/curtain" type of sound.

Otherwise I agree Old Denon/Fostex generally speaking is more dynamic and more open sounding (since they are semi-open, as oppose to D5200/D7200/D9200 being more closed). But where Old Denon/Fostex lose out is they're a bit less refined. I think New Denon tuning is more refined but also more restrained. Different trade off.

All things considered I prefer D5200 over E-Mu Teak (where I agree with your friend lol). That being said I haven't used my D5200 since I got my Hifiman R7DX LOL surprisingly. It just has very good imaging and soundstage and very open sounding, though I guess D5200 has a bit more tighter/cleaner sound.

To this day all the Denon/Fostex I tried all have their different pros and cons, none of them is perfect. But depending on your preference I think each person will like different one for different reason.

Ones I've tried:

D2000
D5000
D5200
D9200
TH600
TH900
TH-X00 Mahogany
TH-X00 Purpleheart (only demo for like 5 min)
TH-X00 Ebony
E-Mu Teak
E-Mu Rosewood (bought cup separately)
E-Mu Bamboo (bought cup separately, Bamboo sound like halfway between Teak and Mahogany)

Still need to try:

Creative Aurvana Live!
Creative Aurvana Live SE
E-Mu Walnut (Creative Aurvana Live with Walnut, on its way to me)
E-Mu Purpleheart (Creative Aurvana Live with Purpleheart)
D7000
D7200
TH610
TH900 (Anniversary Tuning, Sapphire and Pearl White)
TH909
Lawton Wood Cup

Honorable mention:

Focal Elegia with Dekoni Stellia Pad (Still want to try one day)

The thing is, punchiness and sound dynamics is one of the good things I remember about the AH-D2000 I used to own years ago. And every time I listen to the AH-D5200, I get reminded of how much their sound is missing just that. It has no punch. Drums and percussion just don't kick the way I like it. Also, the D5200 has a very slight resonance in the treble range that is not audible when listening on lower volume or on recordings that don't have very aggressive cymbals or sibilants in vocals. But once that resonance gets excited, it can be heard and the treble loses its airiness and detail. The D5200 are sometimes borderline sibilant and that I don't like.
I remember my first thoughts when I heard them for the 1st time: "Wow, so neutral, that's more treble than I expected"... I expected more of a bass-forward warm sound. But overall they are good, very good. I always considered them to be 95% perfect for me. I thought that if the Teaks would be at least 97% perfect for me, they would be worth their price to me. And I am so blown away by the Teaks...did not expect that. They are actually 100% perfect for me! (I think so far )

 

[Hyde00]

The thing is, punchiness and sound dynamics is one of the good things I remember about the AH-D2000 I used to own years ago. And every time I listen to the AH-D5200, I get reminded of how much their sound is missing just that. It has no punch. Drums and percussion just don't kick the way I like it. Also, the D5200 has a very slight resonance in the treble range that is not audible when listening on lower volume or on recordings that don't have very aggressive cymbals or sibilants in vocals. But once that resonance gets excited, it can be heard and the treble loses its airiness and detail. The D5200 are sometimes borderline sibilant and that I don't like.
I remember my first thoughts when I heard them for the 1st time: "Wow, so neutral, that's more treble than I expected"... I expected more of a bass-forward warm sound. But overall they are good, very good. I always considered them to be 95% perfect for me. I thought that if the Teaks would be at least 97% perfect for me, they would be worth their price to me. And I am so blown away by the Teaks...did not expect that. They are actually 100% perfect for me! (I think so far )

And this is why I still have my D2000 along with the D5200 LOL.

My friend recommend I go LA7000 though, but that's like another tier entirely......

For now R7DX is good enough for me.

 

[VRacer-111]

The thing is, punchiness and sound dynamics is one of the good things I remember about the AH-D2000 I used to own years ago. And every time I listen to the AH-D5200, I get reminded of how much their sound is missing just that. It has no punch. Drums and percussion just don't kick the way I like it. Also, the D5200 has a very slight resonance in the treble range that is not audible when listening on lower volume or on recordings that don't have very aggressive cymbals or sibilants in vocals. But once that resonance gets excited, it can be heard and the treble loses its airiness and detail. The D5200 are sometimes borderline sibilant and that I don't like.
I remember my first thoughts when I heard them for the 1st time: "Wow, so neutral, that's more treble than I expected"... I expected more of a bass-forward warm sound. But overall they are good, very good. I always considered them to be 95% perfect for me. I thought that if the Teaks would be at least 97% perfect for me, they would be worth their price to me. And I am so blown away by the Teaks...did not expect that. They are actually 100% perfect for me! (I think so far )

Stock and un-eq'd I'd agree on the AH-D5200... but modded with the Yaxi Alcantara pads they are as punchy as any Fostex with my setup I've had including the TH-X00 Purplehearts and same for the older Denon AH-D2000 and are the least siblant/treble peaky of all the Fostex/Denon biodynas (AH-D2000 and custom TH-X00 with E-MU Palo Santo cups being the two worst). One of the punchiest headphones I ever had (modded STAX L300 LE on my e-stat setup would probably be THE punchiest.) With stock pads, the AH-D5200 is a bit too treble forward and too bass light for me... the Yaxi Alcantara's warmed them up without mudding them up and relaxed the treble enough and slightly brought the vocals a bit less forward. Clearest sound and best dynamics of the Fostex and Denon's I've had along with best vocal presentation and most spacious and natural sound which is why I sold everything else and kept the AH-D5200.

I run them with EQ both in the RME ADI-2 DAC & Schiit Loki mini (soon to be Lokius [ordered and in backorder que] for better low-end frequency band selection and form factor better matching the ADI-2 DAC...) and with a powerful and warm leaning tube amp (Garage 1217 Project Polaris) running a Sovtek 6H30P-EB tube which I've found to be my preference (very clean, punchy sounding with extremely low noise and slight bit of warmth.) An absolutely clean neutral & highly detailed DAC with powerful, extremely low impedance & warm leaning amp is what I've found works best for me with the Fostex/Denon biodynas, along with EQ for enhancing subbass support and a cleaning treble just that extra little bit.

 

[Mhog55]

Stock and un-eq'd I'd agree on the AH-D5200... but modded with the Yaxi Alcantara pads they are as punchy as any Fostex with my setup I've had including the TH-X00 Purplehearts and same for the older Denon AH-D2000 and are the least siblant/treble peaky of all the Fostex/Denon biodynas (AH-D2000 and custom TH-X00 with E-MU Palo Santo cups being the two worst). One of the punchiest headphones I ever had (modded STAX L300 LE on my e-stat setup would probably be THE punchiest.) With stock pads, the AH-D5200 is a bit too treble forward and too bass light for me... the Yaxi Alcantara's warmed them up without mudding them up and relaxed the treble enough and slightly brought the vocals a bit less forward. Clearest sound and best dynamics of the Fostex and Denon's I've had along with best vocal presentation and most spacious and natural sound which is why I sold everything else and kept the AH-D5200.

I run them with EQ both in the RME ADI-2 DAC & Schiit Loki mini (soon to be Lokius [ordered and in backorder que] for better low-end frequency band selection and form factor better matching the ADI-2 DAC...) and with a powerful and warm leaning tube amp (Garage 1217 Project Polaris) running a Sovtek 6H30P-EB tube which I've found to be my preference (very clean, punchy sounding with extremely low noise and slight bit of warmth.) An absolutely clean neutral & highly detailed DAC with powerful, extremely low impedance & warm leaning amp is what I've found works best for me with the Fostex/Denon biodynas, along with EQ for enhancing subbass support and a cleaning treble just that extra little bit.

I wonder what these pads might do to the 7200. Do you have a link for the exact pads? Thx