[aamefford]

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Oh, dweaver... My friend, you are in for a real treat!  Congrats!
 
@ aamefford... I agree on Crime..., and just about anything else recorded well and produced with care. Also, I've got some Classical (and other) recordings that I'll play for you on Feb. 19th that just may do it for you.

I look forward to it!  I have been looking for (well, mostly waiting for someone to turn me onto) some good classical recordings.  I have classical, but nothing great as far as recording quality goes.  I have some HDTracks downloads on my macbook pro I'll bring along.  The recording quality on these is excellent, but the black background and dynamic range are what make them a treat for me!  I sure like the pairing of the D7000's with my Headroom Ultra.  I have really become a fan of crossfeed.  The only minor issue with crossfeed is that at least on the HR Ultra, it adds warmth to an already warm setup.  Luckily the treble filters (boost?) ads back just enough to make a good, pleasant, natural (to me, others may disagree) sound.

 

[dweaver]

Sitting and simply listening to my music. So far the D7000 has added to everything I listen to, they seem to bring out the best in all of my music, from classical to hard rock like AC/DC. Taking some of the rock I love that was starting to sound thin or off with my current gear and has brought it back to life, bands like Boston and Kansas haven't sounded this good, and then I get into higher quality recordings and it just gets better. Patricia Barber sounds much more vibrant as well there is so much more inflection and emotion in her voice.
 
When I picked these up I had a chance to hear a pair of LCD-2 at the same time as the guy I bought from just had a pair of them come in. I have to say as much as the LCD-2 was more detailed I think I like the D7000 more musically speaking.

 

[shane55]

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Sitting and simply listening to my music. So far the D7000 has added to everything I listen to, they seem to bring out the best in all of my music, from classical to hard rock like AC/DC. Taking some of the rock I love that was starting to sound thin or off with my current gear and has brought it back to life, bands like Boston and Kansas haven't sounded this good, and then I get into higher quality recordings and it just gets better. Patricia Barber sounds much more vibrant as well there is so much more inflection and emotion in her voice.
 
When I picked these up I had a chance to hear a pair of LCD-2 at the same time as the guy I bought from just had a pair of them come in. I have to say as much as the LCD-2 was more detailed I think I like the D7000 more musically speaking.

'Musical'... right. I hope to hear the LCD-2 at our meet in Feb., but from all I've read, I still may prefer the D7k because of that particular quality (but I'll keep an open mind... or course

 ).
The D7k's are amazing with anything acoustic. And I include 'voice' in that category. Stellar highs give the instruments a 'place', while the weight gives the instruments 'body'. Well-recorded and produced chamber or Early music is just magical. These put you in the middle of a quartet, and there is a very real quality to the reproduction.
 
  
 

 

[sokolov91]

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Sitting and simply listening to my music. So far the D7000 has added to everything I listen to, they seem to bring out the best in all of my music, from classical to hard rock like AC/DC. Taking some of the rock I love that was starting to sound thin or off with my current gear and has brought it back to life, bands like Boston and Kansas haven't sounded this good, and then I get into higher quality recordings and it just gets better. Patricia Barber sounds much more vibrant as well there is so much more inflection and emotion in her voice.
 
When I picked these up I had a chance to hear a pair of LCD-2 at the same time as the guy I bought from just had a pair of them come in. I have to say as much as the LCD-2 was more detailed I think I like the D7000 more musically speaking.

'Musical'... right. I hope to hear the LCD-2 at our meet in Feb., but from all I've read, I still may prefer the D7k because of that particular quality (but I'll keep an open mind... or course

 ).
The D7k's are amazing with anything acoustic. And I include 'voice' in that category. Stellar highs give the instruments a 'place', while the weight gives the instruments 'body'. Well-recorded and produced chamber or Early music is just magical. These put you in the middle of a quartet, and there is a very real quality to the reproduction.
 
  
 

The D7000 is more "musical" in terms of its colouration and how it "adds" to music. Gives it a very intimate, and live sound. nice and comfy!
 
The LCD-2 are very musical too but in a different way... because well they sound exactly like the music. The LCD-2 are not at all some cold and dry analytical detail freak headphone (although they certainly are a detail freak headphone!).
 
FWIW I personally thing people exaggerate the" loss" of detail on the D7000 with regard to other flagships.
 
Each are amazing and I am happy I have both but I really do with the D7000 has a little less in the highs. I have been finding since the LCD-2 I find the Denon's unbearable due to the highs at anything above low - lowmedium volumes.

 

[SaiSai]

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The AH-D7000's are certainly in the top group of headphones even though they have been overshadowed by more recent contenders.  I had been listening almost exclusively to my HD 800's for past few months but recently have been really enjoying the Denon's again.  It's very tough to pick a favorite.  The Burson amp seems to be a very good match for the Denon's.

 
I also use the Burson HA160, I find the sound a little bit too bright sometimes. I plug the D7000 into the left hand side HP output and turn the volume knob to around 10 o'clock for listening,

 

[SP Wild]

I think the D7000s are like the perfect cans for any music recorded up until the mid or late 80's.  The cost per watt of amplification was much higher than the present, most consumer amplifiers were very limited in power (15-20 watts of dynamic power was typical) and so recordings had the bass dialed significantly lower than absolute reference in order to be able to play with common low powered amplifiers and protect speakers from clipping, which would have occurred if the bass was recorded flat with the midrange and people turned up their amplifiers.  The D7000, I find, goes a long way in bringing the bass back to neutral on those recordings.  They sound very nice on most modern recordings as well...except for recordings that already have their mid bass on the verge of excess.
 
I don't think the D7000 misses on any details recorded on any recording, the drivers are fast enough to capture any nuances, while at the same time providing incredible bass drive.  Very few headphones can do both at the same time - the D7000s can, and without breaking a sweat.  I don't find the bass to be flabby at all, it is very tight and controlled...providing your amps and sources have the power regulation needed to provide such control.  I find the D7000 bass to be controlled almost as well as the HD800's bass...with the HD800 significantly lower in bass amplitude.

 

[donlin]

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The AH-D7000's are certainly in the top group of headphones even though they have been overshadowed by more recent contenders.  I had been listening almost exclusively to my HD 800's for past few months but recently have been really enjoying the Denon's again.  It's very tough to pick a favorite.  The Burson amp seems to be a very good match for the Denon's.

 
I also use the Burson HA160, I find the sound a little bit too bright sometimes. I plug the D7000 into the left hand side HP output and turn the volume knob to around 10 o'clock for listening,

You really should try using the right output (the one closest to the volume control).  That is the correct one for low impedance phones and sounds a lot less bright.  The steps in volume are also quite a bit smaller on the right output.
 

 

[SaiSai]

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The AH-D7000's are certainly in the top group of headphones even though they have been overshadowed by more recent contenders.  I had been listening almost exclusively to my HD 800's for past few months but recently have been really enjoying the Denon's again.  It's very tough to pick a favorite.  The Burson amp seems to be a very good match for the Denon's.

 
I also use the Burson HA160, I find the sound a little bit too bright sometimes. I plug the D7000 into the left hand side HP output and turn the volume knob to around 10 o'clock for listening,

You really should try using the right output (the one closest to the volume control).  That is the correct one for low impedance phones and sounds a lot less bright.  The steps in volume are also quite a bit smaller on the right output.
 

 But I found that the right output cannot give me sufficient volume of sound.

 

[donlin]

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 But I found that the right output cannot give me sufficient volume of sound.

You must listen really loud or have a very low output source.  It takes me around six clicks to get to a good listening level (11:00 position).  On the left output I can only get 1 to 2 clicks.

 

 

[dweaver]

So my love affair has strengthened, these simply do everything right and not just adequately but with aplomb. Shane, I am going to have a hard time using my SM3 for music after these, I think I will have to send them in for repair and then sell them. To be honest other than the train ride I am finding I prefer over the ear anything to IEM's right now.
 
As an aside, are there any Denon portable's that while not being able to match these in all ways can come close to this type of sound at least signature wise if not technically, or if not Denon any other portable that anyone has tried? I am starting to prefer headphone to IEM but will take suggestions on either, if you don't want to pollute this excellent thread then just shoot me a PM.

 

[Anaxilus]

OMG Shane we saved Dweaver from his SM3s!!  Welcome back to the world brother.  

  Don't discount IEMs yet though, I was done too till the DBa reinvigorated me and have me looking forward to the ES5.  Paired w/ an LCD2 of course.  

 
@SPWild - Great input on the pre 90's mastering.  Now I have a rational explanation for why I hear what I hear on those period recordings.  Most of them just don't sound 'right' w/o a little help.  Thx.

 

[shane55]

dweaver... yeah, everything the SM3 has that is good, these have. And on top of all that sonority it throws clarity and brilliance. Hard to beat.
 
I use my DBA-02 and Westy UM2's for travel and gym. For me, nothing but an IEM in those situations.
 
I don't know the Denon portable line, but for mobility (around my house and yard mostly), I use the M50's. Sometimes I fold them up, stick them in their pouch and throw 'em in a suitecase. They are great all-rounders. (And sorry for the blasphemy folks, but to me they are like the D7000's little brother). Sure they have a more compressed soundstage, very slightly recessed mids, but are very good.
 
 
EDIT: Hey Anaxilus you flying up for the Bay Area Meet?

 

[dweaver]

Anaxilus how can you be selling your D7000! Or is that a second pair your selling? Say it isn't so!

 

[Anaxilus]

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Anaxilus how can you be selling your D7000! Or is that a second pair your selling? Say it isn't so!

Quest for knowledge my friend.  Like a good friend the D7000 will be there again when I need it.  

 

[dweaver]

Shane you summed up my feeling about the SM3 completely. There is a reason I stop posting in the SM3 thread...
 
If I can't get them repaired I might make them into customs but I don't think I want the hassle of that right now. Maybe I will try the DBA2 after I sell them. The funny thing is I am listening to audio books on the train versus music and prefer less isolation at work so a cheapy IEM may be all I need for now of which I have a couple on hand to tide me over. I also do have a pair of Radius IEM's coming in to give a try on a trial trade with another head-fi member. If I can geta pair of M50 cheaply I may also try that route but will have to wait to see. For now I think I will simply enjoy these bad boys for all they have to offer.