[Random Lunatic]

€300? In most places replacement D9200 pads are about 1/3 of that price. 300 is Focal-level pricing!

Yep, to be precise in current conversion the price is 270€ from the retailer. For fake leather.... at least focal can use the excuse of a luxury material.

 

[Random Lunatic]

Maybe one side is loser so one can slide one ear cup off such as when mixing music.

It’s not a DJ headphone... and its also not intentional, considering it’s random which side it’s on and to what degree. Some pairs don’t have the issue at all, but that’s apparently rare.

 

[Random Lunatic]

The issue that you are commenting here is something that @Verificateur said me via PM and I checked the same with my AH-D9200. When you move the left cup inwards and outwards it makes a little noise, like is touching the hinges or something like that. The right one, move freely without any problem. But that is something that only happens when you are cleaning the headphones or holding to put them on... Not when you are using them, so not a problem for me.

Huh, shame... I can see how some might just live with it, since it technically functions - to me it just speaks to poor tolerance/poor quality, and will be more likely to lead to a problem later on as seen with a few individuals I’ve spoken to, asking around, where the cup snapped off according to them.

 

[GearMe]

If you're not happy with your purchase, why not just return them?

 

[Random Lunatic]

Mine also has slightly more swivel on one side and the pads are not totally symetrical. Both things that in 0% interfere with it's functioning. My theory is that they focus on different things in production. I think these are built very well.

I mean aside from just generally making it feel cheap, the issue is that it does affect function for me, since one side doesn’t seal as well as the other, so the bass/soundstage will sound lopsided...

 

[Random Lunatic]

If you're not happy with your purchase, why not just return them?

I have... twice.

but I get what you mean: the issue for me is that I want the best closed back headphone I can get, and having tried more or less all of them, it would appear to be the denons...
the only ones to come close (still preferred the Denon, being a bit less bright) were the focal, but they cost about two or three times as much. Which doesn’t really leave me much option.

 

[GearMe]

Yeah...it's a bummer, but I'd be in return mode at this point. You can always try another dealer, if Denon's 'the one' for your TOTL closed choice.

 

[Wishmaker]

There are some aspects we can live with and some we cannot.
When I bought the D2000 everyone posted pictures with cups broken off.
Mine never did because I took care of them. 10 years and they are still kicking!
Outside of the head band which looks like Godzilla wanted to make babies with it, everything is in mind condition.

Similar to the 9200, the cups are indeed sensitive, don't abuse them.
Handle with care and think of the price you paid on them.

 

[SRKRAM]

Yep, to be precise in current conversion the price is 270€ from the retailer. For fake leather.... at least focal can use the excuse of a luxury material.

Can you share a photo of the pads - it would be helpful to see the problem.

 

[Random Lunatic]

There are some aspects we can live with and some we cannot.
When I bought the D2000 everyone posted pictures with cups broken off.
Mine never did because I took care of them. 10 years and they are still kicking!
Outside of the head band which looks like Godzilla wanted to make babies with it, everything is in mind condition.

Similar to the 9200, the cups are indeed sensitive, don't abuse them.
Handle with care and think of the price you paid on them.

I’ve had every model in the Denon and fostex lines right from the D2000 which was my first high end headphone - that combined with the price I paid is the exact problem; even the original D2000 didn’t have issues like this right out of the box, and the D7000 definitely didn’t...

I’m incredibly careful with all my equipment, because I’m perfectionist I’d like that - so if it’s basically worn/damaged before I’ve even used it...

 

[Random Lunatic]

Can you share a photo of the pads - it would be helpful to see the problem.

It’s pretty difficult to show properly in pictures - but you can kind of see it here - the pad on the right is weirdly irregular comparatively to the other, and the pads on the other pair of 9200 I have here.

 

[bvhme]

I'd say take it up with your dealer, maybe they can just replace the pads.

I also noticed yesterday that one of the cups squeaks on swivel while the other does not. It's interesting that it doesn't when it's on my head. I'm still super happy with these amazing sounding headphones.

 

[Malevolent]

Not that I know of - you might call me a perfectionist. I'm also an industrial designer, so I tend to pay attention to details.

All of that said, I don't see the relevance of any of that: having a loose/wobbly hinge on a brand new 1800€ flagship headphone is not acceptable in my book. Its not a slight difference: one side is tight enough that it doesn't move on its own if I tilt the headphones, and doesn't contour to the head unless moved by hand, whilst the other wobbles freely, to the point where it can rock slightly in the sideways direction, not just around, because there is a slight gap between the two parts.

That and the unevenly stitched pads, made from fake leather, which cost 300€ to replace - when I can buy perfectly identical pads, made from actual leather, for 20€ for my other headphones...

Anyway, I'm not looking to crucify Denon or the local dealer here; I'm just trying to gauge if its a common issue. Others might be fine with it, I just find it inexcusable at this sort of price/quality.
My father has a pair thats perfectly fine, with no irregularities, even after a year of use - they were the reason I bought a pair myself, so I know they can do it right.

Thankfully, I don't have this issue. I have OCD (sadly), and if my unit suffers from this particular malady, I'd be pretty miffed about it.

In any case, I can't gauge, from your post, the severity of the problem. Nevertheless, I'd agree, for a high-end headphone, we should expect a near-perfect usability experience.

 

[Malevolent]

Thanks. Looks like there is some difference, but not much. This is how mine look...
BTW, they're quite a low serial number (one hundred and something)

Anyway, I'd like to chime in on this particular topic.

When I took my AH-D9200 out into my living room - the first time that it's been moved out of my bedroom since it was purchased - I noticed that the pads had a slight brownish hue; they look exactly like the ones in the photos posted by @Mark R-S. I've never noticed this before, actually.

 

[djdunn]

Not that I know of - you might call me a perfectionist. I'm also an industrial designer, so I tend to pay attention to details.

All of that said, I don't see the relevance of any of that: having a loose/wobbly hinge on a brand new 1800€ flagship headphone is not acceptable in my book. Its not a slight difference: one side is tight enough that it doesn't move on its own if I tilt the headphones, and doesn't contour to the head unless moved by hand, whilst the other wobbles freely, to the point where it can rock slightly in the sideways direction, not just around, because there is a slight gap between the two parts.

That and the unevenly stitched pads, made from fake leather, which cost 300€ to replace - when I can buy perfectly identical pads, made from actual leather, for 20€ for my other headphones...

Anyway, I'm not looking to crucify Denon or the local dealer here; I'm just trying to gauge if its a common issue. Others might be fine with it, I just find it inexcusable at this sort of price/quality.
My father has a pair thats perfectly fine, with no irregularities, even after a year of use - they were the reason I bought a pair myself, so I know they can do it right.

Just saying, its not fake leather, its an engineered leather.

these also aren't machined heavily, the are pretty much handmade, hand assembled. i looked at mine, and i get the same sort of movement, not quite as tight a little bit of that rocking thing. but i wouldn't call it loose or wobbly.