[Babbage78]

Alright guys. I've had some time with the AH-D9200 now. I've also repaired my AH-D7100s, and have also spent some time listening to the AH-D7000s that a friend owns.

A quick comparison

AH-D7000: This headphone seems to have everything. Very present mids. More warmth than bright. Bass is very warm, and rumbles. It is an absolute all-around pleasant musical experience.

AH-D7100: You feel closer to the music. The mids are more audible. Everything is a bit louder when compared to the D9200. The vocals sounds a lot more muffled when comparing to the D9200 as well, and only a little more muffled when compared to the D7000. Very little soundstage.

AH-D9200: You feel like you've stepped a bit away from the music. The mids aren't as good. The music sounds a little bit brighter and more airy. Bass is lackluster until you find very specific music that hits hard thumping bass. Seems to have the best sound stage. Bass is bright. It thumps and kicks, but it has no follow up. I *feel* like I get more out of FLAC with these headphones (I don't know if that is a b.s. comment, it might be). I know this thread says people love hip hop on these headphones, but I actually think EDM sounds incredible because you tend to get lasery type sounds that these headphones really excel at articulating through your ears.

Some songs I think the D9200 excels at:

Billie Eilish - Xanny (deep, dank, tight thumping bass sounds)
CHVRCHES - Graffiti (bright EDM type sounds; you get a "fun" experience when listening with these headphones)
Queen - Queen On Fire - Live at the Bowl Remastered - Bohemian Rhapsody (recording of a live performance)

Tested on:

Schiit Lyr 3 Amp + Multibit DAC (tube)

vs.

Schiit Asgard Amp (solid state) + Schiit Bifrost 1 DAC

My rankings (via my personal preferences)

#1. AH-D7000 (winner for me); I prefer the warmer, darker tones. I like that the bass rumbles and the clarity and presence of mid sounds. I think I'm willing to forego the treble clarity and articulation that the AH-D9200 has to get better mids but that is my personal preference. I can see why these headphones and the Fostex are still so loved.

#2. AH-D9200; I spent the most writing about these headphones because this is the D9200 thread, but I think it also gave the most to say. It provides the most detail in terms of listening experience. Each element in the audio listening experience had something interesting about it. None of it is bad. It's just really good at what it wants to excel at, which seems to be bright sounds and hard hitting thumps and kicks. If you want that warm rumbling bass, you won't find it here. My main gripe with these headphones is the inaudibleness of vocals. It sounds like the 3rd wheel behind trebles and bass notes.

#3. AH-D7100; these were my one and only headphones for a long time. I still like them. When you don't have any other high-end headphones, they're the best headphones you've ever heard. When you can listen to them back to back with the D9200 next to you, you really rather just listen to the D9200 because of the qualities it brings. To reiterate, the D7100 sounds muffled with little soundstage. But vocals and mids are more present. They are truly the disappointing iteration of the AH-D7000.

Would love to hear suggestions of songs to listen to with the D9200 (that you think they excel at!)

Edit:

For some magnitude of how much I like things better:

AH-D7000 and AH-D9200 are lovable in their own ways. They're both substantially better to me over the AH-D7100. I think I choose the AH-D7000 for every day listening.

Hmm now I'll have to find a pair of AH-D7000's and give them a shot, thanks for that......lol..

I do admit I wish that the AH-D9200 had more bass rumble sometimes. Instead it offers this almost clinically accurate take on bass which is nice because you hear it in detail like you never do on any other headphones I've ever listened to, but sometimes you just wanna feel that head shake. I actually pulled out my old pair of E-MU Teaks because I was craving the bass and to my surprise I really hated how they sounded now.

They sounded incredibly muffled and bloated compared to the AH-D9200. I've still been trying out other headphones since I got my pair of AH-D9200's but I just keep finding that it's hard for me to shift away from their frequency response.

 

[jmills8]

Hmm now I'll have to find a pair of AH-D7200's and give them a shot, thanks for that......lol..

I do admit I wish that the AH-D9200 had more bass rumble sometimes. Instead it offers this almost clinically accurate take on bass which is nice because you hear it in detail like you never do on any other headphones I've ever listened to, but sometimes you just wanna feel that head shake. I actually pulled out my old pair of E-MU Teaks because I was craving the bass and to my surprise I really hated how they sounded now.

They sounded incredibly muffled and bloated compared to the AH-D9200. I've still been trying out other headphones since I got my pair of AH-D9200's but I just keep finding that it's hard for me to shift away from their frequency response.

7200 doesnt have more bass nor does it sound like the old 7000. The 7200 has much less treble and lacks details. You dont have to chase your own tail , unless its more about the chase the shopping than the music.

 

[Babbage78]

7200 doesnt have more bass nor does it sound like the old 7000. The 7200 has much less treble and lacks details. You dont have to chase your own tail , unless its more about the chase the shopping than the music.

Yeah oops I meant the 7000 not the 7200. I just wonder if I will find it similar to my E-MU Teaks.

 

[jmills8]

Yeah oops I meant the 7000 not the 7200. I just wonder if I will find it similar to my E-MU Teaks.

Close , but it most likely will be old and used.

 

[Brando]

Funny that the ah-d7000 just came up. I had mine on ebay and kept lowering the price but nobody wants them. Then last night I decided to take them back out of the shipping box after remembering some random customer review from a guy swearing the d7000 is the best headphone around with worthy source components. It dawned on me that I never actually tried them with my new gear which is a topping D90 dac and thx 789 amp. I started listening to a bunch of the newer stuff I've been trying with the d9200 lately since it's freshest in my memory. Honestly I'm blown away, the guy was right. Not saying my equipment is the best but it's way above what I used with the d7000 previously. They have really come to life with a good source and pleanty of clean power. I had forgotten how euphonic they were. It was like coming in from the cold and getting in a warm bath. d9200 is pretty awesome in multiple ways but the d7000 feels like home right now. None of the frequencies feel forced and I don't feel the need to correct them with different flavors of amps/dacs. Took down the ebay listing since I don't think I can bear to lose them Please denon or drop or somebody make more of them we can't let them disappear from the world.

EDIT: Ordered some dekoni elite hybrid pads to replace the cheap ebay ones I have on the d7000 now since they kind of hurt even though they surprisingly don't hurt the sound.

 

[SilverEars]

Hmm now I'll have to find a pair of AH-D7000's and give them a shot, thanks for that......lol..

I do admit I wish that the AH-D9200 had more bass rumble sometimes. Instead it offers this almost clinically accurate take on bass which is nice because you hear it in detail like you never do on any other headphones I've ever listened to, but sometimes you just wanna feel that head shake. I actually pulled out my old pair of E-MU Teaks because I was craving the bass and to my surprise I really hated how they sounded now.

They sounded incredibly muffled and bloated compared to the AH-D9200. I've still been trying out other headphones since I got my pair of AH-D9200's but I just keep finding that it's hard for me to shift away from their frequency response.

What I miss the most is the bass articulation when listening to hip-hop music. It just has an interesting way of expressing bass that no other headphones that are regarded as being the 'neutral' side or leveled sounding headphones is capable of expressing. One aspect I don't like is, sometimes the bass sounds boomy, but during the good moments it sounds like it's revealing bass qualities you will not hear on other headphones. It's more revealing bass than TH900. I found TH900 bass not as expressive of what can be outputted from the recording.

It's a good headphone to have to appreciate bass in a different way. I think it's a fun headphone that enhances the bass.

I disliked EMU-Teak. It didn't have the qualities that a wooden cupped headphone should have. They reduced too much bass and the high frequencies were too bright. These types of headphones should be better if not sounding clinical, and EMU-Teak was on the clinical side.

 

[Maxx134]

perfect gems perfectly worth the price :

denon 9200
calyx m
cayin n6ii--- closest to calyx sound and has streaming
sony ier z1r
jh audio lola
jhaudio angie
jhaudio roxanne --- the performance series with the improved tuning--- best for rock
hifiman 1000 SE and V1-- those are my favorite headphones for the longest time and still are, and worth even the price they ask for period

Great amazing gear but expensive : and u have to pay the price for these

1- chord hugo tt2 and meier audio corda soul
2- shure kse 1500
3- noble khan

Can anyone give accurate comparisons between the 9200 vs 3K cans such he1000se

Resolve & detailing faster on Denon.
Soundstage bigger on HEKSE
They both great as closed & open cans.

D9200 does respond cleanly out of Hugo 2, so perhaps other higher-end Chord stuff well work just as well or better

I have news.

The Sony WM1A & WM1Z has had breakthrough in firmware mods.

They now are extremely revealing and jaw-dropping...
dare I say at Chord Dave level performance(!)

The reason I mention this, is because the Sony and Denon9200 combo are END GAME..

You can modify and tune the player to match closer your sound signature preference, while having a polished sound/performance of a DMP-Z1 in portable form.

You can get a used sony 1a for $600 and be done with "the game", with the latest firmware mods...

 

[Venture Guy]

Resolve & detailing faster on Denon.
Soundstage bigger on HEKSE
They both great as closed & open cans.


I have news.

The Sony WM1A & WM1Z has had breakthrough in firmware mods.

They now are extremely revealing and jaw-dropping...
dare I say at Chord Dave level performance(!)

The reason I mention this, is because the Sony and Denon9200 combo are END GAME..

You can modify and tune the player to match closer your sound signature preference, while having a polished sound/performance of a TA-ZH1ES in portable form.

You can get a used sony 1a for $600 and be done with "the game", with the latest firmware mods...

Which firmware mods are you talking about?

 

[Maxx134]

Which firmware mods are you talking about?

They are discussed in this thread

 

[Venture Guy]

They are discussed in this thread

Neat stuff!

I have a ZX300 that I had Ryuzoh in Japan mod and that was a night and day improvement...

 

[newtophones07]

Resolve & detailing faster on Denon.
Soundstage bigger on HEKSE
They both great as closed & open cans.


I have news.

The Sony WM1A & WM1Z has had breakthrough in firmware mods.

They now are extremely revealing and jaw-dropping...
dare I say at Chord Dave level performance(!)

The reason I mention this, is because the Sony and Denon9200 combo are END GAME..

You can modify and tune the player to match closer your sound signature preference, while having a polished sound/performance of a DMP-Z1 in portable form.

You can get a used sony 1a for $600 and be done with "the game", with the latest firmware mods...

umm where are you getting a wm1a for $600?

 

[newtophones07]

What amps are folks using? I love my THX 888, but I am looking for that next jump up. I keep looking for a Gustard H20, but I am loking for suggestions that don't cost $2,000.

 

[jmills8]

Resolve & detailing faster on Denon.
Soundstage bigger on HEKSE
They both great as closed & open cans.


I have news.

The Sony WM1A & WM1Z has had breakthrough in firmware mods.

They now are extremely revealing and jaw-dropping...
dare I say at Chord Dave level performance(!)

The reason I mention this, is because the Sony and Denon9200 combo are END GAME..

You can modify and tune the player to match closer your sound signature preference, while having a polished sound/performance of a DMP-Z1 in portable form.

You can get a used sony 1a for $600 and be done with "the game", with the latest firmware mods...

Still weak amp in both Sonys.

 

[Maxx134]

umm where are you getting a wm1a for $600?

Actually your right.
It runs for around $650 used.

Still weak amp in both Sonys.

Yes, but the denon can run off either single ended or balanced outputs no problem.

I use the Sony also as my Dac now.
It's that good.

 

[SilverEars]

Still weak amp in both Sonys.

What's the strongest DAP you used?