[yrstruly]

I guess you don't care much about whether it's closed or open back.

The HD800S (not the 800) sound very good on their own IMHO. Sound stage is bigger and sounds more open. Perhaps a tad more hard sounding with certain recordings.
Since I wanted a good closed back, the D9200 was the choice.
Both stay well on the head, but the D9200 pads are quite small for a circumaural headphone, and feel quite stuffed as well.

I use larger, thinner and more plush ear pads with the D9200, which make the head stage huge (comparable with the HD800S), improve openness and immediacy, and sound better with jazz (Stax 009 and 007 pads, but the D5200 pads are also a good replacement). The D9200 can take a lot of type of ear pads and sound good with each, so you have a lot of opportunity to fine-tune the sound to your liking.

Not so with the HD800S, which sounds good as it is, and will not sound much better with other pads.

If I had to nitpick, the treble of the HD800S sometimes sounds more raspy, whereas the treble of the D9200 sometimes sounds more tsin'ny, so they are annoying in different ways.

All in all I think the Denon has more spectrum in its tonality, i.e. more colors to the tones, and I like the bass shape and perhaps even resolution more as well, especially with the bigger ear pads.

It's quite genre dependent, too.

Oh, and the Denon will be an easier drive for your A&K.

Which pads do you use for the D9200? Easily acquired?

I see myself re-purchasing the D9200 tbh. My favourite sounding portable closed backs. Although I’ve not heard the Bokeh or E3 (if that really counts as portable)…

 

[zolkis]

Which pads do you use for the D9200? Easily acquired?

They were mentioned in the post you quoted .
The good thing about the D9200 is that it will sound pretty good with a large range of pads.
I used many pads on the D9200, including many from AliExpress, Dekoni etc.
Those were not really the best, though some of them brought out certain qualities that I enjoyed for a while before reverting.
I ended up using either:
- the original pads without the plastic mounting ring (try it, by just holding the pads between your ears and the housing);
- another set of original pads modded (cut about 30% from the internal foam, along the inner circumference and height both in front and back), without the mounting ring;
- the Stax 009 pads, and/or the Stax 007 pads. Both can be easily modified (by simply folding it out) for replacing the inner foam, if you need thinner or thicker.

I usually glue them with adhesive tape to the housing. It's the best sounding method for attaching ear pads IMHO.

 

[yrstruly]

They were mentioned in the post you quoted .
The good thing about the D9200 is that it will sound pretty good with a large range of pads.
I used many pads on the D9200, including many from AliExpress, Dekoni etc.
Those were not really the best, though some of them brought out certain qualities that I enjoyed for a while before reverting.
I ended up using either:
- the original pads without the plastic mounting ring (try it, by just holding the pads between your ears and the housing);
- another set of original pads modded (cut about 30% from the internal foam, along the inner circumference and height both in front and back), without the mounting ring;
- the Stax 009 pads, and/or the Stax 007 pads. Both can be easily modified (by simply folding it out) for replacing the inner foam, if you need thinner or thicker.

I usually glue them with adhesive tape to the housing. It's the best sounding method for attaching ear pads IMHO.

Oh yikes, they were...my bad for posting whilst multitasking. Nice one - might you up separately for tips on that if I end up with another pair of D9200!

 

[Kiwimac]

Ok. I bought the 9200’s.

I decided closed back will suit the specific need and I have Focal Clear for open.

At the equivalent of $1200 US in the sale, I think that’s a fair price for the Denons although I didn’t really think they were expensive at the usual price really.

One thing I have noticed from reviews etc is that American buyers are strangely price sensitive. Often a reviewer will say X isn’t worth $2000 but would be great value at $1800.

To me the difference between $1800 and $2000 is too small to be worthy of comment. $1800 and $3000, sure.

 

[StarTreker]

Ok. I bought the 9200’s.

I decided closed back will suit the specific need and I have Focal Clear for open.

At the equivalent of $1200 US in the sale, I think that’s a fair price for the Denons although I didn’t really think they were expensive at the usual price really.

One thing I have noticed from reviews etc is that American buyers are strangely price sensitive. Often a reviewer will say X isn’t worth $2000 but would be great value at $1800.

To me the difference between $1800 and $2000 is too small to be worthy of comment. $1800 and $3000, sure.

Looking forward to reading your review, with complimentary pictures.

 

[Rakyan]

Ok. I bought the 9200’s.

I decided closed back will suit the specific need and I have Focal Clear for open.

At the equivalent of $1200 US in the sale, I think that’s a fair price for the Denons although I didn’t really think they were expensive at the usual price really.

One thing I have noticed from reviews etc is that American buyers are strangely price sensitive. Often a reviewer will say X isn’t worth $2000 but would be great value at $1800.

To me the difference between $1800 and $2000 is too small to be worthy of comment. $1800 and $3000, sure.

I bought them at about 1400$ at thoman, but they didnt worth it for me. Very good precision, tonality, frequency curve from top to bottom, but very little immersion and soundstage. It was too offensive, and i never tought i will say this but liked more the 5200. Not that technically stellar, but a more laid back, more pleasant long listening experience for me, with less attack so it feels like it has more soundstage. (i think its the same but with less attack so u feel the sound more distant i prefer that)

 

[16tons]

I have sold the 9200 some days ago, I had also the 7200 and 5200 and at the end I have choosen the cheaper. I m not an audiophile but only a music lover, maybe my ears aren't enough refined

 

[plakat]

I have sold the 9200 some days ago, I had also the 7200 and 5200 and at the end I have choosen the cheaper. I m not an audiophile but only a music lover, maybe my ears aren't enough refined

What counts in the end is simple I think: does it give you joy? No need to overspend just because there is a model that might technically be better. I still get so much fun out of my collection of old V-Moda M-100… and they go with me everywhere. Neither my Composer nor my E3 does, although I do enjoy both.
I also enjoy the E3 more than the Stealth. Happy that it’s the cheaper of the two…

 

[Luisonic]

Ok. I bought the 9200’s.

I decided closed back will suit the specific need and I have Focal Clear for open.

At the equivalent of $1200 US in the sale, I think that’s a fair price for the Denons although I didn’t really think they were expensive at the usual price really.

One thing I have noticed from reviews etc is that American buyers are strangely price sensitive. Often a reviewer will say X isn’t worth $2000 but would be great value at $1800.

To me the difference between $1800 and $2000 is too small to be worthy of comment. $1800 and $3000, sure.

Hi Kiwi,

Good for you! You'll enjoy them...

Don't know if it has been said to you before, but these headphones will improve immensely with an alternative custom cable, preferably silver hybrid, as the one they come with is just not up to it.
So do not trust your impression with the cable, get a custom one, balanced while you're at it, with those extra hundreds!

 

[plakat]

Sorry to disagree, but the cables included are just fine with me. Except I’d prefer 2m length for the shorter one instead of 1.4m
Balanced won’t help you with a low impedance high efficiency headphone like the D9200 except when your amps single ended output has implementation problems.
I’d save that money and use it for purchasing music instead.

 

[thelittletaffia]

Sorry to disagree, but the cables included are just fine with me. Except I’d prefer 2m length for the shorter one instead of 1.4m
Balanced won’t help you with a low impedance high efficiency headphone like the D9200 except when your amps single ended output has implementation problems.
I’d save that money and use it for purchasing music instead.

I found the stock cable to be a little too microphonic. I do use the smaller cable quite often when using the PC though. I bought a Litz copper cable for my Focal Clear MGs because the unbalanced cable was stupidly short. That also fitted the Denon and although sounding exactly the same it cured the microphonics. Best stock cable I've ever had was with my Oppo PM1s.

 

[plakat]

I found the stock cable to be a little too microphonic. I do use the smaller cable quite often when using the PC though. I bought a Litz copper cable for my Focal Clear MGs because the unbalanced cable was stupidly short. That also fitted the Denon and although sounding exactly the same it cured the microphonics. Best stock cable I've ever had was with my Oppo PM1s.

Valid points, nothing against resolving mechanic problems of length or microphonics by using a third party cable. That doesn't cost an arm and a leg normally.

 

[Luisonic]

Sorry to disagree, but the cables included are just fine with me. Except I’d prefer 2m length for the shorter one instead of 1.4m
Balanced won’t help you with a low impedance high efficiency headphone like the D9200 except when your amps single ended output has implementation problems.
I’d save that money and use it for purchasing music instead.

Hello,

It's ok to disagree on principle if you like, yet from direct experience, I find the difference in sound quite significant, especially using a high quality source such as the SPK or SP3K. Also, the difference between balanced and unbalanced is also significant enough to my ears, to definitely justify the preference of the balanced output.
Mind you this is my experience, but I think am not alone in this respect, especially if you look at the crazy cable market. There's gotta be something to it.
A good custom cable has always been a definite sound and stage upgrade, no matter the items or headphones I used.

Lastly, definitely worth the money, after spending on a good DAP, good headphones and good music, leaving the cable to be the weak link doesn't add up imo.

Lui

 

[plakat]

Hello,

It's ok to disagree on principle if you like, yet from direct experience, I find the difference in sound quite significant, especially using a high quality source such as the SPK or SP3K. Also, the difference between balanced and unbalanced is also significant enough to my ears, to definitely justify the preference of the balanced output.
Mind you this is my experience, but I think am not alone in this respect, especially if you look at the crazy cable market. There's gotta be something to it.
A good custom cable has always been a definite sound and stage upgrade, no matter the items or headphones I used.

Lastly, definitely worth the money, after spending on a good DAP, good headphones and good music, leaving the cable to be the weak link doesn't add up imo.

Lui

Hi Lui,
„Crazy“ is the exact word
I’m longer into those games than you might think and therefore gone through many of its corners. I’m the first to agree that a good quality cable is worth the effort and some money. Though not necessarily the crazy prices sometimes floating around in that specific corner.
When still working with public address systems, I was the one using 4x4mm^2 cables while almost everyone else was using 4x2.5mm^2… but here we’re talking about lots of current.

Yet there’s a limit to that love. And to me the cables provided with the D9200 are just fine, except for the length of the shorter one: as noted above I’d prefer 2m, which works better for my setting.

I have no problem if someone enjoys his very expensive cable. After all it’s about having fun. But the middle ground is good enough I’d say.

 

[Luisonic]

Hi Lui,
„Crazy“ is the exact word
I’m longer into those games than you might think and therefore gone through many of its corners. I’m the first to agree that a good quality cable is worth the effort and some money. Though not necessarily the crazy prices sometimes floating around in that specific corner.
When still working with public address systems, I was the one using 4x4mm^2 cables while almost everyone else was using 4x2.5mm^2… but here we’re talking about lots of current.

Yet there’s a limit to that love. And to me the cables provided with the D9200 are just fine, except for the length of the shorter one: as noted above I’d prefer 2m, which works better for my setting.

I have no problem if someone enjoys his very expensive cable. After all it’s about having fun. But the middle ground is good enough I’d say.

Hi Plakat

I think that without realizing, you touched on a good point when you talk about "expensive".
In fact, I see now that it is a point of analysis that I was taking for granted.

In this way: It made perfect sense to me to spend 250€ on a cable for the 9200's, seeing that the extended stage and sound quality improvement were substantial to my ears, but also because percentage wise it seemed like a reasonable investment! A more "expensive" (costlier) cable would have seemed too much to me, again for the price I paid for the 9200's.

I recently got the Meze Elite, and spent on a 400€ cable. Again, percentage wise it made sense, taking into consideration the improvements, which are in fact confirmed by Meze themselves.

Just to say that "expensive" is relative to where and how we apply it.
And so, NOT spending on a "reasonable" (to me) investment to improve the whole of the gear and experience, would be in fact an expensive miss.

This is talking in a forum where we spend large amounts of money in our beloved hobby, which is "crazy, nuts expensive" to my friends who do not share this passion!
Thankfully I have convinced (somewhat) my wife on this front.

Luis