[Seidhepriest]

You know, the recable+cotton ring fix bass definition problems. AH-P372 clamp, they don't vibrate much until Really Loud.

As a little warning, blocking the foam underneath the diaphragms will make them sound much flatter. The cotton ring just kills the boominess, but blocking the diaphragms' backwave will remove the "3D" part of the sound. Also don't lay any cotton or acoustic fibre over the reflector plate. The reflector plate and backwave are part of the "Foster sound".

You could try coating the reflector plate with paper or thin felt - that'd remove whichever plasticky echoes there still are (the foam under diaphragms should already filter most of the high and low frequencies). Or, you could try removing the reflectors altogether, and stuffing the cups with acoustic fibre.

 

[Seidhepriest]

By the way, the grey-pad AH-P372 are the first supra-aural headphones that can play delicate music like Jan Garbarek and Arno Piart (an Estonian USSR-era dissident composer) on the street. The sweetness is there. It's a pity Denon/Foster went and ruined the black-pad production batch, as it looks like they've cut those 9 dB of loudness by damping the diaphragms' treble/high-frequency response.

 

[LeonWho]

I've decided to sell my pair. Mainly because I don't really need a portable headphone at the moment.

But these are phenomenal for $35!

 

[Dangermouse2003]

I've just bought another pair should be here on friday, black pads were the only ones I could get hold of unfortunately. Should hold my interest until B+W P5s come out.

 

[Mintz]

Seidhepriest, while reading your posts I am a little confuesed when you said, "The two sets really are different, the one with grey pads is louder by 9 dB, and brighter. White/black pads set is bassier and darker."
Are you saying that the sound of these headphones changes depending on whether you are using the model with the grey pads vs the black pads? I don't see how the pad color can cause a change in sound. Or are they different models? I'm guessing missed something or interpreted something incorrectly.

 

[Dangermouse2003]

I guess the drivers, or something in the cups is physically different in the two pairs. Did you see anything different in the black pad set when you recabled them Seidhepriest? Damping or anything that could be removed?

 

[Seidhepriest]

You know, the grey-padded are great portable headphones. They don't have the same detail as recabled AH-D1000, but they're slightly sweeter and are loud. With the additional "cotton wall" between the cups and reflector, they also give a very nice isolation. AH-D1000 need some kind of a tricky sandwich to make them isolate as well as AH-P372 (Dynamat coat/isolation material coat/fibre fill?). Also, AH-P372 livelier. AH-D1000 are more neutral, which for the duller portable player is a bit of a letdown.

Anyway, the review needs corrections. AH-P372 aren't impressively loud, only the "grey pads" are. "Black pads" are muter by 9 dB and have less treble. And the Cowon T2 player, in spite of being set to "straight" EQ, does some loudness EQ of its own. It has a "hard-hitting" EQ even when set to "straight" and with all DSP effects turned off. Which is a big disappointment, and it's fatiguing.

 

[Mintz]

That didn't really answer my question. Is there any difference between those two pairs of headphones? Or is there just a difference in the pad color? If so, that shouldn't have any effect on the sound. I'm confuesed as to why you are saying the pair with the grey pads is louder and the one with the black pads. Are they two different models?

 

[Seidhepriest]

They're the same model with different diaphragms and pads. The grey-padded are louder by 9 dB, brighter, and sweeter. The black-padded are darker in sound.

The theory is that "grey pads" are from an early production run. They must've been deemed too loud by Denon/Foster (perhaps exceeding the EU loudness limits, something like that), so they dampened the drivers in later production runs.

Grey-padded are slightly less efficient than earbuds (maybe some 110-112 dB/1 mW). Black-padded are perhaps 100-103 dB/1 mW (AH-D1000 are 103, and "black-padded" AH-P372 were slightly muter).

Both sets here are white, one has been sold, only "grey pads" remains.

 

[SharkSkin]

Got mine yesterday and I'm loving them so far

 

[Mintz]

Ok, that makes sense. Thanks for the explanation!

 

[Mintz]

I own a pair of the AH D1001, which I love, and wouldn't mind having a portable version. I listen to a lot of hip hop. Do you think the 372's perform well for that kind of music?

 

[Seidhepriest]

AH-D1000 are pretty good for outdoors. AH-P372 are foldable, yes, but that's about it... They're supra-aural, they're less comfortable, sound's slightly toyish. Better recable & mod the AH-D1001, see

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/mar...-d1000-350167/

Unless there're white body/grey pads AH-P372, of course.

Then recable & mod both! Mouah-ha-ha-ha!

 

[Seidhepriest]

 

[Dangermouse2003]

Just got a pair today (again ) and I really like them. Treble and bass are a bit exaggerated (I've eq'ed the treble/ upper mids down a bit). Mine are the black + silver cup/black pad version, and though I havent heard the grey pad version, these seem quite bright.

I would agree they are a fun sounding headphone, quite fast and forward with a small soundstage. I have the d1001s and these sound a bit alike (maybe a denon house sound?), but I think the speed and more exaggerated sound set them apart. I've been using them with a x1060 walkman, playing Metallica, Judas Priest, and some 70s and 80s pop. I know a headphone is good if they make me grin, and these do.

The creaking I mentioned before is actually more of a knocking (I think from the cable) which isn't that bad, happens more if I look down for some reason. A recable may help depending on the sleeve material.

Build is quite good, all plastic but kinda heavy for its size.Clamp is moderate, I could wear these for a couple of hours without much discomfort. Isolation is enough at moderately loud volumes to suffice on public transport (my walkman was at 18/30 on the train, sat at home it's at 16). The strong bass means that outside noise doesn't cut into the music much.

Definitely recommended.