elrod-tom
Moderator - Prefers "stereo weirdo" to "audiophile"
Denon AH-D5000 Headphones with markl-mods and Jena Wire recable w/ balanced termination - Initial Impressions
About a month ago, another Head-Fi'er generously loaned me his markl-modded Denon AH-D5000's with the stock cable. It took me all of 15 seconds to say "wow, I've got to own a pair of these"...it left THAT much of an initial impression. Impactful bass, crisp highs without harshness, and a full, rich midrange. It reminded me of the AKG K1000's that I had recently sold - not because I didn't like them (I LOVED them), but because they were SO open that I could hardly ever listen to them.
Well, don't just believe me...the folks at the Detroit mini-meet liked them too (though perhaps not so much as me
)
Well, my latest thing is balanced termination. Ever since I bought the Wadia 830 and started listening to my Sennheiser HD600's right off the balanced analog outs (using the digital volume control as my volume pot
). From there, it was the HeadRoom Balanced Desktop with DAC - IMHO one of the truly incredible values in headphone audio. No going back now...I had to get a pair with balanced termination.
I contacted markl to inquire about the possibility of having the stock cable reterminated. I've known Mark for the entire time I've been here at Head-Fi, and I trust his instincts about all things audio without reservation. When he raved about the Jena Wire he used in a newly announced cable mod, I decided to bite the bullet and become the first balanced customer (the photo in the mall-fi ad...they're mine
)
Well, they arrived just shortly before my birthday...I've had them for two weeks now. I am in the process of working my way through a full-blown review, but that will take some more time (both listening and writing). In the mean time, I thought that some initial impressions were in order.
First, I want to say that the cable work on these modded cans is very nice indeed. The braiding is nice and tight, with no uneveness...the attention to detail is obvious. It also just plain LOOKS nice...silly, I know, but it's part of the whole package.
Right out of the box, they sounded pretty nice...but there's no doubt that they were a bit sibilant. This was not unexpected, as Mark make sure that I understood that they'd need about 200 hours to burn in completely. That said, I couldn't resist taking several extended listening sessions even early on in the break-in process. As of tonight, they're at about 140 hours and counting...
So...what's to like? I'm thinking a lot:
For starters, I've come to the conclusion (in my short experience with balanced termination) that certain cans benefit from it more than others. I think that the Denon AH-D5000 is one such can. I've heard others discuss how, when properly powered, the bass is taut and impactful. As much as I liked the single-ended markl-modded Denons (and make no mistake, I was so blown away that I bought these), I really think that balanced termination brings out the best in these cans. Everything seems just that much more open...instruments seem more separate, rim-shots and kick drums more impactful, and so on. I suspect that the Jena Wire may play a significant role in all of this as well, though I don't have a balanced pair with the stock cabling to use as a baseline.
I tend to listen at pretty low levels...call it force of habit, and the hope of maintaining my hearing for a while. One thing I appreciate about the Denons is the way that the sonics don't become muddy and washed out at lower volumes. I've had this issue come up with all sorts of cans (and more than a few speakers), and I'm pleased to announce that it seems much less an issue with the Denons than with pretty much any other cans I've used. Something about producing a headphone driver where the highs are not overpowered by mid-bass at lower volumes seems more difficult than one might expect...but between the drivers and the mods, it seems as though we're onto something here that's not insignificant to folks like me.
Having said all that, they sound DAMN good cranked up a bit too.
The strengths of these cans are two-fold:
First, their impact...they give a good pop, and instrumental decay seems more natural than many cans I've used. The bass is not the loose, single-noted sort spoken about by others when describing the stock D5000's.
Second, the detail and individual instrument separation. I found this to be a strength of the single ended markl-modded D5000's, but these balanced cans are another matter altogether. The highs are sparkling, without harshness. The mids are rich and clear. The bass has pop and pace that leaves one almost feeling the thump in ones chest. This creates a soundstaging that's better by far than any other closed cans I've used, and rivals some of the best open cans.
I'll be adding a lot more to these impressions, including photos and more stuff...and they will become a full-blown review shortly. Until then, I'll just keep on listening and enjoying the hell out of my latest new audio toy.
About a month ago, another Head-Fi'er generously loaned me his markl-modded Denon AH-D5000's with the stock cable. It took me all of 15 seconds to say "wow, I've got to own a pair of these"...it left THAT much of an initial impression. Impactful bass, crisp highs without harshness, and a full, rich midrange. It reminded me of the AKG K1000's that I had recently sold - not because I didn't like them (I LOVED them), but because they were SO open that I could hardly ever listen to them.
Well, don't just believe me...the folks at the Detroit mini-meet liked them too (though perhaps not so much as me
Well, my latest thing is balanced termination. Ever since I bought the Wadia 830 and started listening to my Sennheiser HD600's right off the balanced analog outs (using the digital volume control as my volume pot
I contacted markl to inquire about the possibility of having the stock cable reterminated. I've known Mark for the entire time I've been here at Head-Fi, and I trust his instincts about all things audio without reservation. When he raved about the Jena Wire he used in a newly announced cable mod, I decided to bite the bullet and become the first balanced customer (the photo in the mall-fi ad...they're mine
Well, they arrived just shortly before my birthday...I've had them for two weeks now. I am in the process of working my way through a full-blown review, but that will take some more time (both listening and writing). In the mean time, I thought that some initial impressions were in order.
First, I want to say that the cable work on these modded cans is very nice indeed. The braiding is nice and tight, with no uneveness...the attention to detail is obvious. It also just plain LOOKS nice...silly, I know, but it's part of the whole package.
Right out of the box, they sounded pretty nice...but there's no doubt that they were a bit sibilant. This was not unexpected, as Mark make sure that I understood that they'd need about 200 hours to burn in completely. That said, I couldn't resist taking several extended listening sessions even early on in the break-in process. As of tonight, they're at about 140 hours and counting...
So...what's to like? I'm thinking a lot:
For starters, I've come to the conclusion (in my short experience with balanced termination) that certain cans benefit from it more than others. I think that the Denon AH-D5000 is one such can. I've heard others discuss how, when properly powered, the bass is taut and impactful. As much as I liked the single-ended markl-modded Denons (and make no mistake, I was so blown away that I bought these), I really think that balanced termination brings out the best in these cans. Everything seems just that much more open...instruments seem more separate, rim-shots and kick drums more impactful, and so on. I suspect that the Jena Wire may play a significant role in all of this as well, though I don't have a balanced pair with the stock cabling to use as a baseline.
I tend to listen at pretty low levels...call it force of habit, and the hope of maintaining my hearing for a while. One thing I appreciate about the Denons is the way that the sonics don't become muddy and washed out at lower volumes. I've had this issue come up with all sorts of cans (and more than a few speakers), and I'm pleased to announce that it seems much less an issue with the Denons than with pretty much any other cans I've used. Something about producing a headphone driver where the highs are not overpowered by mid-bass at lower volumes seems more difficult than one might expect...but between the drivers and the mods, it seems as though we're onto something here that's not insignificant to folks like me.
Having said all that, they sound DAMN good cranked up a bit too.
The strengths of these cans are two-fold:
First, their impact...they give a good pop, and instrumental decay seems more natural than many cans I've used. The bass is not the loose, single-noted sort spoken about by others when describing the stock D5000's.
Second, the detail and individual instrument separation. I found this to be a strength of the single ended markl-modded D5000's, but these balanced cans are another matter altogether. The highs are sparkling, without harshness. The mids are rich and clear. The bass has pop and pace that leaves one almost feeling the thump in ones chest. This creates a soundstaging that's better by far than any other closed cans I've used, and rivals some of the best open cans.
I'll be adding a lot more to these impressions, including photos and more stuff...and they will become a full-blown review shortly. Until then, I'll just keep on listening and enjoying the hell out of my latest new audio toy.
