[CantScareMe]

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I had a quick audition of prototypes of the AH-D600 and AH-D7100 on Tuesday, and came away truly impressed. Unfortunately the source was limited (my iPhone playing lossless files of some reference tracks), but the headphones didn't seem to complain. These were described as being "98% there" in terms of voicing, so I think they were further along than what Jude heard. On my head, the comfort level was a few steps better than the older models, and I would say they are some of the most comfortable full-sized headphones I've ever worn. They fit around my ears perfectly, and felt substantial lighter than the old models. Tonally these are clearly less thick and warm sounding that the older models, with a lightness, speed and clarity I've never hear before from a Denon. The 600 has a little more of old warmth than the 1700, but it was never bloated sounding. Imaging was exceptional with pinpoint clarity.
 
I'll reserve further comment until I hear the production versions using better source components.

 
 
 
Interesting.

 

[MuppetFace]

Quote:

I had a quick audition of prototypes of the AH-D600 and AH-D7100 on Tuesday, and came away truly impressed. Unfortunately the source was limited (my iPhone playing lossless files of some reference tracks), but the headphones didn't seem to complain. These were described as being "98% there" in terms of voicing, so I think they were further along than what Jude heard. On my head, the comfort level was a few steps better than the older models, and I would say they are some of the most comfortable full-sized headphones I've ever worn. They fit around my ears perfectly, and felt substantial lighter than the old models. Tonally these are clearly less thick and warm sounding that the older models, with a lightness, speed and clarity I've never hear before from a Denon. The 600 has a little more of old warmth than the 1700, but it was never bloated sounding. Imaging was exceptional with pinpoint clarity.
 
I'll reserve further comment until I hear the production versions using better source components.

 
Would you mind giving us a hint as to how you managed to listen to these? Do you work for the industry, or just have really good connections?

 

[rovex]

Here are photos I took while at Denon's U.S. offices

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Which model is this?

 

[Horse-Fi]

They seem like the lower end model when compared to the D600 and D7100,
so pricewise i think these might run for $250-300 .... or at least thats what i hope them to be XD.

 

[rovex]

They seem like the lower end model when compared to the D600 and D1100,
so pricewise i think these might run for $250-300 .... or at least thats what i hope them to be XD.

Yeah at first I thought it was a D1100 replacement, but either way i think they're fantastic looking cans and sure hope to get my hands on them.

 

[MattTCG]

I'm kinda surprised that more people aren't talking about the removable cable. That's a big improvement to me.

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

Dunno what to think about the less warm sounding, I never concidered Denons overly warm sounding headphones, OK D5000 possibly yea. 

 

[derbigpr]

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I don't know if they are joking or not. The design clearly shows root to the dreaded Monster Beat, I much prefer the older ones. Now that D7000 might get discontinued soon, the demands on them might just bump the price up back to normal.

 

 
Now say D600 look better than the other two.  

 

[ProjectDenz]

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Now say which looks better.  

 
 
Erm....Beats, duh!

 

[Bradsnake412]

Quote:

 
 
Erm....Beats, duh!

Beats do look cool but everyone is different.

 

[IEMCrazy]

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I'm kinda surprised that more people aren't talking about the removable cable. That's a big improvement to me.

 
I agree.  There are two things that strike me positively about these: The removable cable, and the bigger, cushier earpads.  Both are big pluses.  I'm also pleased to see the mahogany make a return.   Those are, however the only two positives about these.
 
I don't know, for $500 there's HD650, HE-400 + accessories up to $100, K/Q70x + accessories up to $150, DT990 + accessories up to $120, T70.  For $1100 you could buy LCD-2 and accessories, HD700 + accessories, you could almost buy T1.  
 
I'm not seeing very much incentive to buy these new Denons at those prices given their obvious redesign to mass market values (Music Maniac

) and an unknown manufacturer/designer versus the old Foster models.  They have them competing against some very well regarded headphones including their own previous models.   This still reeks of classic Sony business model product releases that clearly indicate a lack of knowledge of what their customer base actually wants and what they will pay for it.   Mass market won't pay audiophile prices, and audiophiles want something that looks audiophile and not mass market. 
 
Regardless of Jude's stance as a mandatory apologist as an invited guest of Denon, there is scarcely a way that can't fail at those prices with those looks regardless of how flat the EQ is.   Even if they sound great, they're priced the same, or more than, many other headphones that also sound great and look a heck of a lot better, or at least are more in tune with the aesthetic desires of audiophiles willing to dump that kind of money on a headphone. 
 
I agree with jerg.  Discontinuing a highly successful, profitable product in exchange for an experimental product with no clearly defined market screams of high-risk all or nothing business strategy.  And that suggests either the "inmates are running the asylum" (i.e. management now caves to investor whims to jump on fads), or Denon is financially in deep doo and needs to try something risky to make or break it (which would be very bad since I love Denon AVRs), or Denon needs to move some figures and markets around to align for a buyout or a spinoff-sale of their headphone division.
 
But there's little way that can compete in the market they're priced to compete in.   It could compete if it offered an astonishingly low price point for the quality, or offered over-the top quality (pack HD800 performance in to the D7100).  But even their own marketing info doesn't seem like they're confident in that kind of SQ performance. 
 
Even the "Music Maniac" name screams, blatantly, of a lack of understanding of their market for high priced headphones.  Or at least a lack of understanding of it as it exists outside Japan.

 

[Malevolent]

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I'm kinda surprised that more people aren't talking about the removable cable. That's a big improvement to me.

 
Well, I guess in all that hoopla concerning its looks, the fact that the cables are removable seems to have passed us by.

 

[tomllm]

If it's one thing Beats manage it's looking good.  Denon's new cans... look rather like yet another attempt at reproducing the style.  I have to say the 7100 here looks far better than I thought it did in the old first look thread, but given Denon's market was not really the under 25's in the first place, I can't really understand their logic in the new styling.  The narrow headband doesn't look too comfy to me either.
 
Audio Technica must have jumped for joy on discovering they're almost the sole manufacturer of woodies now.

 

[Tilpo]

If it's one thing Beats manage it's looking good.  Denon's new cans... look rather like yet another attempt at reproducing the style.  I have to say the 7100 here looks far better than I thought it did in the old first look thread, but given Denon's market was not really the under 25's in the first place, I can't really understand their logic in the new styling.  The narrow headband doesn't look too comfy to me either.

Audio Technica must have jumped for joy on discovering they're almost the sole manufacturer of woodies now.

Grado.

 

[MuppetFace]

Grado, Audez'e, Fischer, JVC... all of these companies have wood headphones.
 
Fostex, the company responsible for making Denon's previous DX000 series headphones, has their own woody flagship now too in the form of the TH900. Who knows? Since it's their OEM design anyway, they could put other models similar to the DX000 lineup down the road.