Hello everyone! I wanted to wait a week, before I provided my updated thoughts, on my new Denon AH-D9200's.
DURABILITY:
Lets begin talking about durability, since this has been the factor, behind the death of many previous headphones, that I have used. These headphones feel like they are durable as a tank, literally everything in the headband is made out of metal, except for the pad obviously. The metal is also quite thick, and it feels like it, while I am moving the cups around. There is also a level of resistance in the swivel joints, while requiring some effort to rotate, I appreciate that they are not a lose fit like many other headphones, causing them to wobble around on their axis. Even the headband adjustment feels like quality, with tactile notches that you can feel, as you extend them out.
The bamboo wooden cups are a nice touch, and they have a noticeable texture about them. The recessed and metal applied logo, is also a nice touch, which also speaks to the quality and pride, that Denon does its best to produce, for its customers. The headband pad is made of actual leather, and its stitched in a woven pattern. For the cost of these can's, I would have proffered that the headband pad had well, more padding, but it is barely adequate. The cup pads are apparently made out of engineered leather, which is just a funny way of saying pleather. But I've been told, that the pleather that these can's have, is of a higher end quality, that is supposed to resist skin oils and sweat, even far better then genuine leather!
STYLING:
As we all know, when were spending this kind of money, we do actually expect to get equal levels of style, to go with equal levels of durability and function. While these may not be the sleekest can that was ever made, the headband has some sleekness to it, especially the way it sweeps into the connection point to the cups. I like the look of the bamboo wood, and while I would prefer the wood to look darker, like the 5200's, it still looks good. While the pads are a nice round shape, the interior design of them is quite strange, almost wedge shaped, but your not going to see that once you put them on. The silver/interior black/exterior braided audio cable, is also very nice.
COMFORT:
In regards to the comfort of this can, it won't be receiving perfect marks. I am going to be honest and say, for 1700 dollars out the door, I really expected that the headband pad, would have been at least double the thickness then it is. If you don't have the headband height set properly, you will indeed bottom out the headband padding, just as other's have mentioned. I could get a cushion for it, like I did for my V-Moda can's, but it would make the can's look like garbage, and I won't do that to a flagship can.
In regards to the cup pads themselves, its more of the same. Just barely enough padding to get the job done, but I can still feel my ear lobes resting against the foam interior, and that shouldn't happen, not for a 1700 pair of can's. Additionally, I discovered something else, the pads can rotate quite easily, so be aware of that, especially if you are cleaning them. Make sure that the stitch mark, meets up with the cable ports, otherwise your sound coming out of the can's, will not be ideal! Having said all that, I am able to wear these can's all day without issue, and the high quality pleather pads are super soft!
PERFORMANCE:
As an basshead, who's used cans like the JVC SZ1000's / SZ2000's, V-Moda LP2's, and Ultrasone Signature X's, I have a pretty good idea, on what getting down low is, and what hitting hard is. The JVC's could get down real low, but their bass was sloppy. The V-Moda's were slightly more detailed, but couldn't go down quite as low. The Ultrasone's were cable of going down super low, but this time, providing more detail and bass punch, then the other's did. I have been listening to the Denon 9200's for a week now, 18-hours a day, which has given the drivers plenty of time to burn in.
The Denon 9200's, while not delivering as much bass power thunder as the Sig X's, they are however capable of getting down low to 10-Hertz! I discovered this by running that test. Not only that, but the 50mm drivers, are also capable of producing some real solid bass punch, which is excellent for listening to drums, and rock music. Perhaps the most impressive feature however, is that these cans, can produce the most detailed of bass I ever heard. At no point in listening to these cans, on any song, instrumental music, or even in movies and video games, does the bass feel sloppy. The bass appears to be hitting at the proper points, and that is excellent!
While the mids are mostly flat, (Harmon Target Curve) they do come off feeling warm, even when connected to an analytical amp. But i feel it important to note, that the mids are not boomy at all, I didn't have an uncomfortable experience at all due to the mids. I will say however, depending on the source that is playing, sometimes the mids felt like they were produced in an actual tin can, but that wasn't the case for all things listened to, it really depended. One can easily adjust the mids with EQ, in order to compensate for that, if they really want to. No doubt this is caused, by the fact that it is a closed back can. You wouldn't have this problem with open back.
Many people have rated this can as having higher frequencies then normal, and saying that the cans produce just barely below the feeling of sibilant uncomfortability. While I can't deny the facts of that, due to the literal 5-years of professional testing, with graphs proving this as such, I however, didn't experience this at all. I think this is due to my setup, which might be flattening out the highs. As when I put the 3K, 6K, 8K, and 12K to flat on my Realistic EQ box, I found the highs were muffled, and sounded like crap. I had to raze those frequencies to +4DB, which set them straight for me.
I kept the mids flat though, as I didn't have any need to raise them. But since I am an basshead, I like to get as much bass out of my can's as possible, without causing distortion. I found in my own testing, that these can's handle EQ really well, no doubt due to the really high quality drivers. So I raised the 30-hertz and 60-hertz frequencies to +10DB, and I was able to get a considerable amount more bass out of my can's, without sacrificing audio quality.
That video came out 16-years ago, which is practically half the life of the internet itself, crazy how time flies. That video is important, because it helps to test these can's spatial abilities. I am not just talking about standard stereo separation from left to right, but also forward to back. We all know that open backed can's are going to have an advantage in regards to spatial imaging. But I think it will surprise you to know, that these closed back can's, are actually capable of providing, a little bit of spatial imaging. I actually felt like I was in the barber chair getting my hair cut. I was so immersed into it, at one point I got up and said, hey, don't take off too much man! At another point I said, not so close to my ears, whats wrong with you. LOL If you have these, I suggest trying out this video, especially when he puts a bag over your head, it becomes a horror show for a moment, its like, this is against the Geneva convention yo. LOL!
That is another video which demonstrates. these can's spatial imaging abilities. I think you would agree, for a closed back can, these do really well, and this is what makes listening to orchestra music, or other based live music, movies, and especially games, so much fun to listen to, because of what these can's bring to the experience. Keep in mind however, if your listening to poorly recorded tracks, like a lot of The Beatles music were from the 60's, your not going to get much spatial imaging, and your lucky enough to just be able to hear any stereo separation at all. Music is just better recorded now days, and with technologies like Dolby Atmos, were getting so much more out of our movies and video games as well, its crazy good these days!
In that testing track, we are not only testing these can's spatial abilities, but this time were also testing the can's frequency response, as well as its abilities to produce details. If you've ever listened to a low quality can, or anything that is just pure garbage, and then you listen to this same testing track with the Denon 9200's, you will hear what I do, and thats a vastly different experience, as the Denon's re-produce the sound, and details, of how it was for the person standing there, who recorded all of this. Its an immersive experience like that, which for me, really sells the 9200's. For each increase in quality I go up, I am hearing more and more details in songs, movies, and games, which is why it really is worth it, buying a top of the line can.
Personally, I listen to a whole variety of songs, from many genre's, so its not worth mentioning all the individual songs. But just know, I listen to it all except for death/screamo metal, cause I am not into that lol. These cans really do excel in the details, solid bass response, mids being present, and as long as I keep the higher frequencies tuned up slightly, they produce strong as well. And in movies and games, while these details are equally important, as well as frequency response, spatial imaging sells even more here. Having said all that, I did use two main instrumental only soundtracks, because I knew the music so well, that I could spot any changes.
Both the Half Life 2 soundtrack, as well as the Stray Soundtrack, have some of the best instrumental game music that I have heard, and for me, even this music alone, sells these can's! While these can's may not have a higher average bass power as the Sig X's, what the 9200's do have, is much higher detailed bass, and more detailed bass punch. It just seems like the bass hits at certain key moments, where lower quality can's, tend to get sloppy, or miss the moment entirely to slam bass. With pretty decent spatial imaging, solid separation, and good higher vocal and high frequencies response, really makes the 9200's a force to be wreckin with.
CLEANING:
One of the drawbacks to that fancy soft high end pleather pads, is that they are a dandruff & dust magnet. If you think you can just brush them off with your fingers, think again, its like they are negatively charged, holding the dandruff or dust like a magnet! These are easy to clean however, and I am using a method recommended to me, from another Head-fier. He recommended that I use a baby wipe to clean the sweat and dust off them, and then use a bamboo towel, to dry them off. Using this method, I was able to clean the pads, and headband pad perfectly. I was then able to come back with the bamboo towel, to dry them off without issue. This is the best way to do it, to extend the life of your pads, while keeping everything hygenic. Don't use powerful cleaning agents, or alcohol, you'll destroy your pads in an instant!
CONCLUSION:
I will start by saying, there is no such thing as the perfect can. If you want the highest quality best producing spatial imaging can, you are of course, going to go with an opened backed can. But open backed can's suffer from not having the best low end bass, and anyone next to you, are going to know what you are listening to. So yes of course, that means porn is out LMAO! A closed back can ,will not produce the highest quality spatial imaging known to man, but will produce much deeper bass, which absolutely matters to a basshead. And if you want to have more privacy, or overall just being respectful in an office for example, a closed back can is your friend.
It is in my opinion, that the Denon 9200's, are the best balance between a closed back, and an open back can, as you are going to get. Couple that with the amazing build quality, and you got something that is going to last your life! But it does lose some points to comfort in the design choice. Overall, I really love my Denon 9200's, and I am going to give them a solid 4.5 out of 5. Or on a 10-scale system, I will give them a solid 8.0 out of 10. They may not be the best thing out there, but oh man, they are so good. I hope that I answered any questions that you may have had. Thank you for your eyeballs, I really appreciate your time!
