[scrapser]

Hello,
This is my first post.  I have the AH-D7100's and so far have been very happy with them.  They are my first pair of high end phones.  I received mine on August 1st from Crutchfield who apparently had them in stock long before anyone else that I could find.  I was going to get a pair of AH-D7000's but decided to wait for these.  I have never heard the 7000's.  I believe my phones have been used long enough now to be considered broken in.  I paired them up with Headroom's Desktop Amp (the $850 model).  I think they are awesome.  Everything I own sounds like I'm hearing it for the first time.
 
The bass is clean with a punch when its intended, mid-range is balanced, and the high end is clear.  You hear everything.  Voices have a real sense of presence.  The soundstage for me is not too big, not too small.  A friend tried them out and he said they sound like he was in a stadium so I guess there's something to be said for how each of us hears sound.
 
I don't care about graphs.  I'm not a machine.
 
I listen to all sorts of music.
 
Tangerine Dream
The Orb
Vangelis
New Order
Enigma
Kraftwerk
Classical
Enya
Kate Bush
JJ Cale
Pink Floyd
Randy Newman
Moody Blues
CCR
Beatles
Lot's of 60's, 70's and 80's pop
Willy Nelson
Digeridoos
Paul Winter
 
I realize judging phones is a very subjective thing...just like lots of other stuff.  For example, I own a 350Z and when I saw the 370Z I was horrified.  I suppose if I had owned the 7000's I would be disappointed with the 7100's.  That's just the way it goes.  If I had the money, I probably would go for a pair of the Fostex TH-900's.  Not because I'm not happy with the Denon's but because I know there is always something out there that's better.  Maybe I still might.  But I have heard there's a diminishing return on phones as you get past the $1500 mark.  I wonder if it's really worth it.

 

[elwappo99]

Quote:

I realize judging phones is a very subjective thing...just like lots of other stuff.  For example, I own a 350Z and when I saw the 370Z I was horrified.  I suppose if I had owned the 7000's I would be disappointed with the 7100's.  That's just the way it goes.  If I had the money, I probably would go for a pair of the Fostex TH-900's.  Not because I'm not happy with the Denon's but because I know there is always something out there that's better.  Maybe I still might.  But I have heard there's a diminishing return on phones as you get past the $1500 mark.  I wonder if it's really worth it.

 
Hi there!   Welcome to head-fi! Certainly a very good first post 

 It's a great starting point for headphones. Hope you enjoy listening to them.  On that one point of diminishing returns, I'd say diminishing returns kicks in around the $50 mark. 

 

[scrapser]

Quote:

 
Hi there!   Welcome to head-fi! Certainly a very good first post 

 It's a great starting point for headphones. Hope you enjoy listening to them.  On that one point of diminishing returns, I'd say diminishing returns kicks in around the $50 mark. 

 
Hi and thanks for your thoughts. $50?  Are you saying anything after $50 is less worth it for what you spend?  Or are you just pulling my chain?  Maybe you meant $500.
 
As to my statement, I was repeating what I've heard elsewhere.  I do think there's something to it.  For example, I don't think the Fostex TH-900's are going to sound $800 better than the Denon's I have.  Better yes...but probably better in unexpected ways that would be hard to pin a price on.

 

[jronan2]

Quote:

 
Hi and thanks for your thoughts. $50?  Are you saying anything after $50 is less worth it for what you spend?  Or are you just pulling my chain?  Maybe you meant $500.
 
As to my statement, I was repeating what I've heard elsewhere.  I do think there's something to it.  For example, I don't think the Fostex TH-900's are going to sound $800 better than the Denon's I have.  Better yes...but probably better in unexpected ways that would be hard to pin a price on.

Welcome to head-fi. I bet you are really happy with the new denons and you should be, anyone who gets a taste of real cans for the first time gets blown away, but I truly believe that if you listened to an LCD 2 or one of the Hifimans, amped properly of course, you would see that there are better headphones on the market for the money. Im not a denon hater, in fact my D7K are my favorite headphones, everyone said I would sell them when I got an LCD 2, I haven't, I will never sell them unless I was out on the street. But I really believe denon messed up with this generation of headphones. The TH 900's are beautiful, supposedly sound beautiful, but again silly expensive and there are far better options for the money IMO. 

 

[Lorspeaker]

LMAO...50bucks.. . i must check out the latest cans and brands coming onstream.
my sweetspot is around usd300bucks...hd600..Q701...pro900 type of cans.
And closing my eyes, pretending my HM5 is a D7100...they are both as comfy.
They both sounded like a stadium...a lovehate thingy.
yes the z350 is a vw beetle on steroids.
 

 

[elwappo99]

Quote:

 
Hi and thanks for your thoughts. $50?  Are you saying anything after $50 is less worth it for what you spend?  Or are you just pulling my chain?  Maybe you meant $500.
 
As to my statement, I was repeating what I've heard elsewhere.  I do think there's something to it.  For example, I don't think the Fostex TH-900's are going to sound $800 better than the Denon's I have.  Better yes...but probably better in unexpected ways that would be hard to pin a price on.

 
I was serious with the $50-$100 region.  I think you get some very quality headphones at around the $50 mark. $50 headphones over a pair of let's say, ibuds, would sound incredible. After that point, you will not gain that same huge difference for each $50 you put in. The gain from ibuds to let's say a pair of px100's will be huge. The gain from a pair of px100 to a pair of $100 headphones will also be large, but not as large as the ibud gain.
 
I do like the $300 price mark though. There's a ton of really good headphones in there, and the gain after that is noticeably smaller. However, the gain from let's say ibuds to Q701, is not 3X the gain from ibuds to sennheiser hd25. 

 

[scrapser]

Quote:

 
I was serious with the $50-$100 region.  I think you get some very quality headphones at around the $50 mark. $50 headphones over a pair of let's say, ibuds, would sound incredible. After that point, you will not gain that same huge difference for each $50 you put in. The gain from ibuds to let's say a pair of px100's will be huge. The gain from a pair of px100 to a pair of $100 headphones will also be large, but not as large as the ibud gain.
 
I do like the $300 price mark though. There's a ton of really good headphones in there, and the gain after that is noticeably smaller. However, the gain from let's say ibuds to Q701, is not 3X the gain from ibuds to sennheiser hd25. 

 
Ah...okay I hear what you mean and agree.  I have had maybe a half dozen different headphones over the years but never really paid much attention to them until the last year or so.  Back in the late 80's I got some Stax headphones.  They sounded great but I honestly didn't know what I had on my head.  They were a Christmas present.  Back then headphones were headphones for the most part.
 
What changed my perspective ironically was chancing upon a kiosk at a mall selling Bose Quiet Comfort 2 headphones.  I bought a pair and thought they were really great...until a year or so later when I listened to some phones a coworker had (don't remember what they were).  So from then on I started forcing myself to like my Bose headphones even though I knew there was better to be had.
 
Next I bought a pair of the new Klipsch M40's on impulse.  I love Klipsch speakers but their headphones are an embarassment.  That's when I decided to get serious and ultimately bought the 7100's.
 
If someone asked me what I want out of headphones I would say authentic sound with strong (but not artificially strong) bass.  Clear transparent and clean sound on all levels including voice.  The soundstage is important but I don't want to feel like I'm in an amphi-theater either.  They have to be closed for work...otherwise my options would be much broader.
 
I think the 7100's do a good job.  After the fact, I see there were some other choices I could have considered but I have no regrets.  The Audio Technica's and Fostex have caught my eye for example.

 

[scrapser]

Quote:

Welcome to head-fi. I bet you are really happy with the new denons and you should be, anyone who gets a taste of real cans for the first time gets blown away, but I truly believe that if you listened to an LCD 2 or one of the Hifimans, amped properly of course, you would see that there are better headphones on the market for the money. Im not a denon hater, in fact my D7K are my favorite headphones, everyone said I would sell them when I got an LCD 2, I haven't, I will never sell them unless I was out on the street. But I really believe denon messed up with this generation of headphones. The TH 900's are beautiful, supposedly sound beautiful, but again silly expensive and there are far better options for the money IMO. 

 
Thanks.  The Fostex TH-900's tempt me even thought I haven't heard them.  I've since learned they made the 7000's for Denon, so there has to be something to consider there.  I'm sure the LCD's are very good but unfortunately they are not closed.

 

[AnakChan]

Quote:

 
Thanks.  The Fostex TH-900's tempt me even thought I haven't heard them.  I've since learned they made the 7000's for Denon, so there has to be something to consider there.  I'm sure the LCD's are very good but unfortunately they are not closed.

 
Note, although the TH-900's are closed, they're not isolating (as with the 7000's).

 

[palmfish]

I have tried many times to like the LCD-2's and I just don't. The HiFiMan HE-500 came close too, but ultimately I found it flawed as well.

The Denon's aren't perfect, but so far, I find them among the most pleasing headphones I have owned. I am still waiting for a chance to hear the new ones, but I'm sure they are very good.

 

[yklee118]

Quote:

 
 
 
With this, I am sorry to say that the review is hardly trustful.
 
Well, sounded too harsh, but in any angles I see, the whole review is really an advertisement
 
 

 
I am not advertising the Denon.  I am trying to remain a neutral and unbiased ear and blogger. 
 
Quote:

That blogspot has been mentioned a few times now on this thread and with each mention it's been fobbed off. Rightly so. I mean there's one review there entitled:
 

Denon AH-D2000 - The Sennheiser HD800 Killer Maybe​

 
I've heard both headphones properly, so I'll let you into a big secret.
No.
Denon's d2k isn't the hd800 killer.
 
 
The reviews are well written and easy to read (unlike 6moons). Quite in depth too so there must be something useful you can pick out (unlike headphoneinfo.com who write reviews without hearing the headphones and their measurments of isolation/leakage properties suck). What I'm saying is there are plenty of ways this blogger can do worse.

 
Sennheiser has a unique sound and so does Denon.  The last word in the quote is "Maybe".  The Denon AH-D2000 delivers an exceptionally impressive sonic signature with a very well developed sound-stage presence.  The Sennheiser HD800 delivers its own distinct sound-stage and sonic signature.  Both are quite good in their respective fields.  I own both the Sennheiser HD800 and the Denon AH-D2000.  I also own the Sennheiser HD-280-Pro, HD380-Pro, HD650 with the Moon Audio Silver Dragon upgrade, HD598 with the Moon Audio Blue Dragon upgrade, and the newly introduced HD700. 
 
On the Denon Side, I currently own the D2000, 5000, and 7000.  In addition, I currently own the new AH-D7100 and the D600 (which I am currently conducting a live update).  Denon delivers a very natural and warm sonic signature right off the line while the Sennheiser requires a considerable amount of break-in to reach that level. 
 
I too have given both a thorough listening session by comparing the two with the same amplifier with their stock cables installed (the Denon D2000 is hard wired) and both have different characters hence the "Maybe" in the tag line.  No advertisements.  Just an unbiased ear since I love both headphones.  Oh I forgot to mention that I also own the Sennheiser Orpheus BE/HEV90 with Western Electric vacuum tubes.
 
I am not as crazy as one would have it.  Just off slightly. 
 
Take care and stay well everyone

 

[Madmollusk]

I have to say, the d600's bass has steadily grown on me over the last two weeks. It's still overdone, in my humble opinion, and still has way too much presence for much of my music, but I'm slowly becoming a convert. The D600s bass really adds extra depth and punch to Deadmau5 and Thievery Corporation. Sometimes, I feel like I have mini subwoofers strapped onto my head. Many here say the D600s are not bass-head headphones, and that's probably true--the bass is big,  really big (too big for anyone looking for neutrality and balance), and yet the bass never eclipses or muddies the rest of the frequency response. Fantastic!  With that said, if you  mostly listen to acoustic music (think Ani Difranco), then I strongly suggest passing on the D600.

 

[Mediahound]

Quote:

I have to say, the d600's bass has steadily grown on me over the last two weeks. It's still overdone, in my humble opinion, and still has way too much presence for much of my music, but I'm slowly becoming a convert. The D600s bass really adds extra depth and punch to Deadmau5 and Thievery Corporation. Sometimes, I feel like I have mini subwoofers strapped onto my head. Many here say the D600s are not bass-head headphones, and that's probably true--the bass is big,  really big (too big for anyone looking for neutrality and balance), and yet the bass never eclipses or muddies the rest of the frequency response. Fantastic!  With that said, if you  mostly listen to acoustic music (think Ani Difranco), then I strongly suggest passing on the D600.

 
You should try Massive Attack's Mezzanine album. OMG the bass!

 

[Madmollusk]

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You should try Massive Attack's Mezzanine album. OMG the bass!

 
Indeed! Mezzanine sounds fantastic with the d600. I've never heard a more authoritative rendition of that album. Now if only the D600 had the soundstage of the HD650 or the Q701, I'd be inclined to shout, "Hallelujah!" 

 

[Lorspeaker]

floating a hunch....maybe the shape of the earpads restricted the left to right width of the sound presentation...
the depth of the new denons are superb though. 
( when i was toying with the AT pads on the beyers, the oval shaped pads pushed forward/cramped(?) the soundstage somewhat.. )