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neoufo51: Nice to hear you like the Denons. I think they're incredible value for money when you compare them with similar headphones in the same price range. I don't think anything can touch them as far as that's concerned. And I'll update the front page to put yours (and other comments on)
shigzeo: The sound is easy to get accustomed to isn't it? What are you listening with? And when you get a moment - please explain to me why the Image at 50ohms and the Denons at 16ohms use the same volume on the Sony AND the Zune. You seem to know a lot about impedance, and I'm curious as to why I'm using the same volumes with both headphones.
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OK, so I've been a bit lazy with this comparison, but still. . . I've done it now!
Firstly, it doesn't seem at all fair to compare a set of $480 headphones with the $100 Denons (I bought the Image from Amazon UK and they are way more expensive here.) But this IS a comparison thread so it's fair game. I haven't decided if I'll keep the Image yet, I'm still trying them out.
So to keep it 'brief', these are my impressions after 3 days with the Image plus the Zune 80.
Soundstage: They have an entirely different soundstage to the Denons. It's bigger, more immersive - and more like being in a mini studio. It breathes life into tired old CDs that sound crap with most headphones. Listening (shamefully) to Donna Summer's 'Hot Stuff' was like being transported into a disco and standing between the speakers. The 'circular' soundstage alone makes everything feel very 'trippy'. It's seductive, addicitve and once you've heard it, it's hard to go back. And the bass at the beginning of the song actually reverbed in my chest!
Bass: It's in a different category altogether. It slams with a lot of force (in a positive way.) I don't actually hear
more bass than the Denons - I hear the same amount, but presented with a lot more impact and bounce. It seems to drop in from a height which gives an incredible feeling of spaciousness/separation.
Treble: I prefer the quality of the Denon treble. I'd 'guess' there is the same amount of detail in both headphones - but the Denon treble is way more sparkly and engaging and I've always said I love the Denon treble. I definitely feel the sparkle is missing from the Image.
Midrange: Most of us agree that the Denon midrange is very forward. Well, the Image midrange is much more so. This can make louder volumes uncomfortable because the vocals are very close to the head and it can feel as if you're being shouted at. So I prefer the Denon midrange and I also prefer the clearer vocals with the Denons. The Image vocals are much warmer, not necessarily in a bad way (depending on preference) - but just compared with the Denons. This would probably only be relevant with an eq-less dap as the midrange could easily be tamed with a little EQ adjustment.
The differences between the Klipsch + Sony was not so noticeable to my ears. A bigger soundstage and more bass, yes - but then the Sony has bass adjustments that work very well, so that was never an issue. The issue I had was finding a pair of headphones I could use with the Zune which would eliminate my yearning for some EQ. The Image does that very well, but at a price I feel quite sick about
So, the Klipsch Image + Zune is the best portable combination I've ever heard. . . ever. The whole sound is very lifelike, but if anyone read the Klipsch Image review thread -
onlychild mentioned the Denons had more bass than the Klipsch - until a different dap was used - so the Image is no doubt sensitive to what it's paired with.
Despite the lack of sparkly treble and slightly aggressive midrange - it's easy to forget all that when the Image soundstage and bass kicks in. I think I was lucky to have found a good combination for the Zune. It took me months to find the right combination for the Sony - and it was a lot cheaper!
So I have 2 amazing setups now. The Sony + Denons is ideal for when I'm wandering round the house and can 'wear' the Sony, and also when I'm out and about. And the Zune + Image is perfect for sitting in one place and just listening! Now I plan to spend the next few weeks actually listening to music (and figuring out whether I should keep the Image or not!)
All in all - the Image is a wonderful headphone if paired with the right dap - but it didn't outperform the Denons as far as treble quality/sweetness was concerned. And I preferred the Denon's less aggressive midrange. BUT. . . the Image bass + soundstage + Zune has to be heard to be believed!