[sacd lover]

How do the Denons do with the Extreme?

 

[Skylab]

Quote:

Originally Posted by orangem /img/forum/go_quote.gif Skylab, would it be too presumptious (and wrong) of me to say that closed cans tend to be a bit more colored in the way they sound? I havent been into headphones that long but I did notice that alot of people comment their closed cans (whatever they are) sound colored. Thanks for enlightening a newbie! Personally I love brighter sounding cans (like the K701s I have) so should I steer away from closed?

I do not think this is true at all. There are bright (W5000) closed headphones. Closed headphones run the entire gamut of sonic signatures.

Quote:

Originally Posted by markl /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thank you Mr. Skylab for taking the time to write up such a carefully considered and well-written review of the MD5000, it is appreciated. I knew going in that the stock Denons were not Skylab's all-time favorites to begin with, so I am pleased he approached them with an open mind and glad to read such an even-handed and forthright review of the MD5000. Cheers.

Thanks again for the chance to review them! I really enjoyed listening to them. Sorry that I did not get the info on the pads - that might have made a difference. And I totally get your soundstage comments as well. Some people will LOVE the soundstage of the MD5000.

Quote:

Originally Posted by onocentaur /img/forum/go_quote.gif I apologise for any offense taken. I wasn't being serious; I tried, but obviously failed, to signpost this with the smilies. My comparison was purely subjective, but I don't think that means the difference of opinion is invalid

No offense taken - just trying to clarify for others. And yes, differences of opinion are GOOD

 

[Skylab]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sacd lover /img/forum/go_quote.gif How do the Denons do with the Extreme?

Quite well I felt. The Extreme handles low impedance headphones quite well. Nice sounding combo too, actually.

 

[sacd lover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif Quite well I felt. The Extreme handles low impedance headphones quite well. Nice sounding combo too, actually.

Did you prefer the Denons with tubes or SS?

 

[-=Germania=-]

^ I have to agree with you.

I listened to them at the meet in a balanced config and really did not strike me as that much better than what I currently had as far as headphones go.

While I thought that they did sound good, the price tag would be enough for me to gasp at the time (relatively poor college student here). The JVC DX1000's struck me a much more the "poor man's R10" and a number of people agreed with that assumption at the meet. If you could lessen the bass a bit with more control on the DX1000's I think you would have a nice setup.

That being said, I realy liked Aura's hyper modded D2000's and were among my favorites comming off of the meet (APS cable, Rosewood Deep cups, Markl style mods). Maybe the degree of modification is key?

The k1000's were just that much better to me overall and if the R10 was not present would have been #1.

If someone did all the work themselves though, this could be a very worthwhile mod!

 

[Skylab]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sacd lover /img/forum/go_quote.gif Did you prefer the Denons with tubes or SS?

Excellent question. I prefer them with tubes, generally, as long as we are talking about the right tube amp. Markl asked me to do the review primarily with SS, to which I agreed, but I felt the sound from the Extreme with the MD5000 was better overall than with the KICAS of the Hybrid Head-Direct EF-1 (although they both sounded very good, they are not the equal sonically of the Extreme).

 

[Tiemen]

Skylab, you wrote:
>I compared the MD5000 to the stock D5000 I own, as well as the Kenwood K1000 (@ $350), and the JVC DX1000 (@ $900)<

Could you spare a few words about where the Kenwood fits in?

 

[Skylab]

The Kenwood is a very nice overall headphone, and I think represents good value for the money, although it isn't as good as either the stock Denon or the MD5000 IMO. However, for a good closed headphone for $350, it's excellent. Nicely balanced with a slightly warm sonic signature, good treble clarity, slightly lush mids, and full, plump, punchy bass.

 

[sabatar]

WOW! What a great review. Thanks very much for sharing such valuable thoughts. I'm a happy D5000 owner and I will never part ways with it but I'm torn between the JVC at issue and the new Denon--D7000.

I'm so looking forward to a review by yourself comparing the JVC HPs to D7k.
Cheers

 

[mrarroyo]

At the Orlando meet in August I had an opportunity to listen to three versions of the Denon D5000.

1. Stock
2. MarkL modded
3. MarkL modded w/ a re-cable

I felt the MarkL modded were as comfortable as the stock ones but with a difference. This being you new they were on, the stock ones disapear from your head. I felt that I could wear the MarkL modded ones for as long as I wanted since they were very comfortable.

As far as value I felt that the biggest bang was in the MarkL modded version and IMO it is an improvement over the stock. As expected we all have different ears.

 

[Skylab]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrarroyo /img/forum/go_quote.gif As far as value I felt that the biggest bang was in the MarkL modded version and IMO it is an improvement over the stock. As expected we all have different ears.

Actually, if you mean the biggest bang for the buck is the one with the Markl mods and no recable, then this makes perfect sense to me. I have not heard that combo, but it makes sense that this would be the best value.

 

[woof37]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrarroyo /img/forum/go_quote.gif At the Orlando meet in August I had an opportunity to listen to three versions of the Denon D5000. 1. Stock 2. MarkL modded 3. MarkL modded w/ a re-cable I felt the MarkL modded were as comfortable as the stock ones but with a difference. This being you new they were on, the stock ones disapear from your head. I felt that I could wear the MarkL modded ones for as long as I wanted since they were very comfortable. As far as value I felt that the biggest bang was in the MarkL modded version and IMO it is an improvement over the stock. As expected we all have different ears.

What difference did you find in #2 and #3? It's going to take something drastic to make me mod my 5000s.

 

[woof37]

Thanks! Great info. Think I'll stick with mine stock.

 

[Kees]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Kenwood is a very nice overall headphone, and I think represents good value for the money, although it isn't as good as either the stock Denon or the MD5000 IMO. However, for a good closed headphone for $350, it's excellent. Nicely balanced with a slightly warm sonic signature, good treble clarity, slightly lush mids, and full, plump, punchy bass.

Nice review. I fully agree with your opinion of the DX1000 (of course). I never heard a d5000, so I can't say anything about them, but I do rate the Kenwood a bit higher than you seem to do.
I find them to be extremely versatile. They are also particularly good with classical music (very few phones are). I am having mine recabled at this moment (Markl / Jena) and think they could be serious competition for the DX1000....

 

[Blackmore]

Very easy to read and enjoyable as well, thanks. And yes, DX1000 are the best closed back I have heard so far.