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Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Dec 31, 2008
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Since it's a HeadRoom purchase and no one seems that interested in them since the rise of the AH-D7000 and even moreso, the Sennheiser HD-800, I thought I'd make a few comments anyway. It took some consideration to purchase these cans especially while being swooned by the craze for the more expensive and newer model, the D7000, as well the other alternatives currently carrying the rave.
Looks and Ergonometrics:
Looks and Ergonometrics:
- They're nice looking.
- A little heavier than I expected. I haven't put them on scales, but I do get the feeling that it's heavier than the HD 650. It's nice and comfy though. It fits differently from the HD 650 in that it grips my head less and the ear pads have more bulk. This makes bending over etc. give that feeling of the phones losing their hold. However, they actually don't fall off or move out of position, requiring a readjustment once I'm back in the upright position.
Sound:- I'm happy that it comes with a 1/8" plug. It suites my ultra micro amp just fine.The power cable has a cloth weave finish with some limitation in flexibility (no less than my Cardas cable) and some degree of memory. However, the bulk is reassuring.
Conclusion:The sound signature of these Denons are to me, very different from the HD 650's. If I were to use single words to describe the sound, I'd say 'clinical' for the HD650's and 'fun' for the Denon's.
To appreciate the Denons, the phones will need some burnin and you'll need some conditioning.
When I first heard them, I was taken aback by the richness of the bass response. The fullness and depth of the bass stands out big time and perhaps too much when listening to particular musical selections. Despite the prominence, I wouldn't use words like uncontrolled or distorted. I'd use only one word 'prominent' or 'pronounced'. Where bass is prominent in the music words like 'visceral' and 'thundering' come to mind. These Denons do produce detail of timbre in the bass that the HD650's do not. The Denon's present it to you, while you have to listen out for it on the HD650's.
The mids do seem to have a bit more presence and the highs about the same as the HD650s.
Soundstaging and overall sound are interestingly affected by the wooden enclosures. A resonance chamber of sorts is created creating a lush echo effect that's subtle and leads to an enhancement of soundstaging and base response.
They do leak sound despite their being closed. Not much, but more than I expected.
My next cans may well be another open back with wood in the construction, i.e., a pair of Grado's.Overall, I think the HD650 is the more balanced of the two since the HD650's are absolutely exquisite when listening to well recorded and balanced music.
OTOH, the Denon's do add extra fun to listening to a lot of the contemporary music I have collected. For example, they are absolutely fun for listening to Iron Maiden, Paradise Lost, Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin. It's base response makes for an excellent mate when listening to the Reggae genre.
I'll be having a lot of fun with these new cans and I agree with HeadRoom's 5 bars/stars. I'm very happy with this purchase and highly recommend it to anyone who wants to try an interestingly different sound signature to the Sennheisers without burning the wallet too much.