[Magicman74]

I'm not starting a bashing thread but just posting some thought for the newer members who missed these back in 07/08.
So many people say the M50s are the gateway into this hobby. You younger guys REALLY missed out.
These were and still are the best headphones in this range ever.  The M50's can't hold a candle to them, I know the Cals are very close, but the Denons are just better sounding.  Too bad Denon got rid of them, A few places still have them in Japan but they go for upwards of $200. 
Not a hard call for myself to pay that for them, but at the under $100 they went for at the end, I find it very hard to be beat by anything really.  I still rock mine daily!!!
 

(Not my pic-Mine are the silver version in my profile pic)

 

[NA Blur]

I found the charts comparing the M50 to the D1001k Silver.
 
http://graphs.headphone.com/graphCompare.php?graphType=0&graphID[]=1603&graphID[]=2941

 

[DocTavia]

Looks pretty darn similar, but the Denons have a more regulated signature. Still, you can't ever go on only a graph to decide which pair of headphones is better than the other without listening to them side by side. Closest a lot of peopel can get it other's experieinces and analysis, but nothing beats your personal preference.
 
They may be good, but lots of people with a plethora of different musical and actual sound tastes populate this forum, and some need to spend hundreds, while others find their perfect sound in a pair of Koss Portapros. Times change, and right now it seems the M50s are holding their place as the most commonly recommended baseline headphones, and that's jsut fine. They have a bassy sound signature, with enough clarity to satisfy the majority of young head-fiers.
 
I'm sure the Denons are great, but I'm afraid their time has passed.

 

[Dyaems]

it is not a killer if you compare it to a headphone that is still manufactured until now. in fact, the denon is already been killed haha

 

[obobskivich]

I'm sure the Denons are great, but I'm afraid their time has passed.

They're better, I'll say that, but "great" they are not. They're less congested, less boomy, and have better staging (and MUCH better pads), but consider what we're comparing them to.

They were a good ~$100 headphone, true. Shame they're gone; moreso than the D2000 honestly (because the D2000 were relatively expensive, I mean they were superior, but the D1000 were *awesome* for a hundred bucks).

 

[Magicman74]

Quote:

They're better, I'll say that, but "great" they are not. They're less congested, less boomy, and have better staging (and MUCH better pads), but consider what we're comparing them to.

They were a good ~$100 headphone, true. Shame they're gone; moreso than the D2000 honestly (because the D2000 were relatively expensive, I mean they were superior, but the D1000 were *awesome* for a hundred bucks).

Oh yeah I wish I kept my 2000's .  I picked them up for like $210  when they first came out...  What an idiot I am for selling them off..   At least I still have the cable...HAHAAA!!!

 

[Tangster]

Not dead. You can still pick up the Aurvana Live for £50. 

 

[dcpoor]

how is it a "killer" when it was usually priced higher and at best was the same price as the m50's?
 
hey guys! the denon d7000 are d5000 killers!

 

[wje]

Quote:

Not dead. You can still pick up the Aurvana Live for £50. 

 
Correct.  Also, the CAL! might even be a slight upgrade over the Denon.  Tyll at InnerFidelity had some good things to say about the Aurvana Live!.  In the U.S., it can be found at retailers for $79.99.  Sometimes, less on Amazon.

 

[PFULMTL]

I've messed with those (or similiar shaped model?) here in Japan, but I didn't like the earpad material because it doesn't isolate and leak too much.  Loose fitting and cheap/fragile feeling too.  I didn't bother to listen to it long.

 

[Steely Dan]

I still have mine, haven't used them in a long time, I've never had M50s, but don't those have decent isolation?  The D1001 really doesn't have much isolation at all for a closed headphone, and doesn't really work for portable use in my opinion.  It does sound good though.

 

[obobskivich]

The M50 isolates reasonably well, I'd put them on par with the Sennheiser pro headphones if you know those.