Headphone Quest: Denon AH-D5000
In the world of headphone listening there are many cult products. Perhaps that's because heaphone junkies are a passionate group, but just as likely it is the product of two factors: headphones are pretty personal (fit and all) and headphones are loaded with potential.
Like many headphiles, I've been a little dissatisfied with my rig. Basically, I've been running Sennheiser HD-650s from a HeadRoom Total Airhead. Wrong headphones, wrong amp or both, the sound was too thick and tizzy (that's a combo!). So, I'm off on a headphone quest of which this is installment 1.
First off, I procured a desktop-oriented amp just to up the chances that I wasn't starving the Sennheisers for power. I picked the Head-Direct HA-1 because it was affordable and I liked the lttle tube sticking up through the top plate. The HA-1 helped (a lot) but I can't really comment yet on how it compares to others of its ilk (we'll get to that).
Then I read a bunch of stuff at Amazon and Head-Fi and here. I decided to start with another mid-priced headphone to see if I liked something other than the Sennheisers materially more. I wanted to stay in roughly the same price range because it seem useful to start in the middle of current headphone pricing (which seems to start at about $50 and go up to about $1500, with a few exceptions).
I was interesting in close-back headphones as an more flexible alternative to the Sennheisers. So, I chose the Denon AH-D5000s. You can get these for around $500 and there are mods available. In my lazy world, when folks start to mod something there must be underlying goodness. That might be backwards thinking, but that's the way it seemed at the time.
The 5000s just arrived, so this is a very early view. First, the 5000s are famous or infamous for their bass. You don't have to listen for weeks to see why this is a hot topic. The 5000s have a pretty big bass bump, judged against live sound. But so far I'd say it is a pretty artfully judged bass bump that doesn't kill the music. Put differently, if you like bass and feel cheated when speakers or headphones are a little rolled off, the Denons could be your cup of tea.
The sound can get a little thick on the bottom with this EQ curve for sure. That said, bass boost can be less annoying and more articulate in headphones because you aren't dealing with (as many) unpredicatable resonances. You can hear this in the Denons, which have much more bass definition that a speaker would with this much low-end boost.
Now the accuracy hand-wringers in the group are going to want to leave the room at this point. But I'd also hazard that without some serious bass boost a headphone just can't sound as real. Something in a headphone has to substitute for the lack of slam and moving air that you get in real life from live sound or a good stereo. I think Denon has taken things a step too far (and that's what the mods are about), but that may be preferable to not taking things far enough.
Two other notes:
The midrange on these is relaxed and clear. Good job.
There may be a mid-treble edge that grates. Some modern recordings accentuate this, so I'm not sure yet, but if I had to proclaim my view right now, I'd say we need to smooth a peak somewhere up there.
If you want to be part of the dialog on this, you may wish to post in the forum thread I started on this:
http://www.avguide.com/forums/the-great-headphone-quest-denon-ah-d5000
Comments
It will be interesting to follow your headphone quest and see where you "land." There is a lot of activity in this space at all price levels. I was amazed at how good some of the headphone-based systems sounded at the Head-Fest Show I attended in the Bay Area in 2007. My fave was the discontinued AKG K-1000s which are mounted inches away from the ear, so you don't get a seal, but you also don't get that claustrophic feeling you can get from some "cans" or have to worry about ear-sweat either.
I'm a new reader so I probably missed something important about your application, but I wonder why not just get some Grados and be done with it?
Not flattering speakers, and inappropriate if you need sealed enclosures, but very good cans for serious listening. I like them better than my AKG240s or Sonys... they're similar to Beyer's, with open backs (hence isolation isn't total in either direction). One necessity: the "upgraded" surrounds you can find on amazon make them a lot more comfortable if you have long term listening sessions. The stock muffs aren't uncomfortable, just get warm due to material. Model differences are entirely sonic after the 125s, until you get to the crazy wood ones. 325s are very nice at lower price than the Denons. For computers and iPods, the 80s are nice.
-d-
similar sound to beyer's cans BUT with open back (beyers are closed of course) sorry about that!
If you look carefully at the background of the photo above, you'll see Grado SR-225s. I'm a Grado fan, starting with the SR-60s which are a great value. I'm sure we'll return to Grado as part of the quest.
That said, to "just get some Grados and be done with it" wouldn't serve the purpose of this series which is to examine the choices in headphones and headphone-related gear to help users in their own quests. Folks who already know Grados are the right choice will not be interested in this, of course.
The Denons are simply to establish a reference. And, as you pointed out, I think it is important to have a closed back offering (or two) on the table a) because some people listen in office environments where open back isn't appropriate and b) to ensure we don't pre-judge any technology.
Hope that helps clarify my intent.
AVGuide webmaster and general drudge
Looks good, thanks. I am curious to see how the AKG 501/701 or 702's compare and also your findings on which products offer the most return for the dollar, phones, mods or amps. If you are going with a budget of $500 for the phones, what is the overall rough, working budget for this project? $750? $1000? $1250?
Does it make sense to spend $500 on phones and $250 on an amp or is there a big difference going with up to a $500 amp?
Please also try a Benchmark DAC1 and Peachtree Decco as a headphone amp for comparison, if possible, to see if these effectively kill two or three birds with 1 stone.