Denon AH-D7200 Reference Over Ear Headphones

After reading stellar reviews from pros and consumers, I decided to buy these very handsome headphones. I must say that these sounded very good from the box. Of course some attributes were improved on after about a month of listening. I have found that certain music such as orchestral, chamber music and piano as well as acoustic jazz and folk benefit from these headphones. However, EDM (yes, I'm guilty), pop and hard rock are lacking some bass presence. Also, vocals seem to sound a bit recessed in the mix. However lieder, jazz vocals and opera sound just fine.The fit is best for a smaller head, although don't let that deter from auditioning these 'phones. They stay on quite nicely if you dance around a bit (yes I'm also guilty). The cord is robust, however it's a bit microphonic. And the overall real estate on your head is gonna be big. Denon also makes a flagship model with bamboo wood. I wonder what they sound like...

Headphone enthusiasts like myself (or canheads in nerd speak) remember the mystique around the legendary DENON AH-D5000 and AH-D7000 headphones. I owned the 5000 model for a time, but eventually sold them to make way for newer and better balanced headphones appearing on the market. The original models sounded fine but (and this is the slow kiss of death for me) the mids were recessed in relation to the other frequencies. Well folks, I'm delighted to report that the AH-D7200 resolve that issue and then some. These are brilliant headphones. The sound is balanced, the mids are slightly forward but not noticeably so... they're perfect. Oh, and as a bonus, they're much more comfortable than their predecessors.

Overall, I think these are good headphones. I've learned over the few years as I've been getting into the headphone hustle that it's incredibly difficult to find a perfect headphone...the elusive "end-game"! To that end, these headphones aren't perfect, but they're a great choice if you're looking for a fun, relaxed sound that still has audiophile clarity and resolution. However, you may have to do some pad rolling, and the headband isn't for everyone.I decided to look at these headphones because I was in the market for a fun-sounding pair of headphones that had a u-shaped frequency response; I wanted to enjoy clear trebles in the presence of strong, impactful bass, but without sacrificing on the mids too much. I also wanted them to be well-built and comfortable. These headphones get me as close as I've managed to get to completing the quest!As part of this search, I've tried the Klipsch HP-3 (they sounded amazing, but the headband was way too loose for my head and it kept feeling like they wanted to off my head) and the Fostex TR-X00 Mahogany (these also sounded great, but the mids were a bit too recessed and the built quality is not great).Out of the box, the AH-D7200 sounded muddy and the bass was too overwhelming to me. This was despite burning in the headphones for about 50 hours. I decided to do some pad rolling with ZMF pads, and so I tried out the Universe lambskin, suede, and perforated lambskin pads. In that order, I found #1 sounded largely the same as the stock pads, #2 had just slightly too much bass and just not quite enough treble, and #3 had perfect bass but the treble was too bright. So, I've settled on the ZMF Universe suedes for now; as I listen to them more, I'm finding that I'm happy with this sound! I might eventually fiddle around with using some Dekoni attenuation rings (although the rings are sized for bigger pads, so I'll have to take some scissors to them), but at this point I'm happy. I'm not sure if it's appropriate, but I'd also call these headphones bass cannons; they seem to really show off for genres like hip hop, rap, and rock.Between these and the TR-X00, I prefer the better build quality of the Denon and substantially better resolution of the mids and trebles.I'm not sure why others haven't commented about the overwhelming bass with the stock pads. I just found that it overwhelmed everything else, and pad rolling was the only thing that tamed it down.The only thing that I don't like about the headphones is the headband. The leather is nice and it feels very cushioned, but the foam they use has bumps on it on the inside (hopefully you can see them in the picture), and those bumps (3 of them, by my count) press firmly on my head and I find that pressure pretty annoying. You eventually adjust to it, but it never feels great. I ordered a wool headband cover from AliExpress (similar ones can also be found on Amazon) that helps alleviate the discomfort a bit, but it's still not enough; the pressure of the headband starts overwhelming the experience of the headphones. It probably doesn't help that I have a fairly oval/narrow head, but still, I don't get why you'd put that pattern into the foam in the first place; it's an aspect of the design that can clearly be improved. In the end, the headband was too uncomfortable for me, and I've decided to sell them.

These are well built. Unlike other reviewers, these fit my head comfortably enough. I tested these side by side with the Dan Clark Aeon Flow 2 Closed Back. These were clearly fuller sounding and more immersive. I will admit that along with other reviewers the high end was not as bright as my KEF LS-50 Metas but I might be able to live with that. I might try another option in this price range but these are a possible keeper for me. Happy to get any recommendations.Update: I was able to find a Denon AH-D9200 model (short supply everywhere). They solve the brightness issue with great breadth and depth across the spectrum. Pricier but I plan to use them for many years and prefer them. Build is equivalent but sound is a clear notch above.

I have had some decent headphones, but decided to upgrade. After reading reviews of dozens of headphones and listening to a few, I decided on these without listening to them first. They sounded amazing from the first time I put them on and have improved with more hours of listening time. Highly recommend.

Uhm I love them, love the vocals, bass, sub-bass and trebles. Very pleasing to listen to for hours, they're warm, relaxing. I love the fact I can use them in balanced mode, which in my opinion brings out more depth to the music. Definitely my number 1 closed cans. Also love the Hifiman ed. x. Wanted badly try out the bio cellulose fiber that has been used with great success in past, like Sony R10, but where can I get one of those? I've tried the nighthawks, but the design and sound didn't win me completely, so I sold them. These danon are a winner in my opinion. Did I say I love the vocals?

I used AH-D2000's every day for almost 10 years and eventually had to upgrade. Very glad I stuck with Denon. Well worth the money. I still wear these 5-10 hours a day and they always sound and feel great.