Bought these for my wife to watch movies on the pc. She really liked my Denon AH-D5000, so I thought I would get these for her, they are a bit smaller in size as to fit her better. Being that they are a tad smaller they are lighter as well; which works better for her. I listened to them when she first got them and I am very impressed with the sound quality, very close to my AH-D5000, but not as full and warm sounding as the 5000. Overall they have adequate bass, mid and treble. I wouldn't mind using them for ipod or my laptop for travel. They even came with a storage bag and extension cable. My 5000's didn't even come with a bag. I orignally bought her some Senheisers D555's. The sound was as good as the Denon 1000's, but they were much heavier and the bass was lacking in comparison; wich is to be expected with an open air design like the Senheisers. Biggest comparison was the weight and tight fit of the Sennheisers compared to the light comfortable Denons. Some people have said they felt like cheap plastic; however this is because they are made of magnesium, which is stronger than plastic and lighter, a key feature for long wear. The days of heavy bulky metal phones that clamped onto your head like a vice are limited to professional gear which needs to take a beating and block more background noise. Great Value, Great Build, Great Sound = Buyer recommended.
First of all I should say that I love these. They're lightweight, innocuous, and do a good job with muffling sounds outside. I've taken these on a flight and they are quite lovely. Instead of that awful humming from active NC (think Bose QCs), they merely attenuate all sound around me. I can still hear the flight attendents, yet for some reason can't hear the baby three seats behind me.
As for sound quality, these are quite lovely. They have a nice, deep and accurate bass that helps distract from the din of the outside world. Vocals are presented quite well, and as everyone else has said here... treble could use some work. I've only noticed the annoyance in classical pieces, more specifically with strings.
These headphones are built well. I've already dropped them a couple of times, and they haven't had a scratch. Plus even if you do manage to break them outside of warranty or are at fault for breaking them Sennheiser has a parts shop to replace most any part.
In short this headphone is a great one. Perhaps the best I've ever encountered for a closed headphone, and my new favorite for portable use. Sure they're a bit uncomfortable, bad for classical strings, and look butt ugly... but that just means that they're great at isolation, good at just about every other kind of music, and have little appeal to a mugger.
Ok so when I saw the MDR 7509 had been redesigned I got all antsy about what I was missing. So when recently buying more cans for studio and CHiPOD use I looked into a few pairs of MDR-7505 phones. The salesman also had some very well priced new MDR-7509HD sets which I picked up on a pure whim.
So I get home and break out the 7505 sets to compare and start with the let down...No such let down came. The 7505 sets although smaller perform extremely well when compared to the old 7509 series.
Then came head to head tests between HD and Previous series 7509's. I must say the low end on the HD set is compromised to clarify their "better Midrange response". I found them more annoying for long sessions of monitoring...I prefer less high end in my sound and a more subdued midrange. Thats just my own preference.The old 7509 series is bassier if that's what tickles your fancy. It certainly does it for me. So I personally prefer the old series and the 7505 set to the HD series. Sorry to disappoint.
This now bring the question...Which of the 7509's are more colored and which are flat? So much for industry standards.
If you are getting them because of the 80 KHz response you won't hear it unless you're a dog eared human being.Typical hearing in a Human is commonly between 15Hz and 20 KHz.
This being said they are great phones but if you get a chance compare both sets before buying and see which you like best. For me they are no loss as I can use them for monitoring and recording with other musicians in studio.Happy shopping and always trust your own ears not someone's reviews. we all hear differently
The price seemed expensive, but when I listened to them, that went out the window!
When I first started looking at headphones, I swore that I wouldn't spend this much, but I can truly say that I am glad I did. These are my first pair of Sennheiser's and they are worth every penny.
First, of course, is the sound quality. These are simply amazing. They provide the highs evenly, without making them sound twangy, or just over bearing. It is a good mix of soft and hard highs. The only thing I wish about the sound quality is the bass. I am a bass guy, and these provide quite a bit of bass, but just not quite enough for me. Then again, I am bass hungry, and these are bassy enough for me. They provide an excellent mix of highs and lows.
Second is the comfort level of these. I think my friend put it best. He put them on and he said "I feel like I am wearing a cloud on my head." They are lightweight and don't weigh your head down at all. Also the padding is phenomenal, and surprisingly not hot. I can wear these for hours and not have any sore spot or anything after the session is over.
I don't have any problems with these headphones at all. Just wish the bass was there a little more, but the mix of the highs and lows is very pleasant. I feel like I will now always stay with the Sennheiser name after these headphones.
I'd first like to clear up what seems to be a common misconception about the 280 series phones; these things most certainly aren't lacking in bass. They don't crank up the bass artifically like your average Wal*Mart phones, but they certainly aren't lacking. Their goal is to replicate the original source as closely as possible, if you listen to music with a lot of bass you'll certainly be able to tell.
They sound superb, hopping from blinding pitches to rolling thunders in an instant and not dropping the ball.
I'd go on a huge rant about how awesome they are, but I'm too euphoric with them strapped to my head right now. They're worth the money and, simply put, they kick massive ass.
Pros: CRYSTAL clear and jitter-free audio signal via highly-stable infrared link. Superb sound resolution throughout audible frequency range. Decodes Dolby Digital and DTS! Comfortable on head, you'll forget it's there. Headphones run off standard AA batteries (no risk of having to buy a proprietary company-supplied battery that is expensive to replace, and not guaranteed to be produced in the future). Headphones are sleek and stylish, and so is the base unit.
Cons: Limited line-of-sight range (inherent with IR signals); limited to about 30 ft. and must be free of obstacles in the Rcv path. Plastic construction of the headphones are a little brittle and not meant to be mistreated. Base station produces a generous amount of heat right near the input AC power receptacle. When starting audio, there is a half-second delay as the base unit synchronizes with the audio stream (minor nuissance, and this might only be a problem with digital audio signals).
I previously had the AKG 701 headphones as my main headphones. The problem with those is that after several hours they would really hurt my head. They did sound very, very good though. I never realized how much they lacked in the bass department until I put on some old Sennheiser HD-555's.
I "upgraded" to these expecting them to sound about the same or slightly better than my AKG 701s. The difference is HUGE. These sound much, much better. The first week i've been listening to music much more often because these make it sound so much better.
These are by far the most comfortable headphones there is. Easily. No pain and I wear them for up to 5 hours at times when i'm at the computer.
They also work well with my 15gb ipod video, but a headphone amp is suggested. The volume isn't too low on the ipod with these and I actually need to decrease the volume. I wasn't expecting the ipod to be able to power these. Thanks to these, i'm now avoiding mp3 format and have been going with FLAC and Apple Lossless formats.
I'd imagine though that these will not work well with the ipod shuffle or smaller devices. I haven't tested this yet.
I own 6 different pairs of headphones and these are the best. Better than the AKG 701's, Sennheiser HD-555's and Grado SR-80's.
The price on these is very good. I think it's a deal considering my former headphones were much more expensive.
I liked these allot the sound is great and they are comfy as they are cloth cups instead of leather/vinyl on most other models and they provide a full surround sound with more highs.
I have the 780's which are NOT the proline and are about $150 cheaper and to me look better as well, not a real issue since I wouldn't be wearing these on the streets.
The 780's appear better made. The 750's come with two cords of which plug into the left headphone and it has a great case for storage but the sound of the 780's was fuller, richer and live like.
I tested each and for me the lessor model was better but hearing is very different to each person as well as the styles of music you listen to, or movies and gaming as well. As always amazon is great in all they do, at least in my 500 purchases over the past few years. I returnd the more expensive ones and kept the 780's and some extra cash too.
Have had the DJ-style MDR-V700 (THE #1 DJ) cans for years since they came out - still the best hi-fi set due to basic technology (50 mm Neodymium with response down to 5 Hz, huge power handling at 3+ Watts and extremely high efficiency at 24 Ohms). These are larger and more comfortable, more suitable for home use and less suitable for travel. Other manufacturers have still not matched the technology/fidelity at anywhere near the price (if available at all). Both are closed designs, relieving outside noise without the large high fidelity sacrifice inherent in any noise cancellation scheme. With its greater cushioning, ELF bass (5-20 Hz) is not quite as formidable as the MDR-V700 model (slight rolloff). Seller is also one of the world's finest.
I think that these headphones are truly excellent. They have wonderful separation of sound. The bass is quite excellent, but it is not boomy or fuzzy. Like the rest of the sound range, the sound appears to be accurate and unexaggerated.
The phones are very light weight. The frame is made from magnesium. the outside covers of the earcups are aluminium. The cord is heavy duty and come out from only one side. It is less likely to get in the way or get tangled. The wires to each of the earcups are hidden inside the frame. This makes it less likely that they can be snagged leading to a short. the headphones come with a one eighth inch plug and a one fourth inch adapter.
The phones are very comfortable. They fit over the ear rather than on the ear. The earcups are open so that they have a breezy sound rather than the more constricted sound of many closed cup headphones. They do not completely block out sound so that you can hear family members calling to you, but they do not block out all sound either. In other words, you could be catching the news or watching a movie while listening to music.
The headphones are efficient enough that you do not need a headphone amplifier, but they do sound fuller and richer with a headphone amplifier.
Just to be clear, these are primarily intended to be studio monitors, used by musicians and vocalists in a studio environment. But AKG made these so light and durable, that they are also appropriate for portable music players, as well as for DJ use. The AKG manual and box both state that these can be used as portable headphones, and that's a primary reason I got them. These are "closed" headphones, meaning the drivers are enclosed in a solid shell and no sound can leak out while you are wearing them. This also keeps-out outside ambient noise for the user. I got these headphones as a low-cost alternative to the Bose QuietComfort II noise-canceling headphones, which I used once on a flight from NYC to London. Although these headphones won't make this library-quiet like the Bose, they are smug enough and have a wide dynamic range to keep-out outside noises very effectively. I'm really impressed with the bass response on these. These are smaller and more durable than the larger AKG K271 headphones, and unlike the K271, these can be taken outside the studio. I'm glad I chose these over competing DJ headphones from Sennheiser and Sony!
First, let me say that I own three pair of headphones: Denon AH-D1000S, then upgraded to Denon AH-D2000, and these Ultrasone HFI-580 S-Logic Surround. Out of the three, I prefer the Ultrasone HFI-580.
The HFI-580's are very stylish, light and comfortable. And may I add, they have outstanding sound - good clear highs and punchy base - actually better than the Denons to my ears. Also, there is no fatigue with the Ultrasones after listening a long time. As far as the surround effect, I do hear it come through in some music but haven't tried them with movies yet. The AH-D2000's have a smooth, distinct sound, and were the most expensive but are quite heavy and large. However, the base seems to be lacking in both the Denons, at least to me. I do love the AH-1000's for their comfort and good clear sound. I use a small amplifier, which tends to bring out the detail even more and add to listening enjoyment. All in all, I still prefer these Ultrasones for the bright highs, punchy base, and for the lightweight comfort and good looks. These are by far my favorite.
I received a pair of these as a gift about 18 years ago, and they are fabulous. I finally had to replace them this year because the cord near the jack was having issues and I could only hear one ear. The headset is in excellent shape and should work fine once I replace the jack end of the cord. The new one has a flexible, rubber covering over the area where the cord connects to the jack, so it should not develop the same problem. Here is what I like about them.
COMFORT. The earpieces are padded and sit on your head, not your ears. I share an office so I wear them all day long, and I have never had any problems with comfort (most regular headphones give me a headache or earache after a while). Since they are semi-closed, they breathe a little, so my ears do not get hot. The headband is attached with elastic pieces so there is no adjusting - just put them on and they fit. The cord comes out of the left earpiece, so there is no annoying "Y" under your chin.
SOUND LEAKAGE. My office mate cannot hear my music at all (although I don't listen to music loudly). It blocks enough external noise to help me concentrate, but I can still hear what's going on around me and carry on a conversation while wearing them. (They may leak more sound if you have a heavy beard or sideburns.)
SOUND QUALITY. The quality is amazing. I have read that it is very hard to get good quality sound with closed headphones, so the semi-closed are a good balance between quality sound and preventing sound leakage. I listen to them plugged into my computer speakers, and sometimes I have to skip a song because the non-music noises are so clear (lip smacking, breathing, guitar string squeaks, chimes, etc.).
SUMMARY: Extremely comfortable, quality construction and quality sound
I went from my default mp3 player headphones to these, mostly because the default ones were giving me static shocks if I would move around and get from certain chairs. Also, the default headphones my mp3 player came with would fatigue my ears after awhile -- couldn't go a long plane flight or wear them the whole time at work. After reading a bit on that the thing called the internet, I learned that these were very comfortable headphones. And they are. I have a big head that other headphones have trouble with or headphones that end up crushing my ears but I've had no problem with these at work, at home, on the plane, gaming, or whatever.
To repeat what another reviewer has said about these: You don't really realize how different music sounds with a good pair of headphones till you listen with them. The first time listening to them, the music had life: for the lack of a better word. Putting in my default headphones, everything sound flat and dull and with my 500s sounded beautiful. Certain subtleties also became apparent as well, guitars had a little extra something to them and songs like 'Rhapsody in Blue' took on a whole new life (a better one). In my week or so with these headphones, I've refound my classical music collection.
I love them and am very happy I got them for less than $100 shipped. Ultra comfy. Fantabulous sound. Great buy.
These work well but require some tinkering to sound their
The Denon AH-NC732K is a very nice pair of headphones. They are compact, comfortable, and sound very good. The noise canceling works very well taking care of engine noise and other low frequencies. The included carrying case is perfect to slip in your briefcase or carry on bag and it has enough room for all of your adapters and cables.
The headphones don't fit around the ears like the larger Bose QuietComforts. They rest on and cover the entire ear. I was surprised that they were comfortable to wear. It took a little fiddling around to get a secure fit but it was worth it. The headphones feel like they are creating a seal to achieve maximum noise reduction. In fact if you just put them on without creating this "seal" you might not think much of these headphones so proper fit is key.
My first test was for noise cancellation. A lot of people will use these just for that feature and not even play any music through them. I ran an airplane noise WAV file through my desktop stereo system to simulate being in a plane. After cranking up the volume on my JBL 2.1 system I put the headphones on. There is a small switch on the side on the headphones to turn noise canceling on and off. With it off you could clearly hear the humming of the engines, the beeps of the seat belt indicators, and the general noises of cramming a hundred people in a cabin. Turning the noise cancellation on reduced these noises by 80%. The engines were barely audible and the beeps sounded like they were further away. Overall I was pretty pleased with the noise cancellation. Hopefully they work as well on a real flight.
I tested these for music with an iPod Nano and my stereo system. Plugged into the headphone out of my Peachtree Audio Decco using Sonos as a source I was immediately disappointed with the sound coming out of the Denons. They were bright and harsh with one note bass. I made sure the noise canceling switch was on, it was, and turning it off made the sound worse. I decided to "break in" the headphones before doing any more listening. I plugged them into the Nano and put it on shuffle mode, turned up the volume and then put a towel over them to drown out the sound.
After 5 hours of non stop playing I decided to give them another listen. They definitely sounded better, the highs were smoother and the bass was more relaxed. They still weren't great and for $299 they should be better. I decided to play around with the EQ settings on the Nano. Listening to The Beatles, Norah Jones, The Doobie Brothers, Daft Punk, etc. I checked every single EQ setting on the iPod. Surprisingly the Classical EQ setting sounded the best followed by Electronic , Rock, and Latin. With the Classical setting engaged these headphones sound fantastic. The volume was turned up 90% of the way to get the amount of sound I am used to, which is to say as loud as the real thing. On my Shure E5C headphones the volume at half way is more than enough.
Comfort 4/5 They are very comfortable but it takes time to get them to fit correctly.
Convenience 5/5 I love the detachable cords, the case, and in a pinch you can listen to music if the battery dies.
Sound 5/5 They sound great once they break in but remember to try the EQ settings on your MP3 player to get the best sound.
Value 5/5 If you can try these at a local dealer and buy them for less than $299 (most dealers will discount) then they are a great deal, especially when compared to the competition.
The Ultrasone Proline 2500 throw a unique, spherical headstage, with each instrument/vocal anchored solidly in 3-D space. They offer a dynamic, engaging (somewhat in-your-face) presentation, nicely balanced across the frequency spectrum, with just the right mix of analytic and holistic/synergistic qualities. Stellar midrange clarity--vocals are a pure, straight-ahead delight--and plenty of deep, foundational bass, too!
The 2500 don't do one or two things remarkably well, but they seem to do everything reasonably well. Though not as refined as the Sennheiser HD650, nor as detailed and extended as the Beyerdynamic DT880, nor as fleet as the AKG K701, there's something solid and arresting about the 2500 that makes it hard for me to take them off.
The Proline 2500 take a good while to break in. Patiently allow about 300+ hours for these excellent cans to really show what they are capable of. As much as I enjoyed the 2500, I liked the 750 even better--but I kept both. : )
If you're patient, you can pick up a good deal on these, for about $275-$299.
The AD900 were my first set of real cans. Frankly, I think they sound great. They are the most detailed pair of cans I own (also the most expensive, so people reading for truly high hi-falutin' audiophool reviews should go elsewhere, I'm all mid-fi). Truly they do nothing wrong; every aspect of the spectrum is fairly dry. The bass is lean, but well defined -- bass heads should apply elsewhere... maybe Beyer-Dynamic? The coloration on these cans is on the bright side. In fact, they don't sound too much unlike my roommate's Grado SR-125, though they generally go down much smoother and aren't all 'in your face'. They're very open and have some good sound stage in my opinion. The velour (ish?) pads and weird wing support system make them very comfortable and un-sweat inducing. They feel very open, too. I would say there aren't too many genres these cans can't do right. I find orchestral stuff a little boring through the AD900, but I think it shines with most rock, acousticky stuff, and jazz. Having a bit of weight up at the top end of the spectrum, they are not the most forgiving headphones. If the engineer flubbed the recording, you're gonna hear it (which means unwanted distortion, etc. in a lot of my favorite rock. I thought they were defective at first till I realized what was really going on).
These headphones are very durable and very handsome. Obviously they are only meant for at-home use, but I've never managed to scratch them. They are also pretty easy to drive without a dedicated amp. Even my mp3 player and PCDP get nearly the most out of them. If you want a detailed and thoughtful set of headphones for not a whole lot, the AD900 is a good choice. If bass is your main thing, though, you might consider something else.
Value+Quality+Sound=Denon
