Denon is a powerhouse in the consumer audio world. With a range of headphone products in their arsenal, Denon is known for its consistent quality and ability to cater to audiophiles and casual listeners alike. Today, I’m going to be reviewing their most high end over ear headphones, the AH-D9200. At $1600, the D9200 has both a lot of heavy competition and a lot to prove for that price point. I’m really excited to put these to the test.
What’s in the Box
- Denon AH-D9200 Over Ear Headphones
- Dual 3.5mm to 1/4” cable
- Dual to single 3.5mm cable
- 3.5mm to 1/4″ adapter
- Cleaning Cloth
- User Manual
Look and Feel
Denon’s monitors have an indistinguishable look to them. Their signature Japanese Bamboo outer shell is simple and looks amazing. The padding on both the ear cups and the headband has better cushion than the average pillow and they helped me feel like I was entering a new space when I put them on. They don’t come with a carrying case of any kind and, while the construction feels durable, I would sleep better at night knowing I have somewhere to put my $1600 investment. That being said, these aren’t meant to be used on your morning commute and headphone cases are easy to come by. Overall, I love the look and feel of these headphones.
Design
Every part of the D9200 was designed to be complementary to the whole. The bamboo outer shell is has natural acoustic resonance and provides excellent noise cancellation. Denon’s own 50mm FreeEdge driver utilizes a 1T Neodymium magnet that provides the D9200’s high resolution sound. The casing and other components provide both durability and assure that the audio signals comes through in the purest way possible. You can see the attention to detail that went into this headphone’s development.
The Denon AH-D9200 has a frequency response of 5 Hz – 56 kHz and an impedance of 24 Ohms.
Soundstage
The D9200 has an incredibly clear, 3-Dimensional soundstage. Everything had a clear sense of space and intention that felt true to the original mix. Most closed-back headphones have a tendency to create a more enclosed spatial image; however the D9200 does a great job of providing air and open space for the mix to breathe while still providing excellent noise cancellation. While they don’t quite capture the same airiness as open-back headphones, they can achieve imaging akin to very large indoor spaces, while still being able to achieve intimacy as needed. I’m able to hear several details in the mix that I had never noticed on other headphones.
Lows
With reference headphones, the goal is to represent the frequency spectrum as faithfully as possible while still replicating a similar sound, response and feel of a subwoofer. This is often the most challenging part when creating a headphone, and while no headphones can fully recreate that same sensation, the D9200 comes closer than most. The lows are both heard and felt in great detail, while still feeling symbiotic with the rest of the frequencies.
Mids
The midrange is considered the core of the overall sound, and can be incredibly revealing to the overall quality of a mix. The mids on the D9200 are very revealing, as they should be on reference monitors. There was rarely any harshness that wasn’t already present in the mix. It does have a tendency to push the volume across the frequency spectrum, giving it a slight brightness, but in a way that brings details to the forefront.
Highs
The High range on the D9200s are really where these headphones shine. The highs add an incredible amount of definition and air to the sound. Since the frequency range of the D9200s extend beyond the human range of hearing, they introduce textures that aren’t heard, but perceived. I never heard any harshness of exaggerated hissing that wasn’t already present as an intended effect.
Overall
Whether you’re looking for a serious pair of mixing headphones or you just want to listen to your music in a way you’ve never heard it before, I would Highly recommend the Denon AH-D9200. It’s a worthwhile investment for anybody serious about experiencing an unaltered version of their favorite mixes. I loved the sound of these and hope to get some of my own in the near future.
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You can buy the Denon AH-D9200 Headphones at Audio46
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