Customer Reviews

Denon AHD1001K On-Ear Headphones (Black)

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm a little dismayed that some of the reviewers for this product said they think the Bose headphones are better. I've heard many of the Bose models (Triport, QC2/3) the Bose and I feel these are a far superior headphone.

First of all, these headphones actually do quite well when you connect them up to professional test equipment that measures how well the headphone is reproducing the frequency spectrum. They have an pretty ideal frequency response, strong in the bass, nice even midrange, and their only flaw is a slightly exaggerated upper mids and treble rendition. So the headphone on a whole is balanced very well tonally, you are hearing the pretty close to the right amount of bass, midrange and treble that the musician probably intended you to hear. They aren't really lacking in bass despite some reviewers' claim otherwise, and compared to some other headphones that are more expensive, they actually are pretty full bodied sounding. In comparison, the competition from Bose headphones have a pretty much exaggerated amount of bass that may initially actually sound more impressive, but are less faithful to the original intent of the recording. And Bose headphones have nothing on these puppies when it comes to the treble reproduction, these headphones convey the tizz of the high hats and the crash of the cymbals with more presence and realism. Of course, if you are the type of person who turns up the bass control on every device you use, then these headphones may fall short for your taste. I'm not going to say that these Denons are flawless by any means, but they seem to get it more right tonally, and aren't really lacking for any genre of music. Just like their more expensive siblings, the Denon AH-D1001 are "do it all" headphones for almost every type of music.

I bought these headphones to complement my collection of decent mid to higher end headphones (costing upwards of $400). You can say I'm a bit of a headphone fanatic. I own the Denon AH-D2000 which costs about 2-3 times as much, which I love a lot as my general use headphone, but I wanted something I could use at my workplace with less fear somebody may run off with my $300 headphones when I go on washroom break. I normally use high end In-Ear-Monitors but after a while I found them uncomfortable for really long term use. So based on my superb experience with the D2000, I wanted to get a set of these. They have excellent comfort, they don't clamp my head excessively. The padded headband puts even pressure across the top of my head. And they feel light. The cord is the right length for plugging into a device on my desk and it comes with an extension cord for home theater use on the couch. I like the little cloth carry pouch just to keep the headphone from getting tangled among my other gear in my laptop bag. They feel reasonably sturdy and are really straightforward to use. If you have big ears you may find that your ears may touch the inner surface of the earcup, so your mileage may vary in terms of fit. I have a HUGE head (7.75 hat size), and these fit me with room to spare.

How does it sound? I think the sound is excellent overall:
- clarity and detail is very good, comparable to anything I've heard under $150. You would directly compare these to the Bose Triports which are in the same price range (these are way less costly if you compare street prices)
- midrange is solid and not too forward, it works well for both female and male vocals. Again like the D2000, if all you listen to are vocals, there are better headphones, but these didn't disappoint me listening to my collection of female singers, Loreena McKennitt, Diana Krall, Dido, Carpenters, Amanda McBroom, Sarah McLachlan, etc. These headphones let me hear what I like best about their voices.
- everything from the mid-bass on up is well represented. Kick drums sound realistic with good punch and authority. Trance/Techno/Electronic music sounds punchy. These headphones can rock out when you want it to. I even had some "wow" moments listening to some of remixes of dance songs, the bass was ever present. I'd suggest that if you think these are bass light, if you actually live with for a while, they will sound more and more "right".
- Re: the imaging or "headstage": the placement of performers in the recording is precise and fairly spacious. You get a better sense of space compared to listening to earbuds, but not as good as some of the more expensive open headphones like the AKG K601. I'd rate these headphones as "adequate" if you don't like the "all the music in your head" feeling.
- The slightly elevated highs means this headphone can sound a bit forward if the music is recorded on the "bright" side. Madonna's Confessions on a Dance floor has to be one of the brighter sounding recordings, and with these headphones, the highs were piercing. The headphones don't sound as edgy as a Grado SR80 for example, but you are aware of the highs when you listen to that recording.

The bad thing: although these are sealed headphones that should block out some noise, they barely block out any noise at all. They only block out 10dB of noise which means you hear the noise at half the intensity, which is not enough for reducing the noise of my noisy cubicle mates. There were a bunch of people talking near my cubicle yesterday, and I had wished I brought my IEMs with me, because they were still annoying until I really had the music on loud.

All in all, just get these, but be aware that these tend to be more "accurate" headphones rather than "wow, that's some impressive bass" headphones that Bose tend to produce. If you want clarity, detail and a balanced sound but with still a good solid bass foundation for any type of music, these are it for under $150 headphones. Of course, if you can afford it, move on up to higher end models from Denon, Sennheiser, AKG, Beyerdynamic or others if you are trying to put together a first class system. But I don't think you'll find a better rounded headphone for the price. For my standard disclaimer ---- Like all headphones, make sure you buy from a vendor that allows returns because everybody hears differently, and some headphones work better for some than others. But another great product from Denon.

I have no idea what the other reviewers are saying.
1st- I have an above average sized head, and it's comfortable as hell. The headband can go like, 8 more notches than I have it at, so you would need an enormous head to make it unwearable
2nd- The sound isolation is excellent, maybe the other reviewer was wearing them wrong. I listen at about 60% on the iPod, but the person next to me (3 feet) can't hear anything.
3rd- The best thing about these headphones: THE SOUND. AMAZING IN EVERY WAY. It is extremely clear, the bass is tight and punchy, and the trebles sparkle. Leagues above Bose, I can't believe I used to like that brand.

If you're not convinced by this review, go look at the reviews for the Denon D1001S, it's the same headphones, just different colors.

Where to start...I own the Bose QC2. I purchased them about 5 or 6 years ago. Although a little expensive for me, they sounded much better than my Sonys and I was happy (except for their constant need to eat batteries, honestly I didn't need noise canceling). The left side plastic hinge area cracked and fell apart 2 years ago (no, not at all abused, just typical Bose quality) and I went ahead a purchased the replacement pair for $100 (dumb move). In the meantime, I decided to check out other options....that is not exactly accurate, I went headphone crazy looking for the nearly perfect sound according to my ears and budget.

So you understand my references, I now own the Bose, Sennheiser 428 (should have gone for the 448 or 280 Pro, I think), Grado SR225i and the Denon AH-D1001K. I also use the Headroom Total Bithead Amp at my computer. Whether the cans or open or closed is not an issue for me, as I live alone. OMG, the Grados are just incredible, I love them but the funny thing is I usually have the Denons on when I am at my computer...why?

When I first got the Denons about a month ago, I was impressed with the clarity of the music...crystal clear. The thing lacking was a solid bass. I am not looking for a heavy bass but I need to hear (not feel) the bass as part of the music...balance is what I am always looking for in my headphones. From past experience, I find myself a true believer in the "burn-in" process. So, I set out to hear what these gorgeous headphones really had to offer. After 100 hours of burn in, I put them back on and, WOW, I found the bass. Again, it is not something you feel, like a subwoofer (think Dr.Dre), but rather a clear bass, the headphones having a smooth transition between the highs, mids and lows...none being lost or falling off. If I had to chose between the Grados and the Denons, I would take both and run, hoping not to be caught. :) If you are not in a hurry, you might be able to find these right around $100 (I did) but if not they are well worth the $150. My next pair sitting in my cart as I write this, the Denon 2000s. Life is good.

Beautiful bass!

I upgraded these headphones from iPhone's stock headphones mainly for listening music and audiobooks on the go. I decided to write this review for people who are considering these headphones, but might be a bit afraid of the quality of the bass on these headphones.

I am a type of person, who really gets annoyed by the lack of bass in my music. I like the rich full sound of music with all the possible tones, both high and low. So the settings of my player's equalizer have always been on "Bass booster."

With these Denon headphones, it is not necessary anymore. So, if your "one and only" aim isn't bass, but a great sound with enough of bass, you will not be disappointed and might love these as much as I do.

Only con for me is, that others do hear the music a bit, when you listen to these. But it is not more hearable than with iPod's stock headphones for example.

Update!
Recently I bought FiiO E5 Headphone Amplifier and it makes the sound even more lovely!

...the title says it all - the comfort on these things is almost unheard of for over-the-ear cans. Let alone for a sub $150 pair of phones (on a good day you can catch these guys for $100). The sound quality is crisp and clean with tight [and accurate] bass. I'm still in the burn-in phase with them so I can only imagine how they're going to shine after about 50+ hours. While aesthetically pleasing, I can't stop raving about how light and comfortable they are. If anything, buy them as earmuffs and you'll get the bonus of amazing sound!

I'm telling you, between friends 'phones and multiple music stores I must have tried on at least 10 different pairs (Sennheiser, Bose, Shure, Beyer, Audio Technica) and only the $350 Beyers could almost compare to how comfortable the Denon's are. In all fairness, the Beyers sounded fantastic as well but REALLY needed an amp to power them properly. Not so the case with these cans; the average iPod or laptop will do them justice. It's been said in other reviews, but I shouldn't fail to mention that they do leak sound. Probably not the ideal phone for the library unless you're listening at a fairly low volume, but they do their part in blocking outside noise.

I can't explain how picky I am with getting uncomfortable rather quickly when it comes to IEMs and over-the-ear cans. However, I just found my phone of choice and couldn't be happier. You'll be looking for a reason to listen to them!

I am by no means an audio professional, though I am very particular when it comes to headphones. I get irritated by a lot of mid-range ($80-$100) dollar headphones, particularly because they have a huge emphasis on bass. A lot of people seem to think quality is bass reproduction. Either that, or all mainstream users listen to is house music 24/7. I used be a big fan of Koss sets until I bought a set for $80 that sounded really poor and I settled on my last set, the Sony MDR-V600, a decent set that I was never entirely satisfied with. It just never sounded very "full" to me, for lack of a better word. I spent years mourning my classic Koss/Realistic pro-80 headphones that, despite their lack of technical frequency range sound so much better. All that ended yesterday.
Now, I have to be fair and say the Denon AH-D1001K retail for $150 and, as such, are on the edge of mid-range. However, I bought them here on Amazon for about $90. Slipping these headphones on and firing them up on my PCMCIA Audigy 2 ZS Notebook card, I felt like I was reunited with an old friend. These headphones are very detailed with unbiased reproduction of the frequency spectrum. The sound is very strong and rich on my laptop without need for amplification. I have to question people who say these sets are weak on bass. I have to assume they are talking about sub-woofer "rattle" range frequencies. I'll admit that they don't pack a punch on the low range compared to other things I've listened to, but I don't want people to get the impression that they are tiny sounding, the bass is represented here, it's just more balanced and natural. I'm in love with these headphones, and feel they perform well for any type of scenario. You will not regret this purchase if you are looking for accurate sound reproduction

These headphones are absolutely magnificent!

They are supremely comfortable, soft in the ear cup, well padded on the headband, and they generate just enough pressure to be stable on the head without compressing your melon.

The sound is outstanding. They have a very flat response curve which gives you a nice uncolored reproduction of your source. I'm also very pleased with the isolation. At all but the most unreasonably loud volumes, they seal the sound in so I don't bother those around me. I personally use these in an office environment primarily, but of course tried them out on my home hifi and my iPhone. All three scenarios were equally positive.

At this price point for sealed cans, these are no-brainers. My personal opinion is that you'd need to spend double or more to get any significant gain in sound quality, so I'd say these are your sub-$200 go-tos, all things considered.

What are the first two reviewers smoking? These headphones are well worth the money. Excellent build quality, clean looks, Denon quality, and they just flat-out sound very good. You have to understand most headphones require a break-in period, just like a brand new car. They won't sound their best out of the box - give them about 30-40 hours of play for best results. And you also have to understand that an iPod, or any portable mp3 player for that matter, isn't powerful enough to drive many large headphones, including this one. Invest in a portable amplifier, or build your own (Google C-Moy), and you'll notice a considerable difference.

I just got these headphones. I find them comfortable and they seem well built. The sound is warming after listening to them for a few hours. However, my roommate came into my room and clued me on in the fatal flaw of these 'phones: he could hear every word of the music even though I was listening at a normal listening volume. I plan to use these in quiet places and I definitely do not want to be that guy with the blasting headphones.

A shame, but these will be heading back to Amazon on Monday.

I have owned these for 9 months now and can say they are by far the best sounding headphones I have owned. The bass really filled out after a couple weeks of normal use, and I am still blown away when I put these on. I am now let down when I need to resort to my Sennheiser or Sony cans which, I must admit, I do need to do after about 3 hours of listening to these. Around the 3 hour point they become uncomfortable to me because they put a bit of pressure on one area of my ears, although they might not for everyone. My Sony noise-canceling headphones are the most comfortable to me, but the sound is far worse, which is especially noticeable when I first switch from the 1001's to them. The Sony's also block more background noise, but boy the Denon's sure sound better - significantly better! I use the Denon's for all critical (and most casual) listening. I highly recommend them.