Customer Reviews

Denon AHD501K On-Ear Headphone

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

 

 

The Denon AHD501K headphones have decent sound quality, relatively clear highs but "boomy" bass. These require a bit of power to drive so they would probably benefit from a headphone amp, as the sound volume is quite low with an iPod or computer. The build quality is very good and are not too heavy. If you plan to use them while sitting at a desk or stationary you will probably find them to be very comfortable and they have minimal sound leakage. However, if you are going to be wearing these while walking they will not stay in place as the headband design could be tighter. For the price, they are so-so, I would suggest checking into other headphone alternatives, as these have some room for improvement.

I have a pair of AHD1001S headphones and really like them. My wife kept borrowing them to listen to movies on her laptop so I bought this pair for her. the headhpones don't stay in position so she gave them back to me and kept mine. I too have problems with them staying in place. I never had this problem with a pair of headphones before.

I love these headphones. They have extraordinary sound quality for the price. But best of all is the comfort; the ear pads are super soft and prolonged wear does not feel uncomfortable at all. I would highly recommend these!

It is tough to understand why these headphones get worse reviews than the otherwise almost identical AHD301K headphones. The only difference is in minor noise routing to the outside that makes these "quarter-open" headphones and improves resonance. I suppose, these get different kind of audience than the mainstream 301's - an audience that is either more discerning, or expecting miracles from the different model numbers. In reality, with the same prize as the 301's (or within a few bucks) these are well worth it!

Let's get to business, shall we?

These will not set the world on fire with audio quality, but for $40, I would be amazed if they did. Out of the box, they sounds very well rounded, if a little flat. However their range is very good and they can capture highs and lows very well. I do not want to understate this point - there are headphones that will cut out or distort female voices and high itched instruments - these Denon headphones preserve them very nicely. This range is important, because if a can cannot produce a sound, no amount of trying will massage it to change its mind. If a sound is there, however, you can choose to amplify or weaken its presence. The well rounded, consistent coverage of the noise from bass to treble simply means that you are starting from 0 - not countering a sound profile that you hate (e.g. trying to turn bass heavy headphones into ones suitable for classical music).

Given the flatness of the basic out-of-the-box sound, the second point is important: These headphones respond very well to equalizer adjustment. I know speakers and headphones that immediately tell you that what you are sending them is "fake" - passed through processing. These Denons are not those kids of headphones. I played around with my equalizer, and the cans sound amazing! In laymen's terms, you are given blank canvas - a very evenly colored and good quality canvas (whatever that is) and you can use your equalizer to paint whatever picture you want - perfect to your taste - add bass, treble, mids, whatever floats your boat. I like that - especially, because I can change my mind and change the headphones with me.

Again these are not high end headphones, but the sound is perfectly respectable at this price! They make no obvious miss-steps you often see at this price - especially many SONY headphones are punchy and uneven across the spectrum and lack the treble - and that is tough to counter .. these have a nice even coverage of noise levels and you can tweak them to make it perfect.

Moving beyond sound, they are extremely comfortable; they sit very gently on top of your ears, so if you move a lot they will slide off. However, thanks to this light touch, they are extremely comfortable. At this moment I am wearing them - I have been wearing them for about 3 hours in this study session. I am experiencing no fatigue in my ears, no aches and pains and no desire to take them off. This lack of fatigue and still-surprising sound is why I decided to stop working and write this review.

Finally, they are still closed-cup headphones - they eliminate most of the noise which merely means they work as a pair of closed headphones should.

Overall, I am very satisfied. For the list price ($90) these would not be worth it - Denon is notoriously overpriced. However, with the lower price of around $40, you cannot go wrong with these. The Denon expertise with high end audio shows. They do not provide some miraculous silver bullet to the old adage of getting what you pay for, but they are very solid $50 headphones from a reputable audiophile company.

Very much recommended.

I am a very loyal customers of Denon. but this Denon headphone did not deliver the quality it should have. The treble and bass are below standard.

It is quite big and loose and will drop if you move. it will be comfortable for the first 45 minutes, after that the ear cover will get warm.

I should have listened to other reviewers.

But nothing special. The trebles are a little damped down.

though the headphones are comfortable and provide a nice sound insulation and the build is pretty good for the price.

I got these headphones about a month ago, and theyare a little lacking on the bottom end for my taste. They also take a little getting used to on how they fit. They seem a little big, and loose fitting, but they stay on fairly well.