|
Review 2 of 2
Price Paid:
$60.00
from Nobody Beats The Wiz Summary:
These rather obscure headphones are possibly the best value in closed headphone designs. This means the driver units are encased within the body of the headphone and leak no sound into the open air. As a result there is a noted isolation from the outside world so you feel more enmeshed in the music even in noisy environments. However, closed phones often have problems with their sound as the soundwaves bouncing around inside the driver enclosure create all sort of extra resonance. In poorly implemented closed designs, like Sennheisers, the music sounds as though it is playing at the end of a tunnel. Accurate bass is also tough for closed phones to achieve as it tends to sound boomy like the Koss closed models.
The Denon 210s strengths is that none of the above are true in its case. The music sounds very lifelike, there is no great detachment from the soundstage, and bass is accurate and tightly controlled, though still noticeable. I would rate these second in their price range only to the Grado SR60s, and even there the Denons have a better bass response. The Denons are not as bright as the Grados, which may or may not be a good thing depending on your taste. (The Grados sound great with rock or jazz, but are slightly fatiguing with classical; the Denons are better with classical pieces, but not quite as much fun as the Grados in other music types.)
The 210s are superlatively built and put Senn, Koss, and Grado to shame. These headphones, though relatively light, are made like a tank. When you expand them, the band makes a precise Teutonic sort of click, and the band is made of good grade metal of a noticeable thickness and firmness. No cheap plastic crap here! The materials used are also mid-level audiophile quality, including neodymium magnets (40 mm), OFC cable, and a diaphragm that can cover 5-26,000 Khz. Headcups are of the donut design, with excellent quality leatherette padding sitting on the ear in a supreaural position. Impedance is a mere 32 Ohms, and the phones sound great with portable equipment and standard stereo jacks.
The downside is that the nice firm metal exerts a bit too much pressure on the old earlobe and as a result these are rather painful to wear for an extended period, say more than an hour at a time. As a matter of fact, these phones are a great rebuttal for all those who find Grados uncomfortable (I don't!) Try these for a bit and then see how pleasant Grado is by comparison! Unlike the Grados, the headband on this is not easily bent, so you can't just stretch it a little to ease the pressure as some Grado owners do. I guess you just have to put up with the pain until your ears or the band adjust. Or you can buy the Senn HD500s which are as soft and comfortable as a leather sofa but yet have gravely deficient sound...
The next model up in the Denon line (about $10 more) use all the same tech but feature an oval earcup that looks to be circumaural (enclosing the ear rather than sitting on top of it.) These may be more comfy. And the upper end of the Denon line use 50mm drivers, and exotic substances in the resonating chambers (like vaporized titanium and diamonds) so these may offer even more of an audiophile experience. However they also cost more than twice as much as the 210s, which puts them beyond my price range.
In conclusion, these are great quality closed headphones with a surprsingly dynamic soundstage and build quality that exceeds any other headphone I've seen. The price is reasonable, and the only downside is the possible earlobe comfort concerns mentioned above. These phones exude quality and technical excellence but unfortunately not much in the way of comfort! Strengths:
Dynamic soundstage, especially for a closed headphone design. Excellent balanced soundstage with a detailed midrange and tight bass. Superior build quality and high caliber components. Weaknesses:
Uncomfortable--exerts a lot of pressure on the ears. Bass in not as pronounced as say the Koss UR20s, so if you like exaggerated bass, another unit may suit you better. Similar Products Used:
Koss UR20, Philips HP615, Senn HD500, Grado SR60, various Sony cheapies.
| 
5 of 5
4 of 5
