Обзор denon ah-d5200

Denon AH-D5200

Для чашек корпусов AH-D5200 используется дерево породы Зебрано.

Производящиеся в Японии 50-мм драйверы FreeEdge созданы с использованием уникального материала с очень высокой жесткостью и низкой массы. Этот материал разработан Denon и компенсирует нежелательные вибрации в диафрагме. Драйверы монтируются на виброгасящих подвесах, обеспечивая высокую динамичность и естественность звучания.

Красивым дополнением к чашкам их дерева является корпус из прочного литого алюминия, обеспечивающего долговечность и прочность конструкции наушников. Кожа оголовья имеет высокую стойкость к износу и не теряет эстетическую привлекательность со временем. Эргономичный дизайн наушников AH-D5200 с амбушюрами из вспененного материала с эффектом памяти обеспечивает удобную посадку, а малый вес позволяет использовать их в течение длительного времени, делая прослушивание любимой музыки приятным и комфортным.

Съемный кабель и чехол для хранения гарантируют, что наушники AH-D5200 обеспечат превосходный звук и комфорт на долгие годы.

Denon AH-D5200 – Design and comfort

The Denon AH-D5200 are large, full-size headphones with closed backs. However, they're not really made for portable use.

The fit is looser, and the cable much too long to be suited to use on the train. Take them on the commute and you'll look, and feel, a bit silly. These headphones are for your living room or study, for late-night movies or old-fashioned active music listening.

Some of the materials have been toned down compared to the “big brother” AH-D7200. In place of real leather, the AH-D500 use synthetic leather for the headband and cup padding. However, you'll be pleased to learn that all the parts that look like metal are in fact metal.

The Denon AH-D5200 cups are topped with real wood, the grain clearly visible across their curvature. High-end Audio-Technica headphones use wood, too. Nevertheless, here it plays a role in ensuring the AH-D5200s stand out against rivals from HiFiMAN, Sony and Sennheiser.

These headphones are super-comfortable, too. The pads are extremely thick, and slightly lopsided to better fit your head. This is one of the benefits of a pair that doesn't have to tailor its look for the street.

“At home” closed pairs such as needn't worry quite as much about isolation either, but the blocking effect you get with the Denon AH-D5200 is decent nonetheless. My home is on a main road, and they successfully zone out traffic noise – which can't be said of open pairs, or even my speakers.

You should be aware that there are zero extra features here, however. Such straight-forward headphones are increasingly rare outside of pro lines intended for studio monitoring. Those don't get updated much, either.

There's no Bluetooth, no active noise cancellation and no control for a connected phone. They are, however, much easier to drive than most of the headphones I've used for comparison, including classics such as the AKG Q701, HiFiMAN HE-5 and Oppo PM-3.

The Denon AH-D5200 may deserve a headphone amp, or at least an amplifier with a decent headphone stage, but the output of the average AVR will be able to supply enough volume to keep you happy.

Unlike the AH-D7200, these headphones also have removable cabling. It plugs into each cup, the standard for high-end headphones, but as they use a 3.5mm socket, finding an aftermarket cable that fits should not be difficult. Most of you probably won't feel the need to do this, though. That's one to save for next-level headphone obsessions.

Denon AH-1200

Наушники AH-D1200, отличаются, прежде всего, своим ярким дизайном в коричневой и белой цветовой гамме.

Шумоизоляция этих наушников, которую обеспечивают амбушюры из вспененного материала, позволяет сконцентрироваться на решении важных задач, либо расслабиться, слушая любимые мелодии. Пульт дистанционного управления, расположенный на кабеле, позволяет удобно управлять громкостью и микрофоном, предлагая пользователю максимальный комфорт при использовании.

Литой алюминий и современные материалы делают корпус наушников прочным, но легким.

AH-D5200 и AH-D1200 уже доступны в магазинах авторизованных партнеров DENON.

Denon AH-D5200 – Sound quality

The Denon AH-D5200 focus on raw enjoyment rather than the tonal and textural accuracy many shopping at the price prioritise. For the most part, this can be taken as a positive if you simply want a set of headphones to make your music and movies sound engaging.

Movies are a particular highlight, since the Denon AH-D5200 offer excellent sub-bass. It isn't attention-grabbing or artificially highlighted. But when it enters your ears, there's an instant “yes, this is the good stuff” satisfaction.

More conventional bass is strong, too, with plenty of punch but no significant mid-bass bleed – which would be a serious issue in a set of headphones at this price.

Treble is smooth and non-fatiguing, and there's a gloss over the entire sound that makes the Denon AH-D5200 suitable for hours of listening. These headphones are no old pair of slippers, though. While Denon has avoided hard edges, the presentation isn't distant or relaxed.

While several of my comparison pairs were – naturally, given the price – open-back, the Denon AH-D5200 do come across up-front. This doesn't veer into outright aggressiveness. However, combined with the bass power, these headphones seem lively and dynamic.

However, the Denon AH-D5200 also have an issue that, in one sense, means they land below old favourites such as the HiFiMAN HE-5, AKG Q701 and Oppo PM-3. There's something just a little off in the mids that makes vocals sound less realistically and naturally rendered than through these other top pairs.

There are likely several factors that could cause this. A slight spike in the upper-mids/lower treble is the most recognisable. While this helps to add more vitality to the sound,  it does affect the integrity of the mid-centric “instruments” such as vocals.

But are these headphones smoother and probably more fun to most ears than the AKG Q701, for example? Absolutely.

Sound and Application

Denon advertise the AH-D5200 by saying its sound reproduction brings the acoustic liveliness of a concert hall to your ears, with every detail able to be heard. This corresponds well to my first impression of the headphones. I was particularly impressed by the high-frequency reproduction of these headphones. Even more brilliant than the Denon AH-D1200, its reproduction seems even more open. The sound always remains silky with treble.

However, the headphones also deliver rich and powerful signals in the bass range. In EDM productions, however, the basses have to be reduced here and there as they would otherwise become too prominent. In the sub-bass range, the headphones show that they are not brought to their knees by the typical Roland TR-808 sounds used in urban music and rap productions. The AH-D5200 really shines with music genres with natural sounds, such as soul, funk and jazz. This is where these Denon headphones can really play to their strengths.

Similar to its little brother, the AH-D5200's mids are also extremely transparent and rich in detail. However, due to the contouring of its frequency response, it is also less suitable for rock and metal productions. Guitar sounds move into the foreground far too much for my listening taste, which affects the overall perception of vocals and speech intelligibility. Apart from this point, the headphones inspire with a great dynamic, an impressive transient reproduction and a wide stereo field. All these aspects are especially important when it comes to listening to classical music.

Interior Tech, Functionality and Handling

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Dynamically driven 50 mm drivers operate the AH-D5200. Their free-floating bearings (Denon refers to these as the “Free Edge” version) are designed to ensure that sound is crystal-clear in delivery and not impaired by distortion. The drivers provide an immense audio transmission range from 5 to 40,000 Hz. Its low impedance makes the AH-D5200 a candidate for use with mobile devices beyond hi-fi use.

The enclosed cable has a total length of 3 metres, which is certainly acceptable for hi-fi use. Both ends of it splice are plugged into the earpieces on either side. This eliminates the need to run the cable over the headband. The fabric-covered copper cable increases the overall weight of the headphones by 70 grams to 445 grams. The headphones are also equipped with copper cable. This weight is well balanced by the soft headband padding and medium contact pressure. What's more, the memory foam of the ergonomic ear cushions will ensure audio enthusiasts who use the AH-D5200 for long periods won't find them uncomfortable. Another highlight is the size adjustment function of the headband. It also offers a memory function, meaning you don't need to adjust the headband every time you put it on. The joints with which the earpieces can be adjusted don't impede wearing comfort, while the vertical tilting of the headband can also be rotated horizontally. All in all, this leads to a very pleasant wearing experience with the AH-D5200.

What are the Denon AH-D5200?

The Denon AH-D5200 are high-end closed headphones. Unlike most pairs at the price, you don't need a super-quiet environment to enjoy them. Noisy flats, or kids, are no show-stopping problem.

These headphones look classy and are extremely comfortable, making them ideal for all-day-long listening.

Note that the sound does favour pleasure over extreme tonal accuracy, however. They're smooth to the point of glossiness, have exciting sub-bass, and are fairly flattering about your tunes.

They don't have as natural-sounding mids as some rivals, though, which makes vocals appear less realistic.

Related: Best headphones

Design, Accessories and Assembly

The shape and colour of the AH-D5200 are both elegant choices. The appearance of these Denon headphones definitely has a timeless character. It comes with an exchangeable cable and several accessories, including a 6.35 mm adapter and a carry bag with drawstring fastening. The over-ear headphones are based on a closed design and immediately impress with the choice of materials used in their construction. The most striking of features is definitely the zebra wood earpieces. This material is a type of wood with a grain visually reminiscent of a zebra stripe pattern. The manufacturer, however, does not explicitly specify the exact type of wood used. What is certain though, is that it's not the same walnut wood used in the construction of the larger Denon model, the AH-D7200. If it were, the manufacturer would almost certainly have made a point to highlight this fact.

Another difference from its big brother, the AH-D7200, is that the material used for the ear pads and headband padding is imitation leather, rather than genuine sheepskin leather. Because of its soft surface, I'm assuming this is high-quality protein leather. Ear pads made of this material are usually incredibly durable and soft to the touch. The earpieces of the AH-D5200 are made of die-cast aluminium. Inside the headband, polished steel braces are used. The entire design of this Denon model seems to longevity in mind. Only a few small setbacks taint an otherwise flawless design. These include small visible seams in the die-cast elements, which can also be felt at the lower end of the headband. However, we can forgive Denon on that minor point.