MattTCG
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I am interested in the d1100. Although I hear mixed reviews about them. I suppose eventually I will have to try them for myself and develop my own opinion.
Review: Denon AH-D1100
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RPGWiZaRD
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Quote:
Here's my objective opinion in comparision against other headphones:
- Grainy treble (almost sound distorted, probably due to the uneven/spiky high range, not smooth sounding but not overly bright, just slightly grainy/distorted)
- Mids are very recessed / distant sounding but quite clear
- Bass is very punchy/snappy with very big impact to it and lack of resonance why it doesn't seem overly bassy from basshead standards despite how hard it hits, very midbass focused, subbass is slightly rolled-off in comparision against midbass but with help of amping the subbass comes greatly more to life and doesn't sound that much rolled-off anymore
- Excellent instrument separation and large soundstage (works especially well for classical) but at same time it becomes almost artificial sounding in this regard
- Not very engaging or fun or immersive sound signature, sounds more technical and in some aspects rather artificial rather than natural, it's like it tries too much to impress with a technical standpoint such as large soundstage and excellent separation while forgetting the basic stuff like sounding natural and this isn't only because of the unbalanced frequency response
- By far the headphone with the least natural reverb that I've tried, to my taste too little of it, making it sound unrealisticly "dry" but at the same time gives you "crispy" vocals, instruments but this isn't my cup of tea
IMO about $80~85 worth of sound to me, not worth its normal asking price, soundstage, instrument separation and the big but reasonably fast & punchy bass raises the value but the grainy treble and very recessed midrange also reduces the value greatly for me. Denon D1001 which it replaced is significantly better which surpasses its price point IMO by similar amount as D1100 fails to deliver worthy performance for its asking price. I'd say D1001 could very well compete with $115~120 or so headphones in comparision.
MattTCG
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Yea, that's about what I've read. They are about $107 shipped NIB from EE with coupon code. I'd rather try them at $80. They kinda fit a niche that I'm looking for. Denon type sound, a little smaller and less expensive.
RPGWiZaRD
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TigreNegrito
100+ Head-Fier
There's a deal right now at electronics expo where you can get these cans for $110 with basic shipping if you use the code march2012 at checkout. The ad randomly pops up on this site and after reading all the reviews here, I decided it was an acceptable risk at that price to give em a try.
Edit: as three other people have said as I was typing that!
Edit: as three other people have said as I was typing that!
MattTCG
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Nah, I'll wait and buy them used here for less. Thanks though!!
beatlesrule69
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After so many positive reviews, I saw a website offering them for half price and jumped on it. Got them for $109 with shipping and absolutely LOVE them! I have yet to fully test them out since I am in the process of unpacking after purchasing a house and have to only listen through an iPod or an HTC Rezound, but so far, thanks guys!
roma101
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MattTCG
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raziel980
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Yet another person with cup arm cracking on the AHD1100s.
Going to try and get an RMA from Amazon. I don't recommend these, even though they SOUND great, the construction doesn't warrant the price.
Going to try and get an RMA from Amazon. I don't recommend these, even though they SOUND great, the construction doesn't warrant the price.
jjmai
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Quote:
Interesting. Since Creative Aurvana Live is same as D1001, but can often be had for around $60 range, CAL seems like a so much better deal than D1100 at $100+.
TigreNegrito
100+ Head-Fier
Had mine for a couple months now and as far as SQ is concerned I'm quite happy with these cans. Take any positive comment above and paste it in my post and save me some typing, please! I'm careful with my cans, to the extreme, and have yet to notice any cracks in the frame. Knock on wood, I hope that continues to be the case.
The one drawback/negative I have that I don't see mentioned here previously is that the hinges creak a LOT. So long as my head is perfectly still, the sound is amazing! But if I turn or shift the position of my head in any way, the plastic creaking noises overshadow the otherwise lush soundscape and encroach upon my private little audio vacation. It's getting less and less so as they wear in a bit, but it is still present enough that unless you REALLY need the 'portability' factor of these things folding flat (though they still take up a lot of surface area when flattened out) I'd suggest looking at other models in the Denon lineup that have a more solid headband design.
Which models those are, I don't know as this is the only set of Denon's I've owned, and the recent decision by Denon to discontinue several key models will make that search a bit more difficult, I agree. Nevertheless, I just thought it prudent to mention this little caveat so those considering the purchase can make a more informed decision.
I may try to delicately inject some graphite dust into the problem areas to see if that eliminates the problem and if so, I'll edit this post.
The one drawback/negative I have that I don't see mentioned here previously is that the hinges creak a LOT. So long as my head is perfectly still, the sound is amazing! But if I turn or shift the position of my head in any way, the plastic creaking noises overshadow the otherwise lush soundscape and encroach upon my private little audio vacation. It's getting less and less so as they wear in a bit, but it is still present enough that unless you REALLY need the 'portability' factor of these things folding flat (though they still take up a lot of surface area when flattened out) I'd suggest looking at other models in the Denon lineup that have a more solid headband design.
Which models those are, I don't know as this is the only set of Denon's I've owned, and the recent decision by Denon to discontinue several key models will make that search a bit more difficult, I agree. Nevertheless, I just thought it prudent to mention this little caveat so those considering the purchase can make a more informed decision.
I may try to delicately inject some graphite dust into the problem areas to see if that eliminates the problem and if so, I'll edit this post.
horizon21
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I'm not sure whether that might be of any help, but if you have ever bought a decent set of hair clippers, they tend to come with a small bottle with very fine oil for lubrication. I would try to put a tiny drop of that on the problematic areas perhaps. Please, take this advice with a grain of salt because I have not attempted to lubricate plastic so far. Maybe your graphite powder solution would work better (no idea what the powder would do, though. Maybe scratch?).
TigreNegrito
100+ Head-Fier
Ironically, the graphite would be more apt to etch into metal than plastic, but it's a moot point as I have finally discovered the cracks inherent with the design flaw of these cans, just like everyone else here, and I believe that is where half of the creaking noise is coming from. Before they get too flimsy, I think I'll try filling the grove that goes along the entire length of the semi-circular arch that connects headband to earcups with some Gorilla glue or plastic epoxy to both stiffen them up and prevent further degradation. Secondly, I will talk to a machinist and see if he can fashion a metal arch to replace the plastic one, but first I have to disassemble mine and see what the connections require. I think just some stud ends to clip to the cups, but something more technical for mounting to the hinge portion. If we come up with a decent design, I'll be sure to post pics and cost.
Edit: Been a couple months since I got around to this, but I picked up some Devcon Plastic Weld from the hardware store. Cost about $5. There are two tiny screws near the swivel joints of each cup (the ones that allow you to lay the cans flat) and when you undo those and take off the plastic plate, the cup/arm assembly will come off the headband. Then, you take the arms off each of the cups. I used a post-it note to mark R and L because there is no ID on the cup itself, just the arm. Go easy here and use a blade screwdriver to gently pry the arm out at each socket on the side of each cup.
When that is done, mix up the 2-part epoxy - be generous as the unused product in the syringe will more than likely dry out completely be the time you ever get around to the next project at home that needs this glue. I used half the product in each of the next two steps so that I wouldn't run out in the middle of the routine. Once mixed, I used a popsicle stick to scoop up a bit of the epoxy and start pressing it into the groove along either end of each arm till each side was full, leaving the bigger center section empty for the time being. As it sets, it gets tacky but not sticky, so I used a jeweler's screwdriver to seat the epoxy deeper into the groove and then (after a few hours and part one was all dry) back-filled the resulting space in the next step.
Get the four screws and plastic panels ready for assembly because you do this next part quickly. Orient R and L arms to the proper side of the headband joint (it will be obvious when you look at it). Mix the rest of the epoxy and fill the center section of one arm completely. Mount the arm to the brass post on the headband and place the plastic plate in place. Epoxy will squeeze out so wipe it off, then drop the screws into their holes and tighten them up, wiping off any more epoxy that squeezes out. Repeat the process on the other side. With that done, twist the arms around the joint back and forth a few times every few minutes for the next half hour. This will keep the hinge from gluing in one position. In the meantime, while the epoxy is still moist, backfill the grooves in the arms to make it nice and level.
After it all dries (don't forget to occasionally rotate the arms on the headphone hinges) you can mount the cups back into the arms. If you want, you can shoot some silver spray paint beforehand to make it look nice. Either way, now the arms are MUCH stronger - effectively solid pieces of plastic. the original cracks in the arms don't gap, and I am hopeful I won't get any new ones. Less of the squeaky noises, too! I'll let you know how they hold up with use.
Edit: Been a couple months since I got around to this, but I picked up some Devcon Plastic Weld from the hardware store. Cost about $5. There are two tiny screws near the swivel joints of each cup (the ones that allow you to lay the cans flat) and when you undo those and take off the plastic plate, the cup/arm assembly will come off the headband. Then, you take the arms off each of the cups. I used a post-it note to mark R and L because there is no ID on the cup itself, just the arm. Go easy here and use a blade screwdriver to gently pry the arm out at each socket on the side of each cup.
When that is done, mix up the 2-part epoxy - be generous as the unused product in the syringe will more than likely dry out completely be the time you ever get around to the next project at home that needs this glue. I used half the product in each of the next two steps so that I wouldn't run out in the middle of the routine. Once mixed, I used a popsicle stick to scoop up a bit of the epoxy and start pressing it into the groove along either end of each arm till each side was full, leaving the bigger center section empty for the time being. As it sets, it gets tacky but not sticky, so I used a jeweler's screwdriver to seat the epoxy deeper into the groove and then (after a few hours and part one was all dry) back-filled the resulting space in the next step.
Get the four screws and plastic panels ready for assembly because you do this next part quickly. Orient R and L arms to the proper side of the headband joint (it will be obvious when you look at it). Mix the rest of the epoxy and fill the center section of one arm completely. Mount the arm to the brass post on the headband and place the plastic plate in place. Epoxy will squeeze out so wipe it off, then drop the screws into their holes and tighten them up, wiping off any more epoxy that squeezes out. Repeat the process on the other side. With that done, twist the arms around the joint back and forth a few times every few minutes for the next half hour. This will keep the hinge from gluing in one position. In the meantime, while the epoxy is still moist, backfill the grooves in the arms to make it nice and level.
After it all dries (don't forget to occasionally rotate the arms on the headphone hinges) you can mount the cups back into the arms. If you want, you can shoot some silver spray paint beforehand to make it look nice. Either way, now the arms are MUCH stronger - effectively solid pieces of plastic. the original cracks in the arms don't gap, and I am hopeful I won't get any new ones. Less of the squeaky noises, too! I'll let you know how they hold up with use.
linuxid10t
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Quote:
I'm sending mine in for warrantied repairs. I am definitely going to try this out once I get them back.
I'm sending mine in for warrantied repairs. I am definitely going to try this out once I get them back.
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