In the 1980s, Hip Hop lived in boom-box stereos. In the ’90s, it was about “kickers and amps, cold lined up in the trunk” of automobiles. In the new millennium, personal headphones are driving the market. With so much music readily accessible, much of Hip Hop is experienced through computers and iPods, and thus, a good pair of headphones is a top commodity for any music fan, but specifically in Hip Hop.
For the bigger headphone, geared towards the at-the-desk or professional audio crowd, the Denon AH-D-1100 is a formidable rival to Monster’s big endorsement, highly-stylized models. Simply put, the 1100 looks like business. As has been the case with Denon’s reputation, the cosmetics of the 1100 appeal to a wide audience and the black-with-silver-trim lines look close to the industry standard Sony models of a decade ago.
While looks are one thing, performance is another. These $120 MFSRP headphones are nearly half the price of Beats By Dr. Dre headphones, and yet to the naked ear, they perform neck-and-neck with Monster’s flagship just as well. Particularly in the low-end bass area, these headphones pack quite a punch, which is something that appeals particularly to the Rap listener. However, with higher music, the crispness in the sound of Denon’s model also excels, providing strengths in both areas, something that headphones only recently have been capable of. These are studio-quality headphones that allow both artists and appreciators of fine music hear work in a quality rarely seen at models at this price. Although appeasing professional standards, from the smaller jack (with optional larger input) to the apparent durability, these are made for retail consumers who just want quality presentation.
While Denon might be battling giant Monster on standard headphones, they appear to ultimately be seeking to get users away from standard headphones/earbuds purchased with today’s MP3 players and iPods. The Denon AH-C-710 model makes a convincing case for anybody who has frustrations with standard earbuds.
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For starters, these buds comes with three sizes of covers, removing the irritation or difficulty with loose or tight earbuds that lead to greater discomfort. The soft foam of these is higher quality than traditional earphone foam, and molds to shape without easy wear. On a jog, these earbuds stay in place and you’re never left trying to catch a dangling half to your audio experience in transit. The comfort is the most appealing quality of these earbuds, but for Hip Hop listeners in particular, the performance will also appeal.
Many of today’s Hip Hop, is downloaded, may be listened to before proper mix or mastering. While that’s no fault of any earphone, it is something that’s easily apparent in the last several generations of Apple’s iPod earbuds. While Rock music, Jazz and others play towards the middle, a low-end bass found in music by T.I., UGK or Killer Mike becomes raucous when the headphones lack the range. With the same track, tested in UGK’s “Front, Back & Side To Side,” is presently crisply and eloquently with Denon’s model. Going on a shuffle-journey through this writer’s extensive catalog of digitized music, there’s nothing that the Denon can’t handle, including a raw-mixed version of “Under Pressure,” made by Monster’s lead endorser. With better insulation than most standard earbuds, it’s also considerably harder to disturb others with these models, a nice upgrade from JVC’s line, which has kept public transportation users irked in recent years. Although upwards of $140 is a pretty price to pay for earbuds, the durability and quality experience can be easily justified with consideration to how much a consumer actually will use them.
Whether for studio, desktop or a fast clip on a running trail, Denon plays a low profile at high quality. The AH-D-1100 and AH-C-710 let the music do the talking, and not the look or name of the product.
