biggbenn74
500+ Head-Fier
Hello Head-Fi! I am officially BACK! It's been about a year, I've been busy, but I've recently managed to find time to get back to one of my true passions, headphones. On to the review!
* Note: I know these are not "new" headphones anymore, but I never got to express my feelings towards these headphones, and I truly feel like they deserve a proper review.
I purchased this pair off of eBay in the summer of 2013, so I've had a year to properly enjoy them and find every small detail within. I originally paid $100 for these, and you can buy these off of sites like Amazon and eBay for around the same price. These have held their value very well over the past year.
Appearance:
When Denon released the Urban Raver series, I was kind of shocked. Here I am, used to the D5000 and D7000 style that everyone knows, then these hip-hop inspired cans show up. They look radical, there is no other way of putting it. The headband swoops in and out and is very edgy. The ear cups are funky, but I suppose it's a good thing, considering that if they weren't, they wouldn't fit in with the rest of the design. They are a little weird to get used to in the looks department, but after you've come to terms with the design, they become easy to look at. 8/10 here.
Features:
Rarely have I ever discussed features when it comes to headphones, and if so, I generally won't have much to talk about. However, on the D400's, there is a lot to discuss in this area. In fact, I'd say half of the appeal of them overall is just based on the aspect of its unique features. For starters, these headphones have a built in amplifier, which means you must charge the headphones. Yep, no batteries here, just plug in a slim micro USB and charge the headphones. The headphones will then begin to glow red on one side, which takes me to my next point, they glow. When on charge, the headphones will glow red and pulse, almost like a heartbeat. When you unplug the headphones and switch the built in amplifier on, the headphones emit a bright blue light from both outer ear cups. You can toggle the lights on and off by pressing the left outer ear cup button, which brings me yet again to another point, the headphone has buttons.
Yes, the headphones have buttons, one on each side of the headphone. The one on the left controls the light, the intensity of the light and can even turn off the light all together. The button on the right side is more than just a button, it is also a knob. You push in on the right side and it will pause/unpause your music, and if you're using it on an iPhone, answer a call. The knob mechanism on the right side controls the volume of your music if you're using most Apple products. Turn the knob clockwise, and it gets louder, turn it counterclockwise and it will get quieter. On the topic of answering phone calls though, the headphones have a microphone inside of them, eliminating the need of a cable that has one on it. These LITERALLY have all of the bells and whistles you could ask for (except stupid noise canceling) 10/10 in this respect.
Comfort:
The ear pads on the D400 are definitely not round, or even an oval for that matter, rather they are shaped to fit theoretically perfect around the human ear. Even with all of the extra hardware on the headphones, they are no heavier than a pair of average dj style headphones. The only issue I find with it is that the headband could be a bit more plush. 7/10
Sound:
Denon has always produced audio products of the highest caliber, so I was a bit skeptical when I tried these out for the first time. The D400's definitely have bass, and it is amplified with the actual amplifier running in the headphones. Keep in mind that the amplifier does not have to be on to listen to music. They do love bass though. However, the bass can be controlled easily with an external EQ. I have been using both EQu and in-app EQ's with these, and with good results. The midrange is a smidgen off of what I consider to be flat, which is good. I would compare them to another DJ headphone, the Numark Electrowave. The treble is where things got a little off track. Unfortunately, the highs begin to suffer due to the bass and flat-ish mids. At first I was a bit disappointed, but then it hit me, that's not why I bought the headphones in the first place. These are not what I would call "audiophile" grade headphones, but rather, they are one of the best sounding DJ headphones I have ever owned. The treble can be adjusted slightly with an equalizer, but don't expect miracles. In the end, if you're going to wear these headphones around town or in your way to work, these headphones should sound great. The noise isolation is just like most DJ headphones out there, they seal very well and don't let much noise in at average listening volumes. Bottom line, they are bass heavy, but not so much that it ruins everything else. I'm definitely not disappointed by any means overall. These sound great for on the go listening and would be perfect in louder areas. 7.5/10 overall. If I could add one more thing, for $100, these sound above average, which is a great thing.
EL Wire Mod:
One day, I got bored, so I decided to tape up some EL Wire to the headphone cable, and I was definitely blown away by how beautiful the headphones look in the dark. These headphones turn heads downtown all night long, guaranteed.
Overall, these headphones have brought me hours upon hours of music enjoyment, as well as a lot of looks when I wear them. I've been stopped for pictures before, on multiple occasions. If you're looking for the wow factor, definitely pick these up and never look back.
"But, hey, that's my opinion. Take it as you wish." -BiggBenn
* Note: I know these are not "new" headphones anymore, but I never got to express my feelings towards these headphones, and I truly feel like they deserve a proper review.
I purchased this pair off of eBay in the summer of 2013, so I've had a year to properly enjoy them and find every small detail within. I originally paid $100 for these, and you can buy these off of sites like Amazon and eBay for around the same price. These have held their value very well over the past year.
Appearance:
When Denon released the Urban Raver series, I was kind of shocked. Here I am, used to the D5000 and D7000 style that everyone knows, then these hip-hop inspired cans show up. They look radical, there is no other way of putting it. The headband swoops in and out and is very edgy. The ear cups are funky, but I suppose it's a good thing, considering that if they weren't, they wouldn't fit in with the rest of the design. They are a little weird to get used to in the looks department, but after you've come to terms with the design, they become easy to look at. 8/10 here.
Features:
Rarely have I ever discussed features when it comes to headphones, and if so, I generally won't have much to talk about. However, on the D400's, there is a lot to discuss in this area. In fact, I'd say half of the appeal of them overall is just based on the aspect of its unique features. For starters, these headphones have a built in amplifier, which means you must charge the headphones. Yep, no batteries here, just plug in a slim micro USB and charge the headphones. The headphones will then begin to glow red on one side, which takes me to my next point, they glow. When on charge, the headphones will glow red and pulse, almost like a heartbeat. When you unplug the headphones and switch the built in amplifier on, the headphones emit a bright blue light from both outer ear cups. You can toggle the lights on and off by pressing the left outer ear cup button, which brings me yet again to another point, the headphone has buttons.
Yes, the headphones have buttons, one on each side of the headphone. The one on the left controls the light, the intensity of the light and can even turn off the light all together. The button on the right side is more than just a button, it is also a knob. You push in on the right side and it will pause/unpause your music, and if you're using it on an iPhone, answer a call. The knob mechanism on the right side controls the volume of your music if you're using most Apple products. Turn the knob clockwise, and it gets louder, turn it counterclockwise and it will get quieter. On the topic of answering phone calls though, the headphones have a microphone inside of them, eliminating the need of a cable that has one on it. These LITERALLY have all of the bells and whistles you could ask for (except stupid noise canceling) 10/10 in this respect.
Comfort:
The ear pads on the D400 are definitely not round, or even an oval for that matter, rather they are shaped to fit theoretically perfect around the human ear. Even with all of the extra hardware on the headphones, they are no heavier than a pair of average dj style headphones. The only issue I find with it is that the headband could be a bit more plush. 7/10
Sound:
Denon has always produced audio products of the highest caliber, so I was a bit skeptical when I tried these out for the first time. The D400's definitely have bass, and it is amplified with the actual amplifier running in the headphones. Keep in mind that the amplifier does not have to be on to listen to music. They do love bass though. However, the bass can be controlled easily with an external EQ. I have been using both EQu and in-app EQ's with these, and with good results. The midrange is a smidgen off of what I consider to be flat, which is good. I would compare them to another DJ headphone, the Numark Electrowave. The treble is where things got a little off track. Unfortunately, the highs begin to suffer due to the bass and flat-ish mids. At first I was a bit disappointed, but then it hit me, that's not why I bought the headphones in the first place. These are not what I would call "audiophile" grade headphones, but rather, they are one of the best sounding DJ headphones I have ever owned. The treble can be adjusted slightly with an equalizer, but don't expect miracles. In the end, if you're going to wear these headphones around town or in your way to work, these headphones should sound great. The noise isolation is just like most DJ headphones out there, they seal very well and don't let much noise in at average listening volumes. Bottom line, they are bass heavy, but not so much that it ruins everything else. I'm definitely not disappointed by any means overall. These sound great for on the go listening and would be perfect in louder areas. 7.5/10 overall. If I could add one more thing, for $100, these sound above average, which is a great thing.
EL Wire Mod:
One day, I got bored, so I decided to tape up some EL Wire to the headphone cable, and I was definitely blown away by how beautiful the headphones look in the dark. These headphones turn heads downtown all night long, guaranteed.
Overall, these headphones have brought me hours upon hours of music enjoyment, as well as a lot of looks when I wear them. I've been stopped for pictures before, on multiple occasions. If you're looking for the wow factor, definitely pick these up and never look back.
"But, hey, that's my opinion. Take it as you wish." -BiggBenn
