Denon AHD-9200 over-ear headphones

Each set of Denon's premium AH-D9200 is built by hand in Denon's Shirakawa Audio Works facility. Top-shelf headphones, hand-crafted by audio experts Denon made their name in home theater and A/V receivers, but they've been crushing it with headphones the last few years. I auditioned their flagship AH-D9200 headphones, and right out of the box you can tell how seriously this company takes personal audio. These premium over-ears are meticulously assembled by hand at the company's Shirakawa facility in Japan - notice the striking bamboo earcups, strong aluminum frame, and plush leather earpads. Denon has customized their famous "FreeEdge" headphone drivers, specifically to perform their best within the bamboo earcups. The AH-D9200s have the most spacious presentation I've heard from a pair of Denon headphones. They deliver a resolving sound with deep, controlled sub-bass. Beautifully sculpted and finished earcups Take a look at the images above that show the Denon crew at work. Each bamboo wood earcup is sculpted and sanded, then coated with a lacquer finish. Just holding them in my hands, I could sense the level of care and close attention to detail involved here. And the housings don't just look and feel deluxe. Rather, they also serve a musical purpose. Bamboo helps give the sound a clean, organic feel. It is a natural sound-dampening material that helps keep external noise from leaking in - and your music from escaping out. More from my hands-on experience These headphones are made from high-grade materials and feel solid and sturdy. They are oversized and can feel heavier on the head than most headphones, but the weight was well-distributed. And the shape of the earpads made them easy for me to wear. Extra padding is distributed behind the ears to help cushion the most sensitive pressure points. Sometimes headphones with a large soundstage are so laid-back that they lose something in the dynamics. That didn't happen with the Denon AH-D9200 'phones. I drove the