Denon AH-D5000 Over-ear Headphone Review

Audio Technica ATH-AD900

Design

By design, the two main differences of the ATH-AD900 and the Denon AH-D5000s, are the open backs of the Audio Technicas, and the band. Open backs allow more natural and complete driver movement than closed-back cans, and the radically different bad design makes the headphones distribute their weight on the top of your head, and not on your ears.

Frequency Response

Both have amazing frequency responses, but the ATH-AD900s technically have a flatter overall response, better for mixing, and the Denon AH-D5000s have a slightly more dynamic response, better for home listening. Overall, it’s mostly just user preference that decides what’s most appropriate for you at this performance point.

Distortion

Both sets of headphones have impressively low distortion levels

Tracking

Neither pair of cans is perfect in tracking, but the ATH-AD900s are a little more even in their channel preference.

Isolation

Neither set of headphones are great at attenuating noise, but the open-backed Audio Technicas are absolutely terrible at blocking out noise. Don’t take that to mean that the Denon AH-D5000s are any good at it either, but they’re technically better at it.

Comfort

This one’s tough, and in all likelihood will depend entirely on user preference. Both of these sets of headphones are insanely comfortable, and easy to forget you have them on your head. You seriously can’t go wrong with either here.

Verdict

Considering that the Audio Technicas have similar performance, comfort, and usability as the Denon AH-D5000s, it’s very hard to justify the extra $450+ to get the Denon AH-D5000s if you’re looking for a set of cans for the home or computer. Some will like the frequency response of the Denon AH-D5000s better, and that may be worth it to them. In the end, preference is a user decision, not ours, but by the numbers, we’d take the ATH-AD900s.