Plucked from their Music Maniac line, the Denon AH-C400 In-Ear Headphones were created to deliver a best-in-class listening experience with studio quality sound. Simply put, these aren’t your average run of the mill headphones. In fact, Denon engineers studied over 4,000 pairs of ears from people around world to come up with a design that is said to automatically account for the subtle differences in ear shape, placement, ear canal size, head size and jaw depression. Making in-ear headphone comfort an issue of the past.

Photo Credit: Munkong Gadget

Each in-ear housing of the Denon AH-C400 In-Ear Headphones features two balanced armature drivers encased in zinc die-cast housings that are attached with a teflon-coated, non-tangle cables, that includes an in-line remote (for control of Apple iPod, iPhone and iPad) and a microphone for clear phone conversations no matter where you go.

In the Box:

Photo Credit: Munkong Gadget

Recently we were given a chance to test drive a pair of the AH-C400’s for ourselves. We took them everywhere from the office to the gym and even on a ski trip in frigid conditions. They performed well, so well in fact that we’d like to share the results right now!

Key Features:

Construction: Zinc Die-Cast
Non-tangle cable
7 interchangeable ear tips – Silicon & Foam (XS, S, M, L)
Leather carrying case
¼” Gold-Plated Adapter
In-line remote control for Apple iDevices
Integrated Microphone
Denon Audio App integration (for iPhone / Android smartphones)

Specs:

Weight: 9 grams
Driver type – dual Balanced Armature
Impedance: 43 Ohms @ 1kHz
Sensitivity – 106dB/mW
Max Power Input: 100mW
Frequency Response: 4~20,000 Hz

– The Review –

Audio Quality:

(9 out of 10) There’s really no sense in comparing the AH-C400’s to your dinky iPod ear buds… so we won’t even entertain it. These headphones supply a crisp, rich and well-balanced sound that we found is best enjoyed at mid to mid-high volumes. At its top end (max volume) we did experience a bit of distortion, primarily in deeper bass notes. That being said, there’s rarely a reason to have them pumped to max anyways. Hearing loss is a very real issue these days. About 60% – 80% volume is the “sweet spot.”

Tuned to flat EQ setting straight out of the box we found the audio produced by these headphones to be delightful to listen to. If you’re looking for a more specific listening experience we recommend you download the Denon Audio App for your iPhone or Android smart phone. We experimented with the App for several hours and discovered quickly that it’s simple to use and depending on the genre of music you prefer, the EQ levels can be tuned manually for a truly personal experience or via auto tune settings for jazz, dance, country, etc… All in all, these headphones provide a simply fantastic listening experience.

Comfort: $\" width=$

(9.5 out of 10) After swapping out all 7 of the interchangeable tips for the perfect fit, every writer in our office can personally vouch for incredible comfort that these headphones deliver. With both foam and silicon tips in sizes ranging from extra small to large it wasn’t hard to find the right size and feel. Once they’re snugly in your ear it’s easy to forget you’re wearing them after only minutes of use. We did find however that while these headphones are quite comfy, they just don’t stay put for physical activities such as running, skiing or biking. If you’re looking for a sports inspired headphone better options are available… the AH-C400’s are for kicking back and enjoying the tunes.

Design:

(8 out of 10) Its glossy futuristic appearance isn’t only a visually appealing, but Denon’s engineers have a method to their madness. The dual Balanced Armature drivers are highly durable and were uniquely designed to fit nicely into every type of ear. Additionally the in-line remote makes quick work of skipping tracks and answering phone calls. The integrated microphone is also very effective as well, but does deliver a bit of a “hallow” effect to the person on the other end of the phone line. We were also quite pleased with the non-tangle cord, which as advertised never did tangle!

Value:

(8 out of 10) Yikes, $350 is no chump change! Although, if you’re passionate about your music or even fancy yourself a true audiophile who’s sick and tired of having to find a new pair of headphones seemingly every year because your bargain brand doesn’t hold up, you’ll be happy to know that the AH-C400’s are a quality purchase that that were built to last and deliver well balanced audio.

The Bottom Line:

If you’re in the market for true studio quality in-ear headphones we highly recommend you get your hands on a pair of the Denon AH-C400 In-Ear Headphones. They look out of this word and have the audio quality to back up their unique appearance. After testing these bad boys for over 40 hours in a multitude of environments and situations we came away very impressed first and foremost with their pristine audio quality as well as their durability, style and iPhone/iPod remote which made it easy to answer phone calls and skip tracks with the touch of a button.

Buy Now: $350 or go to: Denon.com