Denon is certainly showing themselves to be pretty sprightly for a 100-year-old company. At a press event in New York earlier this week, the company unveiled six new high-performance headphones enhancing their broad lineup: the AH-NC800 noise-canceling headphones ($349, arriving August), as well as the other over-the-ear models AH-D1100 ($199, September), AH-D510R (SRP: $99, August), AH-D310R (SRP: $69, August), and in-ear AH-C560R (SRP: $99, June) and AH-C260R ($49, also June). Headphones will be a serious initiative for Denon in 2010, and one of the keys will be increased one-touch iPhone/iPod compatibility and convenience across the line.
Four of the new models--the AH-D510R, AH-D31OR, AH-C560R and AH-C260R--offer a specially designed three-button remote control/microphone integrated on the cord to provide quick, intuitive access to both voice and music control. All are compatible with Apple's Voice Control for iPhone 3GS, iPod touch 2G and the third-generation shuffle, in addition to the newly launched iPad.
The new in-ear headphone models have an ergonomic design which more steadily isolates external sound from entering the ear, while also decreasing mechanical vibration. A newly developed hybrid (metal or plastic combined with Elastomer) housing provides clean sound, and a Radial Cascade Damper (in the AH-C260R and AH-C560R) reduces the microphonic noise when the cables are touched. All in-ear models are bundled with extension cables, ear clips, and multiple sizes of ear tips for an ideal fit. The AH-C560R headphones also include a special "soft-foam" earpiece for added comfort, while the AH-C260R comes with a fourth set of silicon ear tips, extra small to fit younger users. They also come with a newly designed cable-management carrying case. The cables themselves are comprised of high purity oxygen-free copper.
Denon's new over-ear models, meanwhile, are the result of a unique research and development push using precise scientific modeling and anatomical measurements of the human head. The new band leaves virtually no gap around the wearer's head, to more evenly distribute the weight, while the newly developed 3D draping soft skin and foam cushion ear-pads offer superior comfort for extended listening periods. Denon headphones are apparently developing a reputation among consumers as some of the most comfortable on the market, now we know why.
The solid aluminum housing of the AH-NC800, AH-D1100 and AH-D510R models provides superior durability, too. Denon's luxury-class AH-NC800s headphones contain newly developed dual noise-canceling technology--based on feedback and "feed-forward"--to reduce ambient noise by a reported 99%. In addition, they feature Denon's proprietary Compressed Audio Restorer, an audio-enhancing technology borrowed from the company's audio/video receivers for imrpoving the sound of compressed music files.
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