The pinnacle of Japan made headphones

DENON, a pioneer in Japanese audio makers, celebrated its 110th anniversary in 2020, counting from its predecessor Nippon Columbia. This AH-D9200 set of headphones represents the fundamental strength of this traditional manufacturer and its love for music.

Katsuyoshi Takeno, who has been involved in headphones for 10 years, says, "The driver and housing are the key elements that determine the sound of headphones." The "driver" is the part of the speaker that produces sound, and the "housing" is the part that covers the ear.

The heart of DENON's domestic production is the Shirakawa Plant in Fukushima Prefecture. Here, turntable cartridges (record needles) and amplifiers that require advanced technology are manufactured by craftsmen who are found only in this factory in the world, let alone in Japan.

Until now, DENON headphones were made in China. The Fukushima factory was specially equipped with production facilities and operators for these AH-D9200 headphones.

The project for DENON's flagship headphones began. Mr. Takeno says that he went through a trial-and-error process to find the right mixing ratio of nanofibers to create a driver suitable for the flagship model, and he also spent a lot of time selecting the materials for the housing.

After searching all over Japan, he chose Moso bamboo from Kochi Prefecture for the housing material. Bamboo is lightweight and strong enough to absorb unwanted vibrations and transmit pure sound to the ear. Miroku Technowood, also based in Kochi, processes the Moso bamboo. The company's processing technology, which was originally cultivated through its main business of making gunstocks for hunting rifles, is also used in the steering wheel of Lexus.

While "sound" is the most important aspect of headphones, "comfort" and "durability" are also important. For comfort, three-dimensional sewing of highly durable artificial leather and the use of shape-memory foam reduce stress even after prolonged use. For durability, the hanger and housing frame are made of die-cast aluminum to reduce weight and achieve high rigidity.

Listen to the music you like with the sound you like. While other hobbies, such as sports, may not be for everyone, everyone likely listens to music. Mr. Takeno says, "Expenditure on music is not consumption but investment." Certainly, continuous exposure to better sound is likely to bring peace of mind and increase creativity.

I often listen to music through wireless earphones, but the sound from these Moso bamboo headphones was more lively than usual. The music I was listening to seemed as if it was being played right in front of my eyes. I was told that "people don't take off their headphones to listen to the music," and it is no wonder.

Mr. Takeno is full of love for music and headphones. He told us that he has no plans to create a model that surpasses the Moso bamboo headphones, and that they are already "perfection".

○Specifications

• Form: Sealed dynamic type
• Driver: 50 mm free-edge nano-fiber driver
• Magnet: Neodymium magnet
• Sensitivity: 105 dB
• Maximum input: 1800 mW
• Playing frequency: 5-56000 Hz
• Weight: 375 g (0.83 lb)  ※without cable 
• Cable (detachable): 3.0 m (9.85 feet) silver coated OFC cable and 1.3 m (4.26 feet)  OFC cable 
• Accessories: user's manual (in Japanese), plug adopter, cleaning cloth 

 ○How to connect to your own devices

• Smartphone and tablet: You can connect by preparing a device that connects to the 3.5 mm headphone jack according to the device you are using. For example, for the iPhone, there is a "Lightning-3.5 mm headphone jack adapter" available on the market.
• PC: You can connect by preparing a device that connects USB port and the 3.5 mm headphone jack according to the device you are using. For example, for the MacBook, there is a "USB-C-3.5 mm headphone jack adapter" available on the market.

○Shipping

• Shipping is within 7 days.
• Shipping fee is included in the product price.