Denon AH-D5000 headphones review

Weaknesses
The obvious hurdle the majority of people will stumble into is the £500 price tag. If you've never heard what good headphones sound like, perhaps start with something considerably cheaper and work your way up (Denon's C700 'phones clock in at around £140 and are a good starting point) -- an audiophile ear needs time and training to develop. If you're experienced with high-end headphones, you're sure to appreciate the power and clarity delivered by the D5000s.

A weakness for anyone hoping to use these on the go is the heavy duty cable: it's very long and very weighty. The thinner cables leading into the cans themselves also tangle easily. As a headphone designed for home use, frequent travellers may be frustrated at having to manage such extensively professional cabling. Other travellers will thank you since at higher volumes these headphones can leak sound a little.

Conclusion
The lightweight D5000s offer outstanding performance and seductive comfort. They'll become one with your head, and you'll treasure the time you spend together. No matter what your musical tastes, your collection will burst with new life. You shouldn't waste your money if you're just going to listen to plain old MP3s, though, as you'll spend most of your time noticing all the horrible artifacts music compression can leave in its wake, highlighted accurately by the headphones.

If you'd prefer earphones rather than headphones, consider Shure's SE530 earphones -- they break the £300 barrier but sound stunning, and you'll even save a couple of hundred quid to boot.

Edited by Jason Jenkins
Additional editing by Shannon Doubleday