Denon AH-C120MA review

Denon has a solid reputation in audio equipment and this is something it has maintained with its new AH-C120MA, the in-ear headphone entry in its Music Maniac series.

The AH-C120MA has 11.5mm dynamic drivers that have been tuned to provide a flat output, the idea being that the AH-C120MA provides a more accurate representation of the music without the over-emphasised bass you might get with other headphones. The hybrid metal housing of each earbud is also designed to reduce the reverberation of bass-heavy tracks. We were impressed by the sound quality and didn’t find our ears tiring after extensive listening periods.

Denon provides three different-sized silicon ear tips as well as a pair of Comply TX-400M foam ear tips. The Comply tips, which use memory foam to create a seal, were by far our favourite ear tips for comfort and sound quality. The seal was good enough to block outside noise in the Expert Reviews office and a busy bus commute. The soundstage is surprisingly wide for in-ear headphones and these particularly shone with acoustic recordings, with nice separation between instruments and vocals.  The headphones also have an impressively wide frequency response.

Noise created by the vibrations of the headphone cable can sometimes be an annoyance with certain headphones, but Denon has included a “Radial Cascade Damper System” which helps to reduce cable-transmitted noise. We put this to the test by making a few trips up and down the office staircase and can report that noise wasn’t an issue.

The headphones also include an inline one-button remote control and microphone which works with Android and iOS devices. Denon has also included a smartphone adaptor to make the headphones work with otherwise incompatible smartphones such as the Sony Xperia range. You also get a hard carry case for storage.

The Denon Music Maniac AH-C120MA provides a pleasant and comfortable listening experience and will be a good choice for anyone looking for a neutral sound. Fans of booming bass might be better looking elsewhere.