It figures that I just posted a list of my DJ gear last week. Here is what basically happened. I bought a pair of Denon DN-HP 1000 headphones for $150 about 15 or 16 months ago [remember that number for later] to replace a set of old worn out Sony MDR-V700 headphones. After years of use, the Sony’s were starting to crack and the sound quality was deteriorating.
Shortly after I got the Denon’s there was a problem with the wire near the plug and I would have to wiggle it to get sound in both ear cups. I found a good spot in the connection and then electrical taped the sh*t out of it to hold the wire in place. Problem averted, but unfortunately it was only the first of many. Read on to find out what else happened, see more pictures, and find out what Denon told me when I contacted them.
So after 6 or 7 months of ownership one of the cups broke clean off of the headband right at the bottom of the height adjustment piece and was left dangling by the sound connection wire. Fortunately that wire didn’t sever, so I was still getting sound from the ear cup. I decided to do one of my custom white duct tape jobs on the cup to get it back where it belonged. It was tough but it worked. Now I have a large head, so the height adjuster is a necessity for me, but i figured as long and the other side of the headband still adjusted I would be ok. I think you can guess what happens next…
The other night [04/25/09] I had a gig with Randy Boyer and Kristina Sky at Room 960 up in Hartford. The White Party, as its called, is the annual event the 3 of us get together for, and its a big event with a lot of people. Sure enough, right in the middle of the biggest gig I’ve had yet in ‘09, the cup on the other side of the headphones snapped off the headband in the exact same place. All the pictures you are seeing were taken by the talented Mikey NcNulty right after it happened. Despite the internet rumor that I’ll probably start myself next week, No I did not bite my headphones in half. I had to yell for Randy, and borrow his headphones just to finish my set, which by the way came out pretty good despite this [it'll be a future episode of the DanceCast].
Obviously I was none to happy that in a little over a year my on the expensive side headphones had basically disintegrated. So I decided to email Denon:
Dear Denon,
I’ve owned a pair of your HP 1000 headphones for a little over a year
now. I bought them for their superior sound quality, which has always
been great. Unfortunately I can not say the same for the build
quality.Not long after I bought them i started experiencing issues with the
sound, due to a bad connection near the plug. I had to wiggle the cord
till i found a decent spot and then electrical tape the heck out of it
to ensure it wouldn’t move.Then 6 months ago one of the ear cups broke off, right where the ear
cup meets the size adjustment slider. Fortunately the wire didn’t
sever, so I closed the slider and duct tapped the thing back together.
I figured as long as the other slider still worked I’d be ok.Sure enough, during a gig the other night the other side broke in the
same spot. I had to borrow a friends set of headphones just to finish
my set.Are their any recall or repair programs I should be aware of? Any
chance you guys can fix these things for me? I’d like to think that
maybe I just got a bum pair and that not all of your headphones have
similar problems.I look forward to hearing from you soon.
-Mike Charles
Denon customer support replied to me the next business day. I can’t post their response because of the legal notice attached to the bottom, but the gist of there response was this:
- There are no recalls or repair programs.
- They have a 1 yr warranty.
- If the warranty has expired, you should look at buying new headphones b/c repairing them would not be cost effective.
Now I had told them in my initial email that I had owned them for over a year, so that basically leaves us with bullet #3. While I’m glad they didn’t insult me by offering to fix them for $250, I was extremely surprised that they wouldn’t even make an attempt at satisfying a customer. What really killed me was them saying I should buy new headphones. I felt like saying “Well gee thanks for suggestion, I’ll buy headphones from a company who gives a sh*t” but I instead responded with something more level headed:
Unfortunately, this is the answer I was expecting. I would have hoped
that you valued customer loyalty a bit more than to suggest I go out
and buy a new set of headphones.I will heed your suggestion and look at replacing the headphones. I
can tell you that they will most certainly not be Denon brand. Also
when asked for recommendations, I can’t in good faith recommend a set
of headphones that fall apart right after the warranty period expires.Thank you for your prompt response.
-Mike Charles
You know what Denon’s response was? Nothing, they went radio silent. I would have thought an apology was in order at the very least. I was wrong.
So now I’m hear to warn you. If you are in the market for DJ Headphones and are looking for a set with:
- Great, crisp, clear sound reproduction
- Cord problems
- Will fall apart if you look at them with a mean face
- No durability whatsoever
- Will fail when you need them the most
- Assh*le customer support
If that is what you are looking for, the the Denon DN-HP 1000’s are definitely the set of cans for you! If you see this post disappear, you can rest assured that Denon’s legal department has gotten ahold of it. I bet they’ll respond to my emails.
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