Denon is no industry lightweight when it comes to headphones, but we've spent very little time covering its recent offerings. These Denon AH-MM400 cans, though, have demanded we sit up and start paying attention again.Now, your first reaction to seeing that American walnut finish is probably either going to be one of abject horror, or a creeping sense that maybe your ears would look better cocooned in wood. Chances are there's little middle ground between the two.

In a world where pretty much only black headphones get bought ? outside of the Beats ballpark ? it's a fairly brave move for Denon to be flirting with such a divisive look for its high-end headphones.But it's also indicative of Denon looking to a more mature audience for these more audiophile-friendly cans than the sort of people who hang on Dre's coat-tails with his red, white and blue Beats.Build quality