My final test comes in the form of Mac Miller’s “2009.” This is a sonically diverse composition that relies on tiny details and deep, sharp bass. Many earbuds struggle with these. Denon’s tuning has absolutely nailed it — highlighting tiny details like the reverb on Mac’s voice while keeping potential composition-spoiling sections like the 808 bass from distorting the entire thing. Thus, a split impression remained after the listening test: The Denon has its strong points from audiophil point-of-view. However, you have to really like its tonal balance. We have never missed an app with an equalizer for fine-tuning so much in an Inear. Review conclusion and alternatives to the Denon AH-C830NCW

I was content with their active noise cancelling capabilities, too. With ANC enabled, the whoosh of passing traffic when walking beside a busy road was reduced to a quieter grumble and the ANC system did a solid job attenuating low and mid-range noise. Higher-pitched squeals made by a police siren, my washing machine and the clinking of kitchen utensils weren’t attenuated as well but that’s not unusual for earbuds at this price point. I’ve got no complaints about their Ambient mode either – it allowed me to hold conversations effectively and piped in sound from the outside world in a natural manner. But you do get access to your phone’s assistant, and you can choose to use each earbud independently for calls and music. When you do, the play controls that are usually on the right earbud transfer to the left earbud when using just that side. Superb sound Simon Cohen / Digital Trends Denon equipped the AH-C830NCW with 0.4-inch oval dynamic drivers that dish out solid lows, mids, and highs across the board. Bass response won’t rattle your skull, but it is rich and well controlled. No EQ adjustment means dealing with the sound Denon has dealt, which may not seem ideal to any number of prospective owners. Those who hear the AT-C830NCW in action, though, will realise it’s not the deal-breaker it might have been. Denon has voiced these earbuds expertly.That also doesn't bode well when you want to get active. Denon gave these earbuds an IPX4 rating, which is passable for sweat and water resistance, but hardly what I consider durable. The AirPods Pro have the same designation, so yet another thing these earbuds match them on, but if you are looking for something to break a sweat in, the best running and workout earbuds could be a place to start.

Transparency mode is almost as good — it lets a lot of ambient noise in, but doesn’t quite erase the feeling of wearing earbuds the way the AirPods Pro can do. My only complaint, as I mentioned earlier, is the inability to toggle between ANC and transparency directly. Call quality Simon Cohen / Digital TrendsThe Denon AH-C830NCW cut a good figure in classical and jazz recordings from an audiophile´s perspective: we experienced an almost unbelievable richness of detail, they remained very transparent and also projected a not too large but plausible imaging. However, male voices and lower strings occured to sound a bit slim to us.

Denon estimates the earpieces can last between 4.8 and 6 hours on battery depending on your use of ANC and volume. The case holds an additional 14 to 18 hours of charge. Mid-bass is nice and fat, while the mids are perfectly balanced. You couldn’t want for more, in all honesty, and I think that’s high praise indeed. The active noise cancellation is facilitated by a couple of mics in each earbud, while call quality is handled by another three. Wireless connectivity is via Bluetooth 5 and codec support extends to SBC and AAC - that means there’s no hi-res audio support. Audio is delivered to your ears by a couple of oval (11mm x 10mm) full-range dynamic drivers. In terms of features and specifications, the Denon AH-C830NCW seems to deliver good value for frequent travelers. However, most people who are interested in in-earbuds will probably find alternatives in view of the too silverish and not very groovy sound, the clumsy handling and the not always secure fit. First and foremost, the cheaper JBL Tune 230NC TWS, which offers less resolution, but otherwise can actually do everything better than the Denon. Those who want more audiophile tuning and more isolating noise-canceling will probably be happy to pay the small premium for the Panasonic RZ-S500W. Specifications Denon AH-C830NCW Denon didn't hit it out of the park with the AH-C830NCW, but it certainly didn't come out with a dud, either. These are solid earbuds that do a key fundamental well, which is sound quality. The fit is hard to measure because of how subjective it may be, but if you can get that right, you will like the combination. It's just a shame there is no real customization involved from an app perspective.Just as you’d expect from a company with 110 years’ audio experience, the Denon AH-C830NCW (also known as True 830) earphones sound superb. Perfectly balanced, they strike the ideal mixture of a bright, detailed top-end matched to a deep, well-controlled bass. If you like to hear your music as it was meant to sound, rather than boosted at its extremes, these are the earphones for you. Rated to IPX4 standard, these earphones are tough enough to cope with a sweaty workout or being caught in a rain shower. Although tough, the AH-C830NCW’s are also comfortable. Light, compact and supplied with three sizes of silicone eartips, they easily fit most.