The Denon Globe Cruiser are well-crafted, comfortable headphones with a sturdy, durable design. They block a lot of noise in loud environments like on a plane or train. Unfortunately, they have below-average sound quality and leak quite a bit, which might disturb the people around you.
Our Verdict
The Denon AHGC20 are average for mixed usage. They have great isolation performance but sub-par sound quality. They do better in uses where sound quality isn't as much of a factor.
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Good noise isolation.
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Sturdy and durable build quality.
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Comfortable and stable fit.
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Boomy, unbalanced audio reproduction.
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Leaks a lot of sound.
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Treble delivery varies significantly across users. Sensitive to positioning.
The Denon AHGC20 aren't ideal for neutral listening. They have a bass-heavy audio reproduction and a closed-back design that limits their soundstage. This makes them sound too dark and closed for neutral listening.
The Denon Globe Cruiser are above-average commuting and traveling headphones. They deliver a strong noise isolation performance that will reduce a significant amount of ambient noise. They're comfortable and have a good, durable design.
The Denon Globe Cruiser are average at best for sports. They're wireless and remarkably stable. However, they're a little too bulky for strenuous exercise.
The Denon AHGC20 are decent for office use. The strong noise canceling will block the chatter of a busy office. However, they do leak a bit.
The Denon Globe Cruiser aren't suitable for wireless gaming.
- 6.8 Mixed Usage
- 6.0 Neutral Sound
- 7.4 Commute/Travel
- 7.0 Sports/Fitness
- 7.0 Office
- 5.3 Wireless Gaming
- 7.0 Wired Gaming
- 6.4 Phone Call
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Feb 16, 2018: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
- Updated Sep 28, 2017: The microphone has been tested with our new methodology, as explained here
- Updated Aug 10, 2017: Converted to Test Bench 1.1.
- Updated Mar 01, 2017: Converted to Test Bench 1.0.
- Updated May 02, 2016: Review published.
- Updated Apr 30, 2016: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Apr 11, 2016: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
Compared To Other Headphones
The Sony WH-1000XM2 Wireless are a much better and more versatile headphone than the Denon AHGC20 Wireless. The Sony have a better noise canceling feature that blocks a lot more noise than the Denons. The Sony also sound better out of the box and come with a great companion app that gives them a lot more customization options than the Denon. The Denon, on the other hand, are slightly more comfortable than the Sony thanks to their better padding. They also have a slightly more durable design, although both headphones are well-made and look high-end.
The Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 Wireless 2016 are better wireless headphones than the Denon AHGC20 Wireless. The Plantronics have a better battery life, a longer wireless range, easier to use controls and a much better bass-heavy sound that does not drown vocals and instrumentals like the Denon. On the other hand, the Denon have a more premium build quality and a slightly more comfortable over-ear design that some may prefer over the Plantronics. The Denon also have much better noise cancelling performance, so they're a bit better suited for travel and noisy commutes.
The Bose QuietComfort 35 II/QC35 II Wireless 2018 are much better noise canceling headphones than the Denon AH-GC20 Wireless. The Bose have a more comfortable over-ear fit and a better noise cancellation feature that makes them more suitable for travel and commuting than the Denon. The Bose also have a much better-balanced sound profile than the Denon, which sound poorly balanced, dark, and too bass-heavy. On the upside, the Denon feel better-built than the Bose, have a longer battery life, and a more premium look and feel.
The Sony WH-H900N/h.ear on 2 Wireless are a better headset than the Denon AHGC20 Wireless. The Sony have a better-balanced sound quality that caters to a lot more genres than the dark and bass-heavy sound of the Denon. The Sony are also a lot more customizable than the Denon, thanks to their better companion app which gives you a full EQ and noise canceling options, unlike the Denon's companion app. On the other hand, the Denon have a more comfortable and premium looking design that some may prefer over that of the Sony.
Test Results
They have a sleek modern look. They're well-designed and have a black color scheme accentuated by the metallic hinges. This gives them a premium appeal that looks great and feels high-end.
These are very comfortable headphones. The ear cups are large enough to fit cozily around most ears and the padding used is thick and soft. The headband doesn't apply too much pressure to the head and is sufficiently well-padded. They're not the most lightweight, which some may prefer; however, the weight doesn't cause any discomfort or fatigue, even during long listening sessions.
Great button layout and control scheme. The buttons deliver good tactile feedback and are efficient and easy to use. They provide call/music management, track skipping, and volume adjustment. The power button is also the noise cancelling switch.
The Denon Globe Cruiser are decently portable headphones. They conveniently fold up into a much smaller format, which does not take too much space in a backpack or handbag. However, they're a little on the larger side for over-ears and won't comfortably fit in pockets or even larger jacket pockets.
They came with a hard case that will protect them from scratches and falls. They're stored in the case with the ear cups laying flat, which takes a little more surface area but slims down the profile of the case for easy transport.
The build quality is good, and they feel sturdy and durable. The headband has a metal frame to reinforce the build, and the hinges are also mostly metallic, which can withstand a fair amount of physical stress. The ear cups are dense and robust. However, the underside padding for the headband is not made of the same faux leather as the ear cup padding and may wear over time with frequent use.
These headphones are moderately stable. They'll comfortably maintain their position during casual listening sessions. They're also wireless, so there's less risk of getting your cable hooked by something that will pull them off your head. However, they aren't designed for use during sports and won't maintain a stable fit under those conditions. The large ear cups will slip off your ears during high-intensity activities, like running or jumping.
- Denon Globe Cruiser headphones
- Carrying case
- Audio cable
- Airline adapter
- 1/8" to 1/4" adapter
- USB cable
- Manual
The frequency response consistency is mediocre. The bass delivery is quite consistent across our human subjects, most likely due to the ANC system (active noise cancelling) of the checking for the seal and bass amount. The treble delivery, however, is quite inconsistent and sensitive to positioning.
These headphones have good isolation. The passive isolation provided by the ear cups is quite good. It starts to kick in at 300Hz and reaches its peak isolation of -38dB at 4kHz. The active noise cancellation does a decent job in the bass range, achieving an average of 13dB of cancellation.
They have poor leakage. The majority of the leakage is spread between 400Hz and 5kHz, which is too wide. The overall level of the leakage is relatively loud.
They have a generous battery life. They deliver a full day of continuous playback on a single charge but unfortunately, they don't have many features to prolong the battery life. They don't have an auto-off timer, so they'll continue draining the battery if you forget to turn them off. They also can't play audio while charging.
The Denon Travel app is very bare-bones and feature-lacking. It only provides an in-app player that delivers minimal playback control. It adds some links to other travel apps like Expedia and Kayak, but they're only passive links with no additional integration. This app isn't really worth installing, especially since the in-app player adds nothing more to your regular phone player.
