One of the main pieces of equipment every DJ needs to have is a good pair of DJ headphones. So, you ask, what are the best DJ headphones? Well, the answer to this depends partially on what you’ll be using your DJ headphones for and partially on how much you want to spend on them. But in general, there are a few headphones that work well for most DJs and any of those would be a solid choice for any DJ. Let’s explore the options…
Which DJ Headphones Should I Get?
One thing you should look out for when looking for DJ headphones is that they are sound isolating. This is different from noise cancelling, which you probably won’t need. Sound isolating headphones are usually over the ear style headphones and they act just like how that sounds. Over the ear headphones fit snugly over your ears so that the sound coming out of them does not leak out to the outside world. This means that you hear the sounds clearly and accurately. Usually, the better the headphones are at sound isolation, the better they’ll sound to you because you’ll be able to hear all the tiny nuances of the music. These headphones also isolate your ears from the outside world, which means that you won’t get outside sound leaking in. However, most DJs want to be able to hear a little of the outside world because the helps for beatmatching. For example, it’ll be easier to match the beat of the track playing through your headphones if you can hear the beat on the track you’re playing on the club speakers. But this really depends on your style of beatmatching. Many DJs take off one cup of their headphones so that one ear could hear the outside sound while the other ear hears the track you’re cueing up in your headphones.
Another thing to consider when trying out different kinds of DJ headphones is how the different frequency ranges are coming through. Some DJ headphones are pretty heavy on the low end, so you hear the bass more prominently than the other frequencies. This can be good for hip-hop or house DJs, who often focus primarily on the beat of the track. In contrast, some DJ headphones come out stronger in the middle range of the frequency spectrum, so you hear the other instruments a little better and the bass may even be a bit downplayed. Make sure that the sound isn’t too tinny – that’s not something you want. You want a deep, natural sound.
In general, you can get a pretty good pair of DJ headphones in the $80-160 price range. There are definitely some really high end DJ headphones that can cost more than $300 but for the most part you will be happy with a $130 pair if you’re just starting out. In fact, they’ll probably sound better than any headphones you’ve ever heard before you became a DJ.
So what are some good ones?
Sony MDR-V700 DJ Headphones
Sony MDR-V700DJ DJ Headphones – These are one of the most popular DJ headphones, used by both amateur and professional DJs. I have a pair of these and I think they tend to be a bit heavier on the bass than other DJ headphones I have tried. One thing to keep in mind is that these headphones are known to break fairly easily when under heavy use, due to their plastic construction. However, most DJs who use these love them so much that they keep buying the same pair even after they break. These are currently (July, 2009) sold for around $90-120 in online and retail stores.
Technics RP-DH1200 DJ Headphones
Technics RP-DJ1200 DJ Headphones – These are my favorite DJ headphones and the ones I choose to use most on gigs and while practicing. They are also used by many of the top DJs in the world. For example, I recently saw Armin Van Buuren (currently the world’s #1 DJ) wearing a pair of these headphones at a show in Chicago. The sound of these headphones is very clear and accurate. The bass is strong but not so strong that it muddies up the other instruments in higher frequency ranges. These headphones have a very sturdy construction and that is one of the reasons many DJs prefer them over the Sony model. They also have a detachable cord, so if the cord breaks you can just replace it instead of replacing the whole headphone. These can be found in the $85-140 price range.
Pioneer HDJ-1000 DJ Headphones
Pioneer HDJ-1000 DJ Headphones – This is another very popular pair of headphones. It is a bit pricier than the other two headphones I’ve mentioned here but the sound they create is exceptionally good. I have not used these heavily yet to I can’t offer my own opinion, but I do know that they generally get pretty good reviews. However, I have seen people complain about these breaking occasionally as well. A pair of these DJ headphones will run you approximately $140-190.
Behringer HPX2000 DJ Headphones
Behringer HPX2000 DJ Headphones – If you are a DJ on a budget, these are the headphones to get. These were actually my first headphones back when I was just starting out and I have to say that for $20-30 this is probably the best pair of DJ headphones you can get. The price is very low for good headphones and the sound is good enough for a DJ to use. The one major complaint I have about these headphones is that they are not very good at sound isolation. There is a lot of sound leakage from the outside, so this makes it hard to hear the track in the headphones if the outside music is very loud. But other than that, it’s a decent pair of headphones especially for use while practicing at home.
There are many other factors to consider when choosing a pair of DJ headphones like their weight and ear fatigue. So if you need any more advice for choosing a pair of DJ headphones, just leave a comment and I’ll try to help you out. And feel free to post more suggestions or experiences you’ve had with different kinds of DJ headphones too!
-Mixing DJ
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Great post, man! Well worded, educated, and filled with experienced opinion.
I would be great if you could do a post about more of the technical aspect of sound/acoustics in the DJ realm….dB, ohms, things like that.
Keep up the good work
@Jake – Thanks for the suggestion. I think you’re right – I’ll try to make my next post about something a little more technical. My goal is really to cover all the different aspects of DJing, mixing music and being a DJ in general. So, one post at a time I cover a different topic.
I’m glad you like what you’ve been reading.
Rather interesting. Has few times re-read for this purpose to remember. Thanks for interesting article.
Excellent list of DJ headphones. If I may, I would like to add another one to the list. The Denon DNHP1000 Headphones. I have been using that for a couple of weeks. Freaking awesome!
DJ Sonic Producer ´s last blog ..Wealthy Affiliate Platinum Malaysia
Thanks for posting about this, I would like to read more about this topic.
Selecting a good pair of headphones is a difficult job especially when you are new to djing. I myself can’t even figure what dj headphones should i get coz most of the top products are just great to be used and kinda have the same feature.
Tecnica´s last blog ..What is a DJ?
I think I’m going to pick up a new pair of Pioneer HDJ2000’s.
I was recently looking at wholesale websites and noticed a dealer selling them. The only problem is that you have to buy 5 at a time, but I have a couple friends that would go in on them with me.
The best part? At 5, you can get em for $75 a piece! How crazy is that eh? I think me and 2 friends may keep a pair each and try to sell the other 2 on ebay.
Muxxex´s last blog ..Ghreg on Earth – T3
Great post, man, congratulations, keep doing it
Nice post!
I love good sound
thanks
I’m a bit bummed, the dealer I was going to buy my HDJ2000’s tried to scam me with knock offs
On top of that, I blew out my HD555’s recently. I’m stuck with laptop speakers, blahhh.
Muxxex´s last blog ..Where to Find and Buy Vinyl Records Locally
I think, out of the headphones I have had over the last 15 years or so, technics ones always seem to last the longest. I had an expensive pair of Sony ones that just fell to bits after a few gigs! Needless to say, I took them back to the shop where I got them from and swapped for Technics ones and never looked back since!
So do they have headphones with an attachable torch… Ever since I saw Blade I’ve wondered if they have them but never been able to find them…
Thanks to everyone for your comments!
@Muxxex – Wow, that would have been a great price. I would love to give those headphones a try! Too bad it fell through. I once got a pair of fake Sony V700 and you could really tell the difference between them and the real ones. One of the main giveaways was that there just wasn’t enough flex in the headband. They were pretty uncomfortable and the sound wasn’t as good either. The real thing is always best. Let me know if you end up getting a good deal on the HDJ2000’s, maybe I’ll get a pair too =]
@dj mixer reviews – Yeah the most common complaint with the Sony headphones is that they fall apart after a while. The Technics are solid though, and more comfortable too!
@BaNCE – lol I can’t say I’ve ever seen that in real life
Choosing the right headphone for DJ is very important, there are many things to notice while selecting the DJ headphones.The right headphones can ensure that you hear every note, folding swing-arms allow for one-sided monitoring
@ayurlip1, you’re right about that. There are lots of different pro DJ headphones but they all have their different features and nuances, each with different sound profiles.