Choosing the Best DJ Headphones

What to Consider When Trying to Find the Best DJ Headphones

There are a lot of factors to consider when you want to plop down some dosh for a new pair of DJ headphones. As someone who’s been mixing for over 10 years, I have put together this quick guide to help you make an informed decision. Here is a quick list to help you compare DJ headphones.

Flexibility – you want a pair of cans (as me British mates refer to them) that can flexibly twist to your needs. Every DJ has a unique posture and DJ pose. How you like to rest your head — pressing it against your shoulder to hear the incoming track — is going to be different for everyone. So while you can easily buy something online to save money, chances are you might want to try something out in a store to see if the headphones twist and turn in exactly the way you want. If you can’t get to a shop, then Sony’s DJ headphones are a safe bet.

Cost – be wary of making a cheap purchase. You get what you pay for with and I wouldn’t suggest ANYTHING under $75. If you want something that will last for years, have a good frequency range and sturdy body, do NOT consider buying anything under $75. You’re better off spending more money in the short term than replacing some cheap crap within a year. As a rule of thumb, more expensive DJ headphones will last much longer than cheap ones.

Sound Quality – this one gets really personal. If you search out DJ headphone reviews you’re gonna get a lot of different opinions about sound quality. The only way you’re gonna know for sure is to try them out. Best thing to do is take an iPod down to a shop with one of your favorite tracks cued up, then test them out. Again, if you need to make a purchase online, the pricier phones are the safer bet… Sony, Pioneer, Xone all make consistently good products.

Bass – depending on what kind of DJ you are, this could be a make or break deal for you. I’ve been a house and breaks DJ for 10 years, so I like a good solid kick in the cans (so to speak). If you can’t listen to a variety of headphones in a store, then my suggestion is to look up the specs on bass response to see how your top three choices rank.

Sturdiness – this is probably one of the biggest issues when it comes to buying DJ headphones as we tend to really give them a beating, whether in live shows, practicing at home, traveling, kicking about, etc. DJ headphones can really take a beating, which is one of the big reasons for not buying something cheap — you’ll want them to stand up to your abuse and $40 models just won’t cut it.

My Personal Experience with DJ Headphones

My first pair of Sony MDRs lasted over six years. The sound quality never gave out, but eventually the top pieces in the swivel posts DID, cracking plastic that I wired up with duck tape and string as long as I could stand it.

Eventually I gave up trying to hold them together (hanging on to them only because of the memories) and so a few years back I bought some Allen & Heath XD53 Headphones which have just a bit more low-end and sound superb. The swivel points are much sturdier and haven’t shown a sign of wearing out after years of use.

At the end of the day my advice is… spend more than you want to and get something that works with your posture and don’t feel guilty about something that looks cool in all of your publicity shots!

Final Thought: I still recommend the Sony MDRs because in spite of the posts cracking, they still held together over six years.

Options for Buying DJ Headphones

My advice is — steer clear of the cheap stuff! Mouse over some of the photos to compare DJ headphone options. At first glance they might seem good because of high review scores. In all likelihood that’s because regular consumers are buying them. They want to look like you, a cool DJ, so they look for stylish DJ headphones that a real pro wouldn’t be caught dead wearing. So be wary of cheap alternatives disguised to look like the real thing.

While I’d happily endorse the Allen & Heath’s I mentioned previously, they’re about $200. Their XD40′s are however half that price. While I’ve never tested that model, I’m convinced the quality will be excellent based on my experience with the XD53s.