DJ Headphones

About DJ Headphones

Perhaps the most personal choice a DJ must make is what headphones to purchase. Headphones are crucial for DJing, especially in the loud night clubs. The ideal pair of DJ headphones should be durable, comfortable, provide good sound isolation and deliver quality sound. While headphones designed for studio monitoring can be used for DJing, there are some differences between the two styles.

One of the biggest challenges a professional DJ faces is monitoring their mix in a loud venue. In such places, it can be difficult to hear the incoming track that is being cued up. Large, powerful sound systems require more potent booth monitors, which in turn increases the sound pressure level (SPL) in the DJ booth. That means the DJ will demand a higher output from their headphones to be able to hear the incoming track over the track that is playing on the booth monitors.

In contrast to studio headphones—which are tuned for accurate and flat sound—DJ headphones tend to emphasize lows and highs. That’s why DJ headphones often have very large drivers, often 40–50 mm in diameter. In order to properly mix two tracks together, a DJ needs to be able to hear all the subtleties of the track that is being cued up. DJ headphones usually have large ear cups for comfort and better sound isolation.

Along with larger drivers and ear cups, DJ headphones have more robust headbands and other reinforced components for ruggedness. In order to suit different DJ monitoring styles, DJ headphones feature rotating ear cups with durable hinges and swivels. No matter how easy you’d like to think you will be on them, your DJ headphones are going to take a beating, gig after gig. They will get dropped, stretched, twisted and squashed in a gig bag. They’ll be subjected to long, sweaty marathon DJ sets. That's why durability is one of the most important considerations when choosing your next set of DJ headphones.

Some DJ headphones take durability a step further. Models such as the Pioneer HDJ-X10 and V-Moda Crossfade M-100 meet military’s shock-resistance standards. Key parts of these headphones, such as swivels, are metal. The end result is peace of mind that the headphones will stand up to rigorous professional use.

We've got a wide selection of high-quality, professional DJ headphones to fit any budget. The Audio-Technica ATH-M50x delivers outstanding quality for a price most anyone can afford. There’s no need to spend your whole paycheck to get pro-grade performance. On the upper end of the spectrum, the Pioneer HDJ-X10 is the first set of DJ headphones in the world to reproduce frequencies from 5Hz–40kHz. Choose yours wisely and don't skimp. A good pair of DJ headphones will give you many years of reliable service.