What Are the Best DJ Headphones for Me?
Any DJ would be lost without a decent pair of headphones. But picking out the right ones can be a headache. Some boast massive bass response, while others are supposed to be super-comfortable. To help you through the process of picking out the right DJ headphones, we’ve put together this guide. If you can’t find the answer to your question here, feel free to contact us!
What are They? | Ear-Buds/Headphones | On/Over Ears | Studio | Cable | Plug | Wireless | Ohms | Construction | More
1. What Are DJ Headphones?
A DJ uses their headphones to listen to the next track they plan to play and mix it into the previous track, without the crowd being able to hear it. These essential DJ-tools are used to make sure that the beat is matching up and that everything sounds right before they drop the next track. Sometimes, Djs will use both their headphones and a DJ booth monitor to do this, but most prefer to use their headphones, since they often have a clearer sound than the booth monitor or the venue sound. A good set of headphones will clearly reproduce the smaller details of a track, and the sound, construction, and comfort of a pair of real DJ headphones have all usually been specially designed to perform well in the DJ booth. Read on for more information.
2. Can I DJ with Ear-Buds Instead of Normal Headphones?
There are great Djs who prefer to use a set of in-ear buds for mixing rather than normal headphones but these are kind of exceptions to the rule. One of the most important functions of a DJ’s headphones is to protect your ears from the noise in the club or venue. If you’re wearing headphones that aren’t so great at blocking out ambient noise, then it’s more difficult to clearly hear what you’re mixing. Ear-buds are not so efficient at blocking out noise so are not really recommended for Djs.
3. What’s the Difference Between On-Ear and Over-Ear Headphones?
As you may have already guessed, on-ear headphones literally sit on your ears, while over-ear headphones surround the ears. What works best for you is really a matter of personal preference. Over-ear headphones fully protect your ears and are generally good at keeping out any ambient noise, which some Djs prefer since it means that they can hear more detail in the track they’re monitoring, while others find that over-ear headphones make them feel shut off from the crowd.
4. Can I Also Use My DJ Headphones in the Studio?
Some sets of DJ headphones can also be used for studio sessions. An important thing to check when you want to use a set of headphones for both DJ and studio work is the frequency response. This needs to be as neutral as possible when it comes to audio reproduction so that, when you’re working in the studio, you don’t get a warped impression of how the project you’re working on actually sounds. A lot of DJ headphones will often emphasise certain frequencies to make mixing easier, so these models aren’t ideal for use in the studio.
5. Why Do My Headphones Need a Long Cable?
A set of DJ headphones with a long cable makes it much easier to move freely in the DJ booth. Djs who use vinyl really need a longer cable so that they can reach and browse through their record bag or crate without having to remove their headphones.
DJ Headphones with a 100 – 149cm Cable
DJ Headphones with a 150 – 299cm Cable
DJ Headphones with a 300cm Cable or Longer
6. What Kind of Plug Should My DJ Headphones Have?
Most DJ headphones will come fitted with a 3.5mm mini-jack. Still, most DJ mixers, including the Pioneer DJM models and Allen & Heath Xone Series mixers, have a 6.3mm jack headphone output, so to plug your headphones in, you’ll need an adapter that converts a 3.5mm mini-jack plug into a 6.3mm jack. Luckily, a lot of DJ headphones will just come with one of these adapters included as standard. So you can double check, what comes with a set of headphones will always be listed in the specifications on the product page.
7. Can You Get Wireless DJ Headphones?
Right now, wireless DJ headphones are rare. Djs and a lot of other musicians still prefer the reliability of cabled gear. While wireless headphones would solve a few little problems, they also present a few little problems, one of which is that when streaming audio via Bluetooth, there is a often a slight delay between the playback source and what you hear through the headphones. This renders wireless headphones pretty much useless for a DJ since you can’t listen to audio that’s playing slightly after the audio coming through the booth monitor. While the delay is tiny, this would still hinder the performance of many Djs and mean much more work. As such, most Djs swear by their normal cabled headphones simply because they know they can trust them. Also, if you happen to forget to charge up your wireless headphones or the connection is bad, then this just causes unnecessary stress. So, generally, we recommend avoiding wireless DJ headphones.
8. Is a Set of Headphones with a Higher Impedance (Ohms) Better?
Most DJ headphones have an impedance or resistance of between 25 and 70 Ohms. Impedance refers to the load the headphones place on the amplifier. So, a higher impedance has nothing to do with the sound quality of a set of headphones. There’s a lot of confusion and misconceptions about this since a lot of people assume that a higher impedance means higher quality audio, while this is not the case.
9. What Do I Need To Look for When it Comes to the Construction of My DJ Headphones?
The most essential thing to check when looking at the construction of headphones is the freedom of movement you have when they’re on, and how secure they feel. A lot of Djs find it useful when the ear cuffs can be rotated, making it easier to listen to the booth monitor with one ear and the headphones with the other. Another important point is the choice of materials and their durability since your headphones are going to be put through a lot, so you need to make sure that they’re strong enough to withstand DJ-life.
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What Are the Best Headphones for Me?
