For time immemorial, or at least a good 6 or 7 years, Sennheiser’s amazing HD25s have been as good as it gets for the modern DJ. I have had my pair for well over 5 years even though they are beginning to look a bit shabby, they still sound as good as when I first got them.
A lot of noise has been made about Pioneer’s new entry into the high-end headphone market. When at the DJ Store / Apple Store event at Glasgow last weekend, Rik Parkinson offered me the chance to borrow a sample pair for a week to road test them. I was a little bit apprehensive about using them given how much I love the Sennys but then again, how often do you get the chance to play around with new Pioneer kit before release date?
I used them for my three regular gigs at a local nightclub as well as for general music listening on my iPhone. First thing I noticed is that the build quality is unbelieveable. A big problem with the HDJ1000s was that they just couldn’t withstand the normal abuse a DJ gives his headphones - they definitely didn’t live up to Pioneer’s normal build quality. The HDJ2000s feel solid as a rock with beautifully finished metal joints, a good headband and sturdy cups. Obviously, within the course of a week, you can’t really determine how they will last in the long term but I would be confident that they would be in your bag for years to come.
The cups themselves sit comfortably on the ear, the memory foam ensuring they never feel uncomfortable. They don’t sit quite as tightly on your head as the HD25s which could be a good or a bad thing depending on your viewpoint. Personally I like using my headphones with the band around the back of my head and the HDJ2000s didn’t work quite as well in that position as the Sennys but then that is a purely personal observation.
Whilst hardly the most important thing, it is worth pointing out that they really do look the part. HD25s were never bought for their looks and neither should the HDJ2000s but I know which pair I would rather be seen on my head with by the dancing masses.
Last and most importantly is the sound quality. I personally never thought the HD25s would be beaten in that regard. I was wrong. There isn’t a lot in it but the HDJ2000s definitely edge the Sennys. They have an amazing crispness in the both the treble and the bass whilst still delivering warm mid. They are perfect for just listening to some music on the couch and sound phenomenal in a gig.
In summary, yes the HDJ2000s cost a lot of money but they are definitely worth it. If you have to have the absolute best kit out there then you need to own the Pioneer HDJ2000s.
A lot of noise has been made about Pioneer’s new entry into the high-end headphone market. When at the DJ Store / Apple Store event at Glasgow last weekend, Rik Parkinson offered me the chance to borrow a sample pair for a week to road test them. I was a little bit apprehensive about using them given how much I love the Sennys but then again, how often do you get the chance to play around with new Pioneer kit before release date?
I used them for my three regular gigs at a local nightclub as well as for general music listening on my iPhone. First thing I noticed is that the build quality is unbelieveable. A big problem with the HDJ1000s was that they just couldn’t withstand the normal abuse a DJ gives his headphones - they definitely didn’t live up to Pioneer’s normal build quality. The HDJ2000s feel solid as a rock with beautifully finished metal joints, a good headband and sturdy cups. Obviously, within the course of a week, you can’t really determine how they will last in the long term but I would be confident that they would be in your bag for years to come.
The cups themselves sit comfortably on the ear, the memory foam ensuring they never feel uncomfortable. They don’t sit quite as tightly on your head as the HD25s which could be a good or a bad thing depending on your viewpoint. Personally I like using my headphones with the band around the back of my head and the HDJ2000s didn’t work quite as well in that position as the Sennys but then that is a purely personal observation.
Whilst hardly the most important thing, it is worth pointing out that they really do look the part. HD25s were never bought for their looks and neither should the HDJ2000s but I know which pair I would rather be seen on my head with by the dancing masses.
Last and most importantly is the sound quality. I personally never thought the HD25s would be beaten in that regard. I was wrong. There isn’t a lot in it but the HDJ2000s definitely edge the Sennys. They have an amazing crispness in the both the treble and the bass whilst still delivering warm mid. They are perfect for just listening to some music on the couch and sound phenomenal in a gig.
In summary, yes the HDJ2000s cost a lot of money but they are definitely worth it. If you have to have the absolute best kit out there then you need to own the Pioneer HDJ2000s.
