Pioneer HDJ-1500 Headphones Review
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Pioneer HDJ-1500 Headphones Staff Review
Pioneer HDJ-1500 Professional DJ Headphones Review Video & Summary:
The Pioneer HDJ-1500 Headphones are the newest headphones released by the Pioneer DJ Division as replacements for the iconic HDJ-1000’s that were so successful in its long run. The Pioneer HDJ-1000 headphones, were one of the best set of cans any DJ could purchase when they first arrived on the scene and now the HDJ-1500’s are set to be better in many different ways. The Pioneer headphone range currently consists of the HDJ-2000 which are Pioneer’s flagship headphone set at $250 retail and the HDJ-500 headphones are Pioneer’s entry-level DJ headphones at $100 retail. The Pioneer HDJ-1500 sits snugly between both models in terms of both price and in performance/quality. The HDJ-1500 headphones are available in Silver (pictured and video) or in Black depending on what you choose.
In the Box:
-Removable Coiled 9ft Cable
-Mini to ¼” Screw-on Gold-Plated Adapter
-Documentation
-Leather Carry pouch
Design:
The Design of the Pioneer HDJ-1500 Headphones is great! Almost everything a DJ would want is incorporated into this versatile and practical design. Starting at the bottom; the HDJ-1500’s come with a removable 3.9ft Coiled cable (9ft extended cable) with a gold-plated screw mini jack on the end. It would have been nice if Pioneer would have given the user the smaller straight cable as Pioneer has done on the HDJ-500. It’s always good to have as many options as possible, but the cable itself feels very high quality. The cable only needs to be connected to the left earpiece for complete stereo playback. The earpcups on the outside are made up of metal and plastic. The textured silver over the actual can that bears the Pioneer logo has a nice feel of quality to it. The headphones have massive 50mm drivers that are covered by some really comfortable memory foam pads. These pads are very wide so they fit on the ear instead of over the ear. Separate pads are available through Pioneer that have bigger cutouts for those who want them to truly fit over the ear. I am usually not a fan of earphones that sit on the ear, but the memory foam in the Pioneer HDJ-1500’s is extremely comfortable and since it molds to your ears, it does a great job of isolating the outside sound from what is in your headphones. The earpieces and headband on the HDJ-1500 are both made of urethane padding which actually has memory foam inside and provides plenty of comfort during short and long performances. The headphones overall are very light for a big set of headphones! The hangers that hold the actual earcups is made of a tough and durable magnesium alloy to add to the durability and to save on weight. The headband is very flexible and has a rubberized style of coating on it. The memory foam on the headband is pretty small but it serves its purpose and it was never an issue in terms of comfort. The only real issue that I had with the design is that the actual hinge where the actual metal screws attach to is made up of plastic. The joint of the headphones is usually the first point of failure, so it would have been much better suited to be made up of metal in this area, especially for the size and price of the HDJ-1500’s.
Sound Quality:
The Sound Quality of the Pioneer HDJ-1500 Professional DJ headphones is fantastic. They have 50mm diameter drivers with thick diaphragms and with copper-clad aluminum wire voice coils to provide lots of bass and good/clear playback all around. These features allow the HDJ-1500’s to exhibit very deep and vibrant bass while still producing clear and crisp highs and mids. Even as volumes got out of control and in the red, the Pioneer HDJ-1500 headphones handled it very well with minimal distortion or flutter. Side-by-Side with the HDJ-500’s, the HDJ-1500’s were better in almost every category. I tested these headphones on my Vestax VCI-400 controller and on the Vestax PMC-05proIV mixer via two separate setups. HDJ-1500 always sounds great no matter how we used them or what we hooked them up to. Without being a complete audiophile, I would say that the HDJ-1500 headphones are very comparable, in terms of sound quality, to other professional DJ headphones on the market that come in at just under $200. Overall you get a great frequency range of response along with booming bass, crisp highs, and very accurate mids.
Conclusion (Recommended For):
In conclusion the Pioneer HDJ-1500’s are a great set of Professional DJ headphones with lots of features that DJ’s need. The Pioneer HDJ-1500’s have superb sound quality, they come a removable 9ft coiled cable, they are very comfortable and lightweight, and they have a foldable and collapsible design for easy storage and different DJ listening styles. The only gripe that I have with the HDJ-1500’s is that the actual hinges are fastened to plastic pieces instead of metal at the joints. They still feel sturdy and rugged overall, but this is a weak point in the design that is worth pointing out. Despite this small issue, we still like the Pioneer HDJ-1500 very much and we are going to recommended them for Professional DJ’s who need a comfortable and lightweight set of headphones for the road or for home studio use. These headphones also have the same styling cues as most of the other Pioneer gear, so these would be a great buy to keep it all in the same family…
Pros:
-Superb Sound Quality
-Removable/Replaceable 3.9ft Coiled Headphone Cable
-Memory Foam pads for Ears/Headband with Real Leather
-Foldable & Collapsible Design for storage and different listening styles
-Lightweight & Comfortable
Cons:
-Plastic Hinge Design (Where Earcup Meets Headband)
Pioneer HDJ-1500 Headphones Features
Product Description for the Pioneer HDJ-1500
The Pioneer HDJ-1500 Professional DJ Headphones deliver the high output, pristine audio quality and durability professional DJs depend on. The HDJ-1500's feature large 50mm drivers with rare-earth magnets for even higher output level, beating the coveted HDJ-1000 headphones by 1dB. Its high output level coupled with an improved 4dB of ambient noise isolation is sure to keep DJs monitoring accurately in the noisiest of environments.
The headphones are built for comfort and surviving the rigors of life on the road with magnesium hanger and hinge joints at the ear cups, allowing for swivel and rotation and dependable single-ear monitoring. The cable itself is built to last, and is detachable and easily replaced in the rare event of a short or break. The headphones include a carrying pouch and 1/8" mini to 1/4" phone adapter.
Superb Sound Quality
Balanced sound across all frequencies achieved with large 50mm drivers, aluminum wire voice coils and rare earth magnets
Improved Soundproofing
Improved isolation reduces ambiance by 4dB over the HDJ-1000's
Rugged Design
Its moving hanger and hinges are composed of rugged, yet lightweight magnesium alloy
Comfortable Ear Pads
Narrow ear cups create a tight seal over the ear, while the low-resilience urethane memory foam earpads are easy on the ears during prolonged use
Features
Large 50mm Drivers
Rare-Earth Magnets
1dB Higher Output Over HDJ-1000
Detachable Cable for Replacing
Polyurethane Cushions
Rotating Magnesium Hanger & Hinges
Improved Sound Proofing by 4dB
Includes Mini to 1/4" Adapter
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