Best DJ Headphones – Best Professional DJ Headphones In 2024

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DJ Headphones are a vital part of every DJ’s setup. If your a new DJ or an experienced DJ, you will still need good quality DJ Headphones to get the most out of your djing.

If you are looking for some amazing pairs of DJ Headphones, you have to the right place; as in this article, we’ll be going over the top 5 best DJ headphones!

top djing headphones

Top 5 Best Headphones For Djs

Best DJ Headphones – SENNHEISER HD 25

The HD 25 is the most recommended professional headphone for any DJ. Delivering crisp sound quality to your ears no matter how loud the environment is. The headphones have sensitive aluminum voice coils, and due to their lightweight 140 g and ear padding, they are incredibly comfortable.

DJs definitely appreciate this feature because then they can wear them for long periods of time. However, the on-ear design can be a turn-off for many DJs who prefer the over-ear design.

The split headband offers better grip and comfort as it sits on your head. For convenience, the tough single-sided cable can be detached and exchanged.

A feature that makes this headphone different from the rest is the rotatable ear cup that is designed for single-ear listening – perfect for when you want to enjoy your own performance. An added bonus is that the parts of the headphones can be replaced (if damaged), and it won’t be a struggle to find them.

The maximum sound pressure level of the HD 25 is 120 dB. The headphones deliver a frequency response of 16 – 22000 Hz.


Best Budget DJ Headphones – AIAIAI TMA-2 DJ Headphones

The most admired aspect of the TMA-2 is the customization available. You can tweak the headphones according to your preference, style, and needs.

It was designed alongside professional DJs to bring their experience and suggestions to the brand. You can expect an intense sound experience from the titanium-coated speakers that focuses more on the bass, low-end dynamics, and isolation.

With a reinforced nylon headband, the headphones are incredibly durable. The silicone head padding offers a good grip on top, while the vegan leather on-ear cups provide sensitivity and comfort.

Thanks to its modular design, the headphones are built to last, and you can decouple the parts and replace them with other parts available for the TMA-2. After all. customization is the point

The TMA-2 DJ preset weighs 270 g. It has a maximum sound pressure level of 117 dB. Its frequency response is between 20 – 20000 Hz.


Best Bluetooth DJ Headphones – Technics Professional DJ Headphones

Functionality is the focus of the EAH-DJ1200, with most of its features revolving around the circumstances that a DJ will face while working.

For starters, the dear sound can be expected with no distortion at all, even at high volumes. You don’t even have to worry about noisy surroundings because of the low and high ranges afforded to you.

The design is also very functional. Its on-ear type design is made comfortable by its lightweight, and it also has a 270 swing arm for single-ear use.

The headphones can also be folded so that they are easy to store. With a detachable cord that can be locked into place and a durable coiled cord, you don’t have to worry about getting carried away during a performance.

The E AH-DJ1200 weighs 251 g. It has a maximum sound pressure level of 106 dB, and its frequency response is between 8 – 30000 Hz.


Best Professional DJ Headphone – Audio-Technica ATH-M50X Professional Headphones

The sonic performance of the ATH -M50x has been critically acclaimed by professional sound engineers.

As one of only two over-ear type headphones, you can expect a complete noise cancellation and sound isolation even when your environment is ragingly loud. What it lacks in bass and power compared to the other headphones, it makes up for it with superior sound quality and clarity.

The 90 earcup swivel allows single-ear use without the worry of the headphones falling off. The headphones are also collapsible for easy and space-saving storage.

The padding on the cups is quite comfortable, but maybe not when in use for long periods of time. Fortunately, you can swap them out for a velvet replacement.

An exciting thing about these headphones is that they come with three different cables: 3ft 9 ft and a coiled cable. The downside – all the cables only attach and lock into the left ear cup. This is one of the best pro dj headphones, and are just overall good dj headphones.


Best Noise Cancelling DJ Headphones – V-MODA Crossfade M-100 Master

The last headphone on the list but certainly not the least may be ranked last because of its price compared to the rest. But that is due to all that it has to offer

The sophistication of its sound clarity can be heard from deepest lows to the sharp pitch-perfect highs. One of the reasons why its price is higher than the rest is because you can customize the shields of the car cups with your choice of color or laser-engraved designs.

Not only can you enjoy your performance with the best sound quality, but you can look great doing it.

The metal build and SteelFlex headband offer a combination of comfort and durability, while the ear padding is made of vegan leather so you can enjoy them for extended periods of use, and it’s even sweat-resistant.

The over-ear design does not have a swiveling feature, but the package does include a 1 -button microphone cable as well as a reinforced share play cable so that someone else can listen in on the action.

The M-100 Master weighs a hefty 283 g. The maximum sound pressure level is 108 dB, and it has a frequency response of 5 – 40000 Hz.


DJ Headphones Buying Guide

What Headphones do DJs Prefer?

Knowing exactly what type of headphones DJs prefer isn’t an easy task – preference changes from person to person.

Each DJ will look for something different in their gear according to what they value more.

Some DJs look for the most comfortable headphones that can keep up with their hours and hours of use, while others will look for the headphones that are best at drowning out the ambient sounds of their surroundings.

However based on the most commonly used headphones by the biggest names in the music industry, we can arrive at a few conclusions.

The two headphones that can be seen used by prominent DJs are the Sennheiser HD25 and the V-MODA Crossfade M-100. By comparing what each of these headphones has to offer, we can conclude what a DJ prefers.

Dj headphones sitting on a Dj controller
Pioneer DJ Headphones.

The first difference between the HD 25 and the M-100 is that the first is an on-ear type while the latter is an over-ear type. Most people think that DJs prefer the over-ear type in order to be isolated from the noisy environment they perform in

This might be true in the case of Martin Garrix. The Chainsmokers. Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, and KSHMR – all who use the V-MODA Crossfade M-100. However, other prominent DJs like Hardwell. Calvin Harris, and Afrojack use the Sennheiser HD 25.

The HD 25 has a rotating cup designed for single-oar use – something which the M-100 lacks. This simply indicates another design that is preferred by some DJs but not all.

However, what both headphones do have in common is their high-quality sound experience offering clarity as well as variety from the deep bass to the sharp highs. It would appear that the design is a matter of taste, but most DJs value the sound quality offered.

What are the Best DJ Headphones to Buy?

The five best DJ headphones to buy are the ones listed earlier, but if you want one simple answer, it would be the Sennheiser HD 25. Not only will you get your money’s worth, but you also don’t have to pay an arm and a leg to get a high-quality product. The HD 25 offers everything that a DJ would need and still for a reasonable price.

The sleek double headband design is different from most headphones, offering you a unique appearance from the get-go. It is also much lighter than most of the other brands, which contributes to how comfortable it feels.

The swiveling feature of the rotatable ear cup is an added bonus that not even the most expensive headphone on the list has, and it is incredibly useful for when you want to experience the environment you are in while still hearing the music with immense clarity.

At the end of the day, the best headphones for you are an entirely subjective choice and one that only you can make. You will be the one to buy and use it. It has to fit your budget, style, and comfort. What works for the best DJs in the world won’t necessarily work for you too.

There are a few things you need to keep in mind before buying headphones.

Firstly, how is the sound quality? Is it loud enough, dear enough? Is the bass as deep as you would like it to be? Poor quality will only result in poor performance, and nobody wants that.

Secondly, you will be wearing them for long periods of time so make sure they sit comfortably on both your head and your ears.

You might even want to take into account how they feel when they are resting around your neck. The quality of the sound won’t matter if you are continuously experiencing discomfort with your headphones.

Thirdly whether you are working in a studio or bringing to life, a party it’s better to get headphones that are dosed-back Closed-back headphones to deliver the bass better, not to mention they can drown out the background noise of your surroundings.

Lastly, make sure that you are getting your money’s worth in the form of durability. Invest in good headphones that are made with high-grade materials that will last, especially if the ear cups can rotate and the entire thing is collapsible for traveling convenience

What You Should Know About DJing Legalities

Is DJing illegal? If you are a Disc Jockey, simply termed as DJ, or an aspiring one, you might be wondering about the legalities required to playing music for a crowd.

Of course, to be a successful DJ, you need to know more about such aspects as copyrights and other legalities that you might need to adhere to.

In general, DJing is not illegal. Disc Jockeys do not need permission to play songs legally because the establishment where the DJing will take place should be responsible for taking care of any required licenses from Performance Rights Organizations.

Just make sure, by asking them, that this is covered before you start the work. This is the case for any public venue. As to a private event such as weddings, for instance, a license or licenses are not needed for a DJing job.

Lady DJ
LUX South Ari Atoll Resort & Villas, Maldives

The number one problem that may occur for a DJ in terms of legality is copyright. To avoid such issues, do not download the songs you will use in your playlist via torrent. Download them legally, and you won’t have a problem.

DJ Meaning and Explanation

What DJ means? The most common understanding of DJ is as the abbreviated version of Disc Jockey. This is likewise true on most social media platforms—users of Facebook, Twitter, and such media platforms associate DJ to that of Disc Jockey.

Generally speaking, a DJ is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. A DJ learns how to read what a crowd wants in music and makes sure that the sound output is consistent all throughout.

The term disc jockey came from the time when DJs use vinyl records to play music. Of course, nowadays, DJs mostly utilize digital versions of recorded music in order to create a playlist.

The main types of DJs are: Radio DJs; they’re the hosts we hear on the radio which plays music on-air and entertain listeners;

DJ diagram
5 Types Of DJ.

Club DJs: work on clubs and such venues to play for the dancing crowds; Mobile Djs they host for events such as weddings, parties, school dances, and corporate events, among others.

Is a DJ a musician?

Music evolves through time, and so do performers. Is a DJ a musician?

At first glance, one would be inclined to say “no” since a DJ does not compose lyrics or music originally – A DJ might just stick to replaying playlists or mix songs and sounds together.

So when we take this into consideration, a DJ is a musician because even though a DJ may not produce original material, DJ’s go through a similar creative process, acting for instance, as a conductor when just playing playlists choosing the right one for the right moment, or creating original material by mixing different existing songs with sounds and lyrics.

So a DJ is not only a musician in the creative sense but also from a skill point of view as DJs learn to use mixing tables or software just like a musician learns to play any instrument combining both skill and talent.

Lastly, make sure that you are getting your money’s worth in the form of durability. Invest in good headphones that are made with high-grade materials that will last, especially if the ear cups can rotate and the entire thing is collapsible for traveling convenience

What do DJs Listen to on their Headphones?

A common misconception about DJs and why they wear headphones is because they are too close to the stage’s loudspeakers which could damage their ears. First of all, this is true, but it’s not the real reason why DJs use headphones. They are, in fact, listening to music in their headphones, but not the song that’s currently playing.

Have you ever listened to the DJ’s mixes in a club and how they smoothly transitioned from one song to another? In some cases, it’s because their sets are prerecorded. However, to the authentic DJs who do a live performance, they are actually listening to a different song on their headphones.

In order to transition smoothly to the next song, they have to listen to what’s gonna play next and match the beat to the current song. This is why DJ headphones need to be noise-canceling – a DJ needs to be able to hear whether their mixing sounds right, and they can’t concentrate when all they hear is the current song blasting from the speakers.

So while you are enjoying the current song playing in a club or at a party, the DJ is working on what to play next. The DJ will cue the next track and play it in their headphones, aligning it with the current track until it is just right.

Once that match in wavelengths is found, the DJ will increase the volume of the next track, hopefully achieving a smooth transition.

So the next time you want to request a song from the DJ, wait until they have just transitioned to the next song. You don’t want to interrupt them while they are focusing on mixing the music just right for everyone’s entertainment.

Are DJ Headphones Good for Mixing?

If you ask any DJ, they will strongly recommend DJ headphones for mixing. There are several reasons why they aren’t just good for mixing but necessary as well.

1: Most mixers are DJs, and they perform live in front of a few hundred or thousands of people, which means that they will be right next to the giant speakers.

Not only will the noise-canceling feature of DJ headphones protect your ears from permanent damage and migraines, but the isolation will help you concentrate on the music you are mixing. After all, what’s important is a DJ hearing the transition to the next song; they don’t need to listen to the audience’s cheers.

2: DJs are known to play entire events. Mixing music for long periods of time requires headphones that can provide comfort despite the hours. DJ headphones are more comfortable due to the padding on the ear cups, which also aid in sound isolation.

black and white picture of headphones

The padding can also be sweat-resistant, which is a huge bonus when you are jumping up and down with the audience. It’s common for DJ headphones to be made of high-quality materials compared to regular or studio headphones.

3: Combining the first two reasons, which are all about smooth transitions and the ear cups of DJ headphones – rotatable ear cups. This feature is more common with DJ headphones and hardly ever-present in any other type of headphones.

This feature is very beneficial to mixing because it allows you to hear clearly the next song you want to play and matching its tempo to that of the current song playing on the speakers. Swiveling ear cups allows the DJ to listen and compare the beats of the two songs and determine whether they are synchronized.

Conclusion

To conclude, all that’s been said – there are different types of DJ headphones on the market, and for a good reason. The different features, designs and specifications are there to tailor to the different needs of the artist

All you need to do is go out and find which one sits comfortably on your ears while also matching your own style. Just make sure to aim for the DJ headphones – they offer all that a professional needs.

Hopefully, the reviews and buyer’s guide provided insight into the different types of DJ headphones and how they differ from one another. Your interest in the topic is appreciated, and we are happy you took an interest in our reviews.

We are optimistic that all your questions have been answered and that you are one step closer to finding the right headphones for your future mixing.

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About Jayden Buckley

Hi, my name is Jayden and I am author/editor for PlayTheTunes. I remember the first time I hopped on the drums, I was hooked. Music has played an enormous part of my life, and I'm honored I get to share my experiences with you!