DJ Headphones
5 Things to Look for While Choosing a DJ Headphone
Headphones are the most important piece of equipment that you need, whether you are an upcoming DJ or have already made a mark. A good DJ headphone will help you better monitor your gig and will give you a better sense of sound you are mixing or cuing up.
Having said that, the Best DJ headphones are an expensive investment, however, if you are a budding DJ with only a few bucks in your pocket, these 5 points will help you decide which DJ headphone you should go for.
First, let’s understand why do DJs wear headphones?
To Cue⠀
DJs wear headphones to Cue and Preview the next song and see if it fits the current song.⠀
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To Beatmatch⠀
Headphones are necessary to Manually Beatmatch the Next Song.⠀
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To Mix⠀
Headphones help DJ to Mix and Monitor the track he is playing next.⠀
Now, 5 Things to Look for While Choosing a DJ Headphone
#1 Driver
The Driver (or speakers) is the most important feature in a DJ headphone as they convert electric signals into sound. Bigger the driver, the better the sound. Look for at least a 40 mm driver for better sound quality. Cheaper headphones may give you a loud sound, but will always distort when the volume is increased. It does not mean that you should buy expensive headphone, but look out for your ideal choice. A good headphone will not produce a distorted sound even at high volumes.
#2 Over the Ear or On Ear Headphones
On-Ear headphones are compact with smaller ear cups. They might get painful if used for a longer duration, lack a premium thump of sound and does not provide any noise cancellation. On the other hand, Over the Ear headphones have a larger headband and bigger earcups that fully encompass the ear. They have superior bass quality, provide passive noise cancellation due to the bigger ear cups and are comfortable for longer use.
#3 Durability
Over the head, around the neck, one-hand single-ear hold, DJs constantly twist and turn the headphones as per their convenience and a good headphone should be durable & flexible enough to take this abuse. Can your headphones fold into a compact size? Are they easy to carry when travelling? Can you stuff them in a bag without damaging them? A good steady headphone will answer in ‘YES’ to all your questions.
#4 Rotating Headphone Cups
Rotating ear cups allows you to keep listening to the track, mixing your cue and look at the crowd reaction all at the same time. They also allow you to swivel the cups to the side or upwards easily, without the risk of the headset slipping off your head or breaking.
#5 Headphone Cable
DJ Headphone will always have a cable from only one cup and not both. The cable comes in a spiral and straight looking will come with a 1/4 inch jack that may or may not be changeable. A spiral cable might look strange but is very useful in a good DJ Headphone. If you need to get a drink or chat with someone or want to dig through your bag at the end of the booth and still be able to do that without removing your headphone, then you should use a spiral cord for your headphone.
Finally…
The golden rule is to try before you buy or read reviews basis the above points and then buy that perfect headphone for gigs.
To some extent, I would also like to say, that it is important how you’re headphone looks. You may now find headphones in different hues, changeable ear cups and even cables. Be creative, see what defines you as a DJ and play with the colours and get a perfect look for your headphone.
What headphones do you use? Would you recommend them to other DJs? How long do your headphones last before you have to replace them? Let us know…! Reach us on Instagram and Facebook and tag your DJ friends to share with us your headphone brands
Please note that For The Record Music School does not endorse any of the brands and model mentioned above in our article. The models and their features mentioned are at the writer’s discretion.