Looking to upgrade your gear with a new set of DJ headphones? We can’t say we blame you, especially since recent developments mean your old set could be holding you back in terms of ease of use and performance.
We’ve chosen the best DJ headphones on the market. By the end of our article, you’ll have a clear idea of which set best suits your needs and the key features to look out for.
The 7 best DJ headphones on the market
#1 – AIAIAI TMA-2 DJ, £180
The TMA-2 DJ headphones are designed specifically for DJs and feature a modular construction system. This feature allows you to build headphones that suit your needs instead of trying to find a pair of headphones that work for you.
These headphones have 22 components, including four speakers, four headbands, seven ear pads, and seven cables.
If that wasn’t enough, your favourite DJ probably uses the TMA-2 DJs headphones. They’re frequently spotted hanging around the necks of Bonobo, Richie Hawtin, Kaytranada, Holly Herndon, and Skream.
They’ve also received favourable press coverage from numerous DJ publications and websites such as Resident Advisor, XLR8R, and DJMag.
Key features
- closed-back
- 20–20,000Hz frequency range
- impedance of 32 ohms (suitable for most devices)
- modular and customisable design
- two-year warranty
#2 – Sennheiser HD25, £109
The origin story of these headphones is unique. They were originally handed out to passengers of Concorde planes to counteract the loud engine noise.
Some Berlin clubs’ PA systems can get loud—but Concord-engine loud? If this story isn’t a testament to the HD25s’ noise cancellation capabilities, we don’t know what is.
These are solid, no-nonsense DJ headphones you won’t regret buying. They’re rough around the edges, but you need this in a DJ headphone—something rugged and durable.
Key features
- closed-back
- 16 – 22,000Hz frequency range
- impedance of 70 ohms (suitable for most devices)
- modular and customisable design
- detachable, single-sided cord
- rotatable right ear cup
Related: The ultimate guide to home DJ set ups
#3 – V-MODA Crossfade M-100 Master, £219
With a 50mm driver (the part that makes sound), the M-100 Master headphones are Hi-Res Audio certified by the Japan Audio Society (JAS).
This certification and a wide frequency range mean you’re getting quite a lot of clarity for a pair of DJ headphones. The over-ear closed design does well to keep external noise out, too.
These headphones are also collapsible, making them suitable for transport, and, better still, they come with a hard case to prevent damage.
V-MODA also understands that one of the best parts of DJing is the spectacle, so that you can customise the M-100s’ colour and laser engrave the earcups when ordering from the V-MODA website.
Key features
- closed-back
- 5 – 40,000Hz frequency range
- impedance of 32 ohms (suitable for most devices)
- foldable
- detachable, single-sided cable for easy transport (with three lengths included)
- carry case included
- two-year warranty
#4 – Pioneer HDJ-X7, £179
The HDJ-X7 headphones are part of a new series of products created by Pioneer to provide unprecedented monitoring capabilities. They’re based on Pioneer’s classic HDJ-2000MK2 headphones, but they come with additional benefits.
The first is the frequency range these headphones can support—a large 5–30kHz range and the new 50mm driver. With these innovations, you’ll be able to hear deep kicks, basslines, and hats and snares cut through the mix so you can blend tunes in nuanced ways.
As durability is top of the priority list for DJ headphones, the HDJ-X7s are also made from metals that have undergone—and passed—military testing for strength. So, if they find their way to the bottom of your bag, you know they’ll still come out intact.
Key features
- closed-back
- 5–30,000Hz frequency range
- impedance of 36 ohms (suitable for most devices)
- carry pouch included
- extremely durable
Related: The 7 best powered speakers for DJs
#5 – Audio Technica ATH-M50X, £109
The ATH-M50X headphones are the most critically acclaimed in Audio Technica’s M-Series line and feature in roundups of the top DJ headphones year after year.
The closed-back construction is ideal for DJing as it helps keep background noise out and your audio output in.
Though the M50Xs are touted as studio headphones by Audio Technica, clear DJ headphone design elements are present here. For example, the single and detachable cord, swivelling earcups, and the focus on comfort and prolonged usage.
This crossover appeal works with the M50X as DJ headphones as they produce higher clarity in the audio, which some DJs have found allows you to produce tight, live EQing while mixing tracks.
Key features
- closed-back
- 15–28,000Hz frequency range
- impedance of 38 ohms (suited for use with most devices)
- detachable, single-sided cable for easy transport (with three lengths included)
- 90-degree swivelling earcups and collapsible construction
#6 – Campfire Audio Cascade, £769
As far as high-end DJ headphones go, this set from Campfire delivers everything you would expect from a product of their calibre.
Despite being costly and sporting a sleek appearance, they are incredibly robust. They will certainly take the level of beating you’d expect a pair of quality DJ headphones to endure. They’re even highly portable with the ability to fold away into a compact size.
With one of the highest frequency ranges on our list, they’re well suited to studio use and provide magnificent accuracy during mixing and mastering.
Key features
- closed-back
- 5–33,000 frequency range
- impedance of 38 ohms (suited for use with most devices)
- detachable sheep leather earpads
- Cloth Litz audio cable and headphone case included
Related: Why does a DJ need insurance?
#7 – Korg NC-Q1, £249
The NC-Q1s are one of the strongest sets of DJ headphones when it comes to their noise-cancelling capabilities.
Not only do their over-ear cups actively block background noise in even the loudest settings, but their Smart Monitoring feature allows DJs to quickly switch this feature off for one or both ears. Say goodbye to wrestling with your headphones all evening!
The only downside is that you need to charge them to use their advanced features, which can be inconvenient during multi-hour sets. But their general features can still be used whilst wired, and their battery life is decent considering their price.
Key features
- closed-back
- 10–26,900 frequency range
- smart monitoring feature
- highly effective noise-cancelling
What to look for in DJ headphones
If you’re looking for headphones to DJ with and use in club environments, these are the main features to look out for:
Durability
Odds are, you’ll throw these headphones in your bag and transport them from gig to gig.
Even when you use them, you won’t gently pop them on or off your head.
You’ll quickly pull them up to your ear or twist and jam them against your head and shoulder to hear the track come in. You need to make sure your DJ headphones can take a beating.
Noise cancellation
At the higher end, noise cancellation can mean that the headphones detect background noise frequency and generate a neutralising frequency to isolate the audio output.
However, noise cancellation means the headphones are well soundproofed most of the time, which is vital when you’re trying to DJ at a noisy club or event.
Single cord
As a rule of thumb, headphones with a cord coming from each ear pad aren’t DJ headphones. These headphones come with a single cord most of the time to prevent tangling in the booth. Detachable cords are a plus, too.
Enhanced frequencies
Unlike studio headphones, DJ headphones don’t have to reproduce the audio you hear perfectly or objectively.
It’s much more important that the key frequencies are audible against background noise and the tune you’re beatmatching to. Most of all, you need to be able to hear the kicks (40–100Hz), snares (900–2,000Hz), and hi-hats (300–3,000Hz or 10,000–17,000Hz for sparkly hi-hats).
Impedance level
This is more relevant to DJs than producers as low impedance headphones can blow out on high-powered DJ equipment. In contrast, moderate to high-impedance headphones are generally protected from this.
If your headphones have unusually high impedance (75 ohms or more), you may need a preamp to use them with your DJ equipment.
Specialist DJ insurance from Insure4Music
Whether you spend £100 or £1,000 on DJ headphones, they’re responsible for how you experience music and ply your craft. You don’t want to see them broken, lost, or stolen, so you need to make sure they’re protected.
At Insure4Music, we offer specialist DJ and sound equipment insurance so that, if the worst happens, you’ll never bear the financial burden of replacing or fixing your music gear.
We know no two DJs are the same, so our cover is fully customisable based on what equipment you own and where and how you intend to use this equipment.
Click here for more information, or get an instant online quote by hitting the button below.
