How To DJ: DJ Headphones
In this on going ‘How To DJ’ series here on Beginner DJ, I’ve previously talked about the basics of turntables, the ins and outs of mixers and of course gave a quick run down of DJ equipment but today the topic at hand is DJ headphones.
If you don’t know now, DJ headphones are going to become your new best friend. That comforting hug they’ll give you around your head, the warm sensation as music pours from them; gah, it’s almost a fetish.
In this overview of DJ headphones, I want to tell you a few tips and tricks about buying headphones for super cheap, a parts overview and share some video reviews of various headphones.
Basic Rundown Of DJ Headphones
Let’s take a look at the various parts of DJ headphones:
A. Headband
The headband is what goes up and over your head or around your neck if you happen to be wearing them that way. A good pair of DJ headphones will have a headband with additional cushions so the plastic doesn’t rest right on your head.
B. Ear Adjustments
These bits are come and go with various sets of headphones. A lot of lower end models won’t have these and use the headband to help flex. Look for a good pair that gives you the additional adjustment to make sure they’re comfortable.
C. Ear Cushions
Shitty DJ headphones won’t have these and should be avoided like the plague. When headphones don’t have ear cushions, your going to have a lot of discomfort as they rest on your ears.
D. Speakers
The small headphone speakers are what gives them the sound. Look for a pair which offers a wide dynamic range to make sure you can hear all of your tracks for when you’re EQing.
E. Headphone Cord
This chord often comes in 1/4′ and is very durable. Don’t buy headphones that us the standard 1/8′ because one step on them and *snap*, headphones ruined.
Check out this interesting post about the inner workings of headphones.
The Importance Of Choosing Great Headphones
In a previous post titled ‘How To Choose A Great Pair Of DJ Headphones‘ I give a complete explination of the tips and suggestions of choosing your first pair but for the sake of this post, let’s do a quick rundown.
Qualities of great DJ headphones
When choosing a great pair of DJ headphones you’ll need to look for 3 main qualities:
- Sound quality
- Durability
- Comfortability
The sound quality is the most important aspect of your DJ headphones. If you can’t hear every little detail of your music, you may end up mixing your tracks incorrectly using the EQs. Choosing a pair which offers a wide range of sound will ensure you can hear the lows and highs throughout your tracks.
The durability also plays an important part of choosing headphones. Not only should your headphones be able to withstand the wear and tear of usage, you need to make sure actual speakers can handle the constant abuse of playing loud music.
Finally, you should make sure your headphones are very comfortable. You’ll be wearing your headphones for variable lengths of time which can crunch down on your ears, hurting them over time.
One additional thing to look out for is to make sure your headphones are closed. This means that they completely surround the ears and block outside noise. This isolation is important so you can properly listen to your mixing.
Brands to avoid
Out of all the questions and comments I get from friends looking to buy headphones, there always seems to be a recurring theme: “are skullcandy headphones good for DJing?”
In short: no.
Skullcandy do offer decent quality in some aspects but in terms of using them for DJing, you’ll want to avoid them. Skullcandy generally don’t offer the same sound quality as a proper pair of DJ headphones, this alone is the most important reason not to buy them.
Where To Buy DJ Headphones Online
So you’re ready to buy a pair of DJ headphones yeh? But where the hell can you find them? Well, just short of telling you to Google it (I wouldn’t do that to ya), here are some places where you can buy headphones online.
When you shop on any of these sites, be sure to do a bit of competitive pricing. Take advantage of the fact that many of these shops will do a price match so if you enjoy one website, make sure you get the best price you can by telling them about competitors.
How To Buy DJ Headphones For Dirt Cheap (as in 70% off)
Okay, so here’s a secret I’ve been holding off for a while.
A few months back I began researching and sourcing where to buy headphones. At the time I had the great idea of selling headphones online.
After searching for many hours, I found out about Alibaba. Alibaba is a wholesale/business directory which lists many wholesale companies straight from China.
My first searches began for Pioneer HDJ1000′s. At this moment, these headphones retail for $99 on Amazon. Well, if you sign up on Alibaba and send an email or chat with the wholesalers on Alibaba, you can source these headphones for roughly $20!
I did further research and found a lot of companies are selling knockoffs which ruined my idea of selling them. I don’t want to jip people even if they are 100% replicas, it just wouldn’t feel right.
But for you, if you don’t mind taking a chance about if they are real or not, you can get the same headphones for about 70% off.
Helpful DJ Headphone Video Reviews
Final Thoughts
Hopefully this quick overview should get you up to speed about DJ headphones and choosing a pair.
Much like vinyl, headphones really become a fetish. You may end up owning multiple pairs (almost like women with shoes). Some pairs fit certain occasions, you may want a pair just for listening, others for DJing.
If you have anything else to add about DJ headphones, feel free to comment below.
