Pioneer HDJ-X5BT-Okay Evaluation: DJ Headphones That Go Wi-fi Outdoors Of The Sales space
“The Pioneer HDJ-X5BT-Okay carry out properly each on the road and within the membership.”
Clear, crisp sound
Glorious passive noise isolation
Strong battery life
No case to retailer equipment
Not as sturdy as some wired-only opponents
With the ever-growing assortment of inexpensive gear, audio workstation software program, alongside in style internet hosting companies like SoundCloud, the variety of folks making music at dwelling or on the membership simply retains rising. To get probably the most out of these DJ performances, you want a pair of headphones with a pleasant lengthy cable, a ¼-inch jack, and the power to simply pull off an earcup for cueing and beat matching.
However what in the event you additionally desire a pair of headphones that work properly together with your jackless cellphone?
That’s precisely why Pioneer developed the HDJ-X5BT-Okay wi-fi DJ cans. These headphones are constructed to carry out properly each on the road and within the membership or studio, outfitting aspiring DJs all over the world with a compelling all-in-one listening answer.
Out of the field
Pioneer’s wi-fi DJ headphones are available an enormous field that features an accordion cable with three.5 mm termination, a ¼-inch adapter that screws onto the top, a micro USB charging cable, and an instruction handbook.
Options and design
Relying on which coloration you get — the HDJ-X5BT-Okay may be had in strong white, crimson, or black — Pioneer’s wi-fi DJ headphones can vary from glossy and understated to a vogue assertion. No matter your chosen pigment, the headphones themselves have a traditional look, with spherical earcups that function a barely textured plastic design on the surface and across the sides, presumably to make them simpler to grip and modify with one hand throughout performances.
Cumbersome plastic hinges permit every earphone to fold up and away out of your head for checking either side of a combination individually, and a delicate, faux-leather headband and earcups make for comfy long-term listening — a should for any DJ telephones.
We bought about three days of listening out of the Pioneer HDJ-X5BT-Okay.
We just like the design of the headphones, however we do want they got here with a case for storing the cable (and even the headphones themselves) between listens. As is, you’ve bought to search out one other strategy to tote them round.
It’s additionally value noting that the construct high quality is strong, however not as sturdy as another studio-style headphones we’ve examined that lack wi-fi connectivity, such because the Audio Technica ATH-M50. Particularly, the plastic hinges that connect every earphone to the band needs to be paid consideration to when toting them round, as they appear prone to be the primary breaking level.
That stated, we anticipate Pioneer has completed a very good quantity of testing to ensure these stay sturdy long-term, and we didn’t expertise something warning indicators aside from a little bit of earpad break-in throughout our weeks with the headphones.
Wealthy Shibley/Digital Developments
The underside of the left earcup is the place you’ll discover a place to attach the wired cable, which makes use of a proprietary connector to latch into the earphones, so that you don’t unintentionally dislodge the cable when acting on stage or within the studio. Above that you simply’ll discover a micro USB port for charging, a button for energy and Bluetooth pairing, and a rocker for adjusting quantity.
Press the facility button for six seconds to pair, discover the headphones in your cellphone or different gadget, and also you’re good for as much as 20 hours of listening on the go — a wholesome quantity of juice for a pair of headphones which can be comparatively gentle and compact. In observe, we bought about three days of listening out of the headphones, which simply matches up with Pioneer’s marketed quantity, and is strong for any wi-fi headphones on the $150 worth level, not to mention a pair that is also designed for wired use.
The tonal traits of the Pioneer HDJ-X5BT-Okay are way more subdued than you may anticipate from a headphone that’s designed for DJs’ ears
The included cable and ¼-inch adapter did their job when plugged into dwelling audio interfaces audio gear alike, and we preferred the truth that the latched cable connection meant we wouldn’t pull the cable out of the headphones once they’re in use — it may be powerful to discover a small cable when on stage, or inside a cable-ridden DJ sales space.
The Pioneer HDJ-X5BT-Okay could also be strong DJ headphones first, however the firm didn’t skimp when it got here to wi-fi audio high quality. They’ve aptX HD Bluetooth functionality for pristine wi-fi sound, and we didn’t discover a lot as a hiccup in playback throughout our testing interval.
Audio efficiency
Provided that the headphones are designed to carry out finest when listening to celebration music, we cued up our final celebration playlist and let it rip, aiming to see how the cans carried out with every little thing from traditional soul to trendy digital dance music.
In all circumstances, we have been impressed by how rhythmic the response was. Every beat appeared to punch by the headphones’ drivers on the low finish, making it straightforward to beat match with one ear of the headphones on, and making probably the most energetic music in our library sound notably thrilling.
They do properly to make all different genres of music sound good as properly. There’s a particular scoop within the midrange that removes mud from poor mixes, and in addition appears to make means for a very good quantity of top-end shimmer — one thing we don’t usually anticipate from bass-forward DJ fashions.
General, the tonal traits of this Pioneer mannequin are way more subdued than you may anticipate from a headphone that’s designed for DJs’ ears. That might be as a result of they’re additionally designed for use for on a regular basis listening, or it might be as a result of the parents at Pioneer don’t have the identical timeless affinity for bass that makers of different DJ headphones do. In any case, we preferred the well-rounded sound.
The sound additionally benefited from the HDJ-X5BT-Okay’s glorious passive noise isolation, with every earcup doing a incredible job of blocking out the surface world.
Nonetheless, for all their passive noise isolation and comparatively balanced sound signature, the headphones do really feel a bit constrained when it comes to musical house. Frankly, the stereo imaging on provide isn’t as expansive as we’d anticipate with such a quiet soundstage. This will truly be on function, although, because it means that you can extra simply pick which sounds are popping out of every earphone, slightly than envision every musical ingredient in a full and full stereo picture.
Guarantee info
Pioneer covers manufacturing and workmanship defects for as much as a 12 months from the time of buy.
The Pioneer HDJ-X5BT-Okay are a succesful, well-balanced pair of headphones that do properly to marry the wired wants of an beginner DJ or music producer with a wi-fi contact for hitting the city.
Is there a greater different?
These in search of a mix of DJ headphones and wi-fi headphones within the $150 worth vary might be hard-pressed to search out many direct opponents. The closest competitor might be the Audio Technica ATH-M50xBT, which retail for about $50 greater than the Pioneer HDJ-X5BT-Okay, however provide a extra sturdy construct high quality. These in search of a less expensive, wired-only pair of DJ headphones ought to take a look at the Sennheiser HD 280 Professional ($100), which have been mainstays in studios and on levels for years.
How lengthy will it final?
If handled properly, these headphones ought to final for years of strong use, although we all the time suggest utilizing some type of case when touring.
Must you purchase it?
Sure. If you happen to want a single pair of headphones that work equally properly on stage, within the studio, and together with your smartphone on the road, these are an important all-in-one answer. If you happen to don’t want all this performance from a single pair of headphones, you is likely to be higher off getting a wired pair of DJ headphones and/or a much less specialised pair of wi-fi headphones, slightly than each in a single.
