The Pioneer HDJ-1500s replace the ageing HDJ-1000s in Pioneer's range, bringing in some of the design aesthetic of both the HDJ-500s and the HDJ-2000s.
I guess it was only a matter of time following the introduction of the expensive but wonderful Pioneer HDJ-2000 headphones and the quirky, entry-level HDJ-500s that elements of both of those designs would surface in an updated mid-range model. So here’s our review of just that model, the new Pioneer HDJ-1500 DJ headphones.
While by no means cheap, the new HDJ-1500s take the overall design aesthetic of the HDJ-2000s, providing a less stratospherically pricey alternative for that headphone, and replacing the ageing HDJ-1000s in Pioneer’s range at the same time.
First impressions
Coming with the standard soft drawstring bag and a detachable, lockable coiled cable (complete with obligatory 1/4″ to 1/8″ stereo converter), the HDJ-1500s spring no surprises on unboxing.
And the first impression of the headphones themselves is good. They’re unmistakably “DJ” phones (solid in the hand, reasonable weight to them, the design is evolutionary rather than revolutionary).
Here's the black version of the HDJ-1500s, lying flat and demonstrating the 90 degree swivel of the earcups.
But they have an attractive slimline appeal that’s modern and something new; the hinges in particular are clean and simple with an uncluttered look, and the earcups have lots of metal in them, incuding a nice brushed silver vertical stripe with a shiny embossed “Pioneer” logo vertically on each side, and a polished rim.
The earpads themselves are of course leather, and they’re quite wide with a relatively small hole in the middle. The leather is not the softest, and I imagine could get a little slippy when used in a hot and sweaty environment.
The headband seems to be the same as the HDJ-2000s, in a black rubberised material and with a small leather pad at the inside top, bearing a raised, grey “Pioneer” logo on the outside top.
The detachable coiled cord connector is a mini TRS (ie one below 1/8″) and twists to lock in place.
In use
Comfort
Comfort in a pair of headphones is of course subjective, but I fond them to be a good fit for me personally. They’re easy enough to adjust, and the earcups feel snug without being too tight.
The earcups twist 90 degrees forward, and 180 degrees up and down, giving all the required movements for single-ear monitoring or comfortable dangling round your neck with the earcups out of the way when in between mixes.
Sound quality
I guess due to the fact that the earcups are quite wide, they offer better than average isolation, which is great, especially when combined with the volume offered by the headphones. Thus the slimline design doesn’t compromise the sound quality of the headphones.
Volume wise, they’re LOUD! These are an out and out DJ headphone…
Yup, volume wise, they’re LOUD! These are an out and out DJ headphone, designed to give you decent monitoring in harsh situations, and I can report that they deliver 100% on that promise.
They’ll be fine in the loudest DJ booth, and while for an afternoon’s classical music on the sofa they may be trumped by more refined and comfortable models, for slamming in the next mix tempo-perfect in a nightclub, the HDJ-1500s have got it nailed.
Durability
The two places headphones typically break are the hinges and the cable. The cable first: Being a detachable design, replacing this would be no issue if it were to break. In truth, coiled cables by their nature are pretty hard to mess up, because when yanked they expand naturally.
The Pioneer HDJ-1500 hinges seem much stronger than those of their predecessors.
For many years, my headphones of choice were the Sony MDR-700s, whereas others I know preferred the Pioneer HDJ-1000s. Both broken with gay abandon at the hinges ridiculously frequently. (OK, so we weren’t exactly “model owners” of our products, but six months was about the longest I ever got out of a pair.)
There are several screws holding the hinge area in place suggesting parts can be replaced, but I didn’t want to start hacking a review sample. Suffice to say though, that these hinges look like a marked improvement on those on the HDJ-1000s, and I did give them a slightly violent yank just to see if I could hear any cracks or creaks. I couldn’t, and overall they seem very sturdy to me. As always with headphones, though, only time will tell on this one.
Conclusion
The HDJ-1500s don’t have the luxury of the HDJ-2000s, especially in the earcups which are only so-so comfort wise, but these are nonetheless a DJ headphone that ticks just about every box.
They look great, there’s plenty of metal and leather involved, they sound good, they isolate well, and all the part that matter are serviceable.
They look great, there’s plenty of metal and leather involved, they sound good, they isolate well, and all the part that matter are serviceable.
If you’re looking for Pioneer, you can’t or don’t want to stretch to the HDJ-2000s, but want something more pro than the HDJ-500s, then you’ve probably already got your eye on a pair of these. I can happily report that you needn’t worry whether they’re up to the job: They are.
Video
Summary
We like:
- Updated and good-looking design
- Loud drivers
- Decent isolation
- Stronger than prececessors
We don’t like:
- Leather pads a bit hard and slippy
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Product details:
Weight (without cord): 0.6lb (0.3kg)
Price: US$171
Buy from: Amazon.com
What do you think?
Are these the right blend of pro features and reasonable pricing? Have you got their prececessors, the HDJ-1000s, or one of the other models in the range? Or do you have these? What are your views on them? Please share in the comments.
Now go to:
Review: Pioneer HDJ-2000 Headphones
Pioneer HDJ-500 DJ Headphones Announced
Review & Video: AIAIAI TMA-1 DJ Headphones
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Tags: dj headphones, hdj-1500 review, pioneer, pioneer headphones
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I’ve been using these for the past month after going through numerous cheaper DJ headphones like nobody’s business and realising it was a false economy to buy cheap.
They offer good isolation without looking like they came with a metal detector.
They are so very loud. Having previously used a VCI-300 I’d left the cue overdrive half way up and had the fright of my life when I plugged these in set to a only modest volume.
I’d recommend the headphone case (HDJ-HC01) which fits it perfectly and clips onto my UDG Creator Trolley nicely. Much better than the bag that comes with it, which just seems like a token gesture.
[ link ]Thanks for the review… I was really considering these, but hadn’t seen much about them on the web. I finally ran into a pair at a Best Buy. Tried them on, and the ear holes are WAY small… other than that, they seemed pretty solid.
But the small earholes steered me away. I think I’ll just shell out a few extra bucks and get the HDJ-2000′s, they’ve come down a LOT in price since they came out…
[ link ]While they do get pretty loud, I don’t think the isolation is as good as you say. When I’m spinning at a loud volume, sometimes I can’t even hear what’s playing in the headphones. I haven’t even tried using them outside the comfort of my own home because it’d be a nightmare to be at a gig and not be able to hear my own cue
[ link ]I just got one of these. Four days after using them, guess what? Hinges broke. It’s something I can repair, but please, wish me good luck finding replacement parts on El Salvador (or anywhere in central f*cking america).
Putting this aside (I guess I’m just unlucky), the isolation is awesome, volume is great (I stopped using my Stanton DJ Pro 3000, even though I’ll have to use ‘em again) and are so comfortable. Hopefully, I’ll repair them soon (I have a gig next month)!
[ link ]HDJ 1500 S Headphones poor durability
I must say that the HDJ 1500 S didn’t deliver for me.
[ link ]The so called durable magnesium alloy parts at the base of the head band started to crack 6 weeks after I purchased the item resulting in the headphone falling into pieces.
The headphone was sent back by the dealer to Pioneer itself that simply declared it could not be repaired….a bit hush for a 200+ item that is supposed to endure the rigors of frequent professional use and that is out or order, with no warranty, a couple of weeks after being bought.