Pioneer have launched their new SE-MJ591 headphones and from our testing of them we think they are pretty awesome. With a retail price of around £200 are they worth it?
If you are a DJ, a producer or someone who just wants to listen to music on their iPod in the best possible way then its an unequivocal yes. Even before you take them out of the box you can see the care and attention to detail Pioneer have paid not only to the headphones but to the packaging. Featuring Apple like design and quality the box shows off what to expect from these headphones and its nothing but the best.
As soon as you take them out of the box the feeling of the metal surrounding and finish makes you realise what a quality product you are holding. They feel extremely sturdy and you’ll have no fear about them breaking whilst out and about. The weight of the headphones has been kept down to a minimum, feeling light on the head without losing that studyness or feeling cheap. You can happily wear these all night DJing or listening to your favourite tunes on the bus. The ear pads are made from a soft foam that will match the shape of your head. They feel extremely comfortable and unlike other headphones that can become itchy and rough after a period of time you won’t even notice these.
The headphones are fully fold-able meaning you can squeeze them into your gig bag or even into larger pockets. The hinges are often the weakest point of any pair of headphones but these are incredibly strong, featuring a full 90 degree movement that snaps into place. They don’t feel wobbly or loose and should last for many years.
But the real test of any headphones is how they sound. As soon as we plugged them into a mixer and hit the play button we realised just how much care and attention Pioneer have put into these headphones. The sound really is amazing and so it should be since it is using brand new 40mm driver units which does exactly as Pioneer claims it to do, give flawless reproduction. This one aspect is what makes these headphones great for producers, fed up of hearing your mix sound differently in the headphones to how it should, these will make your mixes sound exactly as you intended.
The mid and low ranges have also been looked at with Pioneer using an aluminium membrane for pristine high frequency quality at all listening levels, you’ll even find PEEK film edge, which guarantees straight and smooth mid-low frequencies. If that has all gone over your head it basically means you will get superb sound quality and probably the best in this price range. Plug in your iPod and the story is the same, music takes on a totally different feel using these headphones compared to the in ear headphones Apple provides, it’ll make you want to listen to your whole music collection all over again, hearing stuff that previously was not listen-able.
Once again Pioneer have opted for a replaceable cable which we only hope other headphone manufacturers follow. There is nothing worse than damaging the chord to a pair of headphones as it normally means you have to replace everything. Now if you accidently catch the chord or it gets damaged in the line of duty you only have to replace the chord cheaply, rather than buying brand new headphones.
Included in the box is also a hard case for the headphones, perfect for mobile DJs who want the ultimate protection for their headphones. The case is light but extremely tough. The headphones are kept secure inside the case so even if it falls to the ground your headphones won’t get damaged. Its this kind of attention to detail we’ve come to expect from Pioneer that just adds extra value to the £200 price tag.
Overall if you are a professional dj, Producer or just someone who wants to listen to their music in the best possible way whilst on the go then these headphones are for you. You won’t have you use kid gloves around these headphones and you’ll be getting the best quality at a great price. These are well worth checking out.
You can buy these headphones here:
Juno.co.uk – Pioneer SE-MJ591 Headphones
More information can be found here:
http://www.pioneer.eu/uk/products/22/1868/226/SE-MJ591/index.html
Specs:
Type Fully Enclosed Dynamic Headphones
Frequency Response 5 – 40,000 Hz
Impedance 32 Ω
Maximum Input Power 1000 mW
Sensitivity 108 dB
Driver Unit Diameter 40 mm
Plug 3.5 mm 4P mini-plug (gold plated)
Cable Length 1.2m (detachable)
Features • Aluminium membrane for crystal clear high frequency
• PEEK film edge for straight & smooth mid-low frequency
Accessories Carrying Case
Weight (without cord) 170 g