Pioneer HDJ-CUE1BT

Pioneer's HDJ-CUE1 headphones are the light version of the HDJ line of professional DJ headphones, inheriting their rugged design and powerful drivers for high volume and rich bass. The gadget is available in two versions: with a combined and wired connection. The difference in cost is about $30.

Excellent customization

The model is offered in three colours: red, white and black, but if you wish, you can buy interchangeable sets of ear pads and cable in orange, yellow, green, blue or pink.

Professional Design

Since the earphones are marketed as DJ headphones, they have a sturdy, foldable design with swivel earcups so you can listen to music with one ear. All moving parts are rigorously tested in-house for durability, and metal tie-down sliders provide added durability.

The cable deserves special attention. It is twisted here, can stretch up to almost 1.8 metres and has a bayonet L-shaped connector to prevent accidental disconnection.

Powerful bass

Like the design, the sound is also completely tailored to the performance of DJ sets. The 40 mm dynamic drivers transmit the entire supported frequency range quite clearly, and here it is, frankly, very generous, 5 Hz — 30 kHz. All in all, if you like boosted bass and well-defined highs, then these are your headphones. Over the cable, of course, the sound will be brighter, but over Bluetooth it is also quite decent. The device supports Bluetooth 5.0 and uses AAC and SBC codecs.

The earbuds have a battery life of 30 hours after a 2.5-hour charge. The indicator is not bad, but not the most outstanding, especially considering the lack of ANC. But what really surprised me was the microUSB charging port on the 2020 headphones.

The Pioneer HDJ-CUE1BT is sure to impress with its customization, sound and comfortable sturdy construction. Yes, there is no ANC here, and the capabilities of the model as a headset are very mediocre. But it's a great workhorse for beginner DJs and a solid second number for pros that will last for years.