Pioneer HDJ-CX Headphones Review
Pioneer DJ continues to expand its popular HDJ headphone series with the brand new HDJ-CX just launched on the market.
With this latest addition to the product line, the HDJ-CX significantly diverges from Pioneer DJ's current HDJ series, offering a flat on-ear design that's so lightweight you might forget you're wearing them.
In this review, we'll analyze the new design language and the applications of these mixing and monitoring headphones, hopefully providing you with guidance on whether they're suitable for you as DJ headphones, as replacements, or upgrades.
First Impressions
Right from the start, it's noticeable that the new HDJ-CX differs significantly from the current HDJ-X series. The CX is lightweight - 136 grams without the cable, to be exact.
In addition to its minimalist design language, don't be fooled by its weight. The headband is equipped with a steel core, and the devices are shock-tested to the US military standard MIL-STD-810H, meaning they're robust and can withstand a lot.
Comfort of Use
Naturally, we were curious mainly about how the headphones feel on the head. While it wasn't a surprise that the reduced weight puts less strain on the neck, the two design elements that make these headphones extremely comfortable are the adjustable central bridge and the swiveling ear cups.
The central bridge of the headphones features large, tooth-like notches that allow a DJ to adjust the size of the headphones to fit different head circumferences. Several people tried on these headphones with us, and all agreed: whether you have a small or large head, the headphones just fit well!
The second design element is the two oscillating ear cups, which can rotate 90 degrees in both directions, allowing DJs to listen to music traditionally with both ears or to position one of the headphone membranes in front of or behind the ear.
Other headphones I've used in the past had good audio characteristics but, due to their heavy over-ear design, weren't fatigue-free to wear for extended periods. After about an hour, it often became very tiresome. Not so with Pioneer DJ's CX. Even after two hours or more, there were no signs of fatigue to be felt.
I placed the headphones completely behind the ear - you can of course also put them in front. The headphones stayed firmly on my head and didn't wobble.
The Sound Quality
So let's talk about the sound of the HDJ-CX. After all, they are smaller headphones. Due to their size, we were very curious to see how they would compare to other models.
According to the manufacturer's specifications, the headphone's frequency response is between 5 Hz and 30 kHz, the impedance is 32 ohms, and the sensitivity is 103 dB. The headphones, according to our subjective impressions, offer a wide sound spectrum and are exceptionally well-balanced. We could hear the snares, kicks, hi-hats, and basses precisely without one element overpowering the other.
During mixing, the consistently positive impression continued. We didn't have to turn them up excessively loud, and the isolation from outside noise was impeccable, with the foam never really pressing into my ears. For those producing with a laptop in small spaces, these monitors are a solid alternative to studio monitors.
Further Applications
Due to its size and weight, the CDJ-HX headphones can also be used outside of sets or the home studio. We incorporated the headphones into home use and used them for listening to music or participating in Zoom meetings.
With the two included cables, one could easily switch from the coiled cable format, which I prefer during play, to the straight cable for everyday use. Even while traveling, these headphones impressed: they fit snugly into my bag and were quickly ready for use, allowing for music listening on the go.
I would have wished that Pioneer DJ had made the connection cable between the two headphone jacks detachable. This feature would have allowed the user to replace damaged headphone jacks.
Conclusion
Are these headphones suitable for DJing and monitoring at a professional level?
The answer is undoubtedly: Yes!
Thanks to their light weight, they can also be used over an extended period in the studio. Their flexible fit and rotatable ear cups make them perfect for DJs who use headphones for dual-ear and single-ear cueing.
The size and interchangeable cables make these headphones perfect in a small bag for the modern DJ who is on the move and often does a lot of preparation work on the laptop, not wanting to use heavy headphones.