Over the past month or so I’ve had the opportunity to review Pioneer’s HRM-7 Reference Monitor DJ Headphones from their Studio Monitor series, and for a lover in mixing music, or just audio in general, the HRM-7’s are not only unique, but great to wear!
As soon as I opened the box and saw the headphones, the first things I thought was: Pioneer is serious about this! The DJ HRM-7’s are obviously something you’d catch that Dj at your favorite nightclub wearing, but for the casual user I will say that they are a bit bulky to just wear out in public casually walking down the street. However for the plane flight I recently took out of town, they are the best way to get rid of surrounding sounds.
Here are some specs of the HRM-7’s by Pioneer:
| Type | Fully-enclosed, dynamic stereo headphones |
| Driver Units | 40 kHz HD-driver |
| Plug | 3.5 mm stereo mini-jack (gold-plated, 2-way, screw-type) |
| Cord | · 1.2 m side mount coil cord (3 m extended length)
· 3 m one-sided straight cord |
| Included Accessories | · 6.3 mm stereo jack (gold-plated, screw type)
· Replacement velour ear pads |
| Weight (without cord) | 330 g |
| Maximum Input Power | 2000 mW |
| Output Sound Level | 97 dBmW |
| Frequency Range | 5 – 40,000 Hz |
| Impedance | 45 ? |
The HRM-7’s feature the a 40 mm HD driver unit so you can always get the highest quality sound up to 40kHZ, with dual airflow chambers and an internal structure that helps to enhance the bass response to your tunes. To the average listener, myself included, in terms of DJ headphones, there’s a clear distinction between the headphones like the Pioneer’s and a brand in the same price range. Since the HRM-7’s actually come with fully enclosed earpads that aren’t necessarily noise cancelling, but come with optimum sound isolation all without compromising comfort. While wearing the headphones, I found myself wearing them for three hours straight without having to adjust them because they hurt like I typically do. That being said, I have never personally Deejayed a live party before, and between me, you and the wind, with the Pioneer’s, coupled with the DJay2 app I found myself enjoying toying with mixes and blends.
Pioneer is nice enough to give you a 1.2m coiled cable as well as a 3m straight cable, which I thought was a bit odd. I typically find myself using coiled cables when it comes to bigger headphones, unless of course they are wireless. So I would’ve much rather if the coiled cable were a bit longer in the event I wanted to maneuver around a bit, or had to find my way to reach down into my crate to grab another album in order to mix a bit.
Overall the Pioneer HRM-7’s deliver a crystal clear sound that are perfect if you simply want to immerse yourself in the music, or if you’re a DJ in training and want to get the full effect (or at least look the part) of a spinner. The only issue I saw with the HRM-7’s is the cord lengths being reverse, but if you don’t mind your coiled cable being a tad bit shorter than the lengthy standard cable you’ll be fine.
The Pioneer headphones are moderately priced for around $199, and if you’d like to find out more information regarding them, feel free to check out Pioneer today!
