Distributed by: Sennheiser | Expect to pay: $349.95
Key Features: There are few items in DJ lore as iconic as Sennheiser’s legendary HD25 headphone. Originally released in 1988 as a monitoring headphone with the professional broadcast crowd in mind, the HD25 found its way into various professional applications, from news reporting to the go-to communications headset for British Airways, but this was only the beginning of what was to be the HD25’s crowning legacy.
In one of those perfect moments of cultural serendipity, the initial release of the HD25 just so happened to coincide with the advent of Germany’s underground techno scene and the parallel emergence of Acid House in the UK. It was a match made in heaven.
Before long, it was commonplace to find HD25s in DJ booths and pirate radio stations all across Europe. Slowly but surely the world caught up, and before long the HD25 was one of the most popular (and recognisable) headphones on the market, its signature U-shaped voicing making it an ideal playback vessel for the many genres and sub-genres of bass-heavy club music that were growing in popularity through the ’90s and ’00s.
The HD25’s high output and top-notch isolation – features originally conceived to help outside broadcast engineers monitor in particularly noisy environments – made the HD25 a remarkably adept DJ headphone. Its minimalist aesthetic and the ability to rotate each ear-cup to allow for simultaneously listening to your cued track and the one that’s currently playing, made it an instant classic.
Fast forward to today, and even with an abundance of other options on the market – some of which might even trump the humble HD25s for features or quality – it still seems that a grand majority of DJs tend to gravitate towards these Sennheisers, and for good reason. From their rugged, lightweight construction, their sheer flexibility and their ability to withstand punishing volumes makes them a no-brainer for anyone in the booth, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a set of cans considered to be as iconic in audio circles.
Mixdown Says: Honestly, there’s really not much more that needs to be said about the Sennheiser HD25s – no matter how many articles like this exist, it’ll be their reliability and formidable reputation in the booth that speaks for themselves.
The ability to rotate each ear-cup of the headphones to simultaneously hear your cue and track audio is something that DJs keep coming back to, while their rugged, featherweight and comfortably-fitting construction means you can simply throw them in your bag and rock up to your gig without needing to worry about causing damage. Plus, even if you do test the full extent of their toughness a little too far and end up breaking something, all components on these headphones are fully replaceable – something that seems to be becoming increasingly rare in the world of audio.
Above all, however, it’s the sound of the HD25s that seals the deal here. Their crisp audio quality and frequency output means you’ll never miss a beat while performing, and ensures that they stand up as a killer option if you simply just want to listen to your mixes casually at home.
Overall: A total classic, and one that we hope to still see on the gigging circuit when we’re old and grey. You just can’t beat the Sennheiser HD25s!
Find out more via Sennheiser today.
