In-ear monitor vs headphones: Which pair should DJs use?

 

The image of a DJ holding one side of their headphones with one hand while mixing tracks using the other is a familiar one and unarguably the most notable image people have of DJs. However, the rise of in-ear monitor technology has slowly nudged people to choose IEMs over headphones. Should DJs make the switch and forego the massive headphones?

Image source: pexels.com

One of the things that a pair of high-end studio headphones offer is clarity. Mixing and editing tracks require a DJ to have pinpoint focus on the sound and its nuances. Slight sound bleed from the headphones can lessen clarity and can make a huge difference in how tracks are mixed. Top of the line IEMs provide artists with unparalleled clarity and detail, but it is to be used with both ears in, which can be a problem for DJs who listen to mixes using their headphones and DJ speakers at the same time.

For DJs taking on decks of large venues, DJ headphones is the favorable weapon of choice. The ears on these headphones can be folded comfortably should the DJ want to hear the master sound that is blasted through the venue speakers.

Image source: djtechtools.com

Some DJs may choose to use IEMs to prevent tinnitus. This condition can be detrimental to a DJ’s career as it affects their ability to hear. IEMs maintain the upper hand in keeping DJs’ ears healthy. Muting outside noise using IEMs in order to hear mixes with clarity and precision is becoming more common in the industry.

Up-and-coming producer and DJ James Haidak has found his home base in Koh Phangan, Thailand and the Dutch capital of Amsterdam. A Washington, D.C. native, Haidak discovered his passion for electronic music early in life. Read more from James Haidak from this page.

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