Hercules HDP DJ-Pro M1001 Headphone Review
Recently, I had the opportunity to try out the Hercules HDP DJ-Pro M1001 professional DJ headphones.
The M1001 is the flagship of Hercules' first foray into the headphones realm.
Although Hercules has been in the DJ equipment business for some time, this is their first foray into the headphone realm. While I only tried the M1001 (MSRP: $169.99), Hercules recently released two other headphones for various needs and users, the HDP DJ-Adv G501 (MSRP: $129.99), and HDP DJ M40.1 (MSRP: $39.99)
When selecting the HDP DJ-Pro M1001 I felt not only would they be best suited for my particular needs as a DJ, but they would also be good for the musician or audiophile. While they may be a bit much for the person who just listens to music strictly on a casual level, the quality is there for the user who actually needs to hear the particular nuances of an audio track. This becomes important when trying to mix tracks or evaluate levels in a recording setting.
Check Your Head…Phones
When pulling them out of their packaging, I was impressed with the overall weight and feel of the HDP DJ-Pro M1001. They seemed durable and sturdy, yet not overly weighty or cumbersome. The HDP DJ-Pro M1001 are designed with a sleek black finish with blue striping and comes packaged with a carrying bag, a 3m coiled cable w/mini plug, and a screw on ¼ inch adapter.
I was impressed to see that the cable could be attached to either the right or left earpiece to fit the needs of those DJs that have a preference to which ear they tend to mix with most. The ear pieces also pivot in three different ways increasing their versatility even more. The ear cups swivel vertically on the hinge at 180 degrees, while the hinge itself swivels horizontally 90 degrees and toward the inside of the headphones by 120 degrees. This helps in both one-ear monitoring as well as folding and storing in the supplied carrying bag.
The HDP DJ-Pro M1001 was extremely comfortable to wear and use. The ear pads are big enough to block out any unwanted outside noise and make for a nice fit. These were actually the first set of headphones I’ve used in a while that I didn’t find myself repeatedly taking off due to discomfort.
According to the Hercules website the HDP DJ-Pro M1001 have a 5 Hz – 30 kHz frequency range and a 50 mm diameter driver, with a 32 ohm impedance and sensitivity of 107 dB at 1mW. What I can tell you is that the result is a clarity and sound that is incredible: The highs were so crisp and lows were so deep that I almost felt bad that each person in the crowd didn’t each have their own set!
Fortunately, as an open format DJ, in a club setting, I was able to listen to a wide variety of music ranging from Pop to bass heavy Dubstep tracks. I also used them in the quiet of my own home while preparing my setlist for the evening.
The noise-blocking ability, due to the overall design, was well above par and made pre-mix monitoring a breeze. As far as their endurance is concerned… bravo. I admittedly TRIED to blow out these headphones, to no avail (I don’t recommend trying this at home!). I personally feel that due to their clarity, the HDP DJ-Pro M1001 could easily pull double duty as DJ headphones as well as for use in the studio.
The Verdict
Overall, I was very pleased with this Hercules venture into the headphone realm. If I had any complaint or suggestion for the next edition of headphones from Hercules, it would be an angled plug on their cable to increase its durability.
With a MSRP of $169.99 the HDP DJ-Pro M1001 are an aesthetically pleasing, well designed, great sounding headphone. At that price point, they are definitely a product to purchase when looking for your next set of cans!
Company: Hercules
Product: HDP DJ-Pro M1001
MSRP: $169.99
Website: http://www.hercules.com
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