The Behringer HPX2000 headphones are some of the cheapest DJ headphones out there. We decided to take a look at these to see how they might work out for electronic drumming or other uses since the price is so affordable.
Sound Quality
The sound quality on these headphones isn’t all that great, but it’s kind of hard to complain at the price I paid for them. The sound is pretty thin and doesn’t have much low end at all. It’s mostly a mid range focused sound and it sounds like the highs and lows are rolled off more than other headphones I’ve listened to lately.
The highs don’t really offer a lot of detail and clarity when I test these next to some other headphones that I like. The mids are the most forward part of the spectrum. Vocals and other sounds that sit in that gray area between the mids and highs have good presence and stand out.
The low end is where I was the least impressed with these headphones. Sub bass is almost non-existent. When listening to some of my favorite hip-hop, much of the sub bass that I’m used to hearing just wasn’t noticeable at all, even with the volume cranked up.
Music that focuses more on mids and highs in the mix, such as heavy metal, sounds better represented on these headphones. But even then it’s kind of a muddy sound without much high end clarity.
I could see these headphones being a good option for people that just need some cheap monitor headphones for DJing purposes. They’re good enough for cuing tracks, checking volume levels and stuff like that. But the detail in the sound is lacking for other critical applications.
Closed Back, On Ear Design
These headphones have a closed back, on ear design and the pads sit on top of your ears for the most part. On my head, it felt like the ear cups wanted to fit over my ears but were ultimately too small and they sit on top of my ears instead. So I’m not entirely sure if Behringer intended these to be over ear, on ear, or something in between.
The ear cups don’t create much of a seal, and noise isolation is pretty weak. When I use these with electronic drums, the lack of noise isolation is very apparent, and I can hear the sounds of the sticks on the pads much more than with other closed back headphones. I didn’t really like that since I prefer more noise isolation so I can hear more of the drum module and less of the sticks on the pads.
Comfort
The comfort level in my experience was average with these. The headband creates a little bit of a hot spot on the top of my head after 30 minutes or so. The ear cups feel kind of hard and don’t really create a good ear seal, however they do start to soften up a little over time. The headphones are lightweight, and that does have a positive effect on the comfort level. They also don’t squeeze too hard on my head, so that helps them be a little more comfortable as well since they’re not putting as much pressure on my ears.
Build Quality
The build quality of these headphones overall feels pretty cheap. They are lightweight and use a lot of plastic, and the plastic parts look a little chunky and almost toy-like. These have the appearance of maybe what somebody in the 90’s thought a pair of futuristic headphones would look like for a sci-fi movie.
The ear cup padding is kind of hard, and the covering on the pads and headband doesn’t feel like the type of material that will hold up long term. The best looking part of these headphones is the outer part of the ear cups.
Collapsible with Rotating Ear Cups
These headphones do have the ability to collapse and be folded up for storage or transport, which is great. The folding mechanism actually feels pretty decent when in motion. The ear cups can swivel 90 degrees backwards as well. So you can lay the ear cups flat when you have them around your neck. This allows them to be used with one ear cup for DJ use.
Coiled Cable
These headphones have a non-detachable, 2m straight cable. The cable has an L-shaped jack which can work well for DJ use. There is also a 1/4″ adapter included.
The cable is plenty long, which is great. I didn’t feel the need to use any extension cords with this one.
Are These Good For Electronic Drummers?
After trying them out, I wouldn’t recommend these for electronic drumming. I just didn’t like the lack of low end in the sound and the lack of noise isolation. When I was using these with my electronic drum kit, I couldn’t wait to switch back to something else. If you’re looking for headphones for electronic drumming for a cheaper price I’d recommend looking instead at the Tascam TH-MX2 or the Audio-Technica ATH-M20X headphones.
Technical Specifications
On ear, closed back
40mm
110 dB
100 mW
64 Ohms
20 Hz – 20 kHz
90˚ backward
Yes
2m straight, non-detachable
Pros
- Cheap
- Longer straight cable
- Collapsible design
- 90 degree ear cup swivel
Cons
- Cheaper plastic construction
- Poor noise isolation
- Sound quality isn’t that great with no sub bass
Overall Rating
2.0 out of 5.0 stars
Sound Quality
1.5 out of 5.0 stars
Spaciousness
2.0 out of 5.0 stars
Clarity
2.0 out of 5.0 stars
Comfort
2.5 out of 5.0 stars
Construction
2.0 out of 5.0 stars
Value
2.0 out of 5.0 stars
The Verdict
These are a pretty cheap pair of DJ headphones and it shows. I struggle to find any major positives other than their cheap price.
I don’t like the sound quality and the lack of sub bass is disappointing. The lack of noise isolation was also another thing I didn’t like. The build quality also looks and feels pretty cheap and I’m not sure how long these headphones will hold up. Unless you’re specifically looking for a cheap pair of DJ headphones with rotating ear cups, I’d probably stay away from these.
