The Lowdown
Numark making another strong play for the budget DJ headphone market with the new Carbon Red Wave. Swivel cups allow for flexible monitoring and a breathable protein leather padding means the headphones remain comfortable on air for longer periods of time. Well built and good value for money with carry case and adaptors included.
First Impressions / Setting up
The Numark Red Wave Carbon is an affordable pair of of headphones for DJs who want a relatively stylish headphones without breaking the bank. It has 50mm drivers, lightweight and folds nicely into a carrying case.
The faux leather feels nice on the ears and the headphone has a wide range of adjustment to fit most people. The featured carbon fibre covered parts do feel solid and could probably take a fall and not show any damage. The cups can be swivelled around but the plastic hinges do expose that the Red Wave Carbon is still a budget pair of cans.
In Use
For the sound, the Red Wave Carbons are pretty loud with decent isolation. The bass is the focus here and there are lots of it at the expense of clarity on the top end so if you’re looking for fidelity, better look somewhere else.
The locking removable cable feature is a nice touch so you don’t have to worry as much when you move around. An Amazon reviewer mentioned that though he liked his Red Wave Carbons, finding a replacement cable is difficult since a regular cable will not lock in.
Since they are lightweight and does not clamp around your head, the Red Wave can be comfortably worn for hours on end which is ideal for sets past two hours.
Conclusion
The Numark Red Wave Carbons is a nice budget option for DJs who want a lightweight, functional pair of headphones when performing. The sound quality may turn off some people but the carbon-reinforced build and features such as the locking headphone jacks make up for it.
