The Lowdown
The HDJ-X10C is Pioneer DJ’s premium, limited-edition take on its HDJ-X10 flagship headphones. The HDJ-X10C keeps all the things that make the HDJ-X10 an awesome pair of cans (eg sound, build quality, comfort) just adding in enough cosmetic changes to help it stand out from other DJ headphones. Overall a nice, if minor, design bump to an already impressive pair of headphones for the professional gigging DJ. It’s pricey, but if you want the most premium item Pioneer DJ has in its headphone line, look no further.
Video Review
First Impressions / Setting up
The Pioneer DJ HDJ-X10C is a limited edition model of the flagship HDJ-X10 DJ headphones. It features the same speaker drivers and internal components, but the main differences are in the build and carbon-fibre cosmetics of the unit. One for DJs who want one of the best DJ headphones out now but in a unique colourway.
The HDJ-X10C is a limited edition repackaging of Pioneer DJ’s HDJ-X10 DJ headphones. We’ve already reviewed the original HDJ-X10 DJ headphones in great detail, and we absolutely love them: their isolation and comfort are second to none, and while the wide soundstage takes some getting used to, the bass response and overall tonality are outstanding.
The HDJ-X10C retains everything that makes the HDJ-X10 awesome (eg the internals, speaker drivers, nano-coated ear pads and cups) but wraps all that in a premium carbon-fibre colourway reminiscent of ultra-expensive sports cars (the Ferrari 488 Spider comes to mind).
It has rose gold (or bronze) accents for the hinges and around the unit, giving them a one-of-a-kind look as far as DJ headphones go. The headband has also been improved – it’s now made of a breathable, punched leather material, again contributing to that sports car look (reminds us of the material found on steering wheels).
The HDJ-X10C comes with its own premium zippered case that’s got a felt lining and compartments inside for thumb drives, SD cards, and a moulded section for storing the headphones flat for transport. It also comes with two detachable cables: a 1.6m coiled cable and a 1.2m aramid fibre straight cloth cable.
In Use
Since the HDJ-X10C retains the same 50mm speaker drivers as the HDJ-X10, they sound identical, though Pioneer DJ says that the carbon-fibre material in the ear cups reduces vibrations for a clearer sound. We did not notice a stark difference in our club audio tests, though there might be a subtle improvement on the HDJ-X10C when used for more nuanced listening.
The lows on the HDJ-X10C are the best part about the sound: like the HDJ-X10 before it, the bass is deep and full, perfect for beatmatching and picking out details in the low end. The highs are also present without being shrill, and the mids round out the sonic spectrum without it sounding boxy. The sound stage is slightly exaggerated on the HDJ-X10C, which sort of gives you the impression of the music wrapping around your head. I’ve grown to like it, but it can be a bit disconcerting at first listen.
Conclusion
The HDJ-X10C keeps all the things that make the HDJ-X10 an awesome pair of DJ headphones (eg sound, build quality, comfort) just adding in enough cosmetic changes to help these cans stand out from other DJ headphones. The new carbon-fibre design looks awesome, though niche: folk who like fast cars will dig it, even if it looks like a simple iteration of the more minimalist black HDJ-X10 model. Nevertheless, it’s still a slick look and we can imagine DJs picking these up for added swagger in the club, regardless if you’re a guy or a girl.
Overall a nice, if minor, design bump to an already impressive pair of headphones for the professional gigging DJ. It’s pricey, but if you want the most premium (and limited) item Pioneer DJ has in its headphone line, look no further.
