Give your white labels the golden touch

The Gadget Show  Friday 15 October 2010

Pioneer's HDJ-1000 headphones

You can plop some gold paint on any old gadget for a touch of the bling factor – and quite honestly, it many cases it just looks embarrassing – but we don’t have too many complaints about Pioneer’s gold-tastic HDJ-1000 DJ headphones.

For a start, the gold makeover is close to being over the top, but isn’t. The extensive use of black to offset it certainly helps keep a classy look – as of course does the Pioneer name dominating the headband (even if it is itself gold-coloured).

But the main reason the HDJ-1000 headphones get away with it is that sonically, these stunning high-end cans promise to sound every bit as rich as they look.

The HDJ-1000 name has been around for a while, delivering top-notch closed earphone goodness to DJs for years. And to go with the two new limited edition options (they’re also available in black alongside the original chrome), Pioneer has tweaked the drivers’ low frequency reproduction for better mixing accuracy, and tinkered with the midrange and mid-bass tones too.

They’re even comfier than before too, which for us just seals the deal. They’re being quoted at $209 for the US, where they go on sale in December. We’ve not heard UK specifics yet, though Pioneer has confirmed the HDJ-1000s are at least coming our way.