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Today we have a rather interesting model of wireless DJ headphones to review, meet the AlphaTheta HDJ-F10 Professional Wireless DJ Headphones. Let's see what this model of headphones is capable of, check out their package, and tell you about all the features of this device. But before that, here is a little history about the company. AlphaTheta and Pioneer have been in the DJing equipment market for a long time. Without going into too much detail, Pioneer DJ division - originally part of Pioneer Corporation, the company became independent in 2014 as Pioneer DJ Corporation and from January 1, 2020, changed its company name to AlphaTheta Corporation. In January 2024, it was announced that new products would be released under the AlphaTheta brand alongside Pioneer DJ.
Our editorial team did not pay special attention to the segment of DJ equipment, although we have some experience in this direction, and some editors of our resource used to work for many years as DJs and even had some collaborations with EDM producers. Therefore, the release of this model of headphones could not pass us by, but at the same time, we somehow did not notice it. And for nothing. Together with the packaging of these headphones, we have discovered not only new trends in this direction, but also opportunities that may interest users from related fields such as musicians, studio producers, sound designers, and so on. Before we get to the main part of our AlphaTheta HDJ-F10 review let's take a look at the headphone specs.
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Best Price on AlphaTheta HDJ-F10 Headphones
The AlphaTheta HDJ-F10 wireless DJ headphones mark a significant innovation in the realm of DJ equipment, merging the convenience of wireless technology with the reliability required for professional use. |
Classic Package
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First of all, it should be noted that all the "newest" magic of the AlphaTheta HDJ-F10 headphones comes from the HP-TX01 transmitter. There are two sets of headphones: the first is the AlphaTheta HDJ-F10-TX - version with an HP-TX01 transmitter in the bundle and the second AlphaTheta HDJ-F10 without it. A few words about the transmitter, here is what is written on the official website: The dedicated transmitter HP-TX01 instantly transfers sound to the HDJ-F10 via ultra-low latency wireless communication with simply connecting to DJ mixer. Any DJ mixer equipped with a PHONE or 3.5 mm stereo mini jack monitor output can be used with the HDJ-F10. It is compact, lightweight, and easy to carry with your gear. In simple words, it allows you to transfer sound from any mixer to the AlphaTheta wireless headphones. You can read more information on the official website at the link above.
However, the accessories that come with the headphones are nice. Twisted cable for wired connection, jack plug adapter from 3.5 to 6.3mm, replaceable ear pads, USB charging cable 0.5m (USB Type-C to USB Type-C), a nice headphone pouch, quick start guide, some obligatory paperwork from the manufacturer, and of course the headphones themselves. The AlphaTheta HDJ-F10-TX headphones (transmitter version) also come with an HP-TX01 transmitter and an optional USB Type-C to USB Type-C to charge the transmitter. And importantly, the headphone cable that comes with the transmitter version is straight, not twisted.
If you plan to buy a version of the headphones without a transmitter at first with the expectation that you'll be able to buy one in the future, it's not a good idea. We recommend that you buy the version with a transmitter at once, which will save you 20-40$. Without discounts AlphaTheta HDJ-F10 costs ~$389, while AlphaTheta HDJ-F10-TX costs ~$499, and the HP-TX01 transmitter system costs ~$129.
The recycled cardboard box is tightly packed so the headphones are protected as they should be. But believe us, it's quite difficult to assemble them due to the tight layout. Unpacking them was quite pleasant.
The first thing you want to do when you pick up these headphones is say, "Wow! That's exactly what they mean when they say "made to last." Sure, the headphones have extra weight because of the batteries, but most of that weight comes from the sturdy metal construction. The earcup materials are made of a very solid feeling plastic, the ear cushions are made of leatherette, and the headband is made of a durable looking and feeling fabric. The headphones have passed U.S. military standard MIL-STD-810H tests, and that's no small indication of the quality and durability of AlphaTheta's product.
Yes, the weight (356 grams) is a bit more than what DJs, and even more so girls, who have become more and more popular in recent years, are used to wearing on their heads. But you can get used to it. What you can't get used to is the irritation when the headphones fly off your head during a set due to insufficient compression. That's definitely not going to happen here! The compression is above average, designed for situations like this, as well as for better sound isolation. Obviously, the form factor, which is closer to an over-ear headphone than a full-size headphone, was chosen to achieve this goal. Sure, they claim to be full-size headphones, but on larger ears, they will overlap without completely covering all the way around. Passive noise isolation is at a very high level. And when you're using them in wireless mode, you can headbang aggressively to your favorite beat with confidence, and the headphones won't even move on your head.
Quite an original design, with the decision to tilt the headband significantly forward in relation to the cups. If at the beginning we were going to criticize the fact that the cups do not have a swivel mechanism (which is often important when a DJ wants to remove one ear to control his mix at the same time or to hang them around his neck), it turns out that thanks to this headband it is very easy to slide one or both headphones to the side and they still stay perfectly on your head. It is also possible to push the headband forward, which is different from the classic fit of headphones, but also necessary when working.
Despite the rather strong compression on the head, we can confirm that it is possible to spend a long time in them comfortably. You will definitely be able to finish your set without a headache. In everyday life, this fit also allows you to use the headphones as a normal headset (especially since there is a pretty good built-in microphone and active noise cancellation), and the ear cushions are soft enough not to squeeze your ears. However, this arrangement won't protect you from overheating in the summer heat.
The carrying ergonomics are quite good. The mechanism is foldable, so the AlphaTheta HDJ-F10 can easily be placed in the included bag and thrown into a backpack. They take up very little space, which will come in handy for those who want to take them with them as carry-on luggage on an airplane - where their noise-canceling mode will also come in handy, and the frequency equalization will make it easier to use them in very noisy rooms.
As for the control buttons, they are minimal and it will be quite difficult to get confused. On the left, there's a mode switch (transmitter or BT), a power button (multifunctional), volume +/-, and that's it. On the right side, we only find the ANC mode button. Laconic, simple, easy to find.
Since we, unfortunately, have a version without a transmitter in our review, we note that the AlphaTheta HDJ-F10 can still be connected to a mixer, sound card, or to devices with a headphone output using a normal cable. That is, to work in the same way as with their predecessor, the flagship of the company Pioneer HDJ-X10. These models have a lot in common - good construction, excellent speakers, impedance, and the like. But all that has been improved and redesigned in the HDJ-F10.
The most important thing, of course, is the ability to work with the AlphaTheta HP-TX01 transmitter, which allows you to monitor yourself with a delay of only 9 ms (the equivalent of being a few feet away from the speakers). This is great news for those who don't want to be chained to a mixer, but it doesn't eliminate the ability to work "the old-fashioned way" when you forget to charge the battery or just out of habit.
What we've also found is that drummers will finally be able to play or record wirelessly - this level of sound isolation and low transmitter latency is truly revolutionary. A drummer's attack speed is nominally only 1 ms, while a guitarist's or bassist's attack speed is much lower. Therefore, with a delay of 9 ms it is possible to monitor qualitatively even for professional recording in the studio. Even if you decide to buy the non-transmitter version of the headphones for playing drums or any other musical instrument, with the prospect of getting a transmitter, it's not a bad investment, especially considering the sound profile - which we'll write about a little further down. That is, wireless headphones with the transmitter, and a wireless receiver in the bass guitar input, and you can jump all over the room and furniture like Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers playing your favorite parts. Isn't it fabulous?
When working with the transmitter in radio mode, you can expect 9 hours of clean operation. But if you use the headphones in Bluetooth mode, you can expect up to 30 hours, which is a very good number for headphones with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). It's worth noting how well the F10s hold a BT signal. Whether on a cell phone or with transmitters, players or laptops, these headphones never once hiccuped or lost connection.
A single control button on the right cup allows you to select one of the ANC modes - Noise Сancelling, Transparency mode, or Regular Headphone Mode. It's very cool that the manufacturer added something to the professional model that might only seem necessary on the road, in the office or at home. Who knows where your next set will be waiting for you? Maybe right in front of a couple of monitors behind you, screaming at you through any passive noise cancelation? These headphones give you the extra opportunity to focus on monitoring, finding samples, and all the other aspects of DJing instead of fighting the outside noise. And for home use, the ANC level of these headphones is very good. We would give them an above-average score - not yet Bose or Sony, but no worse than Sennheiser or Anker headphones.
In addition to domestic use, the transparency mode is also very useful - as the opposite situation where you want to limit the noise, it may happen that your set is in the atmosphere of the lounge area of a prestigious event, where you can be approached and even chatted to, and without taking off the headphones you can monitor your performance and even hear the voices of the guests. Just a few of the possible scenarios.
Now we come to the most important part/section of our AlphaTheta HDJ-F10 review. Of course, everyone wants to know what the headphones sound like. To be honest, we were struck by the fact that these are one of the few wireless headphones that have a very good volume. Of course, this is on a professional level, but it also sounds very reasonable for consumer use. In a very noisy club, you will have enough to get a fairly accurate picture of the mix, and in the subway or in the office it is out of the question.
The second very positive point is the wide edges of the frequency range 5-30,000 Hz. The range is excellent, and what really stands out is the way the 40mm driver is tuned, namely the bass-head signature. And it's not a bass that buzzes, whistles and bounces, it's a powerful, punchy bass with a readable attack that goes deep and gives you a clear understanding of how club subwoofers will play your mix. Yes, this is primarily a club sound, dance, EDM, hip-hop oriented. The headphones are very "fun" and even over Bluetooth via the AAC codec, you will be rocked to the point of jumping all over the kitchen or even the subway car. And given the conservative design of such headphones can easily be recommended not only for professionals but also for those who like such genres to move around the city, for example.
The midrange is not bad, a bit shadowy in the lower frequencies, but quite legible. For those genres that are intended for use with headphones - an absolute necessity. The high frequencies are without hiss, attenuated just enough not to get tired during long sessions, but the detail is high, which is simply necessary in the work of DJs. Of course, due to the nature of the form factor, there are resonances on the high-frequency side, but they are not critical and should not bother either users or professionals.
It's clear enough for us to recommend these DJ headphones, both wired and wireless with a transmitter, for recording and practicing bass or drums. Very good isolation, solid and detailed bass give you the ability to hear all the details and nuances in the lower registers. This is a great monitoring tool and should be carefully considered to check your recorded parts in the shop to make sure we are saying what we say.
Synthesizers, backing vocals in trance compositions, all kinds of rap styles sound great. But it's all in the context of the genres where sampling, bass, massiveness and punch prevail. For fans of good old trip-hop, however, such settings can also be very pleasant. Ambient content also sounds great here.
Since this is primarily a professional instrument, it should be compared to something similar. Pioneer's previous flagship and best-selling HDJ-X10 was a purely wired headphone. They've established themselves quite strongly and have been on the market for a number of years, but with the introduction of the AlphaTheta HDJ-F10, they're going to have to move up. Better detail, changed to less massive, but faster drivers (40 mm, against 50 at X10) and improved sound profile already make the purchase of the new product more obvious. Volume is almost the same, impedance is the same, and the ranges are comparable. If you have an old-school X10 and have a limited budget, you'd better refrain from upgrading, but the new product has a powerful trump card on its hands - the ability to become a fully wireless device in operation gives you such a powerful advantage that there's nothing to argue about.
As for the average user, the AlphaTheta HDJ-F10's BT connection is inferior to its competitors in terms of range (it's claimed here to work up to 10m approximately), but if we take into account their focus on electronic genres, we consider the AlphaTheta HDJ-F10 to be the best choice despite its competitors - wireless Sony or Sennheiser (even though the best codec you'll find here in the HDJ-F10 is AAC). The AlphaTheta HDJ-F10 can safely be called the best as a headphone in terms of build and sound in the genre, but not the best BT headphones, or headphones with ANC.
Our SoundGale.com website also has a large number of reviews of professional wired and wireless headphones in the Studio Headphones section. You can read these reviews and compare the AlphaTheta HDJ-F10 with others by clicking on the link.
Finally, we've reached the end of our AlphaTheta HDJ-F10 review, it's time to summarize the results. An unexpected hit, evolution and continuation from AlphaTheta (ex Pioneer). It's not a revolution, but a significant change in the quality of life for modern DJs and music creators. It's long past time to forget those vintage Sennheiser HD 25s - no matter how much you love them - and move on. It's a shame if you're a listener of electronic genres and giving in to pop culture trends didn't stop your eyes at AlphaTheta HDJ-F10 headphones, because the sound that's packed into them is extremely suitable for both pros and casual listeners. The direction of the professional market is more or less clear to us - these are purpose-built devices, and the choice of professionals is driven by necessity. But the market of BT headphones with ANC has quite blurred in orientation models, and without listening to something to choose from - it means you like to play "roulette", and therefore risky, because you never know how this or that pair of headphones will fit your taste. And here there is a clear positioning and therefore we can easily recommend them as a "blind buy" if all the genres listed in the article are about you and your taste in music.
We hope you enjoyed our review of the AlphaTheta HDJ-F10 wireless DJ headphones. Please feel free to leave your comments, questions, and suggestions in the section below. We will be happy to answer them all as soon as possible. If you already own an AlphaTheta HDJ-F10 and have used it for a while, don't forget to share your impressions and tell us what you liked or disliked about these headphones.
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Cons
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9.0
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Our Score
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