3 of the Best Wireless DJ Headphones: Cut the Cord
Ultra-low latency headphones from AlphaTheta, AIAIAI and OneOdio.
Think you need wired headphones to be able to mix? Think again with these shockingly low-latency wireless DJ headphones.
Best Wireless DJ Headphones
To qualify as DJ-worthy, a pair of headphones needs to tick a few boxes. It has to be loud enough to hear in a noisy environment. It needs a wide frequency response so you can pick out the kick drum, hi-hats and musical information. And it has to be comfortable enough to wear for long periods of time.
So far, we’ve been talking about wired headphones, and if you need a pair of those, check out this article. However, there are now wireless headphones to tempt DJs. It sure would be nice to get rid of that cord, wouldn’t it? No more tangles, no more accidentally yanking the headphones off your head in the heat of the mix. The only problem is, until now the wireless part of wireless headphones was handled by Bluetooth, and while that’s fine for home listening, the latency isn’t low enough for beat matching.
That’s where the new generation of wireless DJ headphones comes in. Rather than Bluetooth, which can have lag times up to 300ms, these new cans use proprietary technologies to reduce latency to ultra-low levels, allowing you to match beats. It’s very exciting, and also very new, so there aren’t many options yet to choose from. However, the headphones that are available are all very good.
Here then are the best wireless DJ headphones on the market today.
Best Wireless DJ Headphones: AlphaTheta HDJ-F10
AlphaTheta knows from DJing. They were formerly called Pioneer DJ, after all. The company continues to innovate in the DJ market and last year released its first pair of wireless DJ headphones, HDJ-F10.
Using the company’s proprietary SonicLink technology, latency is reduced to an impressive nine milliseconds. That’s 20 times faster than most Bluetooth connections and well within the acceptable range for DJing. You might not even notice it, honestly. To achieve this, you need either the SonicLink HP-TX01 transmitter or a piece of gear with a transmitter built in, like the XDJ-AZ controller.
The HDJ-F10 headphones offer more than just fast transmission speeds, though, with a frequency response of 5Hz to 30kHz and an output sound pressure level of 105dB. They’re also closed back with newly developed earpads so they achieve a level of sound insulation that’s higher than even the Pioneer DJ flagship HDJ-X10 model. This ensures no outside sound will bleed through – unless you want it to, which you can activate with Transparency mode.
They’re also great all-around headphones, with a Bluetooth 5.2 mode, noise cancelling and a built-in microphone for telephone conversations. The battery won’t let you down either, offering nine hours with SonicLink or 30 hours on Bluetooth. You can also use it wired.
The AlphaTheta HDJ-F10 is available now at the price of $389. The HDJ-F10-TX wireless DJ headphones with transmitter cost $499, while the HP-TX01 transmitter on its own goes for $129.
Best Wireless DJ Headphones: AIAIAI TMA-2 DJ Wireless
Dutch company AIAIAI was the first out of the gate with wireless DJ headphones in 2024 with its TMA-2 DJ Wireless cans. Using the company’s W+ Link system – the same that’s in its TMA-2 Studio Wireless+ headphones and Unit-4 monitors – you get a promised less than 10ms of latency when you use the included X03 W+ Link transmitter, which plugs into the headphone jack on your mixer.
The TMA-2 DJ Wireless headphones feature a 40mm signature bio-cellulose diaphragm and have been tuned to clearly present bass and treble details in clubs. If you want to talk specs, it’ll deliver 10Hz to 40kHz at a blistering 120dB Max SPL. They also offer Bluetooth 5.3 for non-critical wireless listening. Battery life is an impressive 20 hours of play (that goes up to 40 hours for Bluetooth mode), with 40 hours of playback time for the W+ Link transmitter.
You don’t get as many bells and whistles as the AlphaThetas (no noise cancelling or built-in microphone), but you do get that AIAIAI sound and modular construction. The TMA-2 DJ Wireless headphones are also quite a bit more affordable, with a price that includes the transmitter plus access to an app for adjusting EQ curves.
Best Wireless DJ Headphones: OneOdio Studio Max 1
The most recent entry into the world of wireless DJ headphones is OneOdio and its Studio Max 1. The company announced them late last year, and as of the publication of this article, they’ve been on the market for a month or two. As with most of OneOdio’s products, they’re extremely affordable – and by far the cheapest wireless DJ headphones on the market. Are they the best? Probably not – but if budget is your biggest concern, read on.
The Studio Max 1 wireless DJ headphones feature Dual Hi-Res Audio Certification, LDAC high-definition audio decoding technology and 50mm large composite diaphragm drivers. In terms of latency, they offer a connection speed of 20ms. Certainly slower than the other products on the market but fast enough for mixing according to user reviews. There’s also a Bluetooth 5.3 mode.
The battery is a monster. You get up to 120 hours of use per charge with the Transmitter M1 lasting up to 10 to 15 days on a single charge at 4 hours of daily use.
They cost $169.99 / £137 and include the transmitter as part of the package.
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