Making music, mixing beats, tweaking demo tapes — if you do any of these on your computer you’ll want to give the S-DJ05’s a listen.
What Is It?
A pair of pro-quality speakers for serious studio work.
Who’s it For?
DJs and music producers hoping to be the next Kanye West and need some solid monitors to compensate for their tin ears.
Design
They’re as heavy as they are gorgeous — nearly 14 back-throwing kilos for the pair. The 5-inch (13cm) woofer and 2.5cm tweeter run independently and are driven by a 10cm high-force magnet. The curved waveguide of the speakers is designed to spread the sound so it’s the same regardless of where you’re standing in the room.
Using It
Setup is a breeze — just plug and play (they are just speakers after all). These include four input jacks: one XLR, one 0.25-inch TRS and two RCAs so you can hook them to an EQ board or directly to your computer.
The Best Part
They’re precise enough to clearly hear Bonham’s squeaky kick-drum pedal on Since I’ve Been Loving You and powerful enough to crank Battering Ram at 11 without any noticeable distortion.
Tragic Flaw
These are $US900 computer speakers. If your studio isn’t paying for them, be warned: no amount of high quality playback will tighten up your sloppy rhymes, so spend wisely.
This Is Weird…
Each speaker is actually independently powered.
Test Notes
- Control knob takes a little getting used to but way easier to learn than the BMW iDrive.
- Also available with an 8-inch woofer.
- No headphone outlet?
Should You Buy It?
If you have the need for studio-quality monitors, absolutely.
Pioneer S-DJ05 Monitor Speakers
• Dimensions: 7.28 x 11.85 x 10.16 inches
• Weight: 13.3kg
• Inputs: 1 XLR, 1 TRS, 2 RCA
• Frequency: 50Hz to 25kHz (-10dB)
• Drivers: 5-inch (13cm) Woofer, 2.5cm soft tweeter
• Price: $US900