[dweaver]

The more I listen to the DJE1500 the more I like it. The bass is already settled down and the sound has opened up quite a bit. Listening to classical music has been exceptionally good, I like the imaging and sound stage quite a bit with this genre. They also work very well for classic rock.

Having just done a review of the S5 these are not as bass heavy and have slightly more forward mids as well. I want to let these have a couple of nights of burn in before I get serious about their sound. But out of the box they have as much (actually a smidge more) potential than the S5. But they are also quite a bit more money so should be better.

I no longer have the XBA-H3 to compare them to but from memory I like the 1500 more as it has a more natural sound to it. I will do an A/B to the XBA-H1at some point though.

I have no idea how these stack up against the DJE2000 but from the sounds of it they may be a better value at the least. I am starting to get sceptical about the hybrid IEM's being released.

 

[dweaver]

Used the DJE1500 today with my UE900 cable for my phone. I did get a bit of micro phonics (about the same as the UE900 so this is likely the cable). Sonically speaking the bass has settled after a night of burn in and right now and is close to perfect for me. It is enhanced but in a way that I really like, balancing impact with weight, texture, and decay that is very good. The midrange likewise is above average in detail retrieval and while slightly warm is note so much so that the dynamics suffer. Treble is detailed and energetic without crossing the line into becoming sharp or painful. The sound stage and imaging is also way above average. I have heard IEM's with better aspects than what I have just mentioned but not all in the same package.

To be honest this is what I wanted when I bought the IE8 back in the day, the GR07 (original and MK2), JVC ZXxxx, Sony MDR-7550, EX1000, XBA3, XBA-H1 and H3, UE900, Etymotic HF3, TF10,... I think your getting the picture. That isn't to say this is better than all of these past IEM's because it isn't depending on what you want in an IEM. If sound stage is your think the IE8 will win, if detail retrieval is your thing then several of the BA based IEM's will win. If bass slam is your cup of tea then their are the Sony IEM's plus the JVC that will win. But the DJE1500 manages to hit every sweet spot on my particular list so far and does so while being more ergonomic and less succeptible to wind noise than the IE8 and the Sony's.

Finally, when I went for my walk tonight I switched back to the original cable. It has similar microphonics as the UE900 cable which is above average but not perfect. I think fans of non microphone cables using an amp will really like this cable it certainly feels like it will fit the DJ sturdiness bill.

BTW I know I have been known to be fickle in the past. So take my early enthusiasm with a bit of grain of salt and wait for at least a week to see if my enthusiasm has wained. By then I will be ready to release a review of the IEM which will be more of my final verdict.

 

[Malevolent]

Decided to pick up a pair of the DJE1500 since the DJE2000 just didn't sound worth the price of admission.

Also I did a quick comparison of the 1500 vs 2000 full size headphone and liked the 1500 more so am hoping the DJE1500 will be more like the 1500 full size. BTW the 2000 full size was warm sounding with rolled off treble where as the 1500 seemed to have better mids and treble.

Sitting in my car after the purchase and so far I am glad I mad the choice I did. The 1500 out of the box is a bit to bassy but I like the mids and treble. I will have to burnin these and play around with the tips and the 2 positions but I have a feeling these are going to be exceptionally good. I will also try my shire and UE cables on them to give myself a mic for my phone.

BTW the cable on these feels extremely well made, I will see if the cloth is micrphonic when I go for a walk later.

 
Thanks for your impressions concerning these 2 IEMs, dweaver! Like you, I prefer the HDJ 1500 over the HDJ 2000, and I cannot really justify the huge price difference between the 2 (about ~67% more, for the 2000).
 
Anyway, the HDE 1500 does sound something right up my alley. My main IEMs now are my Westone 3s and my Shure SE215s. The former is too bright, bordering on sibilant, and the latter is lacking in fine detail. I'm hoping to get something that bridges the 2, with a fairly good bass bump, with better detail and midrange than the SE215s.
 
Well, I hope to get around to testing the 2 sometime soon, but based on experience with the "Pioneer tax", I don't believe the HDE 2000 is that big of a jump from its younger sibling.

 

[dweaver]

I have not owned the W3 so can't comment but have owned the SE215 and the DJE1500 will be EXACTLY what your looking for in regards to an upgrade I think.

I can't afford to buy the DJE2000 to confirm my suspicions but do think the DJE1500 will offer better value and depending on what a persons wants are probably a better sound as well.

 

[dweaver]

OK, I need to say something about cables here. I own the UE900 and have been using the blue iPhone cable so I can have a mic and controls on my LG G2. Now I noticed and commented in the toned down upper treble on the UE900 when using this cable. And the same is even more true for the DJE1500. I enjoy this headphone so much with the Pioneer cable and when I use the UE it just becomes OK due to all the treble detail loss. I have an android cable on order I hope works better. If not I will simply live without a mic as this Pioneer cable is to much an integral part of the IEM's charm.

BTW still loving this IEM

 

[fnkcow]

OK, I need to say something about cables here. I own the UE900 and have been using the blue iPhone cable so I can have a mic and controls on my LG G2. Now I noticed and commented in the toned down upper treble on the UE900 when using this cable. And the same is even more true for the DJE1500. I enjoy this headphone so much with the Pioneer cable and when I use the UE it just becomes OK due to all the treble detail loss. I have an android cable on order I hope works better. If not I will simply live without a mic as this Pioneer cable is to much an integral part of the IEM's charm.

BTW still loving this IEM

How does the DJE1500 fair against the S5? 

 

[dweaver]

The bass is not as hard hitting and has a bit more texture and decay. The mids are more forward and detailed, the treble is similar. The sound stage and imaging is bigger and better than the S5, it is the area I am liking the best.

The cable is longer so more cumbersome for portable use but is also the nicest cloth covered cable I have ever had. I vastly prefer the original cable over my UE900 iPhone cable even though I hate not having a mic and controls. The stock cable also is not bad for micro phonics so long as you mange its length. For me I find the cable easily and comfortably wrapsbaround my phone which I then put in my shirt pocket.

While I gave a very high mark to the S5 I think this IEM may get a 5 rating if it's signature stays then same or improves.

 

[Shawn71]

Subbed....

 

[dweaver]

OK, I did an A/B comparison between the S5 and DJE1500 using my LG G2 at 50% volume, in both IEM's I used the stock tips that fit me best. But have put some note in the text where I know different tips will change the sound.
 
Breathe (in the Air) - Pink Floyd
 
DJE1500 - The bass for this song is the right strength with good decay and texture and good impact. The midrange sounds very full and detailed, there is no sense of hollowness or anything missing, the midrange simply blends in perfectly with the bass. The treble is fully present in the lower registers and possibly slightly rolled off in the upper registers. The sound stage and imaging is large and extremely well placed. If I switch to UE tips the treble becomes extended more to the upper registers and the upper midrange also becomes stronger. Sony tips make the bass on this track much heavier losing some of the texture. The midrange also becomes warmer and a bit more intimate. The treble looses some of it's shimmer and detail as well.
 
S5 - Bass is about the right strength for the song but lacks a bit in texture while having good impact. The midrange sounds sucked out and a bit hollow. The midrange has this issue from the lower mids straight up through the upper mids. Treble is bright and sparkly with a stronger emphasis in the upper treble registers. It is as if the midrange and lower treble all are a bit laid back in the song. This give the vocals and instruments a distant almost feel and causes the cymbals to sound very bright and tinny. The sound stage and imaging is average with instruments not sounding as well placed. If I switch to UE tips the treble becomes even more clearer but the midrange also become a bit clearer, it does not remove the sucked out feeling of the song but reduces it a bit. Sony hybrid tips make this song sound much better! The cymbals sound more natural and the midrange becomes more cohesive but you will lose some of the detail in the process.
 
Using stock tips I think the DJE1500 handily wins with this song. But the UE tips sound the best to my ears with the DJE while the Sony tips really helped out the S5.
 
I will a similar comparison on Patricia Barber's Code Cool and one classical selection when I have time.

 

[fnkcow]

  OK, I did an A/B comparison between the S5 and DJE1500 using my LG G2 at 50% volume, in both IEM's I used the stock tips that fit me best. But have put some note in the text where I know different tips will change the sound.
 
Breathe (in the Air) - Pink Floyd
 
DJE1500 - The bass for this song is the right strength with good decay and texture and good impact. The midrange sounds very full and detailed, there is no sense of hollowness or anything missing, the midrange simply blends in perfectly with the bass. The treble is fully present in the lower registers and possibly slightly rolled off in the upper registers. The sound stage and imaging is large and extremely well placed. If I switch to UE tips the treble becomes extended more to the upper registers and the upper midrange also becomes stronger. Sony tips make the bass on this track much heavier losing some of the texture. The midrange also becomes warmer and a bit more intimate. The treble looses some of it's shimmer and detail as well.
 
S5 - Bass is about the right strength for the song but lacks a bit in texture while having good impact. The midrange sounds sucked out and a bit hollow. The midrange has this issue from the lower mids straight up through the upper mids. Treble is bright and sparkly with a stronger emphasis in the upper treble registers. It is as if the midrange and lower treble all are a bit laid back in the song. This give the vocals and instruments a distant almost feel and causes the cymbals to sound very bright and tinny. The sound stage and imaging is average with instruments not sounding as well placed. If I switch to UE tips the treble becomes even more clearer but the midrange also become a bit clearer, it does not remove the sucked out feeling of the song but reduces it a bit. Sony hybrid tips make this song sound much better! The cymbals sound more natural and the midrange becomes more cohesive but you will lose some of the detail in the process.
 
Using stock tips I think the DJE1500 handily wins with this song. But the UE tips sound the best to my ears with the DJE while the Sony tips really helped out the S5.
 
I will a similar comparison on Patricia Barber's Code Cool and one classical selection when I have time.

Great comparisons there dweaver! 
How does the DJE1500's midrange fare among all the IEMs you've owned/demoed, especially in terms of how much emotional impact of the vocals on the DJE1500?

 

[Malevolent]

I have not owned the W3 so can't comment but have owned the SE215 and the DJE1500 will be EXACTLY what your looking for in regards to an upgrade I think.

I can't afford to buy the DJE2000 to confirm my suspicions but do think the DJE1500 will offer better value and depending on what a persons wants are probably a better sound as well.

 
Great! I think the DJE1500 may be exactly what I need for an upgrade. The SE215's bass is pretty strong but it does so at the expense of overall clarity. I don't mind toning down the bass a little, and pushing the treble and midrange a bit higher, so as to get that little bit more detail out of the IEM. The bass can always be boosted by an amp or EQ, if necessary.
 
Btw, the cable can be adjusted for an over-the-ear fit or a conventional "straight down" fit, right? Is the over-the-ear fit as comfortable as say, Shure's IEMs? Thanks in advance.

 

[dweaver]

I will do an A/B comparison against my UE600 when I get home but they are close going from memory. I would say the emotions are not as good as the very best IEM's I have owned are in that specific area but they are certainly above average. This IEM is not the best at any one area, it just is well above average in every area, if that makes sense.

The cable for above area is soft and very easy to adjust which make it go for hanging straight down. But they work best over ear due to micro phonics. I use the straight down method when using these going to sleep. I could see a DJ using the straight down method for ease of use. I really like the over ear down ear design.

 

[John Culter]

DJE-2000 vs. DJ-1500 accessories comparison
 

 

[Shawn71]

DJE-2000 vs. DJ-1500 accessories comparison

Nice...

 

[CasperBxl]

Hi all,
 
I did a review of the DJE-2000 before, but I just updated .... no good result.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/products/pioneer-dje-2000-in-ear-headphones-black/reviews/11196
 
*** UPDATE ***
I've had the Pioneer DJE-2000 now for some weeks, as they truly disappoint me ... to the level I don't use them any more.
 
The muted highs are almost unrecoverable, even using the EQ's I never get a nice bright, airy sound.
Staying muted even with the EQ set to max for the mids and high's makes me dislike this product.
I listen mostly to classical music with violin, harpsichord and trumpet and nothing is left of these instruments.
 
I have used them on my Galaxy S5 + E18 and my Astell & Kern AK100 II, no avail ...
 
So, I'm very sad to have spent 299€ on a pair of in-ears that do not meet my requirements.
Maybe some people will like them (I hope so for Pioneer), but they are certainly not for me.
 
My BeyerDynamic DT880, AK551 and B&O H3 do not need any settings changed on the AK100 II.
The Pioneers are so muted for the highs even fiddling for hours with the EQ did not help.
 
 
Sorry Pioneer ... I'll be looking to sell them, or get my money back if I can.