I almost forgot about this thread! I ended up writing a really detailed review of all five cans but forgot to post it. Here you go:
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1) Sennheiser HD-25 II
2) AIAIAI TMA-1
3) Sennheiser HD 8 DJ
4) V-MODA Crossfade M-100
5) Pioneer HDJ-2000
What follows is a quick list of impressions and take-away thoughts from the time I spent with each of these headphones.
This has been said a million times, but deciding on the right headphones is a very personal choice. Sonic taste, style, fit and feel will be different for everyone. The biggest lesson I learned from this days-long shootout is this: Try them for yourself. Online reviews only get you part of the way there. My decision wasn't clear to me until I could actually put each one of these on my head.
1) Sennheiser HD-25 II - as soon as I tried these on, I realized that I am an over-ear guy, not an on-ear guy. I wear bookish hipster glasses, and could tell immediately that the pressure would cause some discomfort after a while. Keep this in mind as you continue to read my opinions on fit and comfort. All of my previous pairs of DJ headphones have been over-ear, and trying out these Senns solidified that preference.
Sonically, these headphones felt punchy, present, fast, and bass-forward without being too dark. I was blown away by the size of the sound stage, especially for an on-ear headphone. These are not a purpose-built for DJing, so they lack the overwhelming bass presence of its competitors. The isolation was fantastic as well.
Build-wise, I was surprised by how light and plasticky they felt in my hands. Online reviews have praised the HD-25 for its road-worthiness but they seemed easily-breakable if shoved into a DJ bag. The positive aspect of this design is that these were the lightest headphones of the bunch by a long shot. If I didn't have glasses, I could imagine wearing these for many hours without discomfort.
Overall impression: fantastic sound quality on the neutral side, wide sound stage, nice and light, great isolation. Too small for my taste, and the lack of rotating ear cups or a coiled cable takes a few points off.
2) AIAIAI TMA-1 - next up, because these are clearly inspired by the HD-25. I love the design of these headphones. I'm a big fan of the minimal look and soft-touch rubberized coating. The replaceable earpads and locking cable are a nice touch.
Sonically, these were my least favorite of the lot. I found the bass to be overwhelming and poorly-defined. When combined with its recessed high-mids, it creates a filtered, woofing sound resembling having a pillow over your head. I'm baffled by the consistently high marks these receive online. But it's all about personal taste, right? At this point, I know myself to be a fan of a more neutral sonic signature. Bassheads may find something to love here.
The monolithic design is great for looks, but not so great for comfort. There's no headband padding, so your dome will be up against the rubber. The ear cups are small and similarly-sized to the HD-25, and that was enough to take these out of the running for me.
Overall impression: inspired design, great look. Included accessories (locking cable, alternate earpads) are appropriate and useful. Excessive bass, especially dark sonic profile, and a bit uncomfortable.
3) Sennheiser HD 8 DJ - I was curious about these, having tried them on at a friend's gig and finding them to be really comfortable on the head. Senn is trying out some novel features here, most notably the swiveling ear cups with a detented mechanism that clicks into different monitoring positions. These are aimed squarely at DJs.
Sonically, these are similarly bass-heavy but stop just short of the woofiness of the TMA-1. I found the instrument separation to be a bit better. The bass extension on these headphones is remarkable! Others in this review have similar specs for low-end frequency reproduction (these go down to 8 Hz, the Pioneers and V-MODA are rated down to 5 Hz), but you could really perceive the extended bass on the HD 8. Other than that, I would describe the sound as fairly dark with a gently-hyped high end.
I found these to be quite comfortable, with firmer earpads that envelop the ear cleanly. The swivel mechanism is nice and clicky, giving the impression of solid build quality. However, when I actually put them on my head, I found it frustratingly difficult to move the swivel back into the default position without having to take the earphones completely off to reposition them. I think if you stick to a one-ear monitoring style all night, these will work great for you. But if you like to switch back-and-forth (like I do), you may find the mechanism less than perfect. I prefer a minimal look, so the blue Senn logo gets demerits, but they're not ostentatious. The included protective case is high-quality but comparatively gigantic when placed alongside the tidy package offered by the M-100 exoskeleton case (more on that later).
Overall impression: very comfortable. Swivel mechanism is imperfect but a nice touch for people that prefer one-ear monitoring. Bass extension is great, and sound quality is better than average for its peer group. I don't like the logo look, but it's not a deal-breaker. At $389 these are the priciest of the five options, and that's hard to justify.
4) V-MODA Crossfade M-100 - current kings of Head-Fi! I spent quite a bit of time with these, and I will offer my honest impressions rather than giving in to hype.
First impressions: "Inspired In Italy, Styled In Hollywood" is printed on the box lid, and that should clue you in about the design philosophy behind the M-100s. I'm looking for DJ headphones, so I have no interest in fashion sense or superfluous bits and bobs, but there's a lot of that here: two included cables (neither of which is coiled, bummer), "exoskeleton" carrying case, replaceable custom ear shields, and an excessively-detailed (but beautiful) leather-clasped hexagonal presentation box.
Sonically these have an outstanding presentation and a wide-open sound stage. The initial sonic impression is attractive and very "hi-fi," but over time I found it too hyped for my taste. The exaggerated bass and high-end may be great for real-world DJ application in a loud club environment, but when performing practice sessions I found it fatiguing, even cold. I did some fast A/B switching with the HDJ-2000 and the scooped EQ curve was readily apparent on the V-MODAs. But you don't need to drive these as hard, which may appeal to mobile users.
In terms of comfort and build quality, the M-100 knocks it out of the park. The earpads are enveloping and secure, and I've read that the XL velour pads (available separately) are luxurious. The folding metal armature feels very secure, and the detentions for adjusting fit strike a nice balance between being tight and easily-movable. These are extremely rugged headphones and their design seems almost militaristic. I'm surprised neither of the included Kevlar cables lock. Their thinness and flexibility is great for portable use and storage but it also makes them a bit microphonic. This is more noticeable when comparing it against other DJ headphones in its class, all of which have coiled cables standard (except for the HD-25). The 1/4" adapter is not threaded, which caused some issues - I found it too easy to accidentally detach when plugging in and out of my mixer.
As for all of the included accessories, I realized quickly that I will never use the included SharePlay cable or the SpeakEasy iPhone cable. Again, these might appeal to mobile users but they're non-locking and could cause some problems in the DJ booth. A coiled cable is available separately at $30. The exoskeleton carrying case is very nice. It's small and compact while offering robust protection. It even includes a little carabiner for clipping to your DJ bag. Attention to detail is all over this package! Unfortunately the case is too tight to accommodate a coiled cable, so I would have to carry that in a separate compartment. In keeping with my minimal style, I ordered the matte black version and found it offered a perfectly low-profile look.
Overall impression: fantastic build quality, wide sound-stage, hyped frequency profile but still listenable. Comfort is outstanding - the best of the bunch, but still maintains a low-profile look. The M-100 is frequently cited as a superb DJ headphone but in my opinion these are better suited for high-end mobile users and fashion-conscious consumers.
5) Pioneer HDJ-2000 - these have been around since 2008 and are well-loved by DJs around the world. They're pure-breed DJ headphones with no revolutionary technologies. The only notable feature is a mono / stereo switch, which comes in handy for single-ear monitoring.
Sonically these feel neutral, warm, and laid-back. They convey plenty of bass without overwhelming the spectrum, but it doesn't extend quite as low as the HD 8. The sound stage is a bit smaller than the M-100, and the highs are noticeably more reserved. This may mean a little more difficulty in the DJ booth, but the neutral sound profile encouraged me to listen for longer periods of time with less fatigue.
These are very comfortable headphones but lack the all-encompassing security of the M-100 and the HD 8. They feel slightly looser on the head, and the circular ear cups press slightly on the ear. On the other hand, the gentler pressure meant that I could wear these for extended periods of time with no discomfort. The build quality is very good, and is more conventional than the tank-like M-100. Parts of the HDJ-2000 appear plastic to the touch but are apparently made of a magnesium alloy, and anecdotal evidence suggests that they will last quite a while. I have also read online that the old models used to have an issue of the cable pinching and fraying near the armature, but apparently this has been resolved.
The locking mini-XLR coiled cable is the most robust design that I've seen, no issues there. The rotating earcups are another plus. And despite being on the large side, the headphones are foldable for easy transport.
Overall impression: These are very, very good headphones and hit all of my important criteria: build quality, sound quality, portability and comfort. I find the no-nonsense design and lack of superfluous features really appealing, and their longevity and widespread use is the hallmark of a classic. There's no particular feature that will blow you away, but taken as a total package they're a nearly-perfect DJ headphone. Ultimately, the HDJ-2000 makes me want to put them on and have fun playing music, which is really the whole point.
Final Thoughts
I haven't really mentioned cost, because most of these fall within the $200 - $300 range and are comparatively priced. The HD 8 breaks the bank at $329, while the V-MODA justifies every bit of its $299 price tag. Again, the HDJ-2000 has an advantage, sporting a 2014 price tag of ~$220, greatly reduced from its original ~$350 cost when it was first released.
When demoing these headphones, I mostly played modern full-spectrum dance music (Random Access Memories, Off The Wall, It's Album Time) with a handful of pure house tracks.
