As 2022 draws to a close and we look ahead to 2023, we’re bringing you our picks of the best new gear this year, from drum machines to turntables.
Starting out on your path to DJing or producing music is fraught with challenges. Aside from picking up the essential skills and knowledge to help you progress, there are also essential pieces of equipment to beg, steal or borrow along the way. You’ll struggle to get far without being able to hear your music properly, so you’ll need a good pair of speakers – known as monitors – to get going. What can be particularly frustrating is that good DJ monitors aren’t necessarily the same thing as good studio monitors. Pioneer’s DM-50Ds offer a unique solution to this common problem.
The DM-50Ds are definitely entry-level studio/DJ speakers, with a few sensible design choices to help reduce costs without sacrificing sound quality too much. They’re a powered design, with an amplifier built into one unit and a cable connecting the two speakers. They’re simple to use, with a volume control on one speaker (adjusting the level of both via one control) and a power switch around the back.
The clever part comes courtesy of built-in digital signal processing (DSP) which allows you to choose between DJ mode and Production mode, offering different sound profiles suitable for each purpose. As you’d expect, DJ mode is a bit more lively and energetic, while Production mode offers flatter frequency response and a more analytical, revealing sound.
The DM-50Ds are a budget speaker, coming in just under £200 a pair, but they offer a nice balance of sound quality and features for the money, backed up by Pioneer’s reliable build quality. For newcomers to DJing or production, they’re a great value alternative to the likes of PreSonus Eris E5s or JBL 104 BTs.
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