Pioneer DJ DM-50D-BT 5” desktop monitor system with Bluetooth® functionality (Black)

Product Information

The performance you get from the Pioneer DM-50D differs depending on the mode they’re in. DJ mode offers a bigger-sized sound, as well as a more energetic tone with a warmer mid-range and bass response. Production favours clarity, insight and crispness, which you’d expect given its tailored for more critical listening. Switch to Production mode and the Pioneer DM-50D change gears easily. This mode loses the warmth of DJ mode and gains more neutrality in the process; clearer, more detailed and incisive, with vocals and instruments described more articulately. There’s also more distinct separation across the frequency range for better timing and balance over what I heard with DJ mode, along with the ability to sift through and relay the details of music I was streaming from Qobuz and Tidal. Vocals in particular sound crisper and cleaner. Please note that this extended warranty is currently only available on products sold within the UK, EU or EEA, and is subject to the terms and conditions as detailed on the extended warranty certificate provided. Both modes sound very good, with the DJ mode producing a convincing stereo image that’s spacious, detailed and with good depth. The DM-50D live up to Pioneer DJ’s claims of tight but weighty bass; the low-end of the frequency is provided good detail and clarity, while at the other end the speakers deliver bright and expressive treble reproduction.

Once everything is connected and powered, the VM-50 offers internal 96kHz digital signal processing for low and high frequencies. These EQ settings are meant to compensate for the speakers’ placement in a room, the room’s reverberation, or personal preference. The Low EQ settings are Room 1, Flat, Room 2, and Club Bass (offering a bump at 50Hz), while the similar High EQ settings include Room 1, Flat, Room 2, and Bright Treble (nudging the 4kHz and 8kHz regions). These settings apply different frequency boost, or gain settings, and both the Low and High settings include one attenuation curve, one neutral setting, one heavy boost curve, and one more subtle boost curve. Purists beware, the digital filters can’t be bypassed, but there isn’t limiting in the signal chain, and the Flat settings aren’t overly sculpted—plus, the tone control flexibility is nice because no rooms or ears are the same. The VM-50 manual offers more information on determining which settings best suit your setup. Can these monitors keep the beat? Do away with agonising over whether the speaker monitors are suitable for DJing or making music, as the DM-50Ds are ideal for both. You can select either DJ mode or music production mode thanks to a clever little switch on the DM 50D speakers. As a result, the DSP settings will automatically adjust and optimise, leaving you to concentrate on the music. DM-50D Connections If an item can not be repaired, a similar alternative product or cash discount (as defined in this policy) will be offered

That said, over the three weeks I auditioned these, I used them a lot. I can report that they are punchy and full sounding, have great bass, have a decent “sweet spot” where audio is optimum, and frankly they go far too loud for what I needed. On that point, you may reasonably ask yourself why DJs and producers need slightly different types of sound from their speakers. It might seem like the ideal sound for both would be similar, especially if you plan to mix and produce similar types of music, but consider for a moment the difference in sound between a club system and a pro studio. A club system should be loud, punchy, engaging and vibey; perfect accuracy isn’t necessarily the point. On the other hand, pro studio monitors don’t necessarily sound fun to listen to, but they’re analytical, precise and revealing when making music. Each of the DM-50D-BT speakers contains a 5-inch fibreglass cone woofer, a ¾-inch soft dome tweeter, a new Class D amplifier and redesigned DECO convex diffusers. The woofer can provide an extra increase in power when the volume is turned up. Precise frequencies are produced thanks to the expertly positioned tweeters—the Class D amplifier assists with producing balanced natural bass sound. Additionally, the diffusers provide a broader sweet spot and 3D stereo sound, all thanks to their inbuilt structure and ability to produce super-clear high frequencies in all directions. 2-way Sound Mode

Both speakers house a 3/4-inch soft dome tweeter and a 5-inch fiberglass-cone woofer. Internally, the Class D amplifier that drives the speakers delivers 25W per channel, with a frequency range of 54Hz to 30kHz and an impedance of 10 ohms. Ports on the front (below the woofers) improve the airflow. With studio monitors, the “sweet spot” where you’re listening—the focal point between the speakers where stereo mixes just right—is very important. The VM-50 sets up an excellent triangle where the mid-range frequencies—like certain vocals, guitars, and synthesizers—sound exceptionally crisp, clear, and detailed and the high-end sounds are sharp, but not spikes (which can manifest in certain monitors such as the Yamaha HS series). The “Bright Treble” EQ setting on the VM-50 did make really chirpy elements in some songs sound somewhat harsh, but the Flat setting for High EQ sounded just right for most occasions. Did these speakers get my first pumping? With 96kHz sampling, updated DECO convex diffusers and crystal clear and balanced sound, whether you're looking to play DJ sets at home or produce your own music, the Pioneer DM-50D Active Monitor Speakers are the ultimate choice. It perhaps shows that in terms of recognition, the Pioneer name still carries some weight, and the DJ slice of the brand focuses on music production and professional sound systems such as DJ controllers and sound mixers.Each DM-50D speaker produces pure, balanced bass sound, thanks to a new Class D amplifier with 96 kHz sampling DSP. Another advancement from the DM-40 model comes in the updated design of the DECO convex diffusers which help deliver crystal-clear high frequencies in every direction, so you can enjoy a wide sweet spot and 3D stereo sound wherever you are in the room. When you need to turn up the volume, the new 5-inch woofer creates extra power and it’s perfectly aligned with the tweeter so you’ll hear all sound frequencies clearly. The grooves on the ducts reduce air friction so that the bass is tight and punchy, even if you position the speakers against a wall. Plus, the curved front edges provide maximum rigidity and minimum resonance for clean audio at any volume level. Optimised performance modes When I’m producing at home, I spend most of my time doing it on headphones, for which I keep a noise cancelling pair (for when the kids/family are in the house) and a non-noise-cancelling pair (for when they’re in bed!). My use of speakers is limited to when I’m DJing, playing music, or producing music when the house is totally empty – which is rarely!

Rather than test these in the Digital DJ Tips studio as I normally would, I set them up in my tiny home studio, because it is DJ/producers at home who these are primarily aimed at, so I thought it would be a fairer test. Before we discuss how the speakers sound, we first must explain Pioneer's so-called digital sound processing (DSP) modes. The phrase DSP rightly strikes fear in the hearts of most sound engineers—you want to mix on a transparent system that doesn’t include any dynamic compression or signal chain limitations. It's perhaps better to think of the two modes here (Production and DJ) as "voicing options.” The Production setting adds a bit more emphasis to the human voice frequency range, and slightly rolls off some of the lower frequencies; this is technically not a flat response, but it does result in better clarity. The DJ mode, by comparison, has a slightly fuller response in the bass frequencies and a bit less crispness in the high-mids and highs. The difference, however, isn't obvious. The DM-50D-BTs are ideal for both DJing and producing music. There is a handy switch on the DM 50D-BT speakers where you can select DJ mode or music production mode. As a result, the DSP settings automatically alter and augment, leaving you to focus on the music. DM-50D-BT Connections Pioneer DJ’s VM series is a pro-focused range that includes both the VM-50 studio monitors and the studio-grade RM-05 5-inch monitor, as well as the prosumer-leaning DM-40 and DM-40BT (a Bluetooth-enabled model) 4-inch desktop speakers. The VM Series features powered speakers, meaning they do not need an external amplifier, just a clean power source for the integrated Class D amplifier, which promises to deliver a 40Hz to 36kHz frequency response. Max dimensions (W x D x H): Lch: 175 x 262 x 257 mm / 6.89” x 10.32” x 10.12”, Rch 175 x 262 x 247 mm / 6.89” x 10.32” x 9.72”The Pioneer DJ DM-50D are powerful 5-inch 2-way bass reflex, active desktop monitor speakers. The speakers contain elements of the prevalent DM-40 units in addition to new features and components. As a result, the DM50Ds are robust and produce crystal clear quality sound. The speaker units are easy to use, tune and set up, are available in two colours, and sold as a pair. Innovative Features Compared to the smaller DM-40BT monitors, the VM-50 has a very similar sound but puts out much higher relative volumes. With 107 dB of peak sound, the VM-50s can get plenty loud for your ears to handle; however, somewhere in the upper end of its volume range some distortion creeps in when you crank them way up, so extreme volume levels aren’t ideal for when accuracy is of the utmost importance. Again, if you really need to monitor music at high levels for extended periods (if your monitors are in a DJ Booth actively competing with a PA system, for instance), go for a larger-sized monitor, which should be more capable of producing those volumes with the full clarity of sound. Markkus Rovito So, who should buy the Pioneer DJ VM-50?