Ok, ok...before you guys go "WTF Discobee? Hyundai headphones?!", let me preface this thread by saying this:

I like to try out all kinds of different brands of gear. I've been through many types of gear in my years of DJing: Technic, Numark, Pioneer, Denon, Sony, American DJ, yadi yada yada. I do believe in the old adage "You get what you pay for", which is why I like my Technics M5Gs and my Pioneer DJM800 mixer. Now with headphones, I've always liked my Sony V700 for its clean sound and appearance. I also have a Sennheiser 280 but don't want to gig with it because the foam on the cups can tear during transport. I previously had a Pioneer HDJ1000 but didn't like the sound of it after I paid $150; all the others like Technics RPDH1200 or the Denon DHP1000 still carried a $100+ price tag.

So I thought to myself, "Man, there's gotta be another brand of headphone that can play loud, looks nice and won't break the bank. I wonder what DJ's in other countries use?" Now I know all about those Sony knockoffs in Thailand but that's not what I was thinking of. So I went online and on Ebay found this Hyundai brand headphones.

Yes, Hyundai, as in the Korean auto manufacturer. Hyundai is also a large shipping corporation and they also make electronics. The seller was from Hong Kong and had over 750 positive ratings and is considered a Power Seller. The headphones with shipping to my home in Seattle, WA was $45.00, which seemed reasonable to me. Of course I'm thinking what if this is a knockoff or it sounds like crap, etc. But then I'm like: "It's $45, what have you got to lose? And what if I'm pleasantly surprised by it?" So I bought one and got it last week (took a few weeks to arrive because of Customs)

Hyundai CJC9200 Professional High Powered Headphones

Specs:
Driver size 57mm <-----larger than many other brands
Sensitivity 107 +-3dB at 1Khz
Impedance 64 ohms
Freq response 5Hz - 30Khz
RMS output 2500 milliwatt <---- comparable to many other brands
Max output 3500 milliwatt <---- comparable or more than other brands
Plug type 3.5mm stereo plug with two 6.3mm adapters

Photo: i90.photobucket.com

The first thing I liked about this headphone was that it came with a 90 degree 1/4" adapter as well as the standard straight gold adapter. The bubble pack was in English and Korean so it had the appearance of a flea market product, haha. The headphone itself was definitely a knockoff of the Pioneer HDJ1000, appearance wise, but not entirely.

I opened it up and handled it and it was not too light or flimsy feeling. The cups had nice thick pads on it, much thicker than a Sony or Pioneer. It swiveled and folded nicely without any problems. I put them on and was surprised at how comfortable they were. The top strap was also padded along with a rubber surround on the apex for durable carrying or transporting. There was a decent amount of sound isolation as well when I wore it.

I used the 90 degree plug and plugged it in to my DJM800 mixer. Usually at the clubs I do one-sided monitoring with the cue level being at around 11 or 12 o'clock position. At this level, the headphones were loud and punchy! The highs were not as crisp as my Sennheiser, but I don't think the Hyundai was geared for audiophile type monitoring. I turned the level past the 1 o'clock position and it got even louder, yet no distortion to the sound. Vocals were still clear and the bass tight.

This past weekend I used it at a club gig and the headphones worked more than satisfactory. Much louder than my Sony with responsive bass for me to keep the beat (it was at the 11 o'clock position on the cue level). The 57mm drivers definitely maintained their output.

Summary: This Hyundai headphone is no gimmick! Loud clean sound with punchy head-pounding bass that won't distort in a club setting and it looks nice and wears comfortably, too. It is a great primary or spare headphone for gigs without breaking the bank. Durability has yet to be determined since I've only owned it for one week, but for $45, I'm sure my investment will have been a worthwhile one.

Pros: cheap, good sound, 90 degree adapter plug included
Cons: no carrying pouch

Ok, now that you've read the review, you guys can go ahead and make fun of me...