Pioneer SE-450  Legendary Headphones

Submitted by Lead   on 13-02-2004 22:02

Also in the Gearbase: Pioneer DJ - Headphones Overview

Gearbase product details : Pioneer DJ SE-450

Early days DJs Standard

The Pioneer SE-450 was originally designed to be a consumer-use headphone. It has no special features, but one : it doesn't break down.

The DJ's began to find out about this feature around 1994 and a new industry standard standard was set.

For years the SE-450 was THE headphone to use; for any DJ in any style. Almost every major DJ (in the Netherlands for sure) used this model because it's reliability. The SE-450 can resist a fall from stairs or the DJ stage. Almost every credible DJ has his own story that is related to this type of phones.

Specifications

Product Type

38 micron polyester film, dome type speaker

Frequency Range

20 ~ 20.000 Hz

Impedance

22 Ohm

Maximum Input

1.000 mW

Sensitivity

105 dB/mW

Connection Cord

2.5m long Y-type straight cord

Weight

280g (excluding cord)

Plug

6.3 mm 3P plug

Sound & Mechanical Quality

For it's time the sound quality of the SE-450 was in par with other headphones available, if you would compare it to modern sounding headphones you might draw a different conclusion.

It took a long time before the mechanical quality of the SE-450 would be matched by another set of headphones.

Why this model was discontinued

In the year 2000 the industrial mall in Pioneer's factory broke down. Reproduction cost of a new mall (to create the shell in which the speakers are housed) are to high. So the decision was made to discontinue the production of this model. It was at the time pretty unique that a model that was running in the product line without a known change in designs for almost 6 years.

Parts availability decreases

Some of the parts of this model might still available through the Dealer network and at Pioneer Customer Services. You can contact your national Pioneer office to inform about the way to achieve these parts. But this was the case around 2005, the more years will pass by, the slimmer your chance for these parts.

In the following table are the part numbers as they are known in Europe (Benelux). Most are still available although all stocks will run out when time passes. If you look at this exploded view you can figure out the part number to look for.

Part numbers might be changed since this page is last updated, valid in 2005

Gearbase

Pioneer DJ SE-450

Related Blog Posts

The Pioneer Pro-DJ History

There are 11 Comments

  W.i.M wrote on 29-04-2004 @ 19:27

I love this one

  flashbackDJ wrote on 02-01-2005 @ 22:37

For me it is the best headphone and it is my second one (the first one was sadly broke)
the only thing that now is broke on this headphone is the jackplug but ok still works terefic

  strezz wrote on 22-05-2005 @ 21:59

this was the best one!!!

  FMG wrote on 01-06-2005 @ 11:57

i personally have been usid the AKG 141 for ages and Pioneer has a lot to learn from them.

  Technoliq wrote on 20-06-2005 @ 21:29

Heb toevallig gisteren weer een model weten te bemachtigen van een leuke prijs!
TOP!!!

  Laidback wrote on 16-09-2006 @ 20:15

ik heb er nog 1 liggen
alleen de Linker driver is Kapoet!

en ik heb ook nog de broer van de SE 450 ..
SE-305


.  die is nog een klein stukje ouder ..
deze is pas Xclusive :P

  Luxx wrote on 05-06-2007 @ 18:43

nette headphone. alleen vind em neit echt fijn zitten

  JayTaph wrote on 20-01-2008 @ 16:37

Top headphone. Alles wat niet mag ermee uitgevreten en inderdaad.. niet kapot te krijgen..  Alleen de kussentjes beginnen wat te verslijten en het schuim binnenin is allang verdwenen, maar nog steeds prima voor hardstyle / hardcore.
Draai de wat langzamere stijlen zoals club / dance liever met een sennheiser hd25.

  nico445 wrote on 25-03-2008 @ 19:12

Perfecte Headphone! ik gebruik hem nu voor de pc.
Ik heb zelfs de doos nog :D

  OrsonWelsh wrote on 11-04-2008 @ 08:55

IK ZOEK DEZE NOG! mijn oude is ter ziele

  ArCee wrote on 21-07-2009 @ 22:56

Wow, die heb ik lang gebruikt, jaar of 8? perfecte radio headphone (in den beginne). Perfect geluid, goede pasvorm en geen rondzingen met de mic open. Hier heb ik mijn eerste feesten zelfs mee gedraaid in 1990/91. Nostalgie. Helaas was hij na een keer of 4 snoer vervangen echt op