Richer Sounds has been synonymous with hi-fi ever since it opened its first store in London Bridge way back in 1978. Passive speakers have changed in their design and quality over the decades and there’s always something new coming out on an almost weekly basis. One thing I have noticed though, in the past few years is a few more active speakers coming into the stores…
From things like simple Bluetooth speakers to a more powerful set of active floor-standers, they are definitely becoming more and more popular. We’ve seen a few active DJ monitors in stores before but after a little hiatus, we now have something new to look at with the new Pioneer DM40 monitors speakers.
You can instantly tell from the very look and feel of the DM40’s that the quality should far exceed their price point. They are reassuringly heavy at a total of 5kg for both speakers. Considering they are only 146 mm wide and 227 mm high, there seems to be a lot packed inside their robust cabinet. As is the case with most active speakers, one of the speakers has the amplifier inside and this then powers the other with a simple piece of speaker cable.
There are both RCA and 3.5mm inputs on the rear of the speaker. They also have a 6.34mm (quarter inch) headphone socket for discreet listening. Pioneer haven’t included Bluetooth, which is a bit of a shame considering this would have opened the speakers up to a wider market. Maybe Pioneer have just focused on producing the best sound quality they could at this bargain price? Let’s find out….
Since I haven’t got any DJ equipment here in the shop I’m just going to use a CD player and try some dance music through the DM40s to give me an idea of what these can do. From my past experiences of Pioneer monitors, I’m expecting a big sound that should outperform the cabinet size. This is exactly what I’ve got here as the sound is loud and aggressive.
The Pioneer DM40s are perfect for both home listening and in the DJ booth.
There is plenty of bass to go around although the treble is lacking a little bit in places. If you’re into acoustic music or something similar these might not be the pair for you. Dance music is an entirely different story, as these suit that music perfectly. The DM40 speakers are made to be turned up and listened to, not to shy away with some background music somewhere. For this price I think they’re ideal for your first foray into the active monitor market.
If you’re into mixing music as a DJ or just fancy something loud and happy to listen to then these might just be the pair of speakers for you. They certainly have enough drive to keep you entertained. If you want to listen for yourself then come down to Richer Sounds for a demonstration.
Click to find out more about the Pioneer DM40 speakers.
Author: Bradley, Plymouth store
This is a great review! It really makes the difference have an effective sound system, but with so many on the market, it can be really hard to work out which one is the best value for money. This is a really exciting product, especially for DJ’s or professionals!