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! 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. The DM-50Ds – which are also available in white– slot into the brand’s DM range above the existing DM-40s and the Bluetooth-equipped DM-40BTs. All three models are supplied as pairs, meaning you get everything you need in one box, ready to plug into a suitable mixer, controller, computer/mobile device or audio interface, depending on what you’re looking to achieve. The unique selling point of the DM-50D is that they feature what Pioneer call a two-way sound mode, allowing you to switch between settings for DJing and production use; the speakers include digital sound processing hardware which alters the frequency response and overall sound accordingly.

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” Deliveries will be made subject to the terms and conditions of the courier company. djkit.com will not be held responsible for late deliveries. 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 Each DM-50D speaker contains a 5-inch woofer, ¾-inch soft dome tweeter, a new Class D amplifier and redesigned DECO convex diffusers. The woofer can provide an extra power boost when the volume is turned up, along with precise sounding frequencies, thanks to the expertly positioned tweeters, and the Class D amplifier aids in producing balanced natural bass sound. In addition, the diffusers provide a wider sweet spot and 3D stereo sound thanks to their inbuilt structure and ability to push out ultra-clear high frequencies in all directions. 2-way Sound Mode 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.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. The Production mode offers more of a flourish in terms of dynamism, more faithfully reproducing those highs and lows in music. Unlike the DJ mode, bass takes on a more reined-in quality to its performance, tauter and less weighty.

Not surprisingly, the larger Rokit 6 and T8V monitors are quite noticeably bassier than the VM-50, even with Pioneer DJ’s “Club Bass” EQ setting engaged. But that’s to be expected because, with the smaller 5.25-inch woofer, the VM-50 can’t push as much air physically to get the same bass response as larger monitors. The Rokit 6s are also known for having a bassy bias, and both the Rokit 6s and the T8Vs have a lower frequency response and more power allocated to their woofer than the VM-50 woofer’s 30W. The VM-50’s bass was clean and correct but doesn’t punch like some. Inside the cabinet is a new Class D amplifier with a 96kHz sampling DSP that Pioneer DJ says helps to produce a pure and balanced bass sound. The two-way speaker setup features a 5-inch fibre-glass woofer and 0.75-inch soft dome tweeter, the two aligned for clarity across the frequency range. 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 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.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? Those differences in power come with corresponding differences in physical size, so the VM-50 is significantly smaller and lighter than the other VM series monitors. The VM-50 weighs just over 12 pounds, measuring approximately 12H x 8W x 10D inches. Meanwhile, the VM-70 weighs about 17 pounds with approximate dimensions of 13H x 9W x 12D inches, and the VM-80 weighs over 22 pounds with approximate dimensions of 16H x 11W x 13D inches. The Pioneer DJ VM-50’s design 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. However, the Gear4music extended warranty scheme provides an enhanced service, and is designed to offer a higher level of protection than many 'free' warranties offered by some retailers and manufacturers.

Each VM series monitor has the same features except for size and audio output wattage. The VM-50, also available in white, offers 60W of total power from its bi-amped configuration: 30W for the low-frequency driver (woofer) and 30W for the high-frequency driver (tweeter). It also has a maximum peak output of 107 dB. By comparison, the VM-70 has an output of 100W and 112 dB, while the VM-80 delivers 120W and 115 dB.Each VM-50 monitor includes a standard three-prong AC power cable. For connecting audio sources, you have a balanced combo input for either XLR or TRS (¼-inch) cables and an unbalanced input for RCA cables. Having inputs for all three of those cable types should be a standard monitor feature, yet a surprising number of studio monitors leave out either the RCA or the TRS connectivity, so that’s a plus for the VM-50. One last VM-50 distinction is also unusual among studio monitors. The edges of the soft dome tweeter’s “constant directivity horn” and the Aramid fiber woofer cone are equal width. Pioneer DJ claims this shaped design will “enable smooth frequency crossover and a natural sound.” The results of my listening tests did find a flat frequency response and broad soundfield falling in line with that statement, whether or not it has anything to do with that particular design element. The VM-50’s rear panel includes a bass port, connections, and DSP controls. Markkus Rovito Setting up the Pioneer DJ VM-50