Digital Trends

Pioneer SE-A1000

May 14th, 2007 | by Jason Tomczak

Features and Design

Pioneer's SE-A1000 headphones have a very impressive look. Their mere size alone commands attention and gives a distinct air of professional-level audio. The materials and construction are equally high-tech, aesthetic, and sturdy. While they weigh about 20 ounces (as compared to the 4-oz. Bose TriPort headphones), they are not unusually heavy for their size. The fiber-coated headset cord has a strong, professional feel. The cord length, however, is very unusual at nearly 20 feet. The ear pads are very soft and comfortable. The SE-A1000s have a rubber-coated outer frame that looks somewhat like a roll cage on a 4 x 4. And though the free-adjusting headband will comfortably conform to most head shapes and sizes (especially folks with larger heads or lots of hair), the vertical elevation of the headband cannot be adjusted along the roll-cage frame. This could make the SE-A1000s a little awkward for some users with smaller physical frames.

Inside the ear pads are rare-earth alloyed magnets (50mm driver units) pushing out 102dB/mW. Impedance is 45 ohms at 1kHz, max power is 1500mW, and the frequency range is 10Hz – 30kHz. Why is the 10Hz – 30kHz frequency range significant? Humans hear, on average, between the really low 20Hz frequency and really high 20kHz frequency. There are people who can hear lower and higher frequencies than the average Joe, but they're few in number. The SE-A1000 headphones have the ability to produce sounds far below and above the level of a human hearing, meaning that nearly any frequency recorded in music or in a film will be present. Failure to detect these frequencies will, therefore, most likely be attributed to the limitations of your concert-and-iPod-assaulted ears.