Tascam TH-02 Studio Headphones Review

Whether you’re entirely new to DJing or you’ve been in the game for a while, the reality is that you’re going to need a good pair of headphones.

Casual listening headphones might work when you’re just getting started and strapped for DJ gear cash, sure, but they often don’t provide the level of clarity a DJ requires to pick up on certain cue points in the music or if you want to use studio headphones.

Not only that but DJ headphones are often much harder and more durable compared to most casual options on the market, making them perfect for the hectic and fast-paced life of a DJ during a performance.

Generally, the rule of thumb is that the more expensive the headphones the better the quality. That goes with most things and it’s very true here. However, if you’re getting started or just need a serviceable spare, some really great options are both budget-friendly as well as offer impressive sound quality. One such example is the Tascam TH-02 Headphones.

While they certainly aren’t the best overall DJ headphones currently on the market, they are more than good enough for most entry-level beginner DJs who need something solid to play with until they start making a name for themselves.

Just as well, the Tascam TH-02 is a great spare headphone set for even established DJs to have lying around in case of an emergency.

Are The Tascam TH-02 Headphones Any Good?

The Tascam TH-02 headphones are often recognized for their affordability and solid sound quality for their affordable price range. They have a closed-back design, ensuring sound isolation in noisy environments. While they might not compete with the higher-end headphones in terms of sound quality and build quality, many entry-level users find them suitable for basic listening or as a backup pair. For professional audio work or much more critical listening, you might want to consider investing in more advanced models. However, for casual listeners or those on a tight budget, the TH-02 can be a good option.

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First Impressions

Build

First off, build quality. Speaking more on the functionality of the headphones, the TH-02 does show its pricing quality; or lack thereof. That’s not necessarily to say that the build is a bit cheap, but rather that they opted for certain things that, while cost-effective, permanently place it in the “spare & beginner only” category.

One example of what I’m talking about is the connecting cables. While they make a point of giving you about 9.8 ft (3m) of cable length, it’s not detachable.

I guess the logic was that they offered enough length that it wouldn’t matter, but the reality is that DJs are constantly running the risk of yanking something too hard while their headphones are on. Again, if you’re a beginner or just looking for a good enough spare, this isn’t a serious issue.

If, on the other hand, you’re a burgeoning professional looking for their main headphones at a more affordable rate, this exclusion may be disappointing.

Design

Starting fresh out of the box, the TH-02 is a fairly standard-looking “paint-by-numbers” set of closed-back headphones. Probably the first thing you’ll notice about these headphones is just how simplistic their design is.

Its all-black color works great for those who are looking for headphones that aren’t super flashy and in your face. The only color you have to deal with is the Tascam brand, which is in a simple white coloring to accent the black headphones.

And that’s really it.

For better or for worse, the TH-02 headphones aren’t all that flashy or remarkable and you can tell that that might have been an intentional choice. They make a point of being very simplistic and easy to flow with any DJ setup.

Unless you’re planning on a radically vibrant and flashy DJ style (I’m thinking hot pink neon or lime green colors) then this is just standard enough to roll with any style you’ve got. Is it a bummer that there’s no personality there?

Maybe.

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A Deeper Look

Durability

Starting first with their overall durability, I will say that the TH-02 does fall a bit short even when compared to some other similarly-priced headphones. This is in large part due to its plastic material, particularly around the hinges and hinge points.

Because the headphones are collapsible, that means that they’re super mobile and easily accessible for most scenarios.

However, because the material isn’t particularly sturdy, their collapsible nature also makes them very easy to break if too much pressure (ie. any real amount of pressure at all) is applied to them. And this isn’t in comparison to higher-quality DJ headphones either.

Even when compared to similarly-priced headphones these seem to be more likely to snap if pressed a certain way.

Because of their apparent fragility, you’d think they would come with a travel bag or case. Unfortunately, they don’t.

This means you’re going to need to be pretty careful when carrying them around… which kind of negates the whole point of making them collapsible in the first place.

Sound Quality

The sound quality, on the other hand, is quite good. Sure, it’s not going to beat out anything from the more expensive brands but it doesn’t need to.

Barring some factors that we’ll address, the Tascam TH-02 is very well-rounded, hitting the lows, mids, and high ranges quite well.

The low-end bass is probably where you’re going to feel the headphones being the most impressive. They’ve got enough of a presence to pick up on the individual beats, making them great for beatmatching and syncing two songs together, an essential aspect of DJing.

For the mid-ranges, the TH-02 makes a point of not being too muddy or hollow, instead having some overall well-defined sound.

It’s not overwhelming or game-changing – but mids rarely are.

Lastly, the highs, while there, suffer the most with these headphones. To be clear, you will hear them “well enough” but it’s just as much the case that they lack much precision in their sound.

This means that they can be a bit screechy and harsh on the ears, with the cymbals coming across as particularly sharp.

In terms of its balance across the three frequencies, the TH-02 makes a point of being more neutral than you’d expect from something this affordable.

Usually, headphones at this range tend to favor the bass more than anything. Instead, the headphones act a bit in line with studio-quality cans, which is really impressive when you think about it.

Unfortunately, some things do drag the sound down… at least just a bit.

As with many DJ headphones meant for a wider performance, the TH-02 are closed-back as opposed to open (closed means the sound stays in the cans while open means it passes).

The problem with this is that, as mentioned earlier, the plastic material isn’t particularly strong. This means that the closed back on the headphones isn’t quite as “closed” as they’re supposed to be, resulting in sound leaking out while also having outside noises more easily sneaking in.

The good news is that this isn’t to a crazy horrible degree. It will make performing at very high levels more difficult than if the headphones were made of higher quality, but I have to keep reiterating the importance of keeping everything in perspective.

For most DJs, these headphones are meant for the start of your career rather than something you’re using once you’ve already amassed a huge audience. As such, for smaller events and performances, these work more than they don’t.

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Comfort

Lastly, there’s comfort… and this is something of a mixed bag. On the one hand, the padding feels pretty good, both for the ear pads themselves as well as the padded headband.

The ear cups on the headphones are also fairly breathable, meaning you won’t be sweating your ears out or doing too much damage to your eardrums. They’re also quite firm on your ears, meaning that they will stay on your ears unless you are actively moving them.

This is particularly important as most beginner headphones can be a bit loose with their grip, resulting in the headphones not fitting as snugly as they otherwise should.

And while that’s all well and good…there are some noteworthy issues with its comfort. In particular, they are just too freaking tight and that may be an issue if you wear glasses.

Unless you have very small and very short ears, there’s a high chance these headphones will feel cramped and chafing.

You’re also balancing out the breathability with the fact that the drivers are being pressed right into your eardrum, somewhat negating any good you were otherwise receiving.

All in all, comfort is something of a question mark. While the padding and breathability are universally great no matter who you are, the tight-fitting cups and shallow space between your ear and the speakers can be a problem for just about anyone with average and above-average ears.

And because their material is so flimsy, you can’t reliably take one headphone off, as most DJs do, since you’re running the risk of accidentally breaking them

Again, if you’re a DJ who is starting, you’re probably not going to have a ton of gigs that force you to keep the headphones on for long listening sessions.

From that perspective, the drawback isn’t quite as bad as it would otherwise be for DJs performing for hours on end. It does come down to you and what you need them for.

Overall Performance

Things We Like

• Very Affordably Priced
• Standard Design Goes With Everything
• Fairly Clean sound
• Neutral-Sounding Audio

Things We Do Not Like

• Cable Is Not Detachable
• Not Very Durable
• Some Sound Does Leak Out
• Comfort Is A Mixed Bag

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Tascam TH-02 Headphones: The Verdict

As it stands, the Tascam TH-02 headphones are very much a tale of two users. For beginner users, while there are certainly some things that need work, the TH-02 offers more than enough value at its price point to justify picking it up. After all, these are aimed at the cheap headphones market.

No, it’s not the best, but when you consider the affordability it becomes very apparent that pricing is an important factor for anyone using these headphones.

For the other person, whether they’re a professional looking wanting a critical listening pair or even an advanced intermediate, these headphones are probably going to have more strikes against than them for them.

Simply put, unless you’re looking for something that is only meant as an emergency set you’re better off looking at some other options.