OneOdio Studio Max 2 review: balanced, detailed and enjoyable

£180, oneodio.com

Wireless DJ headphones have always sounded like one of those ideas that works better in a marketing meeting than it does in a club booth. A decision based on the tech bros solving a problem that doesn’t need solving. DJs are creatures of habit, after all, and few things are more deeply ingrained to a DJ than their choice of headphones and other kit. Any threat of latency, or a short battery life, has traditionally been enough to kill the concept before it ever reached a dancefloor.

But OneOdio thinks it may finally have a neat solution; in collaboration with DJ and producer KSHMR, it could finally have made one headphone for all. The Studio Max 2 promises ultra-low-latency wireless monitoring aimed at DJs, while also functioning as a Bluetooth listening pair and wired studio headphones. On paper, it’s an ambitious all-in-one proposition and, at this price point, perhaps an unexpectedly convincing one too.

Going outside the box with the OneOdio Studio Max 2

Unboxed, the Studio Max 2s feel reassuringly luxurious. There’s a large sturdy hard shell carry case, an internal pouch for accessories and both straight and coiled cables included for wired use, as well as the dongle. The bundled 2.4 GHz transmitter dongle is what gives the headphones’ claimed nine-millisecond low latency performance using OneOdio’s RapidWill+ 3.0 wireless technology. And, it works. A single long press on the one button on the dongle and the central button on the right headphone cup connects you.

In use, there’s no noticeable lag while mixing. No interference, no drop-outs. Cueing tracks, beatmatching and quick cuts all feel natural in a way Bluetooth headphones simply never have before. If you’ve spent years instinctively dismissing wireless DJ headphones as unusable, the Studio Max 2 challenges that. Switching between modes is also handled neatly with the flick of a switch on the right headphone cup. Voice prompts announce connection states with phrases like “Bluetooth Mode, Connected” and “Low Latency Mode, Connected”, which is neat, but I would have personally also liked a clear visual cue on the dongle for the DJ booth.

Studio Max 2 are More than just DJ headphones

Part of the Studio Max 2’s appeal is that they’re clearly designed to live beyond the DJ booth. The low latency will also have appeal for gamers. Plus, connected to a phone over Bluetooth, OneOdio’s companion app lets you tweak the sound profile using a 10-band EQ, with settings carrying over into low latency mode too.

The app itself is functional, if slightly rough around the edges. Presets are oddly visualised, with one Bass Mode graphic featuring somebody playing guitar feeling particularly random, but most users here will likely ignore the presets entirely and head straight for the custom EQ.

The EQ is responsive and useful, yet it feels like a missed opportunity not to allow separate EQ profiles for Bluetooth listening and DJ monitoring. This would be a great feature in an update.

Build and comfort

The Studio Max 2 looks and feels more premium than its price might suggest. The 180-degree rotating and reversible earcups follow the familiar DJ headphone formula, although the plastic hinge sections do raise long term durability concerns if you’re picking up your cans by the ear cup. In my experience this is where most DJ headphones eventually fail. But being wireless, maybe you are leaving these on your head or neck, so picking up and putting down headphones less often? Again, those things I mention will depend on how you use your headphones when DJing. That said, during gig use the headphones feel solid enough, with no obvious creaks or weaknesses developing and I’m not worried at all about build quality, at least in the short term.

Comfort is another strong point. The earcups sit well during extended sessions and the headphones can handle high volume levels comfortably without becoming harsh. One particularly welcome touch is passive operation via cable even when the battery dies. That may sound basic, but it’s absolutely essential for any DJ headphone.

The sound of OneOdio’s Studio Max 2

I don’t feel short-changed on the sound. OneOdio has equipped them with 45mm drivers, comfortably within the standard range for DJ focused headphones, and there’s plenty of output available when needed. Obviously with sound, this is where things become a little more subjective. For DJing specifically, the Studio Max 2 lacks some of the instantly aggressive low-mid punch associated with classic booth headphones from brands like Pioneer DJ or Sennheiser. Out of the box, mixes can feel slightly lighter and less forceful while cueing in loud environments.

However, that sensation seems partly tied to isolation of the cups, rather than outright sound quality. The earcups don’t block external noise as well as others I have used, meaning club volume bleeds through more than I’m used to.

Outside of DJing, though, the tuning makes much more sense. For casual listening, production work and general studio use, the Studio Max 2 sounds balanced, detailed and enjoyable without becoming overly hyped or fatiguing.

Should I buy OneOdio’s Studio Max 2?

Studio Max 2 is a success, because it avoids trying to be purely a DJ headphone. Instead, it aims to become the single pair you use for everything, from studio work and Bluetooth listening to wired sessions and low latency DJing, and for the most part, it succeeds.

The wireless performance is the real breakthrough here. For the first time, ultra-low-latency DJ headphones feel genuinely viable. Although, like Bluetooth, it would be nice if manufacturers could all agree on a low-latency wireless audio standard that could be built into pro devices like DJ kit and audio interfaces. The AlphaTheta HDJ-F10 are locked into Pioneer’s SonicLink which new mixers like the A5 have built in, but unless that becomes standard, we are going to replace a cable with a dongle, which doesn’t feel like much of a win for me.

Hardcore club DJs may still prefer the isolation, impact and battle tested durability of traditional wired options. But for DJs wanting flexibility without sacrificing usable performance, the Studio Max 2 makes a surprisingly strong case for cutting the cord. They deliver exactly as promised, and are hard to fault at the price.

I do think most DJs are happy with their robust, wired reliability for now. But, if you want to dance on top of the DJ booth or slam cakes into the faces of your audience, OneOdio’s Studio Max 2 offers wireless freedom at a mega-competitive price point.

Key Features

• Wireless closed-back headphones
• Ultra-low latency mode (9 ms)
• Bluetooth 6.0
• 120-hour battery life and fast charging via USB-C

Chris Barker is a music industry professional, DJ, and producer. Performing as Xtopher, he’s played over 3,000 DJ gigs. A former partner at FaderPro and author of The Secrets of Dance Music Production, he also helped shape Future Music’s iconic In The Studio series, interviewing leading artists including Avicii, Martin Garrix, and Deadmau5. He is the creator and co-host of MusicTech’s My Forever Studio podcast.