While not a name known within the DJ world, Orange Amplification has a rich heritage in the realm of live music. The company’s guitar amps are used by professional and aspiring musicians across the globe and their bright orange case designs, along with high build-quality and advanced audio-engineering, has led the amps to develop iconic status. Now turning their eye on the wider musical market, the new O Edition headphones are the first release from the Orange team’s new Consumer division, and I jumped at the chance to put them through their paces.

Although aimed at the music-loving masses, the fact that these headphones have been conceived and designed in the UK by Orange to provide studio-quality sound while offering robust and reliable construction means that they are also worth consideration for use by professional mobile DJs. On paper they have all of the prerequisites: 40mm drivers, good frequency response, padding for comfort and an on-ear, closed-back design; so I was keen to try them out in the flesh.

The first thing that struck me when I unboxed the O Series headphones was the quality feel of the packaging, these are audiophile cans and it is clear that Orange has tried in every way to create a premium product. When I actually got in to the headphones themselves I was surprised to find that the stylish design only makes minimal use of Orange’s namesake colour.

The tough ABS moulded speaker enclosures are black, as are the cushioned ear cups. The signature orange has been used sparingly, but effectively, in the form of a bright flash of plastic around each can and fabric covers for the drivers inside the ear cups. The padded headband is also finished in black and decorated with a subtle ‘Orange Headphones’ logo embossed black on black across the top. The premium look is completed by brushed stainless steel plates, etched with the Orange crest, that cover the adjustable arms.

When it comes to putting on the O Series headphones they are both lightweight (218 grams) and comfortable to wear. Their slimline design means that they don’t feel as bulky as some closed-cup headphones can, yet their padded cups still envelop your ears with sound. Their relatively small cup size means they are comfortable to wear around your neck and they are also easy to slip on and off as and when they are required.

In terms of sound quality, I have to say I was impressed. Orange’s sales literature quotes a Frequency Response of 20HZ – 20KHZ, fully covering what is generally considered to be the range audible by humans, but also a ‘purposefully neutral EQ response for an open and revealing sound stage with detailed layers of separation in the mid range’. This is exactly what I experienced. Both listening to electronic and live instrument-based recordings, I found that more nuances in the sounds were audible when compared to my current DJ headphones. I also experienced punchy bass response, clear top end and very detailed mid-range. The bass beats were clear when I was beat-matching at a gig, but equally the overall sound was detailed and immersive when I used them at home to listen to music while relaxing.