Pioneer SE-DIR800C Digital Cordless Dolby Surround Headphones

It's All In Your Head

Don't let a sleeping family keep you from your new action adventure movie, Dolby 5.1 concert, or your on-line video game tournament. Go ahead and experience all the 3 dimensional sound your heart desires! Dolby Headphone technology produces up to five virtual loudspeakers in a virtual room via conventional stereo headphones creating a unique sum of direct and reflected sound from each channel of 5.1 audio. As a result, the listening sensation is much more natural, with sounds appearing to be outside of your head, just like a conventional 5.1 speaker system would sound. And, the SEDIR800C headphones are wireless, using an IR transmitter to send signals up to 26 feet across the room.

Dynamic Sound From Any Source

It may be hard to believe that headphones can capture the effects of Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1, and Dolby Pro-Logic II decoding, but the SEDIR800C headphones really deliver. 4 modes of Dolby headphone processing help direct the sound. You can adjust for a multi-channel source DH mode for 5.1 encoded Dolby Digital or DTS surround tracks. There's a Dolby Pro-Logic II DH mode for stereo sources with Dolby Pro-Logic II decoding for surround sound. A Stereo Source DH mode is used with stereo sources without Dolby Pro-Logic II decoding, and the 4th mode is simply OFF, for regular headphone playback.

Rooms For Improvement

You can even set the SEDIR800C headphones to give you different room type effects. DH1 sounds like a mixing room with very little reverberation. DH2 mode sounds like an ordinary listening room with moderate reverberation (this is the default setting). And DH3 gives the impression of being in a small theater. Talk about some impressive headphones. You really should check them out. Order a pair today.

Write A Review

pioneer headphones se-dir800c (January 13, 2011)

Ease of Use		(5/5.0)
Value		(5/5.0)
Performance		(5/5.0)
Overall Rating		(5/5.0)

Reviewed By: linda c. - Shelton, WA

i really like these headphones. no cords! go figure! the sound quality is wonderful and the sound options are easy to use. were very pleased with this purchase.

Awesome Headphones (July 23, 2010)

Ease of Use		(5/5.0)
Value		(5/5.0)
Performance		(5/5.0)
Overall Rating		(5/5.0)

Reviewed By: Ihor D. - Las Vegas, NV

I was in the market for a set of headphones that would let me view and listen to my surround system without waking others. I had reviewed many other headphones but none of them even came close to the capabilities of this product.

This set was the only one that was able to transmit Dolby Digital 5.1 which was a must have for me. When I buy a product, I want it to be at the top of the class and the Pioneer SE-DIR800C definitely passes my evaluation with an A rating.

Pioneer Headphones SE-DIR800C a great buy! (April 18, 2010)

Ease of Use		(5/5.0)
Value		(4/5.0)
Performance		(5/5.0)
Overall Rating		(5/5.0)

Reviewed By: Roy San Diego - SAN MATEO, CA

The best wireless headphones for my HDTV!
I love the comfort over the head and ear. The crispness of the audio and details superb. The ratings over the web made my decision in buying this product and all i can say is great! I only wish they can program multiple wireless headphones in one transmitter. Great job by Pioneer!

Excellent Purchase (March 25, 2010)

Ease of Use		(4/5.0)
Value		(3/5.0)
Performance		(5/5.0)
Overall Rating		(4/5.0)

Reviewed By: John D. - Seattle, WA

Very clear quality sound. Light weight, comfortable. Easy to use. Searched all over and couldnt find anything that compares. These wireless headsets stand in a category of their own for 5.1 sound and clarity combined with the ease of wireless. A perfect solution for bringing the quality sound of a 5.1 surround home theater system to an easy to use headset alternative where you even capture more sounds. Its the same, even clearer because its close up and not interfered with by other sounds in the room, etc. Perfect for when someone is sleeping in the next room or tuning out distracting noises of outside.

Only drawbacks A little pricey. No clear solution for combining two wireless sets for shared use - only a place to plug in a second wired set if you choose, which is nice that Pioneer atleast provided that in the design. Would be nice if the transmitter wasnt line-of-sight listening only. Would be nice if the transmitter had a remote control.

PIONEER HEADPHONES SE-DIR800C (March 19, 2010)

Ease of Use		(5/5.0)
Value		(5/5.0)
Performance		(5/5.0)
Overall Rating		(5/5.0)

Reviewed By: DALE W. - AMHERST, OH

THESE HEADPHONE ARE TRUELY THE BEST I HAVE EVER OWNED THE SUROUND SOUND IS UNBEATABE I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS PRODUCT

pioneer headphones se-DIR800c (February 26, 2010)

Ease of Use		(5/5.0)
Value		(4/5.0)
Performance		(5/5.0)
Overall Rating		(5/5.0)

Reviewed By: wayne b. - fort walton, florida

finally a pair of wireless headphones that dont make noise, like static and pops. They dont transfer signal thru walls but I accept that. Very comfortable and great stereo sound while whatching movies. Highly recomend if looking for clean wireless sound.

head phone wire less (February 12, 2010)

Ease of Use		(5/5.0)
Value		(5/5.0)
Performance		(5/5.0)
Overall Rating		(5/5.0)

Reviewed By: fat c. - seattle, WA

head phone verygood and comfordtable i realy like it thank

Pioneer Headphones SE-DIR800C (February 12, 2010)

Ease of Use		(4/5.0)
Value		(4/5.0)
Performance		(4/5.0)
Overall Rating		(4/5.0)

Reviewed By: Edward S. - Guntersville, AL

These headphones work great. The sound is clear and crisp. The only problem I encountered was in getting it connected, better installation instructions would be a plus. I would recommend them to anyone who is considering wireless headphones.

A good buy (February 12, 2010)

Ease of Use		(5/5.0)
Value		(5/5.0)
Performance		(4/5.0)
Overall Rating		(5/5.0)

Reviewed By: Adrian C. - Irving, TX

These headphones are a good buy! Really clean and clear reception , with a variety of settings for different sound modes. Probably one of the top headphones in the TV wireless to headphone category. I really like the rechargeable batterys feature. Highly recommended.

Pioneer SE-DIR800C Headphones Quality as expected. (December 28, 2006)

Ease of Use		(5/5.0)
Value		(4/5.0)
Performance		(4/5.0)
Overall Rating		(5/5.0)

Reviewed By: Mark S. - Louisville, KY

Vanns had the best pricing I could find on the internet for these quality headphones...still a bit pricey, but the convenience of wireless and Pioneers quality reputation seemed worth the risk for me. I was primarily looking for a quality wireless headphone for late-night movie viewing and gaming. These Pioneers fit that bill perfectly, even if there are a few weaknesses.

QUALITY Well constructed and if nothing else they look top-notch out of the box. Headphones fit comfortably and seem to let your ears breath more than most of the noise-cancelling models Ive triedowned.

SETUP Lots of connection options. I opted to use the optical connection. Had them up and running in just a couple of minutes using standard AA batteries while the Ni-Cads were taking their initial charge. Only con to setup is that it seems for best Dolby options you need to connect directly to your DVD-Cable box via the optical or Coax...which can be a pain if you plan on switching out sources often and your connections are buried deep in a cabinet. Im currently trying the optical output on my Onkyo 7.1 reciever to see if i can adjust things a little more to my liking. More on that later.

SIGNAL CLARITY The IR signal allows for clean, noisefree sound. Havent tried moving around too much yet, but seems better than RF as long as you stay in the same room.

SURROUND SOUND DECODING Although Ive only been trying these out for a few hours, Ive been able to try multiple sources DVDCable movies, sports & music utilizing most of the headphones Dolby decoding options. The Dolby decoding simulated 5.1 surround does give you the impression of sitting in the middle of a 5.1 setup...quite engrossing. Watching Windtalkers on DVD it seemed the bullets and shells were exploding all around...but with one significant weakness...Bass.

SOUND Very dimensional sound...but the sound is a little light and the bass response doesnt come close to the beefy subwoofer sound of a 5.1 setup. I knew from other online reviews to expect this to a degree...although its even a little more lacking than I wouldve hoped. The bass is still there but explosions and music lack the boom & thump of a subwoofer, but still the overall quality and features of these phones makes up for it for me. Im still tweaking the setup to see if I can milk some more bass out of them somehow and will update this review if Im successful. My Bose Tri-Ports give a much heavier bass sound but lack the dimensional effect of the simulated 5.1 sound...so theres the tradeoff with this model.

Overall, Im very pleased. Convenience, quality and lots of options are definitely the Pros of this model. Cons are the price and lack of bass. But of all the wireless headphones Ive tested, these Pioneers still rank at the top...just depends on what youre looking for.

Pioneer SE-DIR800C-Best wireless I've ever used (December 04, 2006)

Ease of Use		(5/5.0)
Value		(4/5.0)
Performance		(5/5.0)
Overall Rating		(5/5.0)

Reviewed By: K. R. - Cleveland, Oh

At the current sale price, you just cant go wrong. I have bought and returned numerous RF wireless headphones, reading the reviews of others only to be disappointed by interference issues. These included a number of Sennheiser products priced up to just under $200.

6 months ago I decided to buy what was the best reviewed wireless headphone I could find. Now there are no more frustrating interference problems as long as you are in the line of site of the infrared transmitter. The sound is crystal clear.....not a buzz, hiss, pop or hum. Im glad I bit the bullet and spent the extra money on these fine headphones. It was well worth eliminating the problems RF headphones often exhibit.

The Vanns salesperson I spoke with was very helpful, and the pricing quite competitive. They arrived on a timely basis.

The earpieces are a clothlike material and fairly comfortable. 2 AA batteries rechargable and included are easily removed can be replaced with other rechargables when needed. There is a handy volume control on the headphones which is easily accessed while wearing said phones.

I use these so my wife can sleep at night when I want to watch a little late night TV in bed, or if one of us wants to read while the other watches TV. They are much cheaper than both a marriage counselor or a divorce.

The only downside as I see it is the fact that if I walk into another room for a moment, the sound is gone until I return to a line of sight of the transmitter. But thats what DVRs are for.

Comparison Specifications

Wireless IR Transmission of up to 26 Feet
Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1, and Dolby Pro Logic II Decoding
4-Mode Dolby Headphone Processing
1) Multi-Channel Source DH Mode for 5.1 Encoded Dolby Digital or DTS Surround Tracks
2) Dolby Pro-Logic II DH Mode for Stereo Sources with Pro-Logic II Decoding
3) Stereo Source DH Mode for Stereo Sources, Without Dolby Pro-Logic II Decoding
4) Dolby Headphone Mode OFF for Regular Headphone Playback
3 Room Type Effect Presets
1) DH1 - Mixing Room with Very Little Reverberation
2) DH2 - Ordinary Listening Room with Moderate Reverberation (Default)

Additional Specifications

3) DH3 - Small Movie Theater
Self Adjusting Headset
Wired Headphone Input with Volume Control
2-Way Stand - Vertical or Horizontal Mounting Options
Input Attenuator
Rechargeable AA Batteries and Recharger
Optical Digital, Coaxial Digital, Analog Inputs (Coaxial Digital Cable Supplied)
Frequency Response: 12kHz - 22kHz
Distortion: 1 Percent or Less (1kHz)