I purchased these Sony MDR-7506 headphones a couple of months ago. More recently, I’ve also purchased Sony’s very similar (but not identical – see below) Sony MDR-V6 Monitor Series Headphones . My reason for purchasing a second pair (and getting both models) was because the V6’s were very inexpensive at the time I ordered ($30 cheaper than the 7506’s), and because I was curious to see if I could tell a difference between the two. In reading many of the reviews here on Amazon and elsewhere, I knew that the two are constructed very similarly but there were different opinions regarding both the differences (if any) and which has the superior sound.These are both headphones in the $100 and below price category, which seems like a reasonable price to pay for high quality sound. I do not like to listen to music using earbuds, I prefer this style of “over-the-ear” headphone. although it does take some getting used to. I also have very inexpensive Koss KSC75 Portable Stereophone Headphones for occasions when I don’t want to use my more expensive Sony’s.I am very satisfied with the sound quality from these headphones (both models), and with the comfort. They are the first “quality” headphones that I have owned, and the level of detail in the sound, lack of distortion, and overall quality is simply superb. I am completely satisfied.Now, regarding both similarities and differences between the Sony MDR-7506 and Sony MDR-V6, here is what I have found:- externally, they are almost identical in construction and appearance. The V6 has red stickers on each headphone “for Digital”, and the 7506 has blue stickers “Professional”. The phono jack for the V6 is silver metal (all metal), for the 7506 is gold (rubber and gold). Those are the only visible differences I am able to detect.- when I listen to the two headphones back to back, at the same volume level and with the same music, I can detect a slightly clearer treble and midrange from the 7506, and very slightly clearer sound. This is consistent with several of the other reviewers on Amazon for the 7506, who say they can detect a slightly better sound separation and more open sound for the 7506, with the V6’s sounding a bit warmer. One reviewer also says that the internal grounding for the two headphones is different – the 7506 uses a separate internal ground for the left and right channels, where the V6 uses a single ground for both channels. (It seems to me that both grounds are going to the same place anyway, but if this is true – and I am not able to confirm whether or not it is – then maybe this contributes to a slightly different sound).- some reviewers state that the internal speaker drivers are different for the two headphones. However when I went to Sony’s website to check the specifications for the two models, that is not what I found. And here is what the Wikipedia page states for these headphones: “both models share the same part number for their driver, but the magnet therein is known to vary. The MDR-7506 was introduced with a samarium-cobalt magnet, as is currently used in the MDR-V6. However, at some point, the MDR-7506 switched to the slightly more powerful neodymium magnet. These changes were made without changing the driver part number.”- The box for the 7506 states “neodimium magnet”. The operating instructions included with the V6 state “samarium cobalt magnet”. Possibly either or both of these are out of date (as Wiki states, they may make spec changes over time) – the 7506 box is copyright 1994, and the V6 copyright is 1996.- The 7506 box includes an exploded view and parts list, which is very nice to have. The V6 box does not.- Both headphones include a soft case for storing/carrying the headphones, and both include an adaptor plug so that the headphone can be used with either a stereo mini-plug or a normal size plug.UPDATE 7/22/13 and 7/30/13: The Sony MDR-V6 and MDR-7506 headphones have just recently been reviewed by CNET, with similar comments to my own regarding the small differences in sound quality. Both headphones receive a very high recommendation from CNET. See the MDR-7506 review at […] and the MDR-V6 review at […]According to the specifications on Sony’s website (which should be up-to-date), the only difference between the two headphones is frequency response:- MDR-7506: – Neodymium magnet, 40.0 mm driver, 10-20kHz frequency response, 63 Ohm impedance, 106 dB/W/m sensitivity- MDR-V6: – Neodymium magnet, 40.0 mm driver, 5-30kHz frequency response, 63 Ohm impedance, 106 dB/W/m sensitivityI am not able to explain how Sony is claiming different frequency response for the two headphones if all of the other specs are identical, but this is what they are saying. And I do believe that the two headphones have slightly different sound.Although there is a slight difference between the 7506 and V6, the sound from both headphones is very neutral. The “professional” choice between the two seems to be the 7506, and it is the more expensive model. If you read other reviews you will find that the 7506’s are commonly used by studio engineers, because they are designed to reproduce the sound just as it is, without adding emphasis to the bass as some other headphones are designed to do. At this point, for me they are both excellent, and for thirty bucks less I’d go with the V6 if I could have only one of the two.I’ve been using these headphones with the Audioengine D1 24-bit digital-to-audio converter , and I am extremely pleased with the quality of the sound.As a final comment, some owners of these headphones comment that the ear pads wear out over time, and some owners also prefer different ear pads for better comfort. I also purchased a pair of Beyerdynamic EDT 250 Velour Padded Earcushions for this reason, and although I have not yet given them a try to compare them with the ear pads that come with the Sony headphones, I do like the fact that it is possible to fit different ear pads if desired in order to provide more comfort, as well as replace them when they have become worn (some owners use these headphones for many years).I notice that there are a very large number of reviewers for these headphones, many of them long-time owners who feel very strongly that these Sony headphones are the best. I’m just beginning to use them, but I have high hopes that they will be durable over time and that I will continue to be as satisfied with them as I am today.

I’ve had some Sony MDR-V6’s for a lot of years now, and after reading tons of opinions on how they compare to their sibling, these MDR-7506’s, I figured I would pick a pair up and do my own comparison. I know this horse has been beaten to death, but it only took a short amount of listening to realize the differences. But, before I get into it too far I just want to say that both models are excellent headphones; and it’s amazing that either set can be had for less than $100.And a WARNING to all buyers. Because these phones have been around forever, and because they are so popular (I think Sony sells more than 35,000 pairs of these a month) there are lots of fakes out there. You can research this on the web, but the safest way to insure you are getting the real deal is to make sure that when you purchase here on Amazon you only buy when it says “Ships from and sold by Amazon.com”. It is the easiest way to be sure you’re getting the genuine article.Everybody hears differently, and everyone “listens” differently. We don’t all enjoy the same types of music, and similarly, every set of headphones is not necessarily suited for every genre of music. We all own different source components, and most of us have a limit as to what we are willing to spend on our gear. I believe every headphone review should include a brief summary of the reviewer’s musical tastes, sources, and gear and should always including references to other sets of cans they own, have auditioned, liked, or disliked. With so many variables affecting peoples like or dislike of any pair of phones it is my goal to help those with similar musical tastes and similar gear to determine whether or not these headphones will be a good investment for them personally.To that end; I listen to music in practically every genre. I tend to go through different phases, but I enjoy Mozart as much as Metallica, 80’s one hit wonders and New Orleans Jazz, Lady Antebellum or Lady Gaga, Eminem to Zedd. Music has so much to offer in all genres that one could spend a lifetime discovering new things they like. I use my computer to play all the usual manner of digital files, and an Onkyo C-7030 CD player to handle disk duty. Both feed into my Nuforce Icon DAC/Headphone Amp. The digital files via USB and the CDs via analog RCA (the Onkyo has excellent onboard D/A conversion). I have also been playing around with a Little Dot MK2 ii Vacuum Tube Amp (which I am really starting to love). It should also be noted that I use no equalizer to modify the sound of my music (because I don’t have one available in my setup). My headphones include Sony MDR-V6s and these MDR-7506s, V-Moda Crossfade LPs and M-100s, Audio Technica ATH-M50s, Beyerdynamic DT-880 250ohm Premiums, Sennheiser HD 598s and HD 600s (my personal favorite) as well as my 4th pair of Koss Porta-Pros (easy to exchange when you live in Milwaukee) . I’ve tried Grado SR 80s and SR 225s (just too darn uncomfortable), some Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro 250ohms (I prefered the DT 880s), and my son even owns a pair of first generation Beats Solo phones (Yuk). The other day I threw away some Denon’s (no clue what model, but circa 1990) and a set of Sony MDR-V600s that were both totally worn out. I also own lots of buds as well (my Klipsh X10s being my favorite).Like I said at the beginning, these headphones sound great. They are by far my favorite set of closed phones. The crossfades are fun (they’ll make your teeth chatter), but the sound is very unnatural. The ATH-M50s sound excellent as well, but I prefer the Sony’s more natural midrange. I like them with most genre’s of music, but I prefer them with classical, jazz, adult contemporary, jazz rock, and other similar genres of music. The 7506’s (and V6’s) also give the widest soundstage of all my closed cans. When comparing the sound to the V6’s I would say this. Both models have some of the most natural sounding mids I have heard in a headphone. The V6s have more bass and noticeably higher highs, where the 7506’s are flatter through the audible spectrum. That’s pretty much it in a nutshell. It isn’t hard to hear the difference, and you can see it as well by going to Headphone dot com’s “build a graph” page and comparing the two. The build a graph is an excellent page and when I look at the graphs for the various phones I own it shows exactly what I’m hearing myself. I have heard many reasons for the differences between the two sets of Sonys from wiring to cup shape, and I’ve read all the references to the parts list that says they have all the same pieces, but all I’ll say again is that there is a difference. If you like a flatter sound with less of a “smile curve” then these 7506’s are what you’re looking for. If you like a bit more bass and treble I’d recommend the V6’s (though the highs can cause fatigue after a while). If you are looking for cans to monitor or edit video then the 7506’s are the ticket. It’s amazing how accurately they can playback the sound I record with my video camera, and it’s no surprise that you see these on the heads of people in the movie business when you watch behind the scenes extras on DVD’s and Blu-Rays. I have taken the V6’s to work and I use them with my little Nuforce uDAC-2 as the two pair together very well, and the 7506’s are my go-to phones at home when open cans won’t do. The phones are very efficient as well. They play plenty loud without a lot of power, though they sound even better with a nice amp. They are also very revealing. While you will hear lots of details in your music, you will also hear all of the flaws. Music with accentuated highs may also sound shrill and sibilant when using these phones. If you want lots of booming bass you’d be best to look elsewhere. The 7506’s have nice low, accurate, detailed bass, but they aren’t thumpers by any means (nor are the V6’s). If you want some serious thump on a budget watch for the V-Moda Crossfade LP’s to go on sale (you will sacrifice detail and clarity, however).The build quality is excellent and I’m alright with the earpads wearing out and needing replacement from time to time (I’m on at least my 5th set in 2 decades with the V6’s). All earcups need to be replaced sooner or later, and if you shop around you can find the Sony replacements for a cheap price. If you opt for some of the velour replacements that are out there you will (or you should) notice a change in the sound (I’ve tried them with the v6’s). It’s also important to watch the foam part of the cups that covers the driver. If it starts to break down it will get pushed into the holes in the front of the driver itself and it will ruin it (this is what happened to my V600’s). The phones are very light, the comfort is excellent, the clamping pressure is pretty light, and the sound isolation is really good too. I also like the coiled cord and the quick change screw plug. I have never had an issue with my cord on my V6’s in almost 20 years and I don’t foresee a problem with the 7506’s. The carry bag is handy and surprisingly durable as well. I do wish they locked in a little tighter when you opened them as they often seem to want to close back up while trying to put them on. You also have to be careful for the right side wire as it can get pinched in the whole works and possibly become crimped.You just can’t go wrong with The 7506’s or the V6’s at the price they sell for. You just have to decide which response curve you prefer.

I recently acquired a Korg Triton Extreme keyboard, which I just simply adore, and which I play often and for extended periods of time. I also recently invested in Logic Pro X, which, together with my Apogee Duet, has allowed me to build up songs, track by track. So I decided that I needed a neutral, closed back headphone set for not only playing, but also for tracking and mixing (when I need to not disturb others). I adore my Grado SR-225 headphones, but I have never considered them to be “neutral”, and they are about as open as you can get. So, I started my research into what are known as “Studio Monitor” headphones.My search revealed three main contenders in my price range: these headphones (the Sony MDR7506 Professional Large Diaphragm Headphone , which are sonically identical to their predecessor, the Sony MDR-V6 Monitor Series Headphones with CCAW Voice Coil ), the Audio-Technica ATH-M50 Professional Studio Monitor Headphones with Coiled Cable , and the Sennheiser HD-280 PRO Headphones .I learned pretty quickly that the 7506’s are considered to be an industry standard, but also that some consider them to be somewhat unmusical, or “too analytical” or something along those lines. Fine for cold hard calculating sound engineering stuff, but not great for LISTENING to (and enjoying) music. So, this put me off the 7506’s.As for the HD-280 Pro’s, there were a number of reviews where the plastic of the headband cracked after just a few months and eventually broke, which concerned me, and many reviewers found them to be uncomfortable. Of course, there are a LOT of reviews and these were still strong contenders. However, I got a chance to listen to these locally, and didn’t really like my first impression of them–although I would definitely require some extended listening (and break-in) before making any judgement of them.Moreover, it seemed that the Audio Technica ATH-M50’s were by far the best reviewed headphones of the three, and were considered to be very musical. In fact, according to HeadRoom, they are one of the top 10 headphones under $500. Very impressive! So, I decided on the M50’s and ordered them from Amazon.Unfortunately, I was definitely NOT impressed! You can read my review for more details, but the short version of it is this: the M50’s are not linear, have a hump in the bass at 100 Hz and another below that; have recessed mids; and sound muddy and dark to my ears. I didn’t like them at all, not for music appreciation, and certainly not for use as a “studio monitor”, which they clearly are not.So, I returned the M50’s and decided to try the industry standard, hoping that I wouldn’t find them to be too harsh. I was worrying they might be a little like the Yamaha NS10 studio monitors, which are infamous for not sounding great, BUT are really useful because, if you mix using them, and get the mix to sound decent on the NS10’s, then the result will sound great on ANYTHING ELSE! Or so the legend goes. I’ve never heard NS10’s. But I was hoping that the 7506’s wouldn’t be like that. And I was reassured by one review which specifically said that they weren’t. So I decided to give them a try.Boy am I happy that I did! I wish I had gone for these first, and I would STRONGLY urge you to be skeptical of all the claims that these headphones are too analytical or that they are unmusical or any of that. Nothing could be further from the truth. These are wonderfully, brilliantly, clearly, and precisely musical, faithful, and enjoyable. I stayed up late more than once because I kept wanting to hear how something else in my music library would sound through these headphones. I LOVE that they are “analytical”–i.e. that they are NEUTRAL and even-handed. It’s SO NICE to listen to equipment that has an extended, and yet not boomy or exaggerated bass. These headphones are really, really great for the price. And they are very comfortable and have a good amount of isolation. The isolation of the 7506’s is not as good as the M50’s, in my experience, and about the same as the 280’s, although, to be fair, I only have a very limited amount of exposure to the 280’s.In any case, there’s a reason that these are an industry standard. And they are not just popular with sound engineers; they are also renowned among musicians. One of my friends even told me that there are albums where the V6 / 7506’s are specifically mentioned as what the artist recommends that the record be listened to on. Or something like that. You can’t go wrong with these headphones. You really can’t. For any purpose. And that reminds me, I should add that while I did do a lot of listening to these using my Duet as both DAC and amp, I found that the 7506’s sounded really great straight out of my iPhone 4 (and out of my Korg Triton, too, of course). The fact that these can be driven well by the iPhone definitely sets them apart and it’s another huge plus for these headphones. In my experience plenty of other “easy to drive” headphones still suffer when used straight out of something like an iPhone or iPod, but not the 7506’s.Now, personally, I prefer open cans to closed (and sometimes I NEED to be able to hear my surroundings), so I do most of my listening to music on my Grado SR-225’s or my Sennheiser PX-100’s (the original version, not the PX-100 II ‘s, which are not nearly as good). But I would be pretty happy listening to the 7506’s as well. And when I play my Korg, and/or compose/record, I use the 7506’s exclusively and they are awesome. Highly recommended.

I am hearing impaired and have loads of headphones and headsets, some of which are much better than others for me. I did a lot of research before I bought these Sony headphones because they were pricey and I wanted the best sound for my hearing loss. I lost all my high pitches so I need both volume and the ability to get crisp clear sound in order to make up for my deficits. After reading review after review of different headphones, I chose these.These have large ear cups which is great because I can wear them over my hearing aids without pain. Although I usually don’t wear my aids with headphones due to feedback, when I do, smaller ear cups really hurt my ears due to the pressure of the aids against the headphones. These are comfortable with or without the aids and can be worn for extended periods of time without any problems. They have a long cord which is great for me. I often workout watching exercise videos on my computer and have to have headphones to hear the music/instruction. The longer cord gives me the ability to do that although I also use Bluetooth headphones to eliminate the wires all together.But the real winner here is the sound. It’s so good. It’s rich and full and music sounds so good that I can’t believe it. However, for me, spoken words like podcasts and movies don’t sound quite as good. That is due to the amount of bass in these headphones. For normal hearing people, the bass is a plus. For me, it sort of muddles speech. Still, I can use these to watch movies and they are only slightly less clear than my other favorite headphones by Turtle Beach.For music though, wow. Very, very good. My son who is an audiophile and has $300 headphones actually feels these headphones sound as good or even better than his and that’s saying something. He says speech is crystal clear for him (He has normal hearing.) and the volume is way more than enough for any application. I also find it to be sufficient.I love the headphones for music and use them mostly to listen to music. I will also use them for other things but they really are made for music and they do a heck of job making each instrument stand out and creating a really pleasurable listening experience. That is rare for me since my hearing loss makes things sound flat and tinny a lot of the time. I am happy with these headphones for music and I can use them for other applications as well. I have had them for months and they have held up just fine. They’re a bit bulkier than some other headphones but so worth it. Great sound.

First, let me say I think these (the Sonys) are outstanding, remarkable actually. Now for the rest of my thoughts.Okay on the AT’s… nice, decent, I didn’t hear the scooped mids (that “V” shape people are talking about but that would be horrendous to pull down an EQ band, making the shape of a “V”). Scooped mids: Meaning the mids might be attenuated 2-3db, thus having the effect of “boosting” bass and treble, falsely affecting the frequency response. I didn’t hear that on the AT’s. The reason I chose the Sony’s was their *transient response*. Read on..I was looking for a pair of good headphones for casual listening — all pre-recorded music. My goals were to find headphones with decent *flat frequency response* and mega-outstanding *transient response.*What is “transient response?” This is pretty simple.. First, let’s think of you — your human body. Sound waves, from where ever.. music, a band, a train going by, a lightening strike and resultant thunder, enter your ears and strike your ear drums, causing a vibration. This vibration, through the mechanism in your head, is translated into electrical signals your brain interprets as sound.With headphones, loud speakers, etc., this process simply works in reverse: Electrical signals are converted into sound waves rather than sound waves converted and interpreted by your brain. The headphone’s mechanism — voice coil, magnet, diaphragm or “transducer,” or a speaker cone in the case of a loud speaker, receive an electrical signal that vibrates the diaphragm and creates audio — sound waves that your ears can pick up.Simple, right? Not that simple. The task of a pair of headphones, in this case, is transmitting those electrical signals accurately. This means there can be no delay, no false vibrations, no lag, nothing that can interfere with the quality of the sound output. If these bad things happen, the sound simply is inaccurate.Having a flat frequency response is pretty easy. Getting the transducer to vibrate on que with the electrical signal is not. Any hesitation, and you’ll hear “muddy” or inaccurate sound. In other words, the transducer needs to react exactly as the electrical signals are telling it to. This basically is, “transient response.” It’s not easy to achieve. The Sony’s, IMO, have it. The others didn’t. I tested against my Bose active noise cancelling cans as well. You’ll read stuff like this. People will use terms such as, “transparent audio” — and then there is high bit-rate conversion — FLAC and VBR — all of which I’ve messed with.During my test I listened to tons of music, all kinds. Back and forth. At first, the Sony’s sounded “bright.” Because I was hearing things I had not heard before. Then I noticed while listening to a rock band, I could hear the bass guitar in the mix. I couldn’t hear it with any of the other phones I had, including the AT’s. Then, listening to a classical orchestra, same thing, I could hear someone lightly plucking a bass violin. Then I could hear someone lightly playing a kettle drum. Couldn’t hear those with the others.The Sony’s get a bad rap for “lacking bass.” Okay. So… a bass guitar IMO *is* bass. This is a huge preference debate. Been going on for decades. This is why your grandparent’s pretty cabinet hi-fi console had a “bass” and “treble” control. Preference. A lot of people love exaggerated bass. Okay, just “turn up” the bass control. Easy. Transient response — the ability to reproduce everything — isn’t easy. And this is why we have very expensive speakers, headphones, audio systems.My background: I’m not an “audiophile” nor a sound engineer. I played bass in a band. Still have a bass guitar. I’ve done a lot of live sound mixing. I worked in an FM station for a while. Did lots of stuff there. Back in the “golden age” of analog audio, I sold stuff in a high-end stereo store. I was one of the first in my network to say Grado was better sounding that Shure magnetic phono cartridges. I just did some testing myself — very carefully, taking plenty of time.IMO an audiophile who can’t discern transient response is an audiophile in name only. Many people can’t, at least not at first. So recommendations: If you’re going to buy these, and they are the first pair of decent headphones you are buying, before you make any judgements, mess with them a long time, hours, especially if you’re coming from using cheaper phones. It’s like being a little kid all over again — you get to hear things you’ve never heard before. A lot of the “good” reviewers will agree and this seems to be the reputation for these phones — affordable headphones for professional audio work. As far as the reviewers saying “they lack bass” — umm, like I said, just turn up the EQ and you’ll be gtg 🙂