Headphone Recommendation? Sony Pro MDR-7506?

[Shannon Parks]

Looking for a pair of comfortable, high isolation headphones. I'm not into the current fad of noise cancellation and figure a set of cans with great isolation can accomplish the same result. The application is listening to MP3s on the computer while in a noisy room (fans, people talking, other music, etc.). I've read that the Sony Pro MDR-7506 headphones are a common studio headphone with decent performance. I've read that the newer Sony MDR-V6 are also good, but can't find isolation numbers anywhere for either pair. Anyone have some thoughts?

[77seriesIII]

Dont toss out the noise cancellation headphones. the environment you are in, the noise cancellation sets would work great. I've used different varieties in mostly military aircraft with incredible success. The helicopter I used to fly had HORRIBLE intercom system, instead of fixing it (not sure there was a fix) the Army opted to try noise cancellation systems. All the older pilots after one usage wouldnt fly with them again, they kill all the noise and you could hear conversations through the intercom BUT it killed all background noise, no more engine noise, rotor noise, etc Very freaky, didnt like them at all. Down side is cost, you get what you pay for in the noise cx arena, cheap ones work but are uncomfortable to wear. The army opted out and went with a simple replaceable foam ear plug head set, worked great. The noise cx system...Bose.

I use head sets for the same thing, at work and in a workout environment, just buy $20-30 pair and be done. Dont spend alot as they will break or get lost/stolen. MP3 are not hifi and the work environment dictated (background noise) will cloud the music (unless it is ear drum breaking levels). In this envronment, go with comfortable then cost or if you are like me go with cost, then figure out from the box if they are going to be comfortable. If they are uncomfortable, you wont wear them much after the first painful experience.

good luck

[TomMcNally]

OK ... I just went out and checked my headphones
that are in the car. They are Sony (that much I knew)
MDR-7506's ... I use them on the weekends when
I'm a disk jockey on the radio at http://nj1015.com

They sound good, and are pretty rugged, I've been taking
them on and off and tossing them on the console about
60 times a weekend for 5 years or so.

As far as isolation, it's hard to say - when I turn the
mike on, the speakers go off, and the music is loud.

Bottom line - I like 'em.

BUT - in my office during the week, I have a nice chrome
ST-35 into Klipsch speakers, and it drowns out the
sound of about 20 computer fans ! Yellow_Light_Colorz_PDT_16

... tom

[mesherm]

I have a pair of Sennheiser HD 212 Pro headphones that are lightweight and well fitting. If you like headphones that don't wimp out on bass those are the babies I'd recommend.

[Shannon Parks]

Thanks, guys, for your input! It's greatly appreciated.

[EWBrown]

I have never tried any Sony 'phones other than the cheapo ones that came with the various incarnations of Walkman and Discman. They were OK, but...

I bought a pair of "demo" Sennheiser 600s from Audio Advisor a couple years ago, and they are excellent! These were on sale at $149, an offer too good to resist Yellow_Light_Colorz_PDT_02

It may seem funny, but what sold me on these was seeing them in use by the SONAR operators on a Swedish submarine, from a TV show on "The History Channel". Since SONAR operators are known for having very good ears, and I figured if it was good enough for them, then I'd give it a try Yellow_Light_Colorz_PDT_03

I later added the "Bottleheadphone" cable fto the phones, it is very nicely made and has a real 1/4 inch decent quality plug rather than the somewhat cheesy 1/8 inch stereo plug and adapter. For MP3 and portable players, the standard 1/8 inch plug is necessary.

I won't make any wild claims about magical an mystical improvements to the audio quality and how the cable improved my "karma" and s*x life, or any such audio-phoolishness.

The Bose noise cancellers are very nice and of excellent build quality , but they are expensive, at around $300 or more. We had a set of them here at work, which we were evaluating for a (sekret) project which never materialized. Someone else snagged them
Yellow_Light_Colorz_PDT_21

/ed B in NH

[Ty_Bower]

I've owned a pair of Sony MDR-V6 for probably the last 17 years or so. I'm on my third set of earpads. The pleather cracks, then foam rots and falls out. You can buy a replacement set from the Sony parts web site. The shipping is almost as much as the earpads, but I still like these cans so I guess it's worth it.

I probably paid about $80 back then. I guess they're still about the same price. Reviews of the V6 (and the V7506, which I believe is essentially the same set of headphones) are typically favorable, especially if you factor in the price. They are often described as somewhat colored, but not necessarily unpleasantly so.

I find them full of bass. They tend to be bright, but not overly so. They do not sound as good as a real set of loudspeakers, but I doubt any pair of headphones will. They are fairly comfortable on my head, but as with any closed headphone they can get sweaty. They do seal out the noise fairly well, and keep my music inside. I've never had someone else complain about being able to hear what I'm playing. Given the age of my pair, I'll attest to their durability.

The Sony MDR-V600 and MDR-V150 are generally regarded as junk. I'd stay away from those.

[Shannon Parks]

Ty, the Sony MDR-V6 cans are indeed what I finally decided on. It seems the only difference between them and the 7506 is a gold plated connector.

[sorenj07]

those are what I use. great headphones.

[Ty_Bower]

There seems to be a couple sets of MDR-V6 around here. In case anyone needs replacement ear pads, here's a reference. I've used both the old part number and the new, and they both seem to work fine. You can order by calling Sony at 1-800-488-7669, or from the web at www.sony.com/accessories


Original Pad Assy, Ear: Part Number X-2113-124-1
Price $5.95 each plus shipping and tax

Recently part# X21131241 has been discontinued. This is the replacement part:

211566803
PAD, EAR
Unit Price (in USD): $5.95

[erichayes]

The FM station I work with www.khum.com has been doing live remotes this week to raise funds/inventory for the local food bank. One of the DJ's birthday was on Tuesday, and his wife gave him--on air-- a pair of V6s as a present. You would have thought she'd presented him with his second child. Thank God for "cough" buttons.

I've always been a fan of the Koss HV-1A and Sennheiser HD-414, both of which date back to the '70s, at least, but they're both of the open-air design. The V6 is the only circumaural headphone I've heard that gives both great frequency response and isolation. Good choice.

[snitch56]

Wasn’t the KOSS Pro4AA a popular headphone choice in the 1970’s. These had great passive noise isolation and sounded good. However, they were so heavy that wearing them was similar to strapping two bricks on your head. They also used to be made in Milwaukee; I am assuming they are made in China now.
http://www.koss.com/koss/kossweb.nsf/p? ... s%5EPRO4AA

[Shannon Parks]

My buddy in college had a pair of Quadrophonic Koss headphones, the Koss K-6LCQ, complete with two sets of speakers in each ear (of course) and two sets of stereo plugs. Anybody remember this beast? Yellow_Light_Colorz_PDT_04



He did have a Dark Side of the Moon Quad LP, but no quad cartridge or stereo. Dang. Yellow_Light_Colorz_PDT_09

[EWBrown]

One of the guys here at work uses a set of Sony MDR-V150 "Studio Monitors"s, and really likes them, but then he's using a fairly cheap MP3 player, and he also thinks that a "boombox" or a set of computer sepakers is audiophile bliss Yellow_Light_Colorz_PDT_08 Yellow_Light_Colorz_PDT_04 Yellow_Light_Colorz_PDT_09

I had a set of Pro 4As back in the hippie-dippie days, siunded pretty good but I always felt like my head was clamped in a vise Yellow_Light_Colorz_PDT_09 Yellow_Light_Colorz_PDT_21 Granted, they are not as vise-like as a set of Dave Clarks, but they were still too confining...

I still have them in some box o' stuff down in the cellar, the pads and foam are all rotted out, but then I'm not known for simply tossing things away... :o

/ed B in NH

[wiredbecker]

Great thread, you guys are the best. The AV editor at work uses the 7506s every single day. Good to know I can get a similar can minus the gold plating for less because those things are so damn comfortable!

Tom: what Klipsch are you running with your ST35? Just curious.. I've been rolling speakers on mine and settled with the ole Dynaco A25s
The ST35 is out of sight below the bubble light behind the monitor.