Flat is good. Very good! These headphones can reproduce whatever you want, and they have all of the power you need. If you want a more powerful bass, all you have to do is just EQ it in. Just becuase it sounds "flat" out of the box doesn't mean it can't do it. I can attest to the fact that these headphones can blow your eardrums off! For the price, these headphones are the most sensitive devices around.

All I can say is simply refreshing. I use a set of Alesis monitors at work and these are the personal version. No help involved to make things sound "better". What's recorded is what you get.

Great, sharp sound. Very comfortable. Good price for the quality.

Weak ear pads that will wear out after a few hours it seems. A little weak on the low end. Have to pump up the 100hz range about 10dB to get the punch I want.

Well folks.. This is a great set of cans. If you want to hear every nuance of your music piped directly into your brain, this is the set for you for the price. That being said, that's both good and bad. Since this is such a flat frequency response set, you can love them or hate them. If you're recording, you'll be thankful for the quality. You'll literally hear everything you've got recorded, no holds barred. If you're listening to MP3s of mid/low quality, you'll get angry that you didn't rip them at a better quality. You'll hear every click and pop that's there to hear. Overall, a good set of headphones for the price, especially if you're trying to produce a good product. They won't let you miss a thing. For listening to your collection, I would look elsewhere.

Tight, crisp, clean sound. Bass is not loud, but it is well-defined. Muddiness is not a word you will ever use to describe these. Since I apparently have an "average" head, these phones are very comfortable. They're light, and the fit couldn't be better. These phones are relatively inexpensive, especially compared to the high-end offerings from Sennheiser, Beyerdynamic, and Grado. The MDR-7506 is a great choice for recording and mixing on a budget.

These headphones are not great for bass... just OK. (The price of a flat frequency response, apparently.) For bass guitar, I have to crank the volume to get it to a nice punchy level. If you own a set of MDR-7506 headphones and think they've got big bass, I'd like you to try a set of KTX-Pro phones. They're super-cheap, they sound surprisingly nice, and I guarantee you won't brag about MDR-7506 bass any more. The MDR-7506 also sounds a little harsh. Not tinny, but it's really bright. It's fabulous for mixing because mistakes really jump out and punch you in the ears. Good recordings are crisp and clear, but bad recordings sound terrible.

The MDR-7506 is a great set of headphones. You'll find at least one in nearly every studio in the world, and for good reason. I'm not going to describe every detail because everyone else has pretty well covered the bases. My main reason for writing this review is because I take issue with one thing people have been saying. What is that thing, you ask? Nearly everyone has commented that these headphones have [big, strong, full, tight, fill in the blanks] bass. As best as I can tell, these headphones have a flat frequency response. They don't have anywhere near as much bass as my old headphones, the Koss KTX-Pro. I must say it was a surprise to put these cans on and hear so much treble. Oh my goodness, are these ever bright! I wouldn't go so far as to say tinny, but the high end is very full. Compared the Koss KTX-Pro, the MDR-7506 is quite harsh-sounding. It took me a while to adjust to the brilliant sound. As I read all the reviews about the bass on the MDR-7506, I can't help but chuckle. Apparently y'all have never heard bass in headphones before. Deep bass is present in the MDR-7506, but seems only half as strong as the KTX-Pro (I kid you not). I play bass guitar and drums, and I like to hear lots of bass. The KTX-Pro was perfect for this. To get the same effect on the MDR-7506, I have to adjust my EQ to boost the bass about 12dB (!). Just for fun, I tried using this EQ setting on the KTX-Pro. It sounded like my head was between two subwoofers. Sorry MDR-7506, you're not going to win the bass battle. Now that I'm off the soap box, I can be a little nicer. I really like these headphones. I was hesitant to purchase them without listening first, but I finally broke down after reading enough reviews. I must say I'm happy with the choice. The flat frequency response is exactly what I was looking for, to help me make better recordings and mixes. The sound is crisp and clear, with no muddiness or peaks. If anything, the lower midrange is a little thin. I like lower midrange for some warmth... but no such thing here. These headphones have a cold, sterile sound. They will not make bad recordings sound better, but they bring out lots of detail, even at low volume levels. If you just want to enjoy pre-recorded studio music, especially MP3's, I would suggest you look elsewhere. There are "better" sounding headphones which will obscure artifacts in favor of a more pleasant sound. But if you're recording or mixing, these are really appropriate. On the ergonomic side, these are really comfortable. Apparently I have small/average size ears, because these fit perfectly. They're also surprisingly light. I've used at least 4 pairs of headphones (including the massive Koss Pro-4AA) that were MUCH heavier than the MDR-7506. Actually, I was a little disappointed at first. Since these are marketed as professional headphones, I was expecting them to be heftier and sturdier-looking. However, these are proof that phones don't have to be bulky to sound good. (I cannot comment yet on the long-term durability... maybe in a future review.)

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I've listened to many headphones over the years, including the Koss Pro-4AA, Sennheiser e2270, and lots of others that I can't remember the model numbers. I like Sennheiser products, but the really good stuff is expensive (HD580, etc.). I have yet to listen to the Grado SR-60 that everyone likes.

Fantastic sound, great build quality, can be driven by portable sources, and can take heavy inputs without distortion too.

coiled cord and bad pads, both easily replaceable.

Amasing headphones for a low low price. I paid through the nose for these because my old pair got smashed in an accident, and i needed a pair to use on a few days solo travelling. My first impressions were of overly bright sound with lacking bass, but after leaving them playing load music overnight, i was amased. They blew me away with incredibly rich, full, but tightly controlled bass, and clear sharp crystal midrange. These headphones have immaculate sound, and are certainly miles ahead of sennheiser and grado for build quality. The pads tend to wear out quick, and the coiled cable is annoying, but apart from that they will last years of use and abuse.

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sennheisers, grado, other

Revealing, Efficient, Lightweight, Portable.

El cheap-o ear vinyl.

Purchased the 7506's after 14 years with Beyerdynamic DT990 Pros. Comparing the two, the Sony cans I liken to Sake & Sushi: Bold, full of flavor, colorful, and demonstrating the essence of the source. The Beyer 990's are more akin to aged Scotch whiskey and a Dunhill cigar: polite, soft at the extremes, and easy for the long haul. Chose the Sony over Sennheiser HD280 (even though the 280's sound sweeter and are easier on the ears, especially in the 12-20K range) because they're lighter, don't vise grip my noggin, aren't as clumsy, and fold into a smaller, easier to transport ball.

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Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro Sennheiser HD280

Professional sound quality that's second to none! Great for sound mixing in a studio environment!

Only one: Ear pads wear out fast!

As an audio engineer & producer, I bought these phones becuase I wanted true sound as mixed! The Sony MDR-7506's deliver, BIG TIME! They produce a clear crisp & true sound with just the right trebble, mids & bass! You'll these headphones being used professionaly in studios all over world! I've tried comparing other phones to this one, but they don't compare! I even bought another brand, but I ended up returning them!

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Beyer Dynamics & Sennheiser

The phones are very nicely made. High class construction which puts the likes of Grado and most others to shame. At one-third the cost of Grado's 325, the 7506 comes very close to matching the 325's treble and to my ears offers vastly preferable bass. People complain about the durability of the earpads, but I see these items advertised on the net (or direct from Sony) at reasonable cost, so why worry? Comfort isn't of Sennheiser standard, but improves on any Grado I've used. For general music listening, a Senn 580 or 590 has the edge in lush presentation, but at only $100, the 7506 is certainly able to compete in most areas. For movies, the immediacy of the 7506 strikes me as often superior to the Senns. The 7506 is the best Sony phone I have heard, and I have had access to most of the current range. Again, I am impressed with the general construction and the sense of quality build. They look very nice, feel better than average to wear and sound very good. And they are ideal for the specific job I bought them for. That makes them 5-Star value for me.

The coiled cord is not my favorite feature. It can put some drag on the left earpiece if it is hanging (as opposed to laying on surface). Otherwise, it is difficult to think up a complaint. Everything sounds and looks of remarkably high quality, especially considering the price asked. They don't beat the Sennheiser 580 or 590 for classical music, but if your budget is $100, the 7506 is ideal. In fact, I'd say that unless you have $250 to spend, you won't do better than this.

Very good headphone for monitoring home recordings. In fact, the best I have used in this respect. When making compilation CDs via my Mac, the crystal clear treble and strong bass of the 7506 is especially useful for judging crossfades etc. Many phones I have tried for this purpose muddy up the combined signals and make life very difficult. Sennheisers (which are my preferred headphone for general listening) serve me poorly when recording at the computer. For this use, the 7506 gives me better volume, sharper imagery and a much clearer picture of what is going on.

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Several Sonys, Sennheiser 580, 590 and 497, Grado 325.

VERY durable, long-lasting, great sound. Super long cord (at least my older model does). What more could you want?

none

I received these headphones as a christmas gift(MDR-V^ was the previous model # stated in other reviews) many, many years ago. They sat in a drawer for a few years prior to my initial testing. Then one day I just decided to try them. Now I know nothing about headphones. Other than those 12.99 earbuds that they sell at Target and stores alike, this is my first "real" pair of headphones. Let me say, after I tried these puppies, I was spoiled for life. I have them attached to my puter and I listen to MP3's while running on the treadmill. The music drowns out the horrendous sound of the treadmill (thank god), therefore I don't get distracted. Well, thanks to my extended use of this product, I've worn away all the protective plastic covering the black foam pads. Now the black cloth covering the 'yellow' foam inside is starting to recede. Yet they still keep taking the abuse. They may look very worn, but they still sound as good as they did when I first tried them. I honestly had no idea what I had til about, oh, 5 minutes ago. I just happened to be reading this review, shopping for a pair of headphones for my boyfriend, and lo and behold, I find out that mine are a previous model of these same headphones. I'm surprised these things still work. My computer has some weird interference issue sounds that come and go, and at first I thought it was the headphones. So for about a week I beat the darn things against everything I could find out of frustration and also trying that age old technique of '"slam your fist against the tv' to fix the picture" method. You know what I mean. Anyhow, these things are the greatest. I have NOTHING to compare them to, but when I listened to my boyfriends pair of supposedly good headphones (Sony MDR-CD280), I just laughed. They were so awful. I don't know how much these go for, but be forwarned, they suck!! I guess that about sums it up. I ADORE mine.

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Sony MDR-CD280

Bass. Clear, clean sound. Can be driven by anything. There is no need for a headphone amplifier.

The earpads wear out too soon leaving black speaks on your ears. They can be uncomfortable after extended periods of wearing.

This is the third pair of Sony MDR V6/ Sony MDR 7506 headphones. The other two are still going strong and were given away as gifts. These headphones are the best I've heard for less than $100. While I'm certainly not an expert and have not listened to the Grado models, I have listened to other headphones in this price range and I find I really like the punch that these cans give

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Senniheiser 570 and Senniheiser 600