These are in my opinion the best value headphones on the market. Virtually indestructible (10 years old daily use, dropped regularly, zero sign of fatigue), and the bass response goes down to 10hz. Not the most accurate out of the box but with an EQ these are highly capable in any application.
I don't know why, but in Game Audio Demonstration the MDR-7506 has a surprisingly good imaging. The best I've seen so far in your channel. Thanks for the video, very good review.
And technically solid, with objective measurements🎤👏.I bought my headset based on his opinion, and I look for a cheaper daily headset other than Ath30. What about more commercial but flat headphones reviews like JBL 500?
I have the Sony MDR 7506 Studio Headphone for the last 15 years and still working good. The ear pads will loos the rubber covering in no time but other than that, no quality issues. Very durable. I think is time for a newer one but this ones still kicking.
MDR 7506 were my first decent headphones. Used them for about 2 years and i'm glad i switched them out. They're so harsh, they messed up my hearing quite a bit, often i would even feel physically ill after a few hours of working on music. And the ear pieces are so shallow, even with my tiny ears i had issues, and if you have any earrings - you will be in pain. Wouldn't recommend these to anyone honestly, save up and get DT770/990, those are many times better not only in terms of sound, but also in terms of comfort
The DT770 and DT990 both have excessive treble which is fatiguing to the ears but the 770 is better but needs some EQ, especially because the 990 has significantly more recessed mids which means the exaggerated treble is more noticeable, the DT770 however is actually quite nice if you use EQ to reduce the treble as the rest of the spectrum is fairly neutral
@@totizedger i dont know what youre talking about, been using dt990 and tried 770 and they do not have excessive treble. They feel much more natural than sonys
could this mdr 7506 be all arounder? i mean can you just plug it directly to nearly anything? like Cellphones, Laptop,Desktop and Board Mixers (for mixing vocals etc..) with no prob or adding DAC or any amp? also looking forward with the ATH M40X and beyerdynamic dt770 pro 80 ohms for all arounder headphone.
@@عبدالجاكولالصلصالاني i do not recommend sony mdr7506. As for others, the more ohm you have, the better quality sound it will have. But above 80ohm you will need a dac/audio interface because it will be too quiet
You could have a problem set of 7506's. It's been heard if that the base response can be faulty in some sets. Anyway, the 7506's are equivalent to the NS10's of the monitoring world. NS10's are not for hi fi listeners.
I got some of these last week (2nd Feb & I've got to say, linked to my Sony amp with my laptop running the audio they are an absolute joy to use & produce results when working with audio tracks. Highly highly highly recommended, especially when you consider how little they cost
Awesome! Have had many of these myself. Would love to see you do one for the Sony MDR cd-900's. I found those to be a nice "mixing" headphone in the late 90's. still available.
Hi , I am on my second pair of 7506s , any idea which model FRASIER uses on his TV sitcom "Frasier" ? as the one he and his associate use on tge show don't seem to "FOLD UP " like tge 7506. Much appreciated
set them up today with my apogee element 88 and iMac Logic Pro x,,the volume is very load. and the treble diskant is high,,,have to turn down all the software in logic x
Great review! An aspiring voice actor here. I love 7506 but it gets warm, and I concern that I'm not really hearing my own voice the the boost in the frequency range may lead me to falsely believe in the clarity of my own voice acting. That being said, any other headphone you'd recommend? My primarily use is to record my own voice for practice and edit.
Much appreciated and thanks for asking! I have actually been testing out a few different mics for out-of-frame use. In this video I was using a Sennheiser e614 small diaphragm condenser (pencil) mic. The e614 has a self noise somewhat higher than many of my other pencil microphones, but it has a supercardioid polar pattern. For reference I had the microphone connected to a Warm Audio WA-73EQ preamp (Neve style) with a WA-2A optical compressor which were then connected to my Presonus Quantum 2632 interface. I have a lot of absorption panels including a large ceiling cloud in my studio and the computer is located in a separate room to keep background noise as low as possible. Sorry of the long answer, but I thought is was important to add some context to the "sound of the mic." Hope this helps out!
They're all I used for years until about a year ago. Never heard anything particularly off on various systems. They are reliable. But I prefer my Shure 440 over them now. But you can't go wrong with 7506. They earned their reputation.
Hi! Could you tell me how the Shure 440 compares to the 7506, and why you prefer it specifically over the Sony? I love Shure microphones, of course, but I've actually never tried their headphones, so now I'm curious. Thanks! I'm upgrading my studio headphones soon, and I'd appreciate the feedback. 🙂
Can you recommend a Wired Headphone for listening to music from a Samsung S21 phone/Spotify premium -- usb-c to 3.5mm adapter. I know a wired connection will always be better than bluetooth, but everything else is confusing. Price range, up to $250. I'm looking to upgrade from a Sony xb910n, in active wired mode it has a lot more detail but doesn't sound as "exciting" as when over bluetooth. Thus, looking for something designed first and formost as wired.
This Sony is my favourite one despite some of its 'weaknesses' as you said it, which I agree. Nice true honest review, I appreciate it. However, I was looking for it, but cannot find your review about Sennheiser HD 600. I really want to know your review about it, actually more than what I'd get from others.
Glad you enjoyed my look at the 7506. I will be posting a review on the HD600 soon. They are my primary mixing headphone, mostly because I know them well and they are a good compliment to my studio monitors. Mixes done on the HD600 translate very well in my experience. Let me know what you think after seeing the review. Cheers!
could it be all arounder? i mean can you just plug it directly to nearly anything? like Cellphones, Laptop,Desktop and Board Mixers (for mixing vocals etc..) with no prob or adding DAC or any amp? also looking forward with the ATH M40X and beyerdynamic dt770 pro 80 ohms for all arounder headphone.
Did you compare/review the “made in japan” V6’s? I bought these (7506) years ago and in 3 seconds I gave them to my 15 yer old boy. Ordered the “made in Thailand” V6’s and In 3 seconds gave them to my wife. Not trying to be a smart a, just wondering if you have tested the two different V6’s.
Hi, I occasionally perform live with a band in radio or TV studios, and I'm looking for closed-back headphones for mixing. Do you think Sony MDR 7506 or Audio-Technica ATH-M70x would be more suitable, or is there another good option? It's for pop-rock music..
Hi and sorry for the delayed response. Both the 7506 and M70x are good headphones, and you can learn the sound of either for recording and mixing, but in general my preference for mixing headphones will be a bit more neutral. A great option for closed-back mixing headphones is the Shure SRH-1540. The 1540 provide very good accuracy, detail, and clarity, all with soundstage and imaging performance that rivals many open-back models. The only limitation I will note is that for material with very strong sub-bass (EDM/HH) there is some low end distortion at very loud (and I mean very loud) listening levels...nothing I would do for the sake of hearing loss, but worth noting. At a more affordable price point, I find mixes done with the M40x translate very well and I use them as one of my playback references. Soundstage and imaging performance however are not up to the standard of the SRH-1540. I hope this helps out!
are there any gaming headsets with similar form to these anyone know. have around 200 gbp budget. and good quality would be great. but id really prefer something that looks closer to these than the huge cups all the more well regarded gaming headsets seem to have
Audio-Technica has released a new version of their M50x headphones with a built-in microphone (the capsule is based on their AT20xx series). This is as close as I have seen to a studio headphone configured more like a gaming headset. It is available with either usb or analog TRS/XLR connections. Here is a link to check it out: www.audio-technica.com/en-us/ath-m50xsts Hope this helps out!
M going to buy this headphone. But for the sole purpose of listening to music alone. Can someone help me with do i need a dac. Or what should i do to get the best out of this headphone. M using status audio cb1 right now.. will mdr 7506 be an upgrade for me ?
The 7506 are easy to drive, so a dedicated headphone amplifier will have less benefit vs when used with power hungry headphones. That said, depending on what you are connecting them to, there may be room for improvement. The 7506 have a different sound signature vs the CB1. You will find low end less emphasized on the 7506 but mids will be more forward. Whether you would find the 7506 an upgrade depends on what you are using them for and/or the sound profile you prefer. The 7506 will reveal more detail and issues in a mix, particularly in the midrange, but for casual listening it is more about the sound profile you prefer. I hope this helps out!
@@askdrtk very helpful. Thank you. I have one more doubt. My cb1s left and right got swapped. I have no idea why that happened. But it's permanent. Do u know any solution for this ?
This is a very nice review. I want to ask, is the headphones comfortable with glasses? I can't really see anything without them, and I'm trying to avoid squinting when mixing. Thanks
Thanks! I know what you mean about the glasses, I have had them since I was seven... I don't find the 7506 bother me. I use them mostly for tracking but as least in the way they fit me, they don't create a lot of pressure on my glasses. Hope this helps out!
Personally, I find the Sony's to be excessively shrill. I use the m40x's pretty often and they have a soft, mellow quality to them, just be prepared to spend about a month with them on until they get comfortable enough.
Great point on the m40x vs the 7506. The 7506 overemphasize everything wrong and right with the mids which can be good for monitoring yourself while overdubbing. That is one of the reasons they are so popular, in particular for tracking. They can also be good for exposing the complexities of a mix, but you need to really learn their sound in order to be confident in creating mixes that translate. The m40x are more balanced and I find mixes that sound balanced on the m40x translate well to a wide range of playback devices. They also provide a bit better isolation vs the 7506 in my experience. Even with two sets of monitors (ADAM and Genelec) along with HD600 and other headphones, in the end, I still check my mixes on m40x as I am confident that I know them well.
Excellent question, myself also faced that. Better hear also other alternatives along with ATH, as I did not stayes 1 month in the shop🎉🎤👏that is a scientific explanation, thanks
For general listening, for me it would be the 840 as they have a comfortable sound profile to my ears. I find the 7506 a bit fatiguing for long listening sessions, but the 7506 are very good for critical listening as they expose the midrange very well in a mix.
i'm pretty tired of bass headphones where you can't understand people talking. and i'm really tired of having to replace audio-technica ATH-M50s because the plastic decides to quit after about 1.5 years. they become usless even though the speakers in them are still fine. i have a box of broken ones because one day i thought i'd find a way to fix them. that box is going in the trash now. i'm going to try out the MDR 7506 and hope for the best.
The 7506 have better transient response vs the 280. For me personally, the 280 are a bit too muted for rock and metal, whereas the 7506 will let you hear everything you need (excellent detail for guitars and drums) to produce great rock and metal tracks. Hope this helps out!
Both will get the job done. The key is to learn the sound profile of whichever set your choose by listening to a lot of good reference material. If you have a quiet space to mix in, the open-back 9500 have a bit better soundstage and imaging performance, but in a noisier room the 7506 will be easier to work with. That said, the 7506 will reveal everything, and I mean everything, that is out of balance in your mix. Much like NS10 monitors, if you can get a mix to sound good on the 7506 if will likely translate well to just about any playback device. I hope this helps out!
@@askdrtk thank you very much i will go with 7506 for now, if i have a bit budget later i will upgrade to sundra / ananda or HD600 later for openback Thanks
Hey, just stumbled upon your channel, very nice content. Do you have a video of best headphones in a price range? Can you recommend me a pair under 100$ for mixing?
Thanks! I haven't released "best of" review yet, but I'm working on both $50 and $100. For mixing, I like the Audio-Technica M40x. With any headphones or studio monitors, for mixing the key it to learn their sound while being able to hear enough detail. The M40x are a good choice in that they have a natural sound meaning they are not overly biased in any frequency range while still providing enough detail for you to hear how instruments and vocals are sitting in the mix. Some prefer very mid forward headphones that really push detail out in front, but they can be fatiguing for long sessions and again, you really need to know their sound profile well in order for you mixes to translate well. This is where the M40x shine, mixing that sound well balanced on M40x generally translate very well to other playback devices. I use two sets of monitors and a number of headphones, but I always listen to mixes on my M40x before I consider them finished. While not perfect, the overall combination provided by the M40x is difficult to find at $100. I hope this helps out.
@@askdrtk thank you so much for this detailed information! Actually I'm from India and M40X's are very expensive here. So can you suggest something around 80$? The Sony mdr 7506 fits in my budget.. so should I consider them? Or are there any better in that price?
In that case, the MDR-7506 are an option with one consideration. If your ears are very sensitive to higher frequencies, you may find them fatiguing. If this is the case I would suggest the Sennheiser HD 280 pro. The 280 pro are another studio standard that is not as forwards in the mids as the 7506 but is another popular choice. I am not sure what pricing is like between the two in your area, but either are good options in the price range you are looking for.
Epic.. I recently got a pair as the Koss 4AAs were a bit of a disappointment with absolutely no bass :( they look wicked though. The Porta pros were my first "audiophile" headset. Still rock them to run
Thanks for the suggestion on the dt250 pads and it would be interesting to do an actual comparison with a few different ear pads and headphones. I have been thinking about this for a while and would use the 7506 and a few other popular choices to compare the influence changing pads makes to headphones of varying audio character.
I don't hear that a lot about the 7506, but the thing about hearing, especially with headphones, is the physics of our ears has a significant impact on the way we perceive sound across the audible frequency range. If you find the bass too emphasized, a general rule is to change pads out for a deeper set and preferably not pleather (velour doesn't seal up a much)...this will help reduce the bass relative to the rest of the frequencies.
Interesting I feel like everything in your analysis matches up with what I'm hearing (upper mid boost, roll off after 10k) expect for the bass response. There is a roll off in the sub bass but other than that they sound quite punchy in my opinion. when I listen to electronic and hip hip tracks they thump. I do prefer this over a bass light version though.@@askdrtk
EQ helps, but in my experience headphone drivers (just like speakers) have different dynamic response across their entire frequency range that influence the character of sound produced. EQ can bring things towards neutral, but cuts are more effective than boosts as you can’t force a driver to do something it is not physically capable of. I hope this helps out, Cheers!
@@askdrtk that makes total sense, and definitely explains why I'm never satisfied boosting the lower end on an EQ... It's minimal benefit then turns muddy
Without getting into very expensive sets, the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro do a good job and spending a bit more, the Shure SRH-1540 perform very well - good immersive environment and wide effective dynamic range. You will hear everything from the quietest footsteps to the loudest explosions clearly and in balance. Hope this helps out!
7506 will let you here everything out of balance in a mix clearly, but if you work in bass heavy genres (EDM, HH) the 50x will help you to better hear what’s going on in the bass and sub-bass. Hope this helps out. Cheers!
Tried 2 different pairs: 1 from online, 1 that a physical store had in their inventory. the highs were boosted so high that these must be made for old people because they hurt my ears! Don’t understand how a pro could get a balanced mix with these because of their wonky sound signature
I use these for all my video work. On the cons: the ear cups are shallow without a lot of cushion, the coating starts flaking off after a year. I really love after market ear cups for these they are deeper so you ears don't touch the drivers, and provide better sound isolation that is necessary if you're filming loud events. I'm also not a fan of the coil cable. I know it's to allow freedom of movement but if you're not careful it becomes stretched out can easily get tangled with other cables. It also adds weight... I wish they would have a much shorter coiled section. Also the cable isn't removable so if it gets damaged or you want a straight cable instead you need to take it apart and soldier one on. At this price point it's understandable.
Thanks for sharing some great points about these headphones. The cable is very heavy compared to the headphones themselves and they do not provide the same level of isolation as a number of other options. I’m curious, which aftermarket pads did you go with and other than comfort / isolation, how do you believe they altered the sound?
@@chingonbass I want to do that when I have more spare time. On one of my headphones I opened it up and soldiered an old AKG240 non coiled cable in it's place. I've seen some people have drilled a hole and inserted a female 3.5mm jack in place. Any recommendations on parts or the procedure. Might make good content for a video.
