Home > Consumer Reviews > Sony MDR-V600 Studio Monitor Series Headphones with Circum-Aural Earcup Design

These headphones are almost indistinguishable from the Sony 7506 model, which may well be the most popular headphones in American recording studios. I have both. I think the V600s are lighter weight, so a little more comfy for long sessions, or wearing all day in an office or something.

The cord attached to only one side is great. The phones "seal up" really well, with a true closed-back design. If you squeeze the cups shut together, you can just barely hear them, even if it's cranked up to bust your eardrums. This, in spite of the fact that they are plastic. You CANNOT hear the outside world when these phones are at normal levels. When they're cranked up, somebody could be shouting in your face, and you'd think they were lip-syncing.

Besides being well-sealed, and loud, these phones give a big, smooth sound that won't give you a headache or have you wondering what you're missing. As another reviewer mentioned, they're very efficient, producing a ton of volume with very little power - and it's volume you can stand, unlike lesser models that will hurt your ears at similar decibel levels.

If you're looking for the pro version - it's the 7506, and only available at musical/recording outlets. Here, all you have to do is click that button, and soon you'll be listening to headphones that I'd buy again and again if I lost or destroyed them...

I use these at work when I'm busy and need to concentrate. I work in a cubicle with people who like to laugh and joke LOUDLY. That's great, except when I have a deadline. I put these on and listen to a CD or the radio, and it shuts out the noise to the point where I can actually get some work done. I think the sound quality is great. The coiled cord is about 5 feet long or so and stretches out nicely. Sony's page says the cord is 9.8 feet long, extended. It allows me to move about a small area in my cubicle without it getting tangled. They are the only headphones I've been able to wear all day long without hurting my head. I'd buy them again, especially at this price.

I reckon about half of these reviews were meant for the MDR-V6, based people's description. The MDR-V6 is the one that is comparable to the mdr-7506, NOT the v600. If it werent for the blue "professional" sticker on the mdr-7506, most people would never know the difference between it and the v6.

And for the record the MDR-v600 is much bigger and bulkier than both the V6 and the mdr-7502. While it uses similar drivers, It has a huge earcup and large foam paddings that color the sound. Most noticeable is overbearing amount of bass this thing gives out, which drowns out the mids. This would account for some of muddiness that other reviewers have described. So how this headphone got to be called studio monitors is beyond me. This headphone is more like a pair of v6 that was modified to meet the mainstream demands of bassheads. Whreas v6 was half metal/half plastic, the v600 is all plastic.

If you want accurate sound, stick with the tried and true Sony models such as the v6 or 7502.

I have used these headphones for over 10 years with complete satisfaction in performance and durability. They have handled all types of music and movies at nearly all levels of volume. The only drawback would be if you bust'em they are not fixable for less than a replacement.

I have worked in radio for well over 30 years now and have used many well-known brands of headphones--Koss, Sennheiser, AKG--but none have pleased me more than Sony's MDR-V600. This product embodies everything I most desire in a headphone: a comfortable closed-ear style, essential for me to prevent microphone feedback; easily-adjustable headband; a coiled cord to keep it off the ground (and not stepped on!); a carrying case that keeps them neatly packed away and easily accessible; a 1/4" adapter that lets me use either a standard headphone jack or miniplug jack for an mp3 player. Then there's the sound: rich and full with excellent high-frequency response. The only reason I can't personally give these headphones 5 stars is that they eventually break--typically the hinges that fold the earcups into storage position. However, when you consider that they are worn up to 30 hours a week, and then constantly put on and taken off, it's probably a miracle that they last as long as they do. If you're a fan of open-air styles, this is NOT the headphone for you. But if you do like a closed-ear style, there is likely no better product for the money.