Home > Consumer Reviews > Sony Pro MDR-7506 Headphones

My internet research and experience with these indicates that they are at least as good, and probably better, than anything else for the price. The sound quality from these headphones is fantastic. You can pick out the individual voices of the backup singers. Things like the drummer's brushes sound vastly improved, and many other little details. I have created mp3s using LAME at the "insane" quality setting, 320 kilobits/sec, with optimizations, and I can distinguish subtle sounds in the original stream that are muted or altered in the MP3. Poor quality recordings, or overly compressed MP3s sound terrible compared to what these headphones are capable of. I find it most impressive compared to lesser headphones in pieces that have vocals and acoustical instruments.
The headphone has an ultra-low impedance, 24 ohms, which means it can be easily powered by portable players, and achieve more than enough volume. Since a 1/4" screw-on adapter is included, so this headphone can be used equally well on your portable or your home stereo. Both the base mini plug and 1/4" adaptor are gold-plated. If use this headphone on a portable player with a large disc, you may be tempted to keep your most listened-to recordings uncompressed (or in the FLAC lossless format, for the few devices that support that).
According to my research, the headphones have an extremely even response over the whole spectrum. That means that what you are hearing is pretty close to the original intent when the music was mixed. Some users have complained that the bass response is low -- but I think that's compared to headphones / earbuds / in-ear monitors whose bass response is too high. If you don't like the bass response, simply change the equalizer settings on your unit.
The headphone has a closed design, blocking out outside sounds. This is the best way to go in my opinion, because with outside noise you need to raise the volume higher to achieve the same clarity, and you risk damaging your hearing. These headphones can be played at low volumes and still sound great. The only other option for "closed-ear" is some of the ear-sealing in-ear-monitors, but the good ones are very, very expensive. The in-ear-monitors also have the disadvantage that the sounds of brushing the cable, and even sometimes your own breathing and heartbeat, is trasmitted to your ear.
The headphone can also be used as a monitor headphone, i.e. to hear what you are recording while you are recording it--that in fact is it's primary intent. There is basically no sound leakage so it works very well--also meaning your won't annoy those around you when you listen to music. I own a Sony Hi-MD (MZ-RH910), which I record voice audio with, and so this monitor ability is very welcome.
I find the headphone very comfortable. Like any closed headphone, it does make your ears warm, but I have not found this to be noticably uncomfortable. I believe this headphone is suppossed to be more over-the ear rather than on the ear (i.e. like Sennheiser HD 25-SP), but be warned that the opening for each ear is small -- my ears barely fit in them, and I do not have large ears. From a comfort point of view, I recommended that you try this set on before purchasing them. I tried mine on before buying and purchased them from a retail outlet. Another plus for this set is that only one cable comes out of the left side of the unit, the connection to the right channel is through the arch over your head. Furthermore, the cable drops out about 1 inch from your neck, so it usually doesn't touch you. I find this greatly preferable to having cables hanging out of both sides of your head that always seem to be brushing you somewhere. All earbuds, in-ear-monitors, and even many hyper-expensive headsets (i.e. Sennheiser HD 650), have cables coming out of both ears.
The Sony 7506 headphone is super-rugged, exceptional quality from start to finish.
The only possible negative I see is the cable -- it's a non-removable, long, thick, heavy-duty coiled cable. For use on your home stereo, it's great. But for use outside the home on a digital music player, it is inconvenient, as the bundled coiled cable probably takes as much space as your player. However, it's not unusable, from the left earpiece there is just enough straight cable to reach down to your waist -- where you can stuff the coiled cable in your pocket or in a case along with your player. But if you plan on using this mostly on a digital player outside your home, this alone could a be deal buster. It is also fairly bulky to carry around. You can probably forget about using this headphone on your bicycle, or while jogging, or anything where you are moving around outside.
Overall, this is a very well made set of headphones that will deliver beautiful and pristine sound at a reasonable price. Highly recommended.

1) The SONY 7506 achieves very serious sound isolation - it cuts ambient noise of high orders of magnitude quite effectively (like inside a small aircraft), and doesn't transmit ANY sound to the outside. Full marks on this point, since that was an important factor for me - ideal for workplace and commuting.

2) Low 24 Ohms impedance, ideal for portable audio. Typically, portable audio comes without a pre-amp stage, so high input impedances on headphones lead to very low playing volumes. Full marks on performance with portable audio.

3) Foldable, makes it so much easier to carry than a comparable full-size non-folding piece.

4) Audio reproduction is decent, but not exceptional. Bass suffers - its a little boomy and has the least volume compared to treble and midrange. I think that is a direct side-effect of being acoustically sealed and isolated. Treble and midrange are just fine, with treble dominating more than I would like. My other Hi-Fi headset, the Sennheiser HD-570 may have spoilt me on this point. The Senn sounds far better, but fails on points 1 through 3.

5) For me - not too comfortable. My ears get pinched a little and hurt, but i'm getting used to it. My head and ears are larger than average. If you're average tending tending to the small, you'll be fine. This headset is full-size circum-aural, making it more comfortable than any generic headset that touches the ears, or presses on them in any way.

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After months of listening, I am upgrading the sound reproduction to Excellent, but still not exceptional. The bass has cleared up and is now crisp.

I would say the biggest asset of this headset is its faithful reproduction, with no artificial accents, highlights or timbre. BYO !

If you've read down far enough to find this review, you probably already know that these are the professional studio monitor headphones used by pretty much anyone with a mixing board - from Celine Dion to Slipknot, from NFL broadcasts to The Howard Stern Show, these are the way most recording artists and studios hear every note and nuance. If you're not already convinced, read on.

Most new 7506 owners are awed by their headphones before even hearing them, at least by the packaging. The headphones themselves rest on gently tousled silver silk behind a clear plastic window emblazoned with a large gold "7506". The presentation alone gives the potential buyer the feel of buying a giant engagement ring, but the theatrics end once you open the box. Getting down to business inside is a very serious schematic diagram documenting the complete parts and assembly list of the fifty or so pieces that go into making this single pair of headphones, a 1/8" to 1/4" adapter (the screw-on type, a must for live use), and a pleather carrying pouch.

The 7506s are visually almost an anti-climax to the packaging. The design is very basic and straightforward without any tricks or frills, but simplicity is part of the appeal here. Every detail has been engineered to work simply and simply work. The steel band size adjustment snicks into place confidently at each numbered groove. Both earcups rotate vertically a full 180 degrees on their hinges with ease. The 1/8" plug has an all-metal casing with a real rubber sleeve, as you'd find on actual pro audio music cables. The more deeply you look into each element of the design, the more you'll appreciate how much Sony also looked into it.

Putting on the 7506s is also an easy affair, thanks to their eight ounce weight and modest profile. They're actually small enough that you could get away with wearing them in public, but you wouldn't hear much else - the closed design combined with cushy stuffed vinyl pads and secure, if not tailored, fit means the ambient sound isolation borders on noise-cancelling. The earcups can also be folded upwards against the inside of the headband for portability - so portable in fact, that you could place a folded set of 7506s in a child's lunchbox *with room to spare*.

But if ever a good thing came in a small package, it's the big sound of these headphones. Ruler flat response, deep sound stage, and sniper tight accuracy means every aspect of the source signal comes to life and is revealed in full. Bass notes come through with such authority that you find yourself occasionally making note of your feet, to see if you can feel the bass in the floor. Instrument placement is at once obvious - parsing out where each instrument and sound is in a mix is instantly clear. Previously hidden and obscure sounds and passages in various tracks stand out so well that entire songs are made new again. There just isn't any sound that the 7506s can't reproduce exactly as you'd hear it with your own ears.

Those of you who like to tailor your sound with extra helpings of bass or volume have also been accommodated - On the low end, using even the most basic bass boost the 7506s can faithfully reproduce subwoofers-in-the-trunk neighborhood-wide bass *in your head*. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't heard it myself. Volume-wise, a low impedance matched with a high power handing capacity means these headphones are easily driven by an iPod or Walkman, yet can easily achieve volume levels that could liquefy your inner ear without even the implication of distorting. Plainly speaking, whatever you want the 7506s to do, they'll do it with ease.

Keep in mind that revealing everything requires a good source. Plugging these into a cheaper portable or poorly EQ'd equipment will quickly make any and all limitations evident. This includes cheap computer audio hardware and low frequency/bandwidth MP3s. Uncompressed file formats suddenly seem a lot more practical when you can hear the constraints of highly compressed MP3s.

"Audiophile" sites and reviews have had a hard time coming to grips with these headphones. Being that they're a consumer brand product available at any common music store at a fraction of the price of most other high-end models, the "elite" image and price tag that goes along with it just aren't a part of the 7506's game. It's reflected in some reviews, some saying they're "too bassy", others "too bright", but how exactly is this possible if you're using a decent source and the same headphones the musicians/engineers used to create the recording? You're hearing the music exactly as it was heard in the studio, exactly as it was meant to be heard. Only the 7506s can make that promise.

If you're creating any kind of recordings and find yourself crossing your fingers that you're hearing it as it's actually being recorded, or just a music lover who feels it's time to hear the music as it was meant to be heard, you're only a hundred dollars away from the Sony MDR-7506. Five stars and my highest recommendation to Sony's masterpiece.

At the radio station where I work we use these headphones and well, they rock. I highly recommend them to any one who is looking for headphones for consumer uses. They are very comfortable and have relatively high quality sound.

I own a pair of the MDR-DJ 700's and I would rate these head phones higher for two reasons. First is that they are more comfortable. The foam ear cushions are ear shaped and made out of a soft material, that also isolates noise well. The second area is ruggedness. The two pairs of 7506's we have at the radio station are 3 years old and still work like new. They are rugged, and can easily stand regular and varied use.

As a DJ, I know that DJ's want superior sound quality from headphones. These headphones sound exactly the same as other industry standard headphones, with more reliability then the 700's and a significantly lower price then other models with similar specs by Stanton, and Pioneer. Did I mention that they were comfortable? I confidently give these headphones 5 stars, and I will by a pair this summer, to replace my broken 700's.

If I could sum up these headphones in a word it would be quality.

These things, although not exactly "audiophile" headphones, are simply the most versatile over-the-ear headphones you can buy. They don't need a headphone amp to shine, they are good for casual listening, reference and studio work, and they are built well. I use these headphones more often than any other pair. Some higher-end stuff, particularly Sennheisers, Grados and Etys, will sound better with some setups... but I would never think about using any of those as dedicated studio phones. The fact that MDR-7506's can do double-duty in the studio and in the home makes them an excellent buy. The cord, which is about 700 feet long and coiled, could be annoying to some but I like it because it allows me to plug in my phones to my home system and still take a stroll about the neighborhood.