Sony MDR-V6 - Page 6 - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio

Chu · #76 (**permalink**) 05-17-2008, 06:04 AM

For what it's worth, the V6 has been my go-to gaming phone for about 9 years now. I've gone through several others (including many on the default gaming list) but they're just better at resolving spacial cues for me.

eloidan · #77 (**permalink**) 05-17-2008, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fiddler

From what I remember about the HD497, you will definitely get more deep bass impact with the V6 (which were my first pair of good quality headphones, along with Koss Portapros). However you might find that the treble is harsher than what you have with the Senns, and the midrange to be kinda flat and cold. If you have a source or amp that can at least tame the rather sharp treble, you might find happiness (and at the very least, lots and lots of deep bass impact). A warmer source/amp is definitely what works best with these. I've since sold the V6 and moved on to what are in my opinion more well-rounded headphones, but sometimes I do miss the wonderful bass response I got from those Sony's.

Thank you. It seems like if I buy the V6 I would finally have the enjoyment of being blown away by heavy rock music. But at the same time loose some clarity in listening when wanting to hear all sounds in their clean presence. So then I would have to keep my HD497 as well, for example when listening to classical music, or other music styles where I am mentally focused on the sound.
Is that an accurate evaluation?

I have an old Yamaha RX-330 analog stereo receiver, which I am happy with, to plug into. Is that a good source/amp for V6?

I did listen to Koss Portapros before purchasing the HD497. They had more bass, but I didn't like the lack of clarity. So I bought the HD497 instead.
Are Koss Portapros and V6 similar?

flohmann · #78 (**permalink**) 05-21-2008, 08:40 PM

After reading this thread, I dug up my old Sony V6 (at least 15 years old) and spent an afternoon listening to them.

Upshot: they're still pretty good, especially for the price.

Associated Equipment: Using a 6G iPod as the source, I directly compared them to my Sennheiser HD-495 (no longer in production, but once a Headroom sub-$100 favorite), which are open backed. I also tried the V6 with and without my RSA Tomahawk. I didn't think it would be fair to pit them against my HD-650/Blockhead rig. :-)

Impressions: the V6 are definitely more bright than the Senn 495, but not fatiguingly so. Their bass is adequate, if a little on the "deep but loose" side, and much improved by the Tomahawk. Overall, I enjoyed them, and was pleasantly surprised.

Frankly, if you need a *closed* headphone (because you don't want to disturb those near you) in the sub-$100 range, the V6 strikes me as perfectly fine (but I haven't heard many other closed 'phones -- I'm mostly an open-backed and IEM guy). I'd probably opt for an IEM (my Shure e3c clobber the V6, especially through the Tomahawk), but some folks don't like things deep in their ear canals. :-)

neilometer · #79 (**permalink**) 05-21-2008, 10:33 PM

Wow. So many opposing opinions. Well, here are mine. I sat down one afternoon and compared the Sony VR-6, Beyer DT880 Pro and Grado SR-80. I guess I'm not far enough down the rabbit hole, because listening to all of them using the same music from the same source yielded differences that I would say weren't that great.

Sure, the Sony's came in last, but I didn't find them bright or harsh, the high end sounded on par the other two. Something about the timbre of human voices was weird, and the bass was a bit boomy and loose compared to the others.

As for the other two, I found them to be almost identical. There was a bit more high end detail on DT880s. A bit of veil was lifted, but not much. Oh, and they were much more comfortable than the Grado's, natch'.

@Joshatdot,

I'm curious as to your comments about the SR80's w/flats having so much more bass. I didn't get that at all during my comparison. However, I was using the stock Grado pads. Do the flats add that much bass?

Ron Thorne · #80 (**permalink**) 11-19-2008, 05:45 AM

I have always been a fan of open-air headphones, especially Sennheiser and Grado. I own several pairs of each, including Grado SR-60s and SR-80s, which I love for their sonic qualities. Comfort is another thing, however. Sadly, the Grados are only comfortable for a limited time. I used Sennheisers exclusively while working on-air in radio years ago.

I ordered a pair of Sony MDR-V6 phones last night and am anxious to hear them. I also ordered a pair of Beyerdynamic velour pads from B&H, which I have mixed feelings about, from a sonic standpoint. Any comments or suggestions?

I don't require bass response nearly as much as I do flat/transparent mids and highs. I listen mostly to jazz and am a drummer, so I want to hear the subtleties of brushwork and sticks on cymbals, etc.

Are the "flats" for Grado phones really a comfort boost? If so, please tell me more.

Thanks.

Ron Thorne · #81 (**permalink**) 11-19-2008, 09:11 AM

How long should I expect a "break in" period to last with my new Sony V6 phones?

Any suggestions or recommendations?

Edit: I just discovered the "burn in" FAQ on this subject. Sorry for the redundant question.

SemiAudiophile · #82 (**permalink**) 03-20-2009, 09:04 AM

just got these phones today and i absolutely love them.

wish i knew about them earlier. they are perfect for traveling (even comes with a pouch, how sweet is that?) and they sound so good even straight out of the ipod. definitely the best bang for your buck under $100 closed style headphone. period. enough said.

edit: just wanted to add how unbelievably awesome these cans are.

they do everything GREAT. throw rock, vocals, jazz, hip hop/rap, punk rock, acoustic, anything. the only cans i heard that can actually do all of those and more. never been a fan of sony except for their playstation but am a fan of this headphone now. sony somehow managed to make these cans engaging and fun to listen to. they are bright/forward sounding but never fatiguing (kinda like grados without the fatigue and harshness). if harsh maybe just a tiny bit. the mid range and the details that come out of this can...wow. so far i changed out the pads to the beyer velour ones and burned them in for about a day. i dont know if its my ears but they sound noticeably warmer since then. i'm currently driving them through my 30gb ipod and my c&c XO portable with soundstage and gain setting on. the best part is that you don't need a expensive dac or amp or a whole rig setup for that matter. just a simple ipod with maybe a cmoy and that's it. only downside i can think of is that they lack soundstage, depth, and that "you are there" feeling. they're not perfect, but they are sure as hell very very FUN to listen to. if i had to pick one headphone to live with the rest of my life these would be it.

Loafers · #83 (**permalink**) 08-31-2009, 03:03 AM

Is the gold-plated connector superior to the nickel connector that the MDR-V6 has?

dwongrade · #84 (**permalink**) 09-01-2009, 05:05 AM

just got my v6 off ebay for 40bucks nib, very easy to listen to and no fatiguing.
a true classic.

Loafers · #85 (**permalink**) 09-01-2009, 05:07 AM

I'm curious though, are the gold-plated connectors superior to the nickel connectors though? Is the difference negligible? Anyone know

?

warubozu · #86 (**permalink**) 09-01-2009, 05:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loafers

I'm curious though, are the gold-plated connectors superior to the nickel connectors though? Is the difference negligible? Anyone know

?

No, there is no noticeable sound difference between the two connectors. They both sound the same and the gold is every bit as good as the nickel one. The gold one has an advantage in that it won't oxidize over time.

Loafers · #87 (**permalink**) 09-02-2009, 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by warubozu

No, there is no noticeable sound difference between the two connectors. They both sound the same and the gold is every bit as good as the nickel one. The gold one has an advantage in that it won't oxidize over time.

If the nickel oxidizes, sound quality decreases? How do I know when it is severely oxidized? Rusty? How to check/know if performance quality decreases due to oxidization?

warubozu · #88 (**permalink**) 09-02-2009, 06:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loafers

If the nickel oxidizes, sound quality decreases? How do I know when it is severely oxidized? Rusty? How to check/know if performance quality decreases due to oxidization?

The nickel connector won't oxidize unless you leave exposed out in the open for long periods of time where dust or humidity can get to it. You'll notice a slight tarnish on the connector when oxidation begins.

Loafers · #89 (**permalink**) 09-02-2009, 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by warubozu

The nickel connector won't oxidize unless you leave exposed out in the open for long periods of time where dust or humidity can get to it. You'll notice a slight tarnish on the connector when oxidation begins.

Ah okay thanks! Is there a way to hinder the oxidization? Like a cap I could put on? How about if I screw on the 1/4" plug, would that help to protect it? I don't feel like leaving it plugged in forever.

warubozu · #90 (**permalink**) 09-02-2009, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loafers

Ah okay thanks! Is there a way to hinder the oxidization? Like a cap I could put on? How about if I screw on the 1/4" plug, would that help to protect it? I don't feel like leaving it plugged in forever.

I wouldn't worry too much about it unless you plan on not using your cans for long periods and leave them sitting out in the open. Yeah you could screw on a 1/4" plug or you can purchase DeoxIT/DeoxIT Gold oxidation maintenance kit:

DeoxIt/DeoxIt Gold