Sony MDR-ZX600/BLK Over the Head Style Headphones

DISCLAIMER: I am not affiliated with any companies. I will try to be as objective as a i can in my reviews.



Specifications:
Driver: 40mm dynamic driver, PET diaphragm, Neodymium magnet
Impedance: 40 ohm
Cord length: 1.2m
Weight: 170g
Frequency: 6 Hz - 25 kHz
Sensitivity: 104 DB
Type: Closed back, On ear (Not Circumaural)

Intro (important)
Before you continue reading, you can and should read my ‘about author’ page on head-fi to get a taste of my sound preference. You’ll also find the test tracks there. I bought these a few years ago for $50 AUD on sale (usually cost $110 AUD). These sound the same as the ones without the play/pause button, I had both but gave away the one without the button to my family. The one without the button was my first pair I bought around 6 or 7 years ago. They sounded so good that I bought another one when it went for sale again 1-2 years later (I think due to discontinuation in Australia), this time it had a play/pause button.

Listening and tests were mainly done with my Xiaomi 4X phone using Spotify's extreme quality (320Kbps, 24bit, 48Khz?). Note, my Xiaomi 4x output is slightly warm sounding and bassy (a solid 3-5db more bass) compared to audio from my Ipod 5th gen and my computer (I5 core). The 4X output also sounds noticeably clearer and has better imaging than both my ipod and computer.
I usually listen at a low to very low volume. When using my Xiaomi 4X I listen at 20% of max volume (3 notches). Thus why I prefer a slight L or V shaped sound signature as bass output decreases with lower volumes. This also means my evaluation of the bass might not be as accurate.



Sound:

Overall the headphone has a ‘V’ shaped or ‘L’ shaped sound signature with elevated bass and slightly elevated highs. Hence it could be considered as a warm sounding. Throughout the review I may refer to the headphone as the ‘600.’

You can get my impressions on sound mostly from reading the following rebuttals regarding a 2 star Headfi review which claims:

1. They sound muffled: No they do not sound muffled, especially not as bad as you described it sounding like ‘music through a woolen balaclava.’ The reviewer also states he wears glasses hence compromising the seal and thus sound quality. I even tested the headphone while wearing sunglasses and found that there was very minute change in sound, in fact all it did was compromise a bit of the seal hence dialling down the bass a little, thus mids + highs could be more in focus. Mids are a bit recessed when compared to the relatively more forward bass and highs but I would not call them muffled at all. In fact vocals have noticeably more presence and detail compared to Sony’s flagship portable headphone, the mdr1A which cost $300 AUD. I have also listened to a bunch of other headphones such as the Grado sr80, Bose QC’s, ATH M50X, Meze 99 classic, and can confirm the mids and highs on the 600 are fine. Another reviewer even said they did not notice the recessed mids until they read the 2 star review and really concentrated on the mids.

(UPDATE: i have edited the paragraph below after listening to the Koss Porta Pro. Apologies for previously assuming it was bass light as i thought it would be just like the Grado which have nearly no sub-bass.)

The reviewer also states their previous headphone was the Koss Porta Pro which has an even stronger L shaped signature with strong bass and very smoothed off mids/highs thus sounds even more 'muffled'. So i don't know how they're complaining about the 600 sounding muffled. I was actually really surprised at the large amount of bass the Koss was able to put out given it has an open back on ear design which usually means no bass. I do not understand people who rave about open backs, esp. ones with minimal foam pad and no seal like the Grado's. How can you rave about a headphone that has near non-existent bass, especially sub bass? People complain when mids and highs sound slightly recessed but when it comes to the full bass spectrum being near non-existent no one bats an eye, and even praise it.

Highs on the 600 sound detailed, clear and natural. High hats, cymbals and acoustic instruments sound crisp thanks to the slightly elevated highs. Though I would say highs are not as crisp and detailed as my Xiaomi ANC iem’s which have that edge thanks to the 2 BA’s. Cymbals on the 600 are a little splashy when compared to the Xiaomi ANC’s. Though some people might say the highs on the Xiaomi ANC’s are too bright so the slightly dialled down highs of the 600 could be a good thing.



2. Bass is too strong and drown out other frequencies: I am not a basshead but rather a bass lover i.e. I appreciate slightly elevated bass but without the sacrifice of mids and highs. The ATH M50X bass is even more elevated and boomy than the 600’s. I found the M50X bass to be too boomy and excessive. I would consider a basshead headphone to be one of the old Monster headphones or the Sony extra bass series which both have more bass than the 600. Sub bass on the 600 extend deep and mid-bass has a very nice punch. There is very little bass bleeding into the mids if not none at all. Maybe if you are a very high volume listener then you might experience some bass overwhelming but then again you shouldn’t be listening so loud unless you enjoy the sound of ringing…. ringing all the time, AKA tinnitus. The bass quantity on the 600 is perfect to me.



3. Pressure of the headband and unfriendly for glass wearers: If you wear glasses you will find any headphone uncomfortable unless there is no clamping force meaning it will fall off your head. I have even tested wearing the 600 with sunglasses on, I found no issue with glasses being in the way as the highest point of the earpad is just above my ear hence I just rested the frame ontop of the earpad. Only when I put on my sunglass and headphone on without care did I get a slight compromise in seal. I suggest glass wearers to get good earphones since even over ear headphones would be worse as It would have a compromised earpad seal since the glass is in the way. Sound will change without a complete seal. I find the headband clamp force is perfect on the 600. The mdr1A’s clamping force was too light for me as it would move from my optimal seal position easily. I understand that some people are also not fond of on ear headphones as they place direct pressure on the ear. It’s just a matter of preference, personally I like on ear headphones as over the years i have gotten used to the 600, plus I find over ears too heavy.


Soundstage and imaging:

Soundstage is ok. I have not directly compared it with other over ear headphones but it is nowhere near as good as the mdr1A’s amazing soundstage. From my memory of listening to other on ears, I’d say the 600’s sound stage is on par with other on ear headphones. Left/right separation is good, width is ok, but depth and height is quite bad when compared to the mdr1A which has an advantage thanks to the over ear design.



Isolation

Isolation is very good thanks to the great earpad seal. At my low listening volume I can barely hear any ambient noise including people chatting.



Design and build

The first 600 I bought 6-7 years ago is still working today although around 1.5 years ago the pleather pads outer plastic coat started to peel off. Underneath the plastic coat is not foam but another layer which holds the foam together underneath. It’s a soft velour like material so basically you get a free velour pad upgrade after 6 years ;D, thanks Sony. The headbands plastic coat which holds the foam together has also started to flake away. Sound wise it is only altered very slightly only because of the plastic pad coat coming off which helped keep an airtight seal. With new pads I am certain it would sound the same as when first bought. I’m surprised my first 600’s still work as I bashed them around quite a lot and used it pretty much daily. The extra protective cable sheath layer at the jack has also came off. Apart from that, everything else is in perfect working order.

As you can already tell through my many years of using and abusing the 600, its build is very good. The back of the drivers’ housing is made of metal while the rest of the headphone is made of plastic. Like most other headphones, the earpad is made of pleather which makes my ears sweat a little. The foam used in the earpad is not as soft as the amazingly cushy mdr1A which cost 6 times more at $300 AUD. There is also a decent amount of padding on the headband. The 600’s flat rubber cable is very nice. After 6-7 years of near daily use I expected it to degrade but it is still in mint condition. The cable also has an extra protective sheath at the L shaped jack to reduce stress. There are protruding rubber sheaths which come out of the housing where the cable attaches to reduce cable stress. The new 600 has a play/pause button built into the cable on the left. I notice some headphones with play/pause buttons situated on one side of the cable suffer channel imbalances, but I did not notice any with the 600.

My only problem with its build is the cable from the splitter to the housing is too long. As a result, when I’m sat down at a desk, the splitter sometimes gets caught by the tables edge when standing up.



Summary

Overall, I would highly recommend the 600. The 600 ticks all my boxes. It has an elevated bass but not basshead level and with little to no bleeding. Mids and highs are detailed, plus build and isolation is great. The only thing I could fault is that when comparing with the Xiaomi ANC’s, the 600’s highs could be a little more detailed and crisp. I would say these have very good value. I highly doubt you could get a better sounding headphone that is less than or equal to $50 AUD. The 600 could probably even compete well with headphones under $150AUD. Personally the 600 beats the M50X due to its bloated bass and also beats the Grado sr80 due to its near non-existent sub-bass plus hot highs. For anyone thinking of getting the Sony mdr1A, don’t! Get these instead as they sound more detailed for 1/6th of the price, unless you really love soundstage which the 1A excels at.

There is a newer version called the MDR-ZX660AP which seems to have a better build and according to others sounds exactly the same, if not slightly better.

I have good ears, but am not up on the lingo here, nor am I a phones snob. 
I can only really compare these to what I have used for years, etymotic h5s, and my home speakers, Boston VS 260s (excellent speakers, I know what good sounds like.)
These are fine headphones for the price. Nothing stands out harshly or feels too muddy to me. 
Another reviewer described these to be like listening through a balaclava. I can actually hear what he means a bit, there is a slightly muffled quality about them, maybe I would say, more in the midrange, but it is nothing I noticed til he said it and I listened closely.
I hear some good clarity on voices and high bits, that easily stands out above any of that muffled quality, and the bass is full and has a nice bit of punch. They have a warm sound.
They won't blow you away, but they aren't expensive. Fine value in my opinion.

bought these in haste for $55 after losing my perfectly adequate koss porta-pros (which i think cost me whole $25 when the aussie dollar had value). I assumed that $100 RRP from a reputable brand must be a decent thing. so disappointed.  If these were $20 perhaps i wouldn't be quite so harsh, but...
 
If you like to hear your music through a woolen balaclava, these are for you. no amount of EQ can fix them. Boosting upper mids or highs to compensate for the "everyone wants Beats" low skew just shows up how cheap and nasty these 40mm drivers must be. Cut at the other end and it all falls apart.  I'd hate to think what the XB (extra bass) series sounds like.  Since they can't really give good bass, they drown you in boomy, woofy low mids, obliterating any mid-range clarity. It's like you've been dumped in the surf and can't get that swill out of your sinuses.
 
If you wear glasses (as i do) the pressure of the cans will leave you with bruising after a moderate session.
 
I trusted the majority positive views online but i regret the purchase.  Had they been full price i would have returned them.