[fewtch]

Quote:

Originally posted by Xplo fewtch, you said you heard the V6 at a meet; am I right in assuming that you heard them amped? Because I've never heard the V6 amped, but unamped the bass has some slightly boomy/flabby quality and the highs definitely have an unnatural sharpness... both of which disappear with a decent amp, from what I've read.

Yes, they were definitely amped. I don't remember which one, but there wasn't a single amp at the meet that was less than at least "very good" by typical audiophile standards.

Edit -- might have been the Sugden Headmaster, or a Meta42 or PPA. Anyway, aside from SQ I just got a strong positive vibe upon seeing, feeling and wearing these cans. Very classy and professional build, looks and heft for a <$100 headphones.

 

[Xplo]

They are well-designed (large-ish, yet compact at the same time) and built like a tank.. they must be half metal, and there's nothing flimsy about them. My mom has one that's 15-20 years old; it's still in great shape except for the pads, and it still sounds good.

I don't like them because one of my ears starts to ache like mad when it gets squished against my head for long enough, but that's hardly Sony's fault.

I have no problem recommending a V6/7506 to almost anyone just getting into headphones and looking for a good model under $100; the durability, price, and sound (and no need for a separate amp) make them great for beginners. Even the sonic flaws of the V6 will sound good to most people who like "smiley" EQ and visceral bass, while still having enough overall balance and accuracy to represent the rest of the music and give them some idea what they've been missing. If a phone like this isn't audio's "gateway drug", I don't know what is.

Of course, I still haven't really gotten addicted myself.. but then, I've been poor for quite a while. Just wait until I get some disposable income...

 

[DLP]

V6s. I dunno why, but I'm not impressed really. Maybe at $50 compared to other closed headphones, but even then I find them unbearably uncomfortable (puts too much pressure on my ears and head, too hot, heavy). The sound is where it's at at its price, but once you get higher, well, I don't find them great at all. I'd say they're probably better in terms of sound compared to the D66s, but they just don't have a place. They are bulkier than the D66s and the cord is a pain, so that just doesn't work for portable, and I prefer my Grados ten to one for home for sound and comfort. I think I'm the only one here that will shun the vaunted V6s.

 

[fewtch]

I'll be the first to admit I like "smiley" EQ and visceral bass (but let's keep the smile polite and the bass tight... there's definitely such a thing as too much).

Depends on the music too, of course... the 7506 type of frequency response can make acoustic stuff sound somewhat artificial, but for a lot of studio music... I'd be drifting off to sleep listening with a pair of Senn 580's, and up and jamming/dancing with a pair of 7506's. I'm not sure it's as much about 'beginners' as it is about sonic and musical preferences.

Edit -- ya know, I'd almost forgotten... but doesn't the 7506 have a coiled cord? Maybe there was one thing I didn't like about them. The only thing worse than a coiled cord is the Grado "stethoscope strangler" cord.

 

[uoods]

Quote:

Edit -- ya know, I'd almost forgotten... but doesn't the 7506 have a coiled cord? Maybe there was one thing I didn't like about them. The only thing worse than a coiled cord is the Grado "stethoscope strangler" cord. [/B]

Yeah, the cord is coiled. It's thick and heavy. I can live with it, though.

 

[Chops]

I used to think my 7506s sounded good until I recently got back into headphone listening. After getting a pair of HD600s and a HeadRoom Cosmic, the Sony cans don't stand a chance.

However, I have to admit, they are a pretty good bang for the buck. So with that in mind, they are not bad cans at all.

 

[Davie]

I'm trying again to learn to love (or at least like) the sound of the 7506s. I find them shrill and fatiguing, but for portability and isolation, they offer a pretty good package at the price.

 

[fewtch]

Interesting how tastes and inclinations differ. My ears rarely fatigue, and I like brightness (not shrillness, however). My cans and phono cartridge are both on the bright side, and the headphone amp I'm using to listen to my turntable at the moment is on the bright side. I think your head would split open, Davie...

As far as acoustic and classical goes, I'd really like to find a more neutral set of cans than what I have (the Denons have a rather similar frequency balance to the V6/7506, and my Grado SR60's just... hmm, sound like Grado SR-60's

).

Mentally eying a pair of Senn HD-600's, just not this month...