Reviews by prez

I have used the Sony MDR-7506s as long as I can remember.  I do Front-of-House (FOH) mixing for bands, and these phones have been by my side for many years.  
 
Some people hate the cable, i like it, and I haven't ever seen one fail. These headphones have an enjoyable sound, decent clarity and detail (occasionally can be a little fatiguing), and a solid bass presence.  The bass isn't always the most clear (something I find with many closed over-ear headphones, until you spend more).  The upper-mids seem a little recessed for me, but not to the point of being too laid back.  I also notice that these headphones can get a bit sloppy with busier songs.
 
While you can technically run these straight from your favorite Apple/Android/Computing device, you won't get the best from them (they'll likely sound dull and thin).  These definitely come alive with a decent headphone amp.
 
If there is one thing I recommend for anyone considering these, get better ear pads.  Personally, I bought the Beyerdynamic EDT250V pads.   So much more enjoyable.
 
 
All that said, for a headphone that's been around since 1991, it holds it's own against current competitors at this price point.  If you're looking to stay under $100, you can do a lot worse than these.

I have been using the E17 "Alpen" every day for over a year now.  It is my go-to device for enjoying music at work, or anywhere other than my home office.  So, here are my thoughts:
 
Build quality
 
This was the first thing I noticed when I unboxed the device.  Brushed metal casing felt very durable, and after this past year of daily use, still looks almost new.  I think it looks great.
 
Controls and Battery Life
 
The screen on the E17 is most simply stated as utilitarian.  It's bright, it works, and it's not going to win any design awards.  The buttons are the same.  Menu navigation feels a little bit clumsy, but after a week or so, it becomes a non-issue.  You are allowed to control volume, bass and treble, gain, channel balance, etc.  My biggest complaint here is that the controls take big steps.  For example, increasing bass moves 2-4-6, instead of 1-2-3....  The volume control has a similar behavior and can be a little annoying.  In spite of those limitations, still very functional.
 
I like the input flexibility of the device, I primarily use the USB (when leveraging the DAC/AMP combo) or AUX in (for just the AMP).
 
The battery gets me through 2-3 days of use (using a few hours a day) and still has some life left. I charge it 1-2 times a week, depending on how heavy I use it on battery.
 
Sound
 
I was looking for a portable device that could be flexible as a DAC/AMP or just an AMP (or even just a DAC!), and sound good doing it.  Primarily, I wanted the portable amp for when I had headphones like my Grade SR125s in tow.
 
My setup on the go sometimes looks like this:
 

 
iPhone>Lightning-to-30pin>Fiio 30pin-to-3.5mm>Fiio E17>Grado SR125 (or other HP)
 
This provides the needed power boost to get the Grado HPs to open up more, and provide body in the lows and mids.  I do set the e17 Bass to +2 with these headphones.  This setup is exponentially more enjoyable to my ears than attempting iPhone>Grado SR125.  Running direct from iPhone to these headphones is a bad idea, and will result in a thin and harsh audio experience.  
 
My other common setup is this:
 

 
 
iPhone>Lightning-to-30pin>Fiio 30pin-to-3.5mm>Fiio E17>Shure SE215
 
That's right, I amp my highly efficient IEMs at work.    Why?  Because it sounds better.  Maybe that seems crazy to some, and I understand. Technically, the iPhone should have enough juice to power these IEMs (from my limited understanding of the electrical aspects). But to my ears, the SE215s love the E17.  There is a marked improvement in clarity, tightness in the bass, and overall exciting feel to the audio. I thought I might be crazy at first, so I A/B'd it off and on for months, and always preferred the E17 in the middle. I never run my SE215s directly to my phone anymore.  
 
My final on-the-go scenario is the following:
 

MBP>USB>Fiio E17>Grado SR125 (or other HP)
 
The other two setups use the E17 as an amp only.  This uses the E17 as a DAC/AMP.  While the MBP has a good DAC already (better than any other laptop I have listened to), I find that this setup sounds better than using the headphone out from the laptop to the aux in on the Fiio E17. Using USB also has a side benefit of charging the E17.
 
The final (and new) scenario:

Mac Pro>USB>Fiio E17/E09K Combo>Grado SR125 (or other HP)
 
I've only been using this setup for about 2 weeks with multiple HPs, and my thoughts speak more to the pros and cons of the E09K, so i'll leave it for another review.

Setup:
 
System #1:
Macbook Pro Retina, Fidelia Software, Fiio e17 Alpen
 
System #2:
Mac Pro, Fidelia Software, Headphone Out or Fiio e17/E09K combo
 
Some of the tracks used to test:
Clean Bandit - Cologne
Clean Bandit - Come Over
Alicia Keys - Diary
Ed Sheeran - I See Fire
Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud
Imagine Dragons - Polaroid
Imagine Dragons - Friction
Tedeshi Trucks Band - Midnight in Harlem
Tedeshi Trucks Band - Learn How to Love
John Mayer - In Your Atmosphere (Where the Light Is)
Nickel Creek - Out of the Woods
Nickel Creek - This Side
The Beatles - Come Together
Phantogram - Black Out Days
Van Morrison - Crazy Love
Van Morrison - Caravan
 
Packing:
 
I found the packaging/presentation to be nice with the headphones.  The included portable case is decent, and provides space to drop in your iPod/DAP.  It included two cables, one with a mic and one without.  While it was nice to have both options, the cables feel thin and cheap to me, and I am concerned about their longevity.  Otherwise, things were fine. They also come with extra ear cushions, which is a nice plus.
 
Build Quality:
 
The first thing I thought seeing them in person: These look a bit like "fashion" headphones (e.g. Beats), I hope they don't sound like them. The headphones fold up for portability.  Unfolding them the first time was a bit disconcerting, as there seemed to be a lot of flexing of the plastic before they clicked into their open position.  I was a little scared of breaking them.  Having now folded and unfolded several times, it's gotten better.  When pulling the headphones apart to fit around my head, i noticed the edges of the pad on the headband separate from the plastic. I don't know if this is design or what, just looks odd. Also, the plastic looks as though it wouldn't take much to crack, I hope it doesn't. The super shiny plastic collects fingerprints like crazy.
 
Ear pads seem good, and overall assembly looks nice.  I didn't notice any glaring assembly inconsistencies, etc.  
 
Fit:
 
This frankly is the #1 big downside to these headphones, and it's a big one.  So, so frustrated on this point.  I have a fairly average size adult male head.  I have worn many on ear and over ear headphones.  The most uncomfortable out of the gate were Grado SR125s, because the ear pads would make my ears hurt after a while.  These PSBs are just plain painful.  The clamping force on my head is just too much.  It actually distracts from listening experience within the first 15-20 minutes, and I just have to remove them after 30-40 min of use.  Also, the pads are a bit shallow.  I can feel my ears touching the face of the drivers, and the insides edges of the pads. They also get hot, but that doesn't bother me too much. Compared to the clamping, these other items are no big deal, and wouldn't discourage me from keeping them. 
 
Additionally, these do look a bit goofy to wear.  Fortunately, I don't care what headphones look like as long as they fit well and sound great.
 
Sound:
 
Let me first say that generally for listening, I like open over ear headphones.  I really only started looking at these as a means to enjoy music and not annoy my wife in the same room.
 
Most closed cans I've ever used have problems with muddy/messy bass.  These were quite a surprise.  They are both clear and sparkly at the high end, have clean full bass at the bottom, and detail through the whole range.  I wouldn't say they are "bass head" heavy, but a nice full bass presence.  Additionally, these headphones can handle complex or busy audio while maintaining clarity and detail.  As a matter of fact, there is enough detail and clarity that I noticed problems in a few FLAC tracks, so I will be re-doing them.
 
They have a warm (thick in the 300-500hz range) tone.  For my preference, I found that if I eq that range down ever so slightly, the overall sound is perfect for me.
 

 
 
I found that these cans sound a little better being driven from my Fiio E17 than from a headphone out alone.  While these are efficient, that little extra power just helps them open up.  However, I found that driving through my E09k desktop amp was basically pointless (no improvement over the E17).  So, while they benefit from a little more amplification than a straight headphone out from a computer or portable device, there doesn't seem much benefit in giving them lots of power.
 
The only negative I found is that sometimes at louder volumes these can tend to lose their composure, and can become fatiguing in the high frequencies. I found this in all amplification scenarios.  I don't usually listen super loud, but sometimes I am in the mood to rock out a bit more, and noticed these can get uncomfortable with certain songs.
 
Conclusion:
 
It's simple really.  I love the sound, and I hate the fit.  So frustrating.   I have been seriously debating returning them.  Each time I put them on for a listening session, I pray the clamping force would be less, but so far, no such luck. 
 
 
*** I have been wearing them while writing this review, and it's a good thing I am done typing, because my head and ears are starting to hurt.  I just need to finish enjoying this song so I can get relief ***