[Branwen]

I used Windows Media Player, Winamp, BS Player, Youtube and 2 different MP3-players.
 
Oh, forgot to add, most of my songs are in 320kbps, but I also tried some FLAC.

 

[dpastern]

  Hello everyone,

I am browsing head-fi.org since last few days continuously as I am looking for a new set of headphones, and the reason is: Sony MDR-V55, so after viewing this post, I couldn't stop myself from replying here. I bought these off from Amazon.co.uk for £55 (was on sale) and to be honest these cans are not even worth £30 <_<. I have this exact same model (red/black) and the only thing which I like about them is their good build quality. I am not an audiophile, but I love listening to Trance (specially vocal trance) and club/dance music. Let me tell you the flaws in simple terms

Cons:

- They are certainly not bass heavy at all, in fact, if you increase the volume, they produce distortion like the cheap headphones.
- They leak to sound a lot
- Isolation is pretty bad
- Sound quality? Average (if you don't mind the distorted bass)

Pros:
- Good build quality
 
@OP: my apology for all the negatives but this is how i feel about these headphones, heck my creative fatal1ty (lol) were better in sound :S These headphones should not worth more than US $50

 
No, these are not "bass heavy".  They are what I'd classify as relatively neutral sounding.
 
They leak a lot of sound because they are "open" headphones (rather than closed back).  This generally means that they will have a larger and more open/airy soundstage than closed headphones.
 
Likewise, isolation will suffer with open backed headphones (vs closed and noise cancellation types).  Isolation isn't really that bad imho, and to be honest, it's NOT a good idea to be walking around with no idea of sounds around you.  That's rather dangerous in a modern environment imho.  If you're using these in a quiet home environment, isolation is not an issue.
 
I don't listen super loud by any means, but these don't have distortion issues.  Sorry, I've had my pair for 18 months and listened to a LOT of hours with these, on multiple devices, and never experienced this.  
 
BTW, trance/dance is reknowned for poor recording quality and distortion.  Perhaps it is the the music genre that you listen to that is at issue?
 
Or, perhaps you are simply listening too far too loud (and unsafe) levels that are no doubt damaging your ears.  
 
Sorry to revive an old thread, but I felt this post needed addressing with a less biased and more accurate assessment of the product.  
 
I see no other headphone under AUD $200 that betters these and I did quite reasonable tests.
 
edit: I hear no sibilance in the treble.  The creaking disappears after a month or so of usage as the phones settle in.  And these are quite robust - I use these day in and day out on my daily commute, plus at home, and despite being in my travel bag, and myself not necessarily treating my bag too nice sometimes, the phones are perfectly fine and undamaged.  You'd have to go out of your way to break these imho.  
 
I own some very expensive headphones, and have a reasonably good listening ear.  
 
I'll answer the question on bass  too - they do have bass, but it is not predominant - these are relatively accurate and neutral.  If you're after fake bass a la Dr. Beats, then look elsewhere.  I suspect a few people here have very skewered listening habits and preferences and don't know what neutral and accurate mean.

 

[beyondtool]

I had these cans for two years and whilst the audio quality was great and comparable to some higher end models, the build quality and comfort are unacceptable. These are the most uncomfortable headphones I have ever owned, I put up with them butchering my ears because of the sound (and investment). The creaking band does not go away and I found it very irritating, especially when gaming with them. The coating on the cups started falling off after three months and sweat has visibly rusted the drivers, despite some care to keep them dry after use. Replaced them with the Takastar HI2050s and I couldn't be happier..should have done this years ago. Only thing I miss is the tangle free cable..

 

[Lifted Andreas]

I had these cans for two years and whilst the audio quality was great and comparable to some higher end models, the build quality and comfort are unacceptable. These are the most uncomfortable headphones I have ever owned, I put up with them butchering my ears because of the sound (and investment). The creaking band does not go away and I found it very irritating, especially when gaming with them. The coating on the cups started falling off after three months and sweat has visibly rusted the drivers, despite some care to keep them dry after use. Replaced them with the Takastar HI2050s and I couldn't be happier..should have done this years ago. Only thing I miss is the tangle free cable..

I had the creaks too and that wasn't really bothering me that much, still annoying tho.

I now have a pair of JVC HA-S680, much better all round!

 

[dpastern]

I had these cans for two years and whilst the audio quality was great and comparable to some higher end models, the build quality and comfort are unacceptable. These are the most uncomfortable headphones I have ever owned, I put up with them butchering my ears because of the sound (and investment). The creaking band does not go away and I found it very irritating, especially when gaming with them. The coating on the cups started falling off after three months and sweat has visibly rusted the drivers, despite some care to keep them dry after use. Replaced them with the Takastar HI2050s and I couldn't be happier..should have done this years ago. Only thing I miss is the tangle free cable..

 
The creaking issue does not match my experience with these headphones.  Most people I've seen have said the creaking goes away after some usage.  That would match my personal experiences with them.

 

[beyondtool]

I guess it depends how much you move your head when using them

 

[dpastern]

I guess it depends how much you move your head when using them

 
True, but I move around a fair bit with them on and don't really experience the creaking issue.  I can only say what my personal experiences are.  YMMV.  

 

[Vero Golf Champ]

One year down the track the white pads are slightly dirty, courtesy of my friends. No peeling on them. They've seen off the Ultimate Ears UE6000s and the V-MODA M-80s for sq (but not the XBA H3 iems I foolishly gave away). Yes they creak (or has it gone?) but are my favourite cans. Xiaomi Piston v2 iems are still on top (killer bass and a touch warmer and less congested) thru an FiiO E07k using a Sammy Note 2 and Spotify premium as my source.

PS Tried my workmate's new MDR-10 NC 'phones. They look nice. Not sure they sound any better, but they are super comfy and the noise cancellation works better than my Logitechs.

 

[dpastern]

One year down the track the white pads are slightly dirty, courtesy of my friends. No peeling on them. They've seen off the Ultimate Ears UE6000s and the V-MODA M-80s for sq (but not the XBA H3 iems I foolishly gave away). Yes they creak (or has it gone?) but are my favourite cans. Xiaomi Piston v2 iems are still on top (killer bass and a touch warmer and less congested) thru an FiiO E07k using a Sammy Note 2 and Spotify premium as my source.

PS Tried my workmate's new MDR-10 NC 'phones. They look nice. Not sure they sound any better, but they are super comfy and the noise cancellation works better than my Logitechs.

 
my pads are peeling, but I've had mine for 18 months or so at a guess.  Nothing major though.  
 
Just got my new Sennheiser HD600's today - initial listening (via AK 120 II) isn't looking good for the Sennheisers!  The Sony's are easier to drive, mids are slightly more forward, bass is slightly better too.  The Sennheisers win out on low level detail and air/soundstage, but not by a lot.  For nearly triple the price I know which is the better bargain of the 2.  Will break the Sennheisers in more and see if they improve some.  It's pretty close between the 2 headphones though, so I'll keep the Sennheisers.

 

[Hifihedgehog]

  IMO the last thing the v55's needed was more bass. They had bloated bloomy bass. What rendered them horrible in the end was that nasal vocal sound. If you can pick them up for 15-25 bucks it's an okay deal.

Agreed. All the low-end Sony's (V6 as well) I have tried have major issues with nasality. I conjecture it is likely because of extremely high resonance from the physical housing of the headphone. Actually, my top pick for sub-$200 closed headphones has been the ATH-M40X for several months now. It's essentially a smaller ATH-m50/ATH-M50X with more focused treble, a more coherent and neutral midrange and a very deep and strong yet controlled bass. Seriously underrated headphones, in my opinion. Everyone I have recommended the M40X to among my friends has come away absolutely loving the M40X!

 

[dpastern]

  Agreed. All the low-end Sony's (V6 as well) I have tried have major issues with nasality. I conjecture it is likely because of extremely high resonance from the physical housing of the headphone. Actually, my top pick for sub-$200 closed headphones has been the ATH-M40X for several months now. It's essentially a smaller ATH-m50/ATH-M50X with more focused treble, a more coherent and neutral midrange and a very deep and strong yet controlled bass. Seriously underrated headphones, in my opinion. Everyone I have recommended the M40X to among my friends has come away absolutely loving the M40X!

 
I have hear zero nasality on my Sonys.  Nada. Not sure what you're hearing...perhaps it is your source, source music, or your ears.  Or perhaps it's mine.  All I know is that my Sonys said remarkable neutral on a variety of sources (macbook, PC, AK120 II, iPhone 4S and my main audio system).  Even after a small listening session with my HD600's I'm pretty confident that the Sony MDR-V55 sees them off and outperforms them SQ wise.  I'm hoping the HD600 magically opens up after break in and improves, but based on my prior experiences, break in is a bunch of BS and they won't improve upon my initial listening sessions.

 

[Hifihedgehog]

It is worth mentioning that my conclusion is based on the fact that I have extensively demoed (or owned, in bold) the following headphones: AKG K812, K712, K702, K701, Q701, K550, K271, K240 Studio, K77; Audio Technica ATH-M50X, ATH-M50, ATH-M40X, ATH-M40fs; Beats by Dr. Dre Executive, Pro, Solo HD, Studio; Beyerdynamic T5 P, DT 990 Premium 600 ohm, DT 990 Pro, DT 880 Premium 250 ohm, DT 880 Pro, DT 860, DT 770 Pro-80; Bose Quietcomfort 15, Quietcomfort 3, Quietcomfort 2, AE2; Creative EPH-630; Denon AH-D7100, AH-D600, AH-D340; Etymotic ER-6; Grado PS500, Grado GS1000, RS1i, RS 1, RS 2i, RS 2, SR325is, SR325i, SR225i, SR225, SR125i, SR125, SR80i, SR80, SR60i, SR60, iGrado; Koss Porta Pro, KSC75, The Plug, UR10; The House of Marley Redemption Song; Sennheiser HD 800, HD 650, HD 600, HD 598, HD 595, HD 558, HD 555 (also modified to HD595), HD 380, HD 280, HD202, HD201, PX 100, Momentum On-Ear, Momentum Over-the-Ear; Shure SRH1540, SRH940, SRH840, SRH440, SE835, SE535; Skullcandy Aviators, Crusher, Hesh; Sony MDR-X05, MDR-XB500, MDR-7506, MDR-V6, MDR-55, MDR-CD30 (I almost forgot about these; purchased at a garage sale about 10 years ago); Superlux HD681, HD688B; Ultimate Ears TripleFi 10 (family member owns them); Ultrasone HFI-780; Westone UM Pro 30, UM Pro 20, UM Pro 10.
 
There are some holes in my memory but I hope you get my point that I am not speaking without some experience under my belt. Also note my signature below for my current signal chain. In the absolute sense, I heard a lot of detectable resonance with the sealed Sony's I have tried, with the choice exception of the X05 and XB500 which both seemed to not exhibit this behavior from their sealed chambers. But I'll leave this to you and your ears and other discerning listeners to decide for themselves what's best for their media pleasure. I have to admit, though. The Sennheiser HD600 is a bit constricted, even for me with a technically true neutral source. It is kind of hard to explain to some, but despite the fact that the treble reaches to the very top, higher than the K701/K702/Q701, and the bass goes down to 30 Hz, the lower to middle-upper treble range has a veil that makes the music seem separated and distant. It reminds me of the stereotypical classic audiophile speaker sound: warm, cozy and detailed but not quite neutral and certainly not action-packed or with real verve or vibe. I actually sold them off yesterday because they were just a tad reserved for my tastes even after my best efforts to modify their worn pads. For me, I find the DT860 much more up my alley, as it has neutral bass, neutral midrange and just a tad extra treble to satisfy my inner detail freak. As always, YMMV.

   
I have hear zero nasality on my Sonys.  Nada. Not sure what you're hearing...perhaps it is your source, source music, or your ears.  Or perhaps it's mine.  All I know is that my Sonys said remarkable neutral on a variety of sources (macbook, PC, AK120 II, iPhone 4S and my main audio system).  Even after a small listening session with my HD600's I'm pretty confident that the Sony MDR-V55 sees them off and outperforms them SQ wise.  I'm hoping the HD600 magically opens up after break in and improves, but based on my prior experiences, break in is a bunch of BS and they won't improve upon my initial listening sessions.

 

[dpastern]

  It is worth mentioning that my conclusion is based on the fact that I have extensively demoed (or owned, in bold) the following headphones: AKG K812, K712, K702, K701, Q701, K550, K271, K240 Studio, K77; Audio Technica ATH-M50X, ATH-M50, ATH-M40X, ATH-M40fs; Beats by Dr. Dre Executive, Pro, Solo HD, Studio; Beyerdynamic T5 P, DT 990 Premium 600 ohm, DT 990 Pro, DT 880 Premium 250 ohm, DT 880 Pro, DT 860, DT 770 Pro-80; Bose Quietcomfort 15, Quietcomfort 3, Quietcomfort 2, AE2; Creative EPH-630; Denon AH-D7100, AH-D600, AH-D340; Etymotic ER-6; Grado PS500, Grado GS1000, RS1i, RS 1, RS 2i, RS 2, SR325is, SR325i, SR225i, SR225, SR125i, SR125, SR80i, SR80, SR60i, SR60, iGrado; Koss Porta Pro, KSC75, The Plug, UR10; The House of Marley Redemption Song; Sennheiser HD 800, HD 650, HD 600, HD 598, HD 595, HD 558, HD 555 (also modified to HD595), HD 380, HD 280, HD202, HD201, PX 100, Momentum On-Ear, Momentum Over-the-Ear; Shure SRH1540, SRH940, SRH840, SRH440, SE835, SE535; Skullcandy Aviators, Crusher, Hesh; Sony MDR-X05, MDR-XB500, MDR-7506, MDR-V6, MDR-55, MDR-CD30 (I almost forgot about these; purchased at a garage sale about 10 years ago); Superlux HD681, HD688B; Ultimate Ears TripleFi 10 (family member owns them); Ultrasone HFI-780; Westone UM Pro 30, UM Pro 20, UM Pro 10.
 
There are some holes in my memory but I hope you get my point that I am not speaking without some experience under my belt. Also note my signature below for my current signal chain. In the absolute sense, I heard a lot of detectable resonance with the sealed Sony's I have tried, with the choice exception of the X05 and XB500 which both seemed to not exhibit this behavior from their sealed chambers. But I'll leave this to you and your ears and other discerning listeners to decide for themselves what's best for their media pleasure. I have to admit, though. The Sennheiser HD600 is a bit constricted, even for me with a technically true neutral source. It is kind of hard to explain to some, but despite the fact that the treble reaches to the very top, higher than the K701/K702/Q701, and the bass goes down to 30 Hz, the lower to middle-upper treble range has a veil that makes the music seem separated and distant. It reminds me of the stereotypical classic audiophile speaker sound: warm, cozy and detailed but not quite neutral and certainly not action-packed or with real verve or vibe. I actually sold them off yesterday because they were just a tad reserved for my tastes even after my best efforts to modify their worn pads. For me, I find the DT860 much more up my alley, as it has neutral bass, neutral midrange and just a tad extra treble to satisfy my inner detail freak. As always, YMMV.

 
That's a lot of headphones!  I find the HD600s bass light, like there's a gentle roll off.  It's not bad, but it's not what I'd consider as being wholly neutral.  I haven't heard any nasality.  I've been incredibly happy with the Sony MDR-V55 cans.  They do lack the ultra detail of more expensive cans, but it's not a huge difference either imho.  Perhaps its my ears, but I don't think I've seen any other user in this thread report nasality from the Sony MDR-V55s!  Please remember that each ear is different, and hears differently.  I can only report what my ears tell me!  
 
Your comments on the HD600 are interesting and would concur.  Thanks for the heads up on the DT860 I'll have to investigate further.  I do prefer 'open' cans, and non electrostatics.  I'm not convinced that planars are perfect either.  

 

[Hifihedgehog]

   
That's a lot of headphones!  I find the HD600s bass light, like there's a gentle roll off.  It's not bad, but it's not what I'd consider as being wholly neutral.  I haven't heard any nasality.  I've been incredibly happy with the Sony MDR-V55 cans.  They do lack the ultra detail of more expensive cans, but it's not a huge difference either imho.  Perhaps its my ears, but I don't think I've seen any other user in this thread report nasality from the Sony MDR-V55s!  Please remember that each ear is different, and hears differently.  I can only report what my ears tell me!  
 
Your comments on the HD600 are interesting and would concur.  Thanks for the heads up on the DT860 I'll have to investigate further.  I do prefer 'open' cans, and non electrostatics.  I'm not convinced that planars are perfect either.  

For what it's worth, here are some graphs of the V55's, DT860's and HD600's (and the HD800's for kicks):
 

 
 

 

 

 
In my opinion, these graphs by Golden Ear aren't quite right. You can try mentally imagining what they should look like using this much-improved graph of the DT860 as your reference:
 

 
I believe the older Listen Inc. sponsored graphing system at Reviewed.com, from back when the reviewers were at Headphoneinfo.com, had the most accurate charting system out there. As much as I appreciate the incredible contributions Tyll Hertsen has made and continues to make for the community, Innerfidelity's headphone charts look and sound a bit off to me. I hope this was helpful. I absolutely love the DT 860's because I never have had to EQ them and, because they don't need an amplifier, they sound good out of practically anything!

 

[Mickice]

I would rate V55 above any of the 10R models, yuck. But not the new 1A, SONY is back on track here.