[cpgeek]

For several years, I have been using Sony's excellent MDR-V6 Headphones for everything from audio monitoring of recording samples and music to listening to my FLAC / ALAC collection to listening to movies to walking around town with my iPhone. However, I've had them for quite some time, and they are... well used... as in tattered ear cups, broken, patched, broken, patched ear cup retention plastics (now rubber banded)... and just recently one of the wires finally gave up on life so i'm in need of a replacement. I was thinking about just grabbing another set of MDR-V6's as I do really like these headphones, but I wanted to pose the question to the community. is there anything better that I should consider?

The budget would be roughly $150, and I don't mind picking up something that's slightly used on ebay even... I realize that's particularly limiting, but alas, I can't really justify paying more than that at this time.

any advice would be useful, thanks!

 

[cpgeek]

after doing some poking around the headroom forums, the Audiotechnica ATH-M50 popped out at me as a possible higher quality replacement. what do you guys think?

 

[MalVeauX]

Heya,
 
I would suggest the SRH840, not the M50.
 
Very best,

 

[cpgeek]

I appreciate your recommendation, but is there any particular reasoning behind it? thx

 

[cpgeek]

I'm now considering the following:

Sony MDR-V6
Audiotechnica ATH-M50
Beyerdynamic DT 770-PRO
Sure SHR840
denon AH-D2000 (a little over budget, but if they are just that good, i'd throw down the difference)

but I really don't know what i'm choosing between as far as features and differences... suggestions?

 

[MalVeauX]

Heya,
 
If you're willing to bump budget, definitely go for the D2000. It smokes all those headphones in every aspect (except isolation).
 
Very best,

 

[mak2675]

I'm in a similar situation to you. I don't feel m50 is a serious improvement over the mdr-v6's. Their bass is less controlled (though still well controlled) than the v6's which handle it REAL well. I liked the m50's only very slightly more, certainly not enough to justify the price increase. In fact, when I tried the two it was without an amp and I'm confident that I would prefer the v6's were I to plug them into an amp or receiver. The m50s are very closed sounding as well.
 
Btw, you can get the refurbished mdr-v6's for $40 off sonystyle when they pop up every once in a while.
 
I'd say upgrade to something like the DT770 or the D2000's, which are considered higher league headphones than both the m50s and the v6's. In fact that's my current plan. Try to snatch the former off the beyerdynamic ebay store for 90 or 95 or for the latter call J&R for $185. Both need an amp to shine optimally is what I hear. *edit* the dt770s 80 ohms off the beyerdynamic ebay store are refurbished and you have to keep a close watch to see when they come up.
 
Since your budget is limited, you could do the DT770's (80 ohms) for $90 + a Fiio E6 for $30 with shipping = $120. And now you have a solid mid tier can with an amp that should push it to work optimally.
 
Also consider the creative aurvana lives which a month ago were popping up at $50 on amazon, but randomly and without warning from time to time and only briefly (don't buy them at their original 99.99).  I'd check for a few days to see if you can spot one of these brief price drops.