[Meewoo]

I totally agree with your Z-7 impression. I do sometime doubt my hearing since so many people sing praise song for Z-7. But I just CAN NOT get over it's veiled sound.
Anyway, 7520 definitely has transparent sound but also deep bass. And the bass is we'll controlled and never leaking. These make 7620 a little rough edge and a little unbalanced in tone. It's not a silk smooth " musical" phones but it has its charm. I am not a grado fan, but I really like this one.

 

[Schopenhauer]

I totally agree with your Z-7 impression. I do sometime doubt my hearing since so many people sing praise song for Z-7. But I just get over it's veiled sound.
Anyway, 7520 definitely has transparent sound but also deep bass. And the bass is we'll controlled and never leaking. These make 7620 a little rough edge and a little unbalanced in tone. It's not a silk smooth " musical" phones but it has its charm. I am not a grado fan, but I really like this one.

If the 7520 could provide a sharper sound than the Z7 while maintaining or (at least) approaching some of the latter's strengths, it could be a fine headphone. The Z7 is one of the most frustrating headphones I've ever listened to. There's so much it gets right. But the muffled signature left it sounding dull to me. A sharper sounding Z7 would be a winner, I think. If the 7520 could provide something like that, I'd definitely be interested. Especially given its current price of under $300.

 

[Meewoo]

Sorry, typo. I can not get over it's veiled sound.

Definitely worth to try. Music instruments sound true to me through 7520. String is string, bass is bass.

 

[groovyd]

the 7520 is the best headphone deal out there imho but does require the upgraded beyer pads to fully enjoy.

 

[FortisFlyer75]

For one reason or another with some reviews I have done in recent months and acquiring a pair of Grado GS1Ke start of the year I have paid more attention to them and had not had a chance to listen to them until this week as to be honest I was contemplating after hearing a few TOTL cans recently and a pair of Meze 99 Classics (totally different sound).
 
I was contemplating selling them as when i first listened to them for an hour a couple of weeks ago for the first time in so long it did feel like I was missing some areas where I was been spoilt with some of the sounds from TOTL open backs I'd been listening to but I sat down properly with them last night for a session to clarify in my own head if it was time to let them go...
 
Four hours later @ 2am I was still listening to them!  They are just lacking in a couple of areas still for me irrelevant of hearing a few top end cans of late but these for the money really do have a lot going for them in a lot of areas.  
 
I was hoping to get the Meze to replace them as I love what I heard of them but they are chalk and cheese to these and are more of a (I won't say fun) but they have a smoother more warm relaxed sound with a bass to die for but yet not really what I can a natural bass response. 
 
I may have to still keep these for now as for owning a pair of closed backs that can have a transparent and more natural tonal quality the Sony's are still worthy of keeping until the day comes I can own a pair of Beyers more DT line closed backs or Ether flow closed back! 
 
It has also been harder as I went through the trouble of having my 7520's modded with Whpilash V3 Hybrid cable welded to both cups so am getting more out of these to a pair of stock cans yet what really transformed these and amazingly put them up another peddle stall almost was changing the pads to the Beyer Velour ones which was a life saver on a couple of fronts so have to concur with GroovyD with what he said there on them. Just a pain to get on in my novice pad fitting experience.
 
So I think for now even if I get the Meze at Canjam London next weekend I will possibly still be keeping the Sony's as they are underated in my view.  To think I have Jude to thank for this as I was moaning to him at the Head-fi meet a few years ago in London my consumer EU version of this the MDR-Z1000 was too bass light and piercing on the treble end and he recommended trying these which I was glad and thankful I managed to talk to him that day regarding my Z1000's.  
 
I still wish the 7520's had a more expansive soundstage width even without taking all those open backs I've got used to in last year and I still find it can go a bit thin on the upper mids and to lower treble range last night. 
 
What I was reminded of though was how competent this was (due to the Beyer pads here also) was how the mid bass is tight and clear then a sub bass is very distinctive with a nice cohesion and separation from the lower mid bass notes so can pick both out really easy which made a very enjoyable session.  And the vocals are so nice and crisp with an accurate tonal palette.  
 
No veiling here unlike MeeWoo mentioned with the Z7 can which I have to say I thought was going to be my 7520 replacement when it came out only to be really disappointed with them and really tried to like them but the more I listened to them the more I got annoyed with them thinking where are you going with these Sony!? 
 
Shame as they look the nuts with 70mm drivers and detachable cable so could have any cable on there like the Kimber Axis!  I still can't fathom why they sold out with the sound on the Z7?  I just hope Sony are going to finally expand a bit on the reference side of some cans as they are capable of it and need to cater for the Head-fi or studio users and get back to doing some of the headphones they used to do as well as try and dangle a carrot in front of the Beats teenagers.  
 
Any way that was my short five minute once a every six month input on this thread! 

 

[Malfunkt]

  If the 7520 could provide a sharper sound than the Z7 while maintaining or (at least) approaching some of the latter's strengths, it could be a fine headphone. The Z7 is one of the most frustrating headphones I've ever listened to. There's so much it gets right. But the muffled signature left it sounding dull to me. A sharper sounding Z7 would be a winner, I think. If the 7520 could provide something like that, I'd definitely be interested. Especially given its current price of under $300.

I keep looking that MDR-Z7 as I did like it when I tried it. Though, I have to remind myself I thought at the time my HD650 sounded more accurate, my MDR-7550 as dynamic, and my Denon AH-D600 almost if not just as good, cheaper and as expansive.
 
Now that I have a MDR-7520 the only thing holding it back is comfort and even that isn't too bad after wearing them in for months. I really should go with @groovyd 's suggest and get the beyer pads... 
 
From a technology standpoint I don't think the 7520s drivers are that much different than the Z7's except for size. The 7520 50mm drivers are excellent, and rival if not exceed the drivers on my 650.
 
The sound quality of the 7520 is near perfect. I only heard a Beyerdynamic T5p that I thought would be a bit of an upgrade. I think if you are looking for something 'sharper' sounding both the 7520 and the T5P should be in your sights.

 

[Schopenhauer]

 

  If the 7520 could provide a sharper sound than the Z7 while maintaining or (at least) approaching some of the latter's strengths, it could be a fine headphone. The Z7 is one of the most frustrating headphones I've ever listened to. There's so much it gets right. But the muffled signature left it sounding dull to me. A sharper sounding Z7 would be a winner, I think. If the 7520 could provide something like that, I'd definitely be interested. Especially given its current price of under $300.

I keep looking that MDR-Z7 as I did like it when I tried it. Though, I have to remind myself I thought at the time my HD650 sounded more accurate, my MDR-7550 as dynamic, and my Denon AH-D600 almost if not just as good, cheaper and as expansive.
 
Now that I have a MDR-7520 the only thing holding it back is comfort and even that isn't too bad after wearing them in for months. I really should go with @groovyd 's suggest and get the beyer pads... 
 
From a technology standpoint I don't think the 7520s drivers are that much different than the Z7's except for size. The 7520 50mm drivers are excellent, and rival if not exceed the drivers on my 650.
 
The sound quality of the 7520 is near perfect. I only heard a Beyerdynamic T5p that I thought would be a bit of an upgrade. I think if you are looking for something 'sharper' sounding both the 7520 and the T5P should be in your sights.

I'd looked into the T5p2 awhile back. There were a couple of issues. First, the price is a bit high. For awhile now I've been looking for an affordable, full-sized closed back headphone to complement my LCD-2.2. I would like to keep the cost under $500 -- preferably far under. Second, I've had a bad experience with beyerdynamic in the past. I once owned the T90 Jubilee and, in my humble opinion, it's the worst, most painful headphone I've ever listened to. This has made me hesitant to try another beyer headphone, although I've considered checking out the DT1350. Still, the DT1350 is a bit undersized for my purposes.
 
Essentially, I'm looking for a headphone that has a sharper, more forward midrange and treble to give me an exciting signature. Not that I find the LCD-2.2 unexciting. Quite the contrary. But sometimes I'd like to have a bit more bite in the upper registers, while at the same time avoiding fatigue, pain etc. However, I'm not willing to sacrifice a strong bass response in order to get that sound, so the headphone would need to have excellent bass quality, quantity, extension etc.  Ergonomics is another constraint. It'd be nice to have a headphone that's lighter than the LCD-2.2, and easier to take on and off. If I get back into gaming, as I hope to do, a headphone that excels in imaging and that I can wear for hours without tiring out my neck would be desirable. 
 
Given what I've read about the 7520, I'm inclined to think it could be an excellent choice.

 

[groovyd]

  I keep looking that MDR-Z7 as I did like it when I tried it. Though, I have to remind myself I thought at the time my HD650 sounded more accurate, my MDR-7550 as dynamic, and my Denon AH-D600 almost if not just as good, cheaper and as expansive.
 
Now that I have a MDR-7520 the only thing holding it back is comfort and even that isn't too bad after wearing them in for months. I really should go with @groovyd 's suggest and get the beyer pads... 
 
From a technology standpoint I don't think the 7520s drivers are that much different than the Z7's except for size. The 7520 50mm drivers are excellent, and rival if not exceed the drivers on my 650.
 
The sound quality of the 7520 is near perfect. I only heard a Beyerdynamic T5p that I thought would be a bit of an upgrade. I think if you are looking for something 'sharper' sounding both the 7520 and the T5P should be in your sights.

agree with the T5p being a bit better but it is also quite a bit more pricey and for being on the out and about the 7520 has it beat in terms of isolation and durability and pack size.  The 7520 is the perfect on the go closed headphone imho.  My T5p while they sound a little better and are more comfortable just don't really get used very often out of practical reasons.

 

[Malfunkt]

   
Essentially, I'm looking for a headphone that has a sharper, more forward midrange and treble to give me an exciting signature. Not that I find the LCD-2.2 unexciting. Quite the contrary. But sometimes I'd like to have a bit more bite in the upper registers, while at the same time avoiding fatigue, pain etc. However, I'm not willing to sacrifice a strong bass response in order to get that sound, so the headphone would need to have excellent bass quality, quantity, extension etc.  Ergonomics is another constraint. It'd be nice to have a headphone that's lighter than the LCD-2.2, and easier to take on and off. If I get back into gaming, as I hope to do, a headphone that excels in imaging and that I can wear for hours without wearing out your neck would be desirable. 
 
Given what I've read about the 7520, I'm inclined to think it could be an excellent choice.

 
I do use mine for gaming, as they are so detailed they bring everything out. That said, I also enjoy my 650 or LCD2 for gaming as well, as they have a larger soundstage. 

Both my 7520 and HD650 are more convenient than the LCD2. The 7520 is so easy to drive I can plug it directly into my PS4s Dual-shock and chill. I did get a different cable for 7520s (same one used for MDR-1R). 

As a fellow LCD2 owner, I think the 7520 is an excellent companion. There are times where I prefer my 7520 over the LCD2 and I cover this in my review of them.

 

[Schopenhauer]

 
I do use mine for gaming, as they are so detailed they bring everything out. That said, I also enjoy my 650 or LCD2 for gaming as well, as they have a larger soundstage. 

Both my 7520 and HD650 are more convenient than the LCD2. The 7520 is so easy to drive I can plug it directly into my PS4s Dual-shock and chill. I did get a different cable for 7520s (same one used for MDR-1R). 

As a fellow LCD2 owner, I think the 7520 is an excellent companion. There are times where I prefer my 7520 over the LCD2 and I cover this in my review of them.

Enjoyed the review. It was helpful since I have extensive experience with both the LCD-2.2 and HD650. I like the signatures of both of those phones. Since you think the 7520 makes an excellent companion to the LCD-2.2, I'll put it on my shortlist. My primary genre is IDM/electronic (and its various subgenres). From what you say, the 7520 should do well with that music. 

 

[ForceMajeure]

Let make it simple for you.
Used at the price they are sold, these are the best can you could ever get!
They are more than great with the genres of music you listen to.
 
They are not sterile cans (as it might be assumed because they are labeled "studio" cans). They are fun to listen, have great mids, treble is also good but lack the final zest of air to make them great in that area. But it allows you to listen to them for longer period without any fatigue or discomfort. I don't mean they are super dark but lets say they are less bright than Beyer but still bring you details without shrill.
Separation is top notch, but the soundstage is average in all direction. It still paints a great picture in which you can easily differentiate sounds.They have height and depth also not only width.
The bass is not shy, it have authority, impact, good extension (with a good seal), and have an enough mid bass bump to make music fun without making it sound bloated. The bass have detail and it is not a one note sounding bass. 
Mids have right tonality and are not recessed. bringing you a ton of detail, allowing you to easily hear the singer breathing and licking lips of it's your thing.
 
They don't leak sound too much, actually they are good in that area, at normal to slightly high listening volume people around you won't be hearing a thing.
They are easy to drive and sound great from anything.
 
They have a creaking problem that I personally solved by using silicone lube and it never appeared again (using them more than 2 years daily).
Your ears might be touching the inner grill and give you a slight discomfort. Personally I had a slight discomfort the few first days with them but I don't even notice it now. (I still use the stock pads)
They are comfortable, no hot spots on the head.
 
IMO these are more than great closed can.

 

[FortisFlyer75]

For anyone who does find their ears are touching the grills and find it uncomfortable and irritating if you are looking to keep to a similar pad the EU consumer version of this used the same type of pad but was deeper and I never had this issue until I got the 7520's.  
 
So if you are after the same type of pad a bit deeper and can hunt down the Z1000 pads that would cure that problem.  
 
Plus all the other pads out there to try, I personally gave the Beyer velour pads a try and never looked back, they look a bit odd on the 7520's but sound great.  
 
I also brought some mod pads of a fellow head-fier a while back now that are leather with a suede padding stitched to the front but have not got around to it yet due to been busy etc as well as I would have to prize those tight Beyer pads off and the new pads need gluing on as there is no normal silicone rubber trim to attach to the cups. 
 
Here are some photos as will be interesting to see what fellow 7520 owners reckon on them...
 

 

 

 

 

 

[ArchDragoon]

Hi Guy,

Which one should I get between MDR-7520 and MDR-Z1000 (Actually I had MDR-1R, MDR-1A but I sold it because I don't like it build quality)

Also I would like to know if it's possible to use MUC-S12SM1 with MDR-7520 and MDR-Z1000 ?

Thank !

 

[FortisFlyer75]

Hi Guy,

Which one should I get between MDR-7520 and MDR-Z1000 (Actually I had MDR-1R, MDR-1A but I sold it because I don't like it build quality)

Also I would like to know if it's possible to use MUC-S12SM1 with MDR-7520 and MDR-Z1000 ?

Thank !

From owning both all I can say is if you prefer a flatter bass response and your ears are not prone to higher frequency sensitivity then go for the MDR-Z1000's but if you prefer a descent amount of lower bass range with smoother less piercing highs then 7520's all day long.
 
I went from Z1000 to 7520's for that reason. 

 

[ArchDragoon]

That's really good information !
 
Thank a lot!