[GREQ]

I actually have the V900's "professional" sibling, the MDR-7509.

And something is definitely amiss when I actually prefer the ATH-M50x to the V900/7509.

Hardly a sibling. More like an awkward younger cousin.
They have vastly different drivers.
The V900's driver is much closer to the older MDR-CD999 than the 7509 who's driver is much more like other modern Sony drivers.
I've not heard the 7509, but I can't imagine it sounding too much like the V900.

 

[Eagle_Driver]

Hardly a sibling. More like an awkward younger cousin.
They have vastly different drivers.
The V900's driver is much closer to the older MDR-CD999 than the 7509 who's driver is much more like other modern Sony drivers.
I've not heard the 7509, but I can't imagine it sounding too much like the V900.

You definitely had an earlier-production batch of the MDR-V900. Later production batches were much more like other contemporaneous Sony headphones; in fact, my pair of the MDR-V600 were like that (purchased around 1998). That meant that the pair Davesrose had was part of an earlier production batch. And midway through their production lifetime, the quality deteriorated in this line.

 

[GREQ]

You definitely had an earlier-production batch of the MDR-V900. Later production batches were much more like other contemporaneous Sony headphones; in fact, my pair of the MDR-V600 were like that (purchased around 1998). That meant that the pair Davesrose had was part of an earlier production batch. And midway through their production lifetime, the quality deteriorated in this line.

I believe you're referring to the MDR-V900-HD, which certainly is an MDR-7509 sibling of sorts.
I'm talking about the original 1992 MDR-V900 which is a different beast altogether, and should probably never be compared with the following generations.

 

[Davesrose]

It might be my own ears. But then, all ambient sounds that are not being reproduced through headphones or speakers are correctly balanced to my ears. This includes deep male voices, which should be meaty and not bright or tinny. I based my judgement on that. If a headphone doesn't get the midrange right, then who gives a darn about the bass?

Although I would admit that the MDR-7506 was a bit too tinny to be considered fully neutral. That makes it a great monitoring tool for musicians during recording of their instrumental parts, but not so good when listening to music casually. The Vx00 headphones, on the other hane, all sound wonky to my ears. Many other headphones - both open and closed - that I listened to over the years are much closer to reality in their tonal balance.

My point is there's many factors that go into perceived tonality: it's especially hard with headphones because the drivers aren't far enough away to have a natural acoustic interaction. With variation in ear anatomy and equipment synergy, I do believe people who might complain about one headphone that has piercing brightness for them, while I perceive it as having a good balance. I have heard that some pros say it's better to have a bright headphone...then other's like Beyers (which with my equipment and music, always seem to have some recession in the detail regions). Then again, they all say speakers are the best reference (as a flat response is natural as it has a realistic horizontal plane). Then, frequency response is going to be a lot different with a symphony in an auditorium vs close mic in small ensembles vs synthesized electronic music. With another thread, I just posted this link to an interesting article on "natural" frequency response with headphones and speakers...he even brings up there's differences with age groups.

https://e265b8fd1ff9a586c366-1acdfa...-for-Choosing-Loudspeakers-and-Headphones.pdf

 

[Eagle_Driver]

I believe you're referring to the MDR-V900-HD, which certainly is an MDR-7509 sibling of sorts.
I'm talking about the original 1992 MDR-V900 which is a different beast altogether, and should probably never be compared with the following generations.

Actually, I was referring to the later versions of the non-HD version (manufactured post-1997), including the last made-in-Japan batches and the made-in-China batches.

 

[GREQ]

@Eagle_Driver - Incidentally, the 2nd-hand market (eb@y etc) was infamously plagued with excellent counterfeits of the MDR-V900-HD, but the only sure way to tell that it was fake was to open it up and inspect the drivers which were obviously inferior.
This is why many people thought that the V900-HD was either just a bad headphone, or people were lead to believe sony's QC was poor. It was just bad timing that China's counterfeit electronics industry was booming at the time.

 

[GREQ]

Actually, I was referring to the later versions of the non-HD version (manufactured post-1997), including the last made-in-Japan batches and the made-in-China batches.

Do you have any references to those, with photos of the headphone & driver? This would be very interesting for me.
I've owned two MDR-V900's and both were 'early runs' as you put it.

 

[Eagle_Driver]

Do you have any references to those, with photos of the headphone & driver? This would be very interesting for me.
I've owned two MDR-V900's and both were 'early runs' as you put it.

I had a V900 briefly before I acquired a 7509, and that V900 was from one of those earlier runs. I could definitely hear it with my ears. Unfortunately, I have not heard a later V900 but when Headroom (during the last years of Tyll Hertsen's run there) had a frequency response plot of the non-HD V900, it measured very similarly to other modern bloated Sony headphones of the era. Specifications are, indeed, subject to change without even changing the model number whatsoever.

 

[Davesrose]

You definitely had an earlier-production batch of the MDR-V900. Later production batches were much more like other contemporaneous Sony headphones; in fact, my pair of the MDR-V600 were like that (purchased around 1998). That meant that the pair Davesrose had was part of an earlier production batch. And midway through their production lifetime, the quality deteriorated in this line.

FWIW, I did buy the V600s earlier then that...it probably was one of their early runs. I remember during certain sessions with less DSP, thinking my dad's V6s and my V600s sounded pretty similar. I might have gotten the HD580s around 2000. They were a kit that came with a surround processor/amp. The processor has way too long cables to be "portable", so I'd often just have to crank up the volume with my Discman. But they were an awakening as to how "audiophile" headphones could sound more spacious. The processor was also great with movies. With my latest headphone acquisitions, I've found my new cans can have improved extension....but old headphones don't lose their special qualities either

 

[GREQ]

I had a V900 briefly before I acquired a 7509, and that V900 was from one of those earlier runs. I could definitely hear it with my ears. Unfortunately, I have not heard a later V900 but when Headroom (during the last years of Tyll Hertsen's run there) had a frequency response plot of the non-HD V900, it measured very similarly to other modern bloated Sony headphones of the era. Specifications are, indeed, subject to change without even changing the model number whatsoever.

Sorry, but I just don't believe there was another run of the original brown/silver V900's without some kind of proof.

 

[Eagle_Driver]

GREQ,

Just to make it clear I have a pair of the non-HD 7509. Not the 7509 HD. That pair must have been manufactured at a time when Sony headphones as a whole began cheaping out.

 

[GREQ]

GREQ,

Just to make it clear I have a pair of the non-HD 7509. Not the 7509 HD. That pair must have been manufactured at a time when Sony headphones as a whole began cheaping out.

At the risk of sounding like a troll, are you certain it's genuine? I'm honestly curious.

 

[Eagle_Driver]

At the risk of sounding like a troll, are you certain it's genuine? I'm honestly curious.

It was a genuine pair. Purchased from a Sam Ash store.

 

[peskypesky]

Can't agree on well balanced. V6 disappointed me with it's bright sounding sig

They seem balanced to my ears on my system. Here's a chart for those who like charts:

 

[Markolav]

Still one of my favourites. Sadly i dont have enough time to appreciate them but they will still remain in my collection.