Review: Sony MDR7506 Studio Headphones

Sound Quality

The Sony MDR7506 headphones have a balanced sound with a fairly flat frequency response that works well for mixing and monitoring.

The frequency analysis shows us that we can expect a pretty flat frequency response here, with some boosting starting around 3-4k and some roll off in the extreme high end.

The high end is clear and very forward. Even with the roll-off, sounds that sit in the high end come through clearly and never feel muddy. The clarity helps with hearing the details in the high end during mixing and studio work. With electronic drums, the high end helps to bring out the brightness of cymbals and other instruments that sit in that range.

The mid range sound good and very forward as well. I like how clear the mid range is, even with that boost around 3-4k. The boost in that area helps to bring out presence of sounds that are sitting there. However, this is a bit of a double edged sword for me since my ears are a little over sensitive right in the 3-4k area. If there are resonant sounds that are overly pronounced in that part of the frequency, such as distorted heavy metal guitar, they can sound a little bit too forward for me. With electronic music or other smoother types of music it’s not something I notice as much.

The low end has good presence and clarity without feeling overly boosted. When I put these headphones side by side with other similarly priced headphones, more often than not these sound better in the low end. They seem to just have a slight bit more presence down there and sub bass sounds really good without being overly powerful. The clarity is good as well as it’s easy to hear separation between bass guitars, kick drums and sub bass.

The spaciousness and sound stage is average. The spaciousness isn’t bad for closed back headphones, but it’s not great either. It’s good enough for what these headphones are trying to do. The left to right sound stage is pretty good though, and it’s easy to place things from left to right in the mix. They also provide a good sound stage for stereo electronic drums, and you can easily hear what’s going on from left to right as you play around the kit.

Clarity is great. I don’t ever feel like I’m running into any muddiness when I listen to mixes I’m working on or even with casual music. I can hear good detail in everything I throw at this pair of headphones all the way through the frequency range.

These are an excellent option for studio mixing and tracking. Especially when considering price. They have enough detail in the sound and a flat enough frequency range to help analyze and work through mixing projects. I use these quite a bit when I’m mixing electronic music, I’ve grown to really like them for that specific purpose. I also often use these for tracking in the studio since they have decent noise isolation.

Casual listeners may or may not like these. As with most studio headphones, the flatter frequency response may or may not be desirable for casual listeners. I think that people who prefer a flatter sound but still want some decent bass presence might like these for casual listening. They are plenty comfortable for casual listeners and collapse into a small package for transport.

Electronic drummers will probably like these. These headphones sound really good when plugged into an electronic drum kit. They bring out a crisp, punchy sound with drums, cymbals and other percussive sounds.

Closed Back Design

These headphones have a closed back, over ear design which helps them provide some passive noise isolation. The noise isolation is about average for closed back headphones. They will block out some environmental noise and keep others from hearing what your are listening to. They can work well for tracking in the studio due to this. For electronic drummers, they will help you focus more on the sounds of the drum module over the sounds of sticks hitting the pads.

Comfort

I find these heaphones to be very comfortable and I can wear them for long periods of time.

The headband doesn’t have a lot of padding but it seems to be curved almost perfectly for comfort, I’ve never experienced any hot spots with the headband.

The headband also offers some pretty good extension on the size adjustment, more than many other headphones I’ve tried out. I can extend the headband enough to wear these over a hat, and my head is also on the larger size. I really like that.

The ear cups are decently comfortable but can feel a little shallow. I have upgraded my MDR7506’s with Brainwavz ear pads which adds a little bit more comfort. All of the photos you are seeing of these headphones on this page are with the Brainwavz ear pads installed. I would definitely recommend getting some aftermarket ear pads if you don’t like the stock ear pads on these headphones.

The ear cups swivel just a little bit, enough to help with comfort and fit, but not enough to lay flat for storage or wearing around the neck.

The overall fit is fairly snug. It’s not overly tight and it’s not so loose that they’ll fall off if you move around. The fit for me is just right and it helps keep a good seal with the ear cups. It also keeps them from falling off when playing electronic drums.

Build Quality

Build quality is an area where I strongly vouch for these headphones. I currently own two sets of MDR7506’s. The first I bought probably around 1999. The second I bought around 2010. Both have been used a lot and transported a lot. I haven’t had a single issue with physical breakdown other than the ear pads wearing out over time. The ear pads wearing out weren’t a problem since they could be replaced.

I’ve collapsed and un-collapsed them many times for transport and the folding mechanisms have never worn out. The headband has held up very well even though the older set from 1999 is starting to show a little bit of cracking on the padding on the inside of the headband. The headbands adjustment sizing is still tight and holds in place after all these years on both sets. The cables and wiring have never had issues.

Overall I’ve been impressed with how well these have held up over such a long period of time.

The Cable

The cable on these headphones is a 10 ft coiled cable, so it effectively feels shorter than that. The cable is permanently attached to the left ear cup. There is an optional 1/4″ adapter included.

Collapsible Design

I like how these headphones can collapse into a smaller size for transport. When collapsed, they are fairly compact in size. It makes them pretty easy to haul around.

The folding mechanism is pretty good as well, and as I mentioned a little earlier I’ve never run into problems with collapsing mechanisms in over a couple decades of use.

Are These Headphones Good For Electronic Drumming?

We find these to be a great option for electronic drummers. They check most of our boxes in terms of what to look for.

• They have a really clear, punchy sound when plugged into a drum module.
• They have a good sound stage so you can hear what’s going on from left to right around your kit.
• The noise isolation is good enough to help keep you focused on the drum module sounds rather than the stick hitting the pads.
• They are really comfortable and can be worn for longer sessions.
• The coiled cable feels a little short when using these with electronic drums, but that can be easily addressed with a headphone extension cable.

Technical Specifications

The Verdict

It’s hard to go wrong with these headphones. They offer excellent sound quality and good comfort. They can find a home in your studio and can be good for casual listening. They sound great when plugged into electronic drums.

I’ve bought a couple pairs of these in my lifetime and I’d buy another if either of those two wear out. They hold up well over time and retain a good sound quality. The larger headband size adjustment is welcome since I can wear these over a hat. Ear cup upgrades are recommended if you don’t find the stock ear cups to be sufficient.