Review: Sony MDR-7509HD Headphones
(Click to enlarge.)
One of the best audio investments I've made was a pair of Sony MDR-V6 headphones. I bought my set for about $80 back around 1988 after noticing renowned recording engineer Roger Nichols checking mixes on his in the big L.A. studio where I worked. (I couldn't afford the glorious Meyer HD-1 powered monitors Nichols was using, which cost $5,000 a pair when they finally came to market in '91.)
Eighteen years later, those MDR-V6s are still a part of my headphone lineup, although the fake leather on the ear pads has long since crumbled away, leaving just soft fabric. I love the way they collapse for travel yet still have large enough speakers to produce reasonable bass.
So I was interested to check out Sony's latest pro headphones, the MDR-7509HDs. At $265 list, these are decidedly upscale. They come in a satin-lined box and include instructions for replacing the components, in the unlikely event they should wear out or break. The headband and ear cups are thickly padded and remain comfortable for hours despite the bulk. Sony's new HD drivers reportedly extend the frequency response to a bat-like 80kHz (see specs table). The speakers are supposed to deliver a flatter midrange than previous models as well, for a more accurate, less fatiguing sound.
Unlike the original MDR-V6 and its popular replacement, the MDR-7506, whose speakers sit on top of your ears, the 7509HDs are circumaural—the ear cushions completely surround your ears instead of mashing against them. That allows the sound to bounce around the folds of your outer ear before it reaches your eardrums, which sounded more spacious and natural to me. It also helps block outside sound, which is why my main headphones for the last five years have been a pair of circumaural Beyerdynamic DT770 Pros.
After you've folded your 7509HDs into a tidy package, you can carry them in the included leatherette pouch (not shown).
Although the 7509HDs can fold up like the older models (see photo at left), they also have a nifty new feature: Each earpiece can rotate 180°, which is handy for one-ear, DJ-style listening.
The cord is a whopping three meters long. Although it's coiled to help tame the length, that's another clue these phones are designed for studio use, not wandering around with an iPod. Nonetheless, my first test was to plug them into a portable MP3 player. Reaction: "Whoa! This sounds terrible." The high-definition headphones were revealing the MP3 file's poor quality.
Moving on to better source material, I auditioned some 24-bit WAV files, including Cycling '74's Momentary Incursions, some orchestral demos from EastWest's Quantum Leap series, and this acoustic guitar recording. I also sampled the EBU's Sound Quality Assessment Material, Kevin Donohue's threshold of hearing tests, and some frequency sweeps and fixed-frequency sine waves I made with Katsura AudioTest.
Of course, no one listens to test tones for fun, so I spent the bulk of my two months with the 7509HDs listening to music for pleasure, not analysis. Also, my current audio interface tops out at 24kHz—i.e., half the 48kHz sampling rate—and my ears top out well before that, so this isn't a lab-coat review.
That said, one of the most revealing tests was when I used the 7509HDs to mix the premiere Digital Media Insider podcast. (It was too late at night to run my normal speakers.) The next morning when I checked the mix on the speakers, I noticed it was bass-heavy. That indicates that the 7509HDs were weak in the low end, which had led me to crank up the bass to compensate. I heard the same problem on other speakers.
Comparing the 7509HDs with my Beyerdynamic DT770s, I confirmed the difference. With low-frequency sine waves, the Sonys delivered a soft, flapping sound, whereas the Beyerdynamics produced a full tone. (Surprisingly, my ancient MDR-V6s had more oomph than the new 7509HDs.) It's difficult to compare different headphones directly, because volume has such a huge impact on perceived sound quality, but no matter where I set the mixer's output level, I couldn't get the 7509HDs to match the DT770s' solid bass.
In a possibly related vein, Sony touts the 7509HDs' ability to handle up to three watts of power (which they euphemistically state as 3,000 milliwatts), but an audiophile composer to whom I lent the headphones heard occasional distortion on peaks. He praised the 7509HDs' comfort, though. The generously sized ear cups and perfect spring tension really cradle the ear.
Head(phones) over Heels
Sony's new 7509HD headphones are comfortable, light for their size, well built, and spacious sounding. I was disappointed by the bass, but heard only good things in the midrange and treble. The folding/flip-out ear cups are a nice touch, and given how long my last Sonys have been in service, the $199 street price isn't unreasonable. I've never regretted buying quality, but have often regretted cheaping out.
That said, you can get similar functionality for $100 less, and in several situations, such as traveling or live use, you probably wouldn't want such expensive cans. Unless you're listening to binaural recordings (or video games mixed for headphones), I feel big headphones like these work best as "microscopes," helping you check original recordings for glitches or simply get another perspective. For that, having a number of quality headphones on hand is invaluable, and the Sony MDR-7509HDs certainly do their job in style.
Sony MDR7509HD Specs (return to text) |
|
| Cable | 3m, coiled, unimatch plug |
| Power Handling | 3W |
| Impedance | 24Ω |
| Sensitivity | 107dB/W/m |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz-80kHz (no tolerance specified) |
| Driver Diameter | 50mm |
| Weight | 10.5oz (excluding cable) |
| Price | $265 list ($199 street) |
| More Info | Overview page |
| PDF brochure | |
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i bought these headphones a month ago from the sony store nearest to me and i have been using them to dj many genres of music heavy metal soul r&b classical rap reggae and they all sound amazing with these headphones. they are definatly not for portable use they are for recording purpouses only!. if you are looking for walking around these are not for you the bass needs attention because it kind of shows you a perspective on how they will sound to your audience. they are very accurate and the frequency range slightly has a pattern with corresponding with the decible level until you get to 50000Hz.
at 13db - 5-30,000Hz
at 14db - 40,000Hz
at 15db - 50,000Hz
then for some reason skips 10db
at 26db - 60,000Hz
at 27db - 70,000Hz
then randomly jumps to
at 35db - 78,000Hz
i tested them using a progeramm on my computer. i could never get them to reach 80,000Hz but considering very few humans can hear past 21,000Hz i dont think it really matters.
Hope this helps
I've been shopping around for a really great pair of headphones for about a month now and finally came across the SONY MDR 7509HDs. I really like all the praise they have and all the specs put them at the top of the list.
They appear to have it all. A comfort, soft fit, massive frequency range, great sturdy design (having some people say they are just replacing 10 year old headphones)
and to top it all off they are made by SONY they are completely reliable (replaceable parts and a year-long warranty).
I am taking a film course and will probably be getting into sound recording and audio editing. Are these headphones really worth all the hype? (and on top of that about $300?)
I have these headphones. And i'd say they are good. Yes my parents payed for these. But these things are good. I have read many reviews on these headphones. Many said that the Midrange is a bit out.. I kind of agree on that.. But I think it give you the real midrange , because i didn't see any difference, when i listened to the music that i mixed through these headphones, on my speakers.. They are sure as hell loud, but they pull out music really good.. I tried heavy Opera, i mean with heavy bass, and boy!! Did they pull out.. I've tried rock, new age, and more. They pull out everything.. They are really soft, but one thing i'm upset about is that the ear pads are realllyyy soft, and detoriate. Some people say they detoriate, after half year, but for me it won't be that long, since i'm a heavy user. I use them like every day...
I just purchased a pair of the 7509HDs and I have to say that they do to stand up to my Sonys purchased in the late 80's for 99.00. There is just no mid-range. I use headphones for home studio recording with a Tascam 2488MKII Digital system. My old headphones match the sound output of my old Dalquist DQ 12s. They give the full range of sond which I need for mixing. I will return the 7509HDs. I really need advise on what to buy. I do have a budget and dont want to spend over $ 200.00 if its at all possible.
@Justin:
Rather than blowing out your ears with 105dB solos, consider getting some sound-isolating headphones like the Direct Sound Extreme Isolation models. I don’t own a pair, but have experienced good results in noisy tradeshow booths.
At the same show, I had my hearing tested and then compared graphs with another guy who said, “Want to see what a bad one looks like? That’s what 20 years of mixing live music will do to you.”
I am a live audio engineer, I am looking for a pair of headphones that would be road worthy, capable of blocking out the mains, also capable of around 105db (for those moments when the band is really rockin and I have to pfl a channel), and have an accurate frequency response. The Sony MDR-7509HD are at the top of my list. Can anyone send me some relative personal experience's?
Thanks for the description. I just bought a pair last week, and yes, the sound together with my iPod is... mhh... disappointing... but that's due to the mp3.
It is incredible what these headphones deliver. I was also using my old Sony Headphones for 10 years by now, they have accopmanied me for so long around the world. as you said, the fake leather is now falling apart. So that was the final reason why I went for Sony instead of Beyerdynamic. I had so good experience with the Sonys and always found them very comfy for wearing all day long.
I am not an audio professional, but I am very happy with the MRD7509HD. I hope they'll live as long as my previous pair.
Comparing these headphones with the BOSE Quiet Comfort is a laugh.
I've personally tried both, and the BOSE headphones don't hold a candle to the sound quality from the MDR-7509HD. As with most BOSE products, the bass & high-end are boosted way out of proportion, and create a very "boomy" sound.
But I'll give the BOSE headphones one thing... they are great if you simply want to remove annoying background noise. But I'd personally take the MDR-7509HD's any day.
@Si: Thanks. If you’re primarily looking for noise cancellation, another interesting pair to consider is the DirectSound Extreme Isolation models.
I've personally been using BOSE headphones but since I busted my last pair, I'm re-considering spending $350 on a new pair. Your post has definately geared my decision towards Sony. Thanks
i gots to agree! i recently got a MDR-7509HD to suppliment the MDR-7506 i've used for the last ten years ... love 'em! comfortable, transparent, sturdy as hell, what's not to like?