Very good balance between sound quality, weight, price and comfort

For many years I have owned Stax electrostatic (SR-5) and Koss (Pro4AAA) dynamic headphones and extensively tried AKG, and Bang & Olufsen as well.

I have tried around-the-ear (Stax, Koss, Sennheiser), on the ear (AKG), electrostatic or dynamic, all over $100 list price. These Sonys rest mostly around the ear only pinching, without pain, the lowest part of my ear. Different people are likely to have different ears. Wear these headphones if you can before purchasing them just to be completely sure. Headphones that sit around the ear are the most comfortable of all, on the ear are the least comfortable.

The Sony's weight is noticeable but not tiring, the ear/temple pressure is enough to keep the external noise out and is bearable for extended periods of time. Furthermore, the design is good so that they don't fall off you if you lean forward to look at a mixer or are looking for CDs in a box. The cushions are very comfortable and soft and only after more than five years of use they are starting to break at the seams but still working perfectly. They are rugged enough to be taken around for live recordings and be occasionally dropped without damage.

The connector can be a mini or standard headphone plug so you can readily plug them to PCs, Walkmans, stereos or mixers.

Each one of the headphones I have owned or tried has one or two qualities that makes it excellent for a certain application or setting or has some unique characteristic that makes it stand out. The Staxes were incredibly clear for upper bass, mid and high frequencies but the lowest end was missing and they were not portable at all. The Koss were very strong on the bass and the overall frequency response was excellent but they were not as detailed as the Sonys and they were non-folding unlike the Sonys which can be made into a small round bunch. The AKGs were the best bass for the size and weight but, again, the detail was not there. The Bang and Olufsens were a piece of art and the sound was very good but not as extended as the Sonys.

Only the Sony MDR-7506 has a very good balance among all the important qualities that I need.

I have used the Sonys for:

1) Monitoring of live recordings. They provide enough sound level without distortion and enough isolation.

2) Detailed analysis of a live recording of which I will never have another chance to do. I can catch line hum, buzzing from appliances and other annoying environmental problems before committing a recording as done and sending the musicians home. Only recording live pipe organs you can see that the deepest bass is missing.

3) Pleasure listening at home. Even if the TV is on, I can still sit on my own and listen to music catching all the music's dynamics.

4) Testing equipment and new beyond-CD technologies. The headphones provide all the detail I need with the only exception being the lowest frequencies (below 60Hz or so).

5) Casual listening at work or when traveling. They isolate me from the office/plane/airport noises and provide me with sound quality beyond what a CD can deliver.

In Summary:

The Sonys provide an extended frequency response that is only shy in the deepest bass. They provide enough volume without distortion and sound isolation to be able to enjoy music in noisy environments. They provide enough detail in music to discern between electronic components and recording technologies. They are comfortable enough to be used for extended periods of time (5+ hours).