I’ve been using the Sony MDR-7506 as my only headphones for music production for the last couple of years, and in this pros and cons summer and review, I’m going to cover all of the key things to know about them.
I’m going to discuss exactly why I chose them to begin with, and also cover the pros and cons of these excellent headphones that I use every day for mixing and producing my music.
The Sony MDR-7506s have a long track history in the music production world, and after having used them myself, it’s really no surprise to see them still being favoured by loads of professionals all these years later.
This article is not sponsored – it is written purely from my personal experience of using the Sony MDR-7506! However, if you click the product links on this page and make a purchase, I may earn a small affiliate commission, which helps to support my work as an independent music producer.
Sony MDR-7506 pros and cons
Let’s begin with a brief summary of my pros and cons when it comes to the Sony MDR-7506 studio headphones:
Pros
- Excellent, flat, clear sound makes them ideal for producing
- Long track history in the industry (they were first released in the 1990s)
- Coiled and long cable makes it easy to attach to your equipment
- Fold away for easy storage and come with travel case
- Decent sound isolation due to their design
- Really good value for money
Cons
- Some of the mid-to-high frequencies can be a little bit harsh sometimes
- They do not have any kind of active noise cancellation
- If you’re using them for long periods, they can be a bit uncomfortable
- Long cable means I wouldn’t use them as regular listening headphones, especially if you’re travelling
Sony MDR-7506 – Introduction and background
Let’s now jump into a bit more depth regarding the Sony MDR-7506s. In this section, I’ll cover my personal thoughts of having used these headphones for a while now.
I started producing electronic music back at the start of 2022 and began as a complete beginner. I essentially had no idea about all of the gear that would be required to make great-sounding music.
To begin with, I bought a pair of M-Audio studio monitors that I hooked up to my desktop computer at home. These were absolutely fine when I was just getting started, but as I produced more and learned the importance of using good quality monitoring equipment when making and mixing music, I started to look at some other options.
I decided to go for some headphones rather than upgrade my studio monitors. The reason for this was that I wanted the ability to be able to produce and mix my music away from home sometimes, so buying some high-quality studio headphones seemed like the logical choice.
I didn’t want to spend more than £100 on the headphones, so I started doing some research and quickly stumbled upon the Sony MDR-7506 as being highly recommended.
Not only were they priced at under £100, they have a long track history and are still widely used to this day, despite having made their debut in the 1990s. I decided to buy them and haven’t looked back.
My Sony MDR-7506 review
The main thing I love about the Sony MDR-7506 is the clear and flat sound they provide. They really do provide a great listening experience when it comes to hearing the different frequencies when you’re producing and mixing your music.
This is obviously really important when you’re producing music, because you’ll want to be able to hear all of the different elements in your mix so you can ensure there are no clashes.
Overall, the sound is pretty flat, which is just what you need when producing and mixing. The bass is present but not too loud, and the mids and highs are clear, clean and crisp.
In terms of the headphones themselves as a physical product, they’re great for taking out and about, because they fold upwards to make them easier to pack away, and also come with a Sony travel pouch.
They have a long, coiled plastic cable with a 3.5mm jack, which makes it easy to use if you’re in a studio and can’t be right next to your equipment. (That said, the long cable doesn’t make these headphones great for travel use in my opinion).
For me, the main downsides of the MDR-7506 are that they can be a bit uncomfortable on your ears if you’re using them for long periods. Also, I wouldn’t personally want to use them as regular listening headphones, mainly because of the long cable and the fact that they are a bit bulky.
Overall, I absolutely love these headphones. I’ve been using them for more than two years at this point and I actually favour using them over any speakers when I’m producing.
Over time, I’ve learnt to completely trust their sound, and the fact that they’re so portable means that I’m always taking them out and about with me when I want to produce away from home.
If you’re interested, you can check out my full review of the Sony MDR-7506 in my YouTube video below.
Summary – Wrapping things up
As you’ve probably guessed by this point, I’m a really big fan of the Sony MDR-7506s.
They have become my go-to headphones for music production and I use them exclusively when I’m making music.
They offer a really crisp and clean sound, and are perfect if you’re looking for an affordable pair of studio monitor headphones for music production.
The main drawbacks are the fact that they are a little bit clunky. Their long cable also means that I probably wouldn’t take these out and about for regular listening – and they can cause a bit of discomfort with the way that they rest on your ears if you’re using them for a long period of time.
Overall though, I absolutely love these headphones and I can see myself continuing to use them for a very long time. If you’re thinking of getting yourself some studio monitor headphones to help with your production and mixing, these really are an excellent option.