Today we’ll discuss the V6 on its own merits and ultimately determine if it’s still worth a purchase today!
By the end of this review, you’ll be equipped to make a sound purchasing decision based on the current situation.
So stick around and let’s get rolling!
Sony MDR-V6
Price: Check Amazon! | Check eBay!
In The Box
Sony MDR-V6 Closed Back Stereo Studio Headphones
1/4″ Stereo UniMatch Adapter
Limited 90-Day Warranty on Labor
Specifications
- Type: Closed Back
- Fit: Circumaural
- Impedance: 63 Ohm. What is Headphone Impedance?
- Sensitivity: 106 dB/mW
- Frequency response: 5Hz – 30 kHz
- Material: Plastic, Metal, Faux Leather
- Color: Black, Bue, Red
Introduction & Sound
Put simply, there’s a reason the V6 is still talked about today.
Pound for pound, there weren’t many studio headphones below that $100 range that performed quite as well as this venerable classic from 1985.
The reason is that the sound signature is mostly neutral and flat, with an emphasis on all of the right frequencies:
There’s a 3kHz rise which gives vocals and instruments, the treble sparkles and provides plenty of air and transparency, and the bass sounds mostly neutral aside from a bit of mid-bass emphasis.
So is it a perfect mixing headphone?
No, but it comes pretty close.
Even despite hearing over 120 headphones at this point, I nearly always reach for one of these because it’s going to tell me how something actually sounds.
This is a bit hard to explain, but the V6 is incredibly honest and revealing.
Because of its superior clarity and excellent tuning, it highlights flaws in a mix rather easily which is why I always think of it first when I discuss the best headphones for mixing, mastering, and music production.
Build & Comfort
If you look closely enough, you will see them around everywhere.
They will last you a LONG time and are about as reliable as it gets for studio monitoring.
There are some caveats though:
The coiled cable
is a bit of a pain and starts to tangle in on itself after about a year or so.
The cups
will flake and peel around the same time, and they may even become dislodged from the cup.
This is a semi-easy fix but tends to be rather inconvenient.
There’s a small slit where the thin part of the pad inserts and it runs around the circumference of the cup. This piece can come loose and sort of fall out partially, which can be annoying as you try and run it back through the slit and keep it in place.
Other than those things,
the V6 is wonderfully built, malleable, and very robust for being such a small-statured headphone.
There’s metal for the headband adjustments, and even despite moving and folding in a variety of ways, it doesn’t feel like it’s going to break down; and quite frankly never has for me.
Sony MDR-V6 Review
Comfort
I wouldn’t call these the most comfortable headphones of all time, but I suppose they’re adequate enough.
Do keep in mind you’ll likely be making adjustments rather frequently, and they aren’t really Circumaural or Supra-Aural.
They kind of lie somewhere in the middle as the cups both rest on your ears and sort of around them if that makes sense.
The faux leather padding feels okay at first but can heat up rather quickly.
I suppose these have shown their age a bit, but you may just tolerate it given the excellent sound.
Amp/DAC requirements
These don’t need an amp and will sound plenty loud enough with any of your portable devices.
If you do opt for something, I wouldn’t go any farther than a FiiO E10K.
Spend any more than that and you’re wasting money as these are incredibly efficient and don’t need much juice to get pumping.
At 63 Ohms Impedance and 106 dB Sensitivity, they’ll work out of pretty much any phone you have – so not to worry.
Who benefits?
People looking for a flat neutral sound, conducive to mixing. Critical listeners.
Casual listeners looking for a crispy, uncolored sound.
They do great with:
- Jazz
- Orchestra/Symphony
- Classical
- Gaming
- Podcasting
- Live monitoring
- Indie
- Hip-Hop
- Rock
- Metal
Consensus/Conclusion
The MDR-V6 is a very neutral, flat, and even-sounding set of headphones for the most part.
The bass is tight, articulate, and doesn’t lack impact.
Overall they provide pristine clarity and are some of the longest-lasting cans in existence.
I should note again that these are true monitor/reference headphones that work wonderfully as a casual listening can.
If the mix is bad you will know right away.
You will also be able to decipher a good mix pretty easily as well.
Final Word
Because they have been discontinued, I’d look to the ever-popular MDR-7506 as the best solution here.
- Related: Sony MDR-V6 vs. MDR-7506: Identical Twins?
Worry not, both of these are nearly identical headphones but the V6’s price has skyrocketed considerably.
Even so,
the MDR-7506 can still be had for a phenomenal price and does tend to be the more sought-after headphone out of the 2:
Video Discussion
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