22 out of 22 people found this review helpful.
I Spent How Much On Headphones?
Date of Review: Mar 23, 2006
The Bottom Line: If you've got a few extra dollars to spend, pick these up.
Alright everyone, here's the story... It was my twentieth birthday (or Christmas, I don't remember) and my mom wanted to get me a present. For the first time in my life she said that we could just go out to the mall and I could pick something I wanted instead of her buying me something random that I'd never use. Best news ever.
I'm a film student and as a result do a lot of video editing. I already had all the required equipment except for one thing; a decent pair of monitors to mix the sounds with. My sound teacher recommended that everyone buy a good pair of headphones and that's exactly what I did. We walked into The Sony Store after getting some terrible advice from a young man at Best Buy (don't ever listen to a word anyone there says) and started to browse the headphones. After being heavily pressured by a salesman at The Sony Store (as usual) to purchase some DJ headphones, I settled on the MDR-V600's.
The first thing that went through my head was "Holy fu*k! I just spent $172 on headphones! That money could be much better spent elsewhere." I'm sure most of you can understand why I would think that; being an unemployed college student, funds are tight.
But long intro/background story aside, these are some pretty sweet headphones. The folding design makes them slightly more compact and allows them to snugly fit inside the protective case that comes with them. The case itself isn't heavy duty by any means and really is just something to protect the headphones from getting scratched and to keep the cord from getting in the way. A draw string closes it. 'Nuff said.
The headphones are very comfortable and are contoured to the shape of your ears. Putting the left cup over the right ear and vice versa will result in a less comfortable experience, so follow the simple instructions. The padding is perfect and the material used is very soft. The headband is also soft and padded. The headband can fit just about anyone's head (if they're over the age of 12). It can get ridiculously big; so big that I don't know who could possibly have a head big enough to require the largest sizing. I think I have a slightly bigger than average head and I use the second setting (there are eleven).
Now I know you want me to start talking about how they sound, but be patient. There is one more topic to cover. The gold plated adapter that comes with the head phones (to convert the plug from 1/8" to 1/4") screws on instead of just snapping into place; keeping the adapter firmly in position. Some people say this is a bad idea because if the adapter is lost you have to buy a new one from Sony in order to use the headphones in 1/4" jacks. This is not so. I've used other adapters that just clip on with these headphones and they've worked fine.
The most important thing about these headphones (and all speakers) is the sound. The Sony's do not disappoint. I started using them to listen to my cd's and mp3's with instead of my stereo just for the sake of giving them some use and I was blown away. I was hearing smaller intricate parts in songs that I never knew were there before. I was finally able to enjoy whole songs and not just the parts that previous headphones and speakers had allowed me to hear. I was enjoying songs that I had heard a hundred times like it was the first time.
The response is nice and flat and no frequencies fight to overpower each other. The bass is smooth and punchy while the highs are crisp and crystal clear. The MDR-V600's give my music something that no other speakers ever had; atmosphere. They truly make me feel like I'm surrounded by the sound.
While the price is steep for someone in my position, I know that in the long run these headphones will be worth the money. I don't look at them as just another purchase, I look at them as an investment.
