Sony MDR V6 Review – Don’t Be Deceived!

A lot of people seem to think that you have to fork out hundreds of dollars to experience a quality pair of headphones. Don’t be deceived by the price tag! While it may be true in some cases (or for bonus features and premium sound quality), it’s not always applicable across the board. 

In this Sony MDR V6 Review, you’ll see why this pair of headphones has been around for so long – and why it’s still a dependable option that won’t break the bank. The MDR V6 promises to provide a consistent, dependable, and durable audio experience. We’ll go over everything you need to know – from the basic features, to the pros/cons, what/where they’ll fit into your audio setup, and our final verdict. 

If you need a quick refresher on what to look for when you’re choosing a pair of headphones – check out our Headphone Buying Guide here. If you’re ready to explore the features and see an in-depth overview of this headphone, let’s dive right in. 

Sony MDR V6 Review

Basic Features & Specifications:

• 40 mm neodymium-magnet drivers
• Circumaural (aka Over-ear), closed back build design
• Wired connectivity
• Great for at-home, personal, or mixing/recording 
• Features a well-balanced sound profile
• Includes 10 foot coiled cable (with 3.5 mm plug) + 1.4″ adapter 
• Fully-replaceable ear cups (after general wear and tear)
• Impedance: 63 Ohms
• Frequency Response: 5 Hz – 30 kHz
• Dimensions: 4.25 x 3.87 x 8.62 inches
• Weight: 0.66 lbs. 

Before you move on, take a quick look at the links below that you can use to navigate our review. Each section will provide an in-depth analysis of each individual performance aspect.

Here are the 5 most important performance features you’ll want to consider before making your decision:

1. Sound Quality – How Do They Sound?
2. Durability & Coiled vs. Straight Cable
3. Compact Folding Design – It’s Easy To Take Your Music With You
4. Comfort – Long-Lasting or Short-Lived?
5. Our Final Verdict – Are They Worth It?

Now that you’ve taken a quick look at the technical specs, let’s start by examining two of the most important features: Sound Quality – how do they sound?

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Sound Quality – How Do They Sound?

Listening with the MDR V6 is a fun experience for a few different reasons. 

1. Non-distorted audio playback
2. Comfy, lightweight build design makes them nice for longer listening sessions
3. True-to-sound, well-balanced sound signature

With the wide frequency response (5 Hz – 30 kHz), you’ll be able to enjoy a broad selection of musical genres without too much distortion. These aren’t the best headphones for listening to genres that feature bass-heavy beats or drops. What they provide instead, is an even-keeled sonic experience. Some people complain about headphones having too much or not enough bass. Keep reading to see how the bass (lower end) performs. 

On The Lower End – Too Much Bass? Not Enough?

When you listen to hip-hop or dubstep, you still sense the presence of heavy bass – it’s just more laid back. This is part of the reason why these would be great for mixing, recording, and audio production. For the authentic audio playback that’s necessary for adjusting levels and volume, it’s important to use ‘phones that don’t overemphasize certain aspects of the music. 

The lower end (bass) won’t make your music sound muddy or overblown. It’s fully present, but definitely not overpowering. Let’s take a closer look at how they perform in the upper range. 

Higher Frequencies – How Do They Fare?

They handle higher frequencies a lot better than you might expect. Fast, chaotic music (like a lot of metal) still maintains a level-headed presence – even at high volume. This is a key factor, especially since sometimes headphones will peak out at a certain level and the highs turn into piercing noise (rather than great music). 

The snapping drums and ultra-high, soprano vocals don’t stick out too much. They blend well with the rest of the band/instrumental, which makes these great for a wide variety of genre-listening. (No one will be shattering any wine glasses in your ear!)

If you really need that extra kick to your music (or you can’t live without massive bass), check out our Best Portable Headphone Amplifier list. Pairing your headphones with a portable amp is a fairly inexpensive way to further enhance your headphone’s performance. 

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Durability & Coiled vs. Straight Cable

Durability plays a vital role in the amount of enjoyment you get from a pair of headphones. If you’re someone who likes to bring your music with you – you’ll need a durable pair that you can toss in a bag, purse, or backpack. (Without having to worry about pulling broken pieces from your bag when you need to use them.)

The rugged design of the V6s features a metal headband encased in padding that’s covered with a leather-style material. On the top of the headband, it says “Studio Monitors” in big letters, letting you know that they’re official and proven to be a quality option for listening. 

Coiled vs. Straight Cable – What Are The Benefits?

The 10-foot oxygen-free copper coiled cable is non-detachable. For some, this might be a minor drawback since you can’t replace the cord or remove it for storage purposes. When you put your headphones away, the cord will go with it.

The ability to have more freedom of movement is one benefit of having a coiled cable instead of a straight one. If you’re dancing to your music or need a few extra inches of length – a coiled cable is the way to go. 

Another benefit of a coiled headphone cable is the added durability. You’ve probably owned a pair of headphones or earbuds and the first thing to give out was the cord. Certain brands of headphones are notorious for this (sorry Apple). When your cord starts to get frayed and it’s hanging on by a single thread – the sound quality and durability both start to suffer. 

You’ll also get a vinyl drawstring carrying bag to keep your headphones safe from dust, debris, spills, etc. This brings us to the next area – do they fold into a compact shape?

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Compact Folding Design – It’s Easy To Take Your Music With You

Whether you plan on using these for on-the-go, or at-home listening, keep in mind that they do fold down. Each padded ear cup snaps inward toward the sliding adjustable headband, creating an almost pocket-size setup that will fit in most small bags (and even some pockets). When they fold down, they’re a little bit bigger than the average computer mouse (as seen below).

To do this, take your headphones off and use your thumbs to bend the ear cup inward. (It’s a similar motion to the V-Moda XS On-Ear headphones.) Once you’re done with that motion, they slip easily into the included drawstring bag or case of your choice.

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Comfort – Long-Lasting or Short-Lived?

When it comes to the actual build design – Sony paid extra attention to detail when they made the MDR V6s. Since they have an above-average lightweight feel, they can be worn for hours at a time. It’s good to take breaks and let your ears rest once in a while, but if you’re on a time crunch and can’t take a break, you can comfortably keep these on your head for at least a few hours. 

The padded ear cushions are extremely breathable and don’t cause moisture to build up at all. Due to the lightweight build design, there is minimal pressure pulling down on your head. The padding on both the headband and ear cups is adequate for listening well past an hour or two. The circumaural (over-ear) design does a decent job of blocking outside noise, but it’s not perfect. 

This type of headphone design (closed back) utilizes passive noise isolation. Since both ear cups cover your ears, less outside noise is able to travel through and interfere with your music (especially if you like to turn the volume up). 

You barely notice that you’re wearing headphones after a few minutes… unless you wear glasses.

What If I Wear Glasses?

If you wear glasses, you’ll want to pay extra attention to this next part. After an hour or less – you’ll start to notice slight discomfort. You’ve probably done the “tilt your glasses down on your nose and keep the ear hooks above the headphone ear cup” move. You’ll want to keep that skill in your back pocket if you plan on using these for longer periods of time. 

Take a look at this quick review to see why the MDR V6 are still a top headphone choice:

You’ve seen all the features of this headphone. We’ve gone over where these perform the best. We also covered why they’re an industry-standard pair of ‘phones. Are you ready to see our final verdict? 

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Our Final Verdict – Are They Worth It?

For the casual listener, these would be a great entry-level set of cans. They’re very similarly-sounding and priced to the Sony MDR7506, which have established themselves as an industry-standard headphone. Even if you’re more experienced (or consider yourself an audiophile) these are an essential addition to your collection. 

I hope our Sony MDR V6 Review was helpful in giving you all the information you need to make your final decision. None of us like to be deceived by low or high price tags and biased reviews. Although our personal bias is hard to set aside – now you have all the facts and features. 

Take a look at the review table below to see a final rundown of the pros, cons, and our overall rating. If you’re ready to experience what these headphones have to offer, click the button at the bottom of the table to see their current retail value on Amazon. 

What kind of headphones are you currently using? Could you use an upgrade? If I left anything out that you need answered, leave your question below. I don’t mind answering any questions you have and always do my best to respond as quickly as I can! Thanks for stopping by and checking these headphones out!

Sonic Elevation: Ride The Waves.