I've tried to deny it, but I have to face the grim facts, my wonderful Sony MDR-7509 headphones are not long for this world.

I'd like to hear from those who have worked with 7509s to find out what you've moved onto and how life has been without them.

I find the 7509s extremely well balanced and un-hyped but shaded towards the warm because of the fantastic bass response. I absolutely love them.

Please let me know how your transition went from 7509s to another set of headphones that are available now.

I don't need to know what the best headphones in the world are, because they don't exist. I need a comparison from 7509 to something else.

Thank you.

Still using em, ear cups replaced, wires all messed up,and old... pretty much my iPhone jamming phones now, went to dt770s.

I do have a pair of 770s, and will use them sometimes when recording acoustic music, but all-in-all, they don't do it for me. To my ears they sound spongy and soft, whatever that means to anyone but me.

Thank you, though. Love the photo.

Well glad to be watching this thread, I may learn somthing here!
Ya nothing ever translates on my 770s,
But I do like em for tracking.

Love my V6. I think they are the same?

Thanks. I just ordered a pair. We'll see (hear) how they do. If they don't fill my needs, no harm, I can never have enough cans here for others. Thanks again.

Do you mean 7506?

No, 7509.

V6's have more inner soldering vs. the 7506.
As a result, they are smoother!
Very nice headphones. But...

I strayed to the AKG 240 series, except for tracking and a 2nd perspective.
Chris

So, I tried the Sony MDR-V6. Nice headphones. I like them a lot and will keep them in the studio. They are a bit too crowded sounding for me, however, so the search continues.

I've had many many pairs of AKG-240 over the (y)ears. They always fall apart on me, and I prefer closed-back headphones.

Thanks!

Been tempted by the Blue Mo-Fi's.
Thoughts?
Thanks, Chris

My thoughts are they're too gimmicky for me and I wouldn't put all those electronics on either side of my brain.

Hey, that might actually HELP me!
Chris

Hahahahaha!

Let me know.

My headphone locker comprises the following models (some still in service after 25 years):

Sony MDR-7509
I must admit I've never really managed to forge a successful working relationship with my 7509s - I keep going back to them but just can't seem to get them working for me in a useful way so they just sit in the cupboard mostly. Maybe I need a better headphone amp, or maybe I've just always had a dud pair and never known it - I dunno.

Sony MDR-7506
The 7506 I keep around just for tracking as obviously they're ridiculously hyped and useful for exciting session musicians. I travel with them too - useful for drowning out interminable aircraft safety briefings in 10 languages when you're sitting on the tarmac waiting to take-off, and also other muppets wth annoyingly tinkly earbuds.

Beyerdynamic DT-990
My DT-990 are so old they're falling to pieces but still work for music listening. (Although I did actually mix some records on these 20 years ago)

Beyerdynamic DT-880 Pro 250 Ohm
Which leaves my newest pair the DT-880s which I love and can use both for mixing and for listening to music. Not super-neutral but I know them well enough to make them work for me (in conjunction with my Amphion One15 monitors) and I've always found Beyer stuff to be incredibly comfortable to the point where I even look forward to putting them on.

(FWIW these days I'm using a little $50 SMSL SAPII TPA6120A2 Stereo Headphone Amp I got off Amazon - not quite a Rupert Neve RNHA or a LittleLabs Monotor but a lot better than using the built-in H/P out of most other gear.)

I'm not sure I've helped any, but there you go.

EDIT: This thread helped remind me to order new foam surrounds for 3 out of 4 of those pairs - the Sonys in particular have a very short shelf-life and I get tired of picking little bits of crumbling black leather out of my designer-sideburns.

I thought I'd revive this thread because I'm in the same boat as the OP. For the past 19 years, the 7509's for me have been THE de facto standard by which all other headphones I try are judged. 9 times out of 10 I am incredibly disappointed with other headphones. NOTHING I have found have the deep bass, recessed mid-range and the high end clarity that the 7509's have.

Some are close, like the ATH-M50x, Shure SRH-940's and the higher end Sennheiser headphones which are on another level altogether from the HD 5xx and up.

I have the Shure SRH-840's and they are incredible when I'm creating in Logic. Even MORE so when I plug my 7509's after a mixing session with my 840's. But the second I plug them into my Korg OASYS or Triton Extreme, they sound great, until I try to mix with them. And I can't. AT ALL. This is where my 7509's come in. It's like they were MADE for my Korg's.

I just ordered the MDR-7510 and the mids are SO in your face, I literally took them off and threw them on my bed in anger. They are literally AS BAD, if not, WORSE than the 7506's, which I HATE with a passion!

I DO NOT want to get used to these. I really DON'T.

To make my point even further, I HATE the Beyerdynamic DT770's even MORE, with the exception of the 250 Ohm version which are actually incredible. The reason? I remember trying out the 80 Ohm version. The SECOND I put them on, years ago. I took them right off. I tried them again. Same thing. And every single time I want to give them a fair chance, I can't do it. Then, just the other day, reading the specs explain to a T exactly why:

A MEASLY 100mW of power in a LOW impedance headphone sounds like absolute sh*t.
My 7509's have 3,000mW of power! No WONDER why they're SO clear and LOUD! I LOVE that!!

High impedance with a LOW power rating, translates to incredible clarity. When I heard the DT770 250 Ohm version my mind was BLOWN. The clarity, DEEP bass, recessed mids, just like my 7509's were truly something to behold. But they don't have the comfort that my 7509's have. And the DT880's and 990's are mind-blowingly incredible headphones for that reason. Never mind that they're open back versions of the 770's. They are unbelievable headphones! And at 5-35Khz, it's a massive range, giving me plenty of headroom which I'm so used to with my 7509's.

I know that specs mean nothing, but in a pair of headphones, I have to say that this is one of the FEW if not THE ONLY area that I have personally encountered where specs REALLY DO matter. And the very first thing I look for is the frequency response. One of the reasons I HATE the 7506's so much is because of the 20Khz range. I already mentioned why I hate the Beyer DT770's above, based on specs and of course hearing them in person. In the 7506's, there's ZERO headroom as a result of the frequency response.

I bring this up because in the process of replacing the headband in my 7509's, I managed to mess up the super thin wire that goes from one ear driver to the other and finding another pair is a bitch because they're not made anymore and they're REALLY hard to find which really surprises me, considering how many hundreds of thousands they have sold worldwide.

I'm also REALLY upset with Sony for discontinuing the 7509's and keeping the 7506's in production.

I have similar models like the MDR-V600 and the original V900's and the V900's are close, but they don't have the clarity, recessed mids and the deep bass of the 7509's that I loved. They're a bit warmer sounding, which is fine, but I want the 7509's sound signature and I have NOT been able to find it in ANY other set of headphones. Especially after almost 20 years. The V600's sound very similar to the 7509's but they don't have the same power or clarity. They were cheaper for a REASON and the 1000mW power rating with the smaller 40mm drivers in an identical, but cheaper plastic build quality was very evident of that lower cost.

My MDR-7510's are brand new. I literally just received them TODAY. I don't want them. So instead of sending them back, whoever is willing to trade for a pair of ORIGINAL MDR-7509's, preferably with the Original Box, PM me. And in the meantime, I'm taking in my current 7509's to a professional to get them fixed.

I simply CANNOT find ANYTHING else that sounds like the 7509's that I can actually afford.
I don't get it! Why is almost EVERY headphone I try so f8cking BLOATED in the mid-range! I HATE mid range! I want CLARITY and DEEP bass.

I want the 7509's again! And I want a second pair now! They were literally as perfect as a headphone can get for me.

get a grip: one can 'learn' different headphones, as much as different speakers, different soundfields in different venues etc.

try a headphone amp: you might be surprised how much of a difference this can make... - and get a model with a crossfeed matrix.

Don't tell me to get a grip. I'm just really frustrated that literally NO OTHER headphone I've tried that I can actually afford has ever been able to hold a candle to my 7509's for the last 20 years, except the Shure 840's and the AT ATH-M50X. I wouldn't even be having a discussion about this if they were still making the 7509's. I'd just buy a new pair and be done with it.

Speakers are a different matter to me altogether. I don't have studio monitors, yet. So I've been using Sony floorstanding SS-MF515 and SS-MF600H consumer speakers connected to a massive flagship audiophile 7 channel surround sound receiver connected from my M-Audio ProjectMix I/O interface. And while they're not the best sounding speakers, the quality of the receiver itself is mind-blowing. It's completely flat, so no increase in bass or treble controls and the result is pretty spectacular and I have it in 7-Channel Stereo Mode which splits the 2 channels into 7 equal channels (I do disable to the Center channel speaker in this mode, however).

Scold me all you want and tell me it's wrong, but this is something I've done all my life, anyways. I've just never done it with an audiophile grade flagship receiver before so to have a receiver of this quality is a game changer for me, even if I don't yet have the best speakers.

Most keyboards don't even use the best internal DACs, anyways, except my OASYS, the KRONOS, the Yamaha Montage, Roland's latest generation FANTOM series, RD-2000 and some of the newer, more recent synthesizers such as the Waldorf Quantum, Novation Summit and the Moog ONE.

The DACs in my Triton are absolute sh*t, but the interesting thing about the Triton is how compressed the samples are and for it to sound as good as it does is mind-blowing.

And my sound system is not something I can use often, though, because I live in an apartment. So when I do and I mix on this set up, I always check with my headphones (usually my Shure 840's) and they translate quite well anyways after some adjustments, especially when I'm working in the box.

When I finally DO get monitors, it's going to be an active 4 channel setup. 2 in the front and 2 in the back. There's really something to be said about having a set of speakers behind you, far widening your sweet spot.

I will NEVER use a 2-channel system for as long as I live. EVER.

But headphones are a completely different matter to me because I have that sound filling experience I don't get with speakers. So I don't just need accuracy. I NEED them to sound good for a fun music making experience. ALL my keyboards are workstations so most of the time, I'm not even working in the box. I'm jamming away on my keyboards most of the time and creating music with them and only when I'm ready to go deeper, that's when I take it all to Logic and blend in my other keyboards and the hundreds of soft synths and plugins I have in the box. My 7509's REALLY served that purpose for me in a way that almost NONE of the other headphones I've ever had or even tried for that matter were even remotely able to.

I'm not willing to settle, either. GOOD quality headphone amps are really expensive and if I was to go that route, I'd just get the Sennheiser HD 800 S or 820 and plug it into a Grace DAC and call it a day. But how much is that set up? $3-5K?

There's a reason I stuck with the 7509's for SO long. And it doesn't even matter what I plugged them into, they were the best headphones I have ever laid my hands on to listen to and mix on and until I actually find something BETTER, I'm gonna keep looking for another pair, while I get my messed up pair fixed with the internal wiring.

I can't use the 7510's. I'd rather use my V900's in the meantime because the 7510's are NOT a true successor to the 7509's despite Sony's BS claims. A successor to the awful 7506's, maybe. The 7520 could be a successor to the 7509HD. But that's a $300 pair of headphones and given how disappointed I am with the 7510's, I really question the 7520's, now, even though they use the HD drivers. I've heard great things about the 7509 HD version, so that might be something to try as an alternative?

the rant goes on... - does 'working on your anger management' sound better? get over it, try finding a used one - or check into headphone amps!

(i'm using a spl phonitor mini and occasionally a grace 9xx to drive my old dt150)

Well, here's an update. I'm taking advantage of the Vintage King No Interest Payment plan and I'm gonna bite the bullet for the Sennheiser HD 820 and the matching headphone amp. For less than $100 a month, it's a no brainer to me.

I've got a spare set of Sony MDR-V600's on the way and since both the 7509 and the V600's use the EXACT SAME wire that goes from one driver in the ear cup to to the other, I'll have a fixed set of 7509's and spare parts.

By the way, I wasn't angry. I was just frustrated. Please learn the difference.

When you have that ONE piece of gear that you can't do without and you can't find it anymore, what would you do?

Settle or keep searching?

I spent almost an hour on the phone with Sony yesterday over this matter.

And those "rants" you speak of? That's just how I am. If you don't like it, then please don't read my posts and let someone else do it who can actually help me through it instead of being insensitive to MY feelings.

It's quite simple, really.

Peace.

Your ear canals are a fraction too long, hence, mids working the way they do once inside your head.

Your eardrums are also tuned a bit loose. Klaus doesn't offer mods.

Now....if you had been born with my ear specifications, you'd be using.....well....7506s instead of anything else

Point taken. However, I don't do well with mids and lack of headroom. Especially in the case of the MDR-7510's, which are back in the box. I'm never using them again and the next time I even touch that box is when I find someone with a pair of MDR-7509's that's willing to trade me so I have a second pair. I truly despise them.
Even MORE so than the 7506's now.

Thank God I'm able to fix my 7509's so I can use them again. The V600's I ordered for parts is hopefully coming in tomorrow so I can fix them. ONE tiny wire was all I needed to fix them. Unbelievable...I had NO idea this ONE wire would be SO thin and hard to get...

With that said, I'd love to hear the Shure SRH-1540's to see how they stack up as I absolutely LOVE the 940's. I have the 840's but as I said, I can not mix with these on my Korg's. NOT on my Triton and certainly NOT on my OASYS. My Rolands, however are a different story. They are very easy to work with on my 840's, most likely because they also make pro audio products so they have a better headphone output stage as a result...

And after 20 years with the 7509's, ANYTHING I get at this point has to be BETTER and the only options are out of reach of what I'm able to spend at the moment, unless I do a payment plan.

Which is why I'm getting get the Sennheiser HD 820's and the matching headphone amp. A No Interest Plan for 48 months at Vintage King at $100 a month is a no brainer for me so I'm doing it.

And as deedeeyeah says, a good headphone amp will be better and I don't disagree. But a Grace 9xx or equivalent, even used is prohibitively expensive for me right now and if I'm gonna spend that much, I may as well get the Sennheiser HD 820, which I'm now doing with a payment plan.

I also really want to try the newer 7509HD version to see how they stack up against my beloved 7509's. But I've heard the bass isn't as deep as the original 7509's and that really concerns me, but we'll see once I get a pair.

It's kind of amazing how special something suddenly becomes after it gets discontinued and gets really hard to find.

Hi Strangechild! I read with great interest your thread starter 'cause I have two pairs of 7509 (non-HD by the way, very different sounding version!) and at times I wonder which is going to be the replacement in the future.

I am not sure the 7509 are closed-back. I realized early on, some 15 years ago, that tracking with them was not an option: too much bleed into overhead mics for drummers and vocal mic for singers...

My DT 770 80 Ohm (IMO not really comparable performance-wise to the SONYs) are much better in that application.

Best, Gabe

Loved the MDR7509HD still my favorite cans for mixing with, love listening with them as well, remember when I first bought them listening repeatedly to Mule Variations by Tom Waits and being blown away how detailed and neutral they were.
I’ve had them in storage in another country at my wife’s place with a bunch of other headphones. But I did migrate away from them for the fantastic MDR-7520 which I bought two pairs of, these have been great headphones and I am in New Zealand at the moment and was just about to order another pair and noticed that just like the MDR7509HD these are also now discontinued.
What a bummer!

I've tried many headphones, and as far as closed-back general-usage ones I'm baffled as to why the Beyerdynamic DT XX0 range is so much more in use than the lowly but far smoother and balanced-sounding DT 250. Is it because they're ugly or something?

The 250 ohm version is almost perfectly balanced, the 80 ohm version a bit warmer and more musical on lower-grade equipment. They're super common in radio, but somehow not on music stuff.

There are more revealing headphones out there, but as a basic studio model, it would be my first choice—certainly over the usual Beyer suspects.