In part two of this review, we carry on with the Shure SRH440 and Sony MDR-V6; and summarize.
The Shure SRH440
The Sony MDR-V6
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="360" caption="The Shure SRH440 is an excellent low-cost headphone for audio professionals"]![]() |
While quite similar tonally to the Sennheiser HD 448 with slightly tame bass and good balance otherwise, the SRH440 somehow manages to bring more coherence and bounce into the picture, with the Sennheisers a bit more neutral and dry in comparison. On the other hand, the Shures can get a little strident and aggressive sounding, with complex music dense with highs.[caption id="" align="alignright" width="255" caption="Very coherent sound, with a surprisingly tasty peak in the highs."] |
[caption id="attachment_498" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The venerable MDR-V6 ... yes, it sounds pretty good. "]![]() ![]() |
I have to admit, I really wasn't expecting to like these headphones; I thought the MDR-V700 was a pretty poor showing and didn't expect the V6 to do any better. Boy, was I wrong, these little cans are pretty good.[caption id="" align="alignright" width="255" caption="Well extended bass, and flat response is quite remarkable."] |
Summary I'm going to wrap this up without declaring a clear winner. I mentioned at the top that I felt all four of these cans were quite good, and all four have some slight weaknesses. But I will try to steer you just a bit here depending on your tastes and applications. Sound Quality If you're a bass lover, you should be looking at the Denon and the Sony. The Sony's bass is a bit tighter, but it's also a bit too bright, and may get a little strident for some. On the other hand, the Denon is slightly loose in the bass, and slightly too laid back and may not have enough detail for some folks. If you don't mind a slightly under-emphasized bass, the Sennheiser will deliver a more neutral presentation than the cans above, and the Shure will deliver a bit more bouncy and coherent mid-range though it does tend towards being a bit strident with complex music. Ergonomics I would consider all the sonic differences between these cans to be fairly modest, and it certainly makes sense to select one based largely on your application. For portable use, I suggest the Denon and the Sony. Both are quite efficient and have good bass response, and they will deliver quite satisfactory sound with iPods, iPhones, and other portable players. For professional and studio use, I'd suggest the Shure for the more critical applications as they render detail very well and the mids are nicely balanced; be careful not to add too much bass in to compensate for their lack, though. In the studio, artists will get a good seal and hear clearly with the Sony, and they'll also fold up and survive a half court hookshot into a milk crate. Students should dash directly to the Sony as well for their solid bass, efficiency with portables, and ability to fold small for transport in a backpack. Folks looking for general purpose cans for around the home will like both the Sennheiser and the Denon, but if doing double duty as a portable headphone the Denon is more efficient. |
The Good Stuff | Not So Good Stuff | |
Denon AH-D1001 |
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Sennheiser HD 448 |
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Shure SRH440 |
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Sony MDR-V6 |
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2 comments
Jeff Slater
As a poor college student, I tore through cheap headphones like a pig through pizza scraps. Tired of poor sound and I saved my ducats and bought a pair of Sony MDR-V6s. Um, that was 13 years ago and I still use them just as much, daily. Great “all-round” headphones- music, gaming, movies, audio editing – like it’s been told over and over, they are accurate, well built, and not fatiguing.
Jeff Slater
As a poor college student, I tore through cheap headphones like a pig through pizza scraps. Tired of poor sound and I saved my ducats and bought a pair of Sony MDR-V6s. Um, that was 13 years ago and I still use them just as much, daily. Great “all-round” headphones- music, gaming, movies, audio editing – like it’s been told over and over, they are accurate, well built, and not fatiguing.
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