Headphone Disassembly: Grado SR80e, Audio-Technica ATH-M50x and Sony MDR-V6
Buying headphones is an incredibly personal decision , but there are a few more models that are so popular that you should try them out. Today we are comparing the three most popular banks in the world.
Applicants
Today’s contenders are based on your best headphone votes , professional reviews, and overall popularity on sites like Head-Fi . The goal was to compare the three most popular and proven headphone models in the sub $ 200 price range. Each of them is very different from the others, so depending on your preference it will be easy to choose one of the three. Models include:
- Grado SR80e ($ 99): Winner of our 5th Top 5 , these are your # 1 favorite headphones, our loyal readers. It sits in the middle of Grado’s inexpensive Prestige series.
- Audio-Technica ATH-M50x ($ 150): Perhaps the most popular and often recommended budget M50x headphones are closed-back headphones with a fun V-shaped sound signature that boosts bass and treble. The perfect Beats by Dre Graduation Headphones.
- Sony MDR-V6 ($ 79) and its nearly identical sibling MDR-7506 ($ 79): These headphones are incredibly popular with professional audio producers, and for good reason: they’re inexpensive, comfortable, closed-back, and flatter. »Sound signature so you hear the music closer to what the artist and producer intended.
While these price points may seem a little less than equal, comparing these headphones is like comparing apples and oranges. Just because the M50x is $ 70 more than the V6 doesn’t mean it’s better (quite the opposite, if you ask some people). We discussed the possibility of comparing the ATH-M40x with a more similar price, but the huge popularity of the M50x made it impossible to exclude this. Plus, the M50x is on sale so often that you can easily get it for under the regular $ 150.
Each of these earbuds are incredibly popular for their own individual reasons. Let’s talk why.
Design
Headphone design isn’t just about looks. It’s about build quality, ease of use, portability and … well, okay, it’s a little about looks too.
The Grado SR80e has a distinct retro look. Old school earpads sit on the ears rather than above them, and there is an open grille in the back that allows sound to pass through. The headband is a simple leather strap, and the adjuster is just a metal bar attached to each ear cup. They’re more durable than they look, but they probably won’t stand up to abuse like some other banks (like the M50x). Some people like the way the SR80e looks, some don’t like it, but you can certainly take it up a notch if you want to modify them with wood or aluminum cups.
The Audio-Technica ATH-M50x (pictured above) is one of the highest quality headphones I’ve used in this price range. The ear cups swivel for perfect ear position, the joints are smooth and squeak-free, and the earbuds can be folded into a beautiful portable travel package (even comes with a small bag). The cable is detachable, it comes with short cable, long cable and coiled cable. The ear pads, although leather, are nice and comfortable. The adjustable bands switch very smoothly between settings for large heads.
The Sony MDR-V6 and MDR-7506 take up good space between the other two headphones. They are lightweight like Grados, but slightly stronger. They also fold down for travel and are slightly more compact than the M50x (and also come with a leather bag). Small wires run from the headband to the ear cups, which is a little annoying, and the ear pads start to peel off small pieces of skin after a while, which means you’ll definitely need replacement earpads . They come with a coiled cable, which I appreciate, but it is not removable. So if you prefer straight cables, you’re out of luck.
Sound
The most important part of choosing headphones is obviously how they sound. But quality isn’t just a score of 1 to 10 – each earbud has its own unique sound and each handles different types of music perfectly.
The SR80e (pictured above) places the mids front and center, which means guitar and vocals sound very good. It gives rock and metal an awesome feel, whether you’re listening toAllman Brothers’ oily guitars or the awesomecrunch of Humanity’s Last Breath . It also sounds good in more acoustic pop music. The SR80e lacks a bit of deep bass, so the electronics and rap – while they still sound decent – won’t give you the pleasure of heavy bass headphones. This isn’t really a problem for rock and metal, as this guitar crunch will make you wobble quite a bit.
However, the real winning feature of the Grado is that it has an open back. Open-back headphones allow sound to travel through the cups , which gives your music a more natural look and – for lack of a better term – a sense of “openness.” This alone makes them my favorites. However, this means that you can still hear the outside world, and the outside world can still hear your music – so these are not headphones that you would like to wear on the plane or in the library. This can automatically exclude them from your search, depending on what you are looking for.
The ATH-M50x, by contrast, is a closed-back headphone. This means the lower end of the spectrum will sound a little dirtier, but you are much more isolated from the outside world, which is great for travel and work. On the M50x, the treble is still surprisingly crisp and the bass is amazing. They do have a bit of a dip in the midrange – so they’re not actually perfect for rock and metal, but pop, hip-hop, and electronic sound are absolutely pounding in these headphones. If these are your genres, then these banks are for you.Getting closer to Nirvana has never sounded so good .
The MDR-V6 and MDR-7506 are also closed-back headphones, but in terms of sound they occupy a decent place between the SR80e and the M50x. They don’t have the natural, lightweight feel of open headphones, but they do sound less messy than most closed cans. They also have no shortage of frequencies like the SR80e and M50x. They’re not exactly “flat”, but bass, mids and highs are present in more even proportions than the other two headphones. Bass is present, but not beat, the mids are slightly forward, but not too sharp, and the highs are clean and pleasant.
As a result, Sony does not do well in any genre, unlike Grado and Audio-Technia. However, there will be no shortage of genre either. It will sound great no matter what you put into it – rock, electronic, classical or whatever. If you listen to many different genres, Sony is a great all-rounder.
Comfort
You are going to be wearing these headphones for more than a few minutes at a time, so comfort is important. More important than you think. Comfort is the difference between loving and getting everything out of your head, so don’t neglect it when choosing your next set of headphones.
When you first put on the SR80e, it seems a little odd. You need to adjust it a little to find the right one, and even then the foam feels stiff and itchy. You might be tempted to write it off right away, but give it a shot. After the first few minutes of wearing, the SR80e really does feel very comfortable. They are lightweight on the head and breathe slightly better than in-ear headphones, so the ears don’t get too hot. After a while, I forgot that it was even on my head.
The ATH-M50x is the complete opposite. When you first put it on, it feels nice and soft, but after a few hours of wearing it becomes uncomfortable. It has pretty strong downforce, which is good for soundproofing – and that heavy bass – but after a while it feels like your head is stuck in a vice. The leather ear cushions cover your ears so tightly that they too can get a little warm. But worst of all, the bar at the top puts a lot of direct pressure in a small space on your head and after a while it starts to hurt. You can alleviate some of these issues to some extent , but the M50x will probably never be as comfortable as the SR80e or V6.
MDR-V6 (pictured above) and MDR-7506 again find themselves between two other banks. These are in-ear headphones like the M50x, so your ears may get a little warm over time and they pinch a little. But the headband is a little wider, which means you don’t have much direct pressure on the crown of your head. For closed-back headphones, the Sonys are decently comfortable.
It’s up to your ears
All three are great headphones, especially for this price point. You really can’t go wrong with any of these, but the best headphones will depend on what you listen to and where you listen to them. Whether you listen to pop, hip-hop or electronic music, the ATH-M50x will amaze you, although they can be a little uncomfortable. For other genres, the M50x is the worst of the three. If you listen to rock or metal at home, where no one will mind the sound leakage, you will love the open sound of the SR80e. However, if you listen to the world’s rock and you need closed-back headphones, the V6 will be the best choice. You get the idea.
Of course, these are not the only three headphones in the world, but only the three most popular. If you want versatile headphones like the V6 but prefer open headphones try the AKG K240 MK II ($ 109). If you like the sound of the SR80e but have money to spend, go for the Grado SR125e or SR225e . Remember, your holy grail of headphones will be different from everyone else – it all depends on your budget and needs.