Sony MDR-V700 Review

Sony MDR-V700 are music lover's headphones, although audiophilic jazz freaks won't like them.

Fabulously musical headphones especially when used with iPods and personal stereos, in which application they are far superior to much more expensive designs due to their better electrical characteristics e.g. sensitivity and impedance: you can obtain generous but safe volume levels. Senheiser's HD650 and HD555 are no good with any personal stereos I've tried whereas the Sony's make them sound fantastic. The Sony's sound a touch boxy but only in the bass. They're a closed design whereas hi-fi buffs favour the sound of open designs - all very well as long as you don't wear them in a public place such as on a train, in which case noise leaks in and music leaks out if. The Sony's are much more practical for everyday use: they keep the noise out and the music in.

Slightly muffled or boxy bass and smaller sound stage than an open backed headphone of similar price: nevertheless offset by superior midrange and treble and greater musicality. A more convincing sound. With an iPod or a Sony personal CD player I would say these headphones emulate the 'musicality' and pure pleasure of a high end active audio system convincingly at a fraction of the cost.