Not many of us spend our days dreaming up how to accessorize our studio headphones. Headphones are not glamorous, but anyone who works in the audio field knows that a good pair of headphones can make all the difference. Now a good pair of headphones can be made great!
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| Sony MDR 7506 |
I'm sure there are headphones with better specs and more impressive prices, but you will never convince me that there is a better set of headphones than the trusty Sony MDR-7506s that are strapped on my head right now. I purchased my first set of 7506s over 10 years ago and I'm still using them today. There are not many pieces of equipment that I can say that about. I originally bought them for their portability but they have won me over in every department. They sound great, are comfortable, have decent sound isolation and they don't set you back too much at $100. Until recently I have only had one quip about these workhorses...the ear cups. Any 7506 owner will know what I talk about when I say that the earcups are lacking. It is not that they are not comfortable, it is that after a couple years they begin to disintegrate. You first noticing small flakes of black on your shoulders after an editing session. Then you know the writing is on the wall. Soon whenever you take off the 7506s it looks like each ear had a party with black confetti and you weren't invited. Up till recently I have just assumed that every 2 years I needed to get myself a pair of replacement ear cups from Sony...now I know better.
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| New original 7506 Ear Cup |
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| Original 7506 Ear Cup after 2 years |
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| Beyerdynamic EDT 250 |
Enter the Beyerdynamic EDT 250 replacement ear cups. These ear cups were produced and sold to be replacements for the Beyerdynamic DT 250 and DT 280 series headphones. Fortunately for us they are also an exact fit for the Sony MDR 7506. So for all of you who 7506 owners who have had to try and explain away the black dandruff after an editing session now have an alternative. I have been using the EDT 250s for about a month now and have been really impressed. At first glimpse they looked a bit homely. After seeing the original 7506's shiny ear cups, these look a bit lackluster, but who is really checking out your ear cups anyway? The velour is extremely comfortable and feels a bit cooler than the originals. You wouldn't think that an ear cup can change the sound of headphones, but, unless my hears are deceived, I think it does. I tried replacing one ear cup first to see if there was a difference and I was surprised. It seemed like the original ear cups made a better seal which increased the SPL level. The EDT 250s took a bit of the punch out which I feel actually improved the listenability of the 7506s. Now, though, we come to the best part...no more flakes! The velour covering will make these impervious to the flaking that inherently goes with the 7506s original ear cups. I'm sure these will get worn and need replacing too, but at least they wont' be molting all over your side burns.
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| Sony MDR 7506 with EDT 250s |
So, if you have a pair of 7506s, the next time you see the flakes start appearing on your shirt, get yourself a pair of these EDT 250s...you won't be disappointed.
$23 from Amazon.com
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