This is a review for non/ semi-audiophiles and casual music listeners looking for the best deal headphones in this price range.

These are classic headphones. Studios have been using them for years and EVERYONE in the music/ producing industry immediately recognizes these babies. And if you look for it, you can find them everywhere too.

BUT, what if you're just in the market for some good music headphones? You're not an audiophile per se, but you do enjoy good sound.

Well first of all, you have to understand these are "studio" headphones and the sound is "uncolored" and "flat". Yes the eq is flat. A lot of manufacturers "color" their headphones with extra warmth or bass. If you've owned Skullcandies, their sound is heavily bass emphasized. Same thing Beats by Dr. Dre, a very warm sound. The MDR-V6's don't have any of this extra coloration. Their purpose is to playback the natural, original sound of the recording. And in that regard, for the price, these CANNOT be beat. They have pristine clarity. And you will definitely find things in your music you have never heard before. The whole sound spectrum (bass, mids, treble) is perfectly represented. In other words, the quality of the sound is phenomenal, for any genre of music.

So if you want to hear your songs naturally as they were recorded, stop no further and click "Buy Now".

But what if you're more into bass-rich headphones, like Skullcandy. Or what if you were impressed with Beats by Dr. Dre or the Bose at the Best Buy sample booth. Those are warm headphones, and if you were expecting to find something similar to those at a fraction of the cost, these may not be for you. Sure the quality of sound of these Sony's is infinitely better than the Beats or Bose sets. But it is definitely not the same "type" of sound. The sound curves are completely different. Like I said before, the MDR-v6 is flat while the Beats and Bose are warm/ bass heavy.

But do not waste your money on the Beats or the Bose. The sound might be impressive, but it really is cheap bloated bass. The MDR-V6, while it doesn't have as much impact or quantity, the bass is much more clear and tight. The quality is a million dollars better. Still, if you were looking for that warm type of sound (for hip hop and those sorts of genres, although the MDR-V6 do fine in ALL genres, some hip hop/ rap fans might prefer a more colored sound) you can find even BETTER headphones for the same price as the Sony's.

There are plenty on the market, but a quick look on the Amazon top sellers and I found these.
Sony XB500: $49 Amazon
-Wonderful alternative to the Beats or Bose sets. Phenomenal bass and mids. Treble is also very present. No muddy/ bloated/ leaky bass like the Beats, but even more in quantity and impact.
JVC HARX700: $54 Amazon (little bit more bass than 900)
JVC HARX900: $60 Amazon (900 has a better soundstage i.e. better gaming/ movie headphone)
Panasonic RP-HTF600: $33 Amazon (super budget)

In-Ear Buds:
The Klipsch Image S4: $79 Amazon
-Similar sound spectrum to the Beats/ Bose except with a much better quality of sound. No muddy/ bloated/ leaky bass, but just as much in terms of quantity and impact.
Brainwavz M2: $54 Amazon (similar sound signature)
Meelectronics M6: $15 (super-super budget, only downside is the fit may not be for some/ takes getting used to)

Those are my recommendations. Although ALL in ear headphones break after a few months/ years, which is something to keep in mind. Headphones tend to last much longer. In terms of durability, the MDR-V6 lasts decades according to many accounts.

So if you are looking for the best quality sound for under $100, the Sony MDR-V6 is and has always been the KING!
But if you are looking for a bass-heavy thumping set(the MDR-V6 do thump, but maybe not as much as the Beats you heard at the Best Buy display), if that's the case you might want to look for a more warmer sounding model (XB500 is my first choice recommendation- for $15 dollars cheaper too on Amazon)

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Note: if this is your first foray into the hi-fi audio world and these are your first headphones, you must realize that studio headphones like these are unforgiving to the source. Unforgiving means they will playback any and every single sound/ static in the source file. If you've downloaded most songs legally through itunes, you should be fine for the most part. But if some of the mp3s in your collection have been downloaded illegally, you might find that they sound significantly worse than before. Why? Because it might be of really low quality. The static noise and any other imperfections will be made apparent.

I recommend you look into lossless audio formats like FLAC files. If you are using iTunes with an iPod/ iPhone, ALAC is the format you should use. ALAC files are much bigger, but are much higher quality than mp3. There is an option in iTunes to rip CD's with ALAC instead of mp3. You will notice the difference. Either that or make sure your mp3's are 320kb/s.

Some headphones require an amp to pump out the best sound. These headphones don't require much to be driven. It works fine in just my iPhone. It's unnecessary but it would always benefit. But a better DAC would greatly improve the sound of a portable device/ laptop. If you are in the market for one, I'd recommend the Fiio E7. It's a portable amp/DAC combo. The sound difference is very noticeable. And it has a bass-boost EQ which is very good (don't put it at maximum though, it starts to distort a tiny bit there). It actually produces that "warmer" colored sound I was talking about before. So this could be a solution if you don't mind spending another $89. But if you're willing to spend that much in total ~$150. The Audio Technica M50 might be a better deal? Well, that's a tough question. But my personal preference still goes to the MDR-V6.

Good headphones for sound editing, which is mainly what I got them for -- everything's clear and well separated, all frequencies register very well, and they're comfortable to wear. Sound quality is generally excellent, if what I would subjectively call a bit on the "clinical"/cold side. I just had the chance to compare them directly and at some length to Sennheiser 598C's. The Sennheisers, while certainly not a terrible pair of headphones, made me appreciate this pair of MDRV6's all the more; the Sennheisers are muddy in comparison, with less distinct trebles and a less open, airy feel. However, the other side of that coin is that the Sony's high-end frequencies can be a bit more directly grating on the eardrums than the flatter, more mid-happy Sennheisers, especially at higher volumes. Also, Sony's build quality, while pleasing, has some deficiencies -- after maybe a year (?) at most the jack has started getting a little flaky, and the wire (covers) running into the cans have separated fall out regularly, exposing stereo wire slightly. This doesn't in itself cause a problem but it does make them seem very ... delicate. This is with fairly minimal wear/tear, also -- they mostly just sit in my studio room, and are mainly used in a chair, only very occasionally making it into the other room for some use with an iPad or laptop.

Overall, I think this is an excellent pair of headphones, with some minor quirks, but a very strong buy for <$100. Definitely more for calm studio use than carrying around with you though.

I've owned every kind of on-the-head audio device from Koss electrostatics to el-cheapo convenience store earbuds, and I have finally found the perfect mix of style, comfort, value, and sonic accuracy. It is difficult to believe (unless you've used these Sony's yourself) that any headphones can look so cool, be so comfortable, cost so little (relatively), and sound so good. I listen to jazz, rock, reggae, classical, show tunes - pretty much anything, and no musical genre is shortchanged. While high and middle notes are reproduced with exceptional quality and accuracy, it is absolutely amazing how well bass notes are rendered. Listening to the double low C at the beginning of "Also sprach Zarathustra" is an experience not to be missed, and is especially remarkable because of the absolute lack of the doubling usually encountered with small diameter (relatively) acoustic transducers. Breathtaking. Buy 'em - you'll be glad you did.

Update: December 30, 2012

Love these headphones, and it looks like I always will, but I have found a way to make them even better. Here is a review I wrote on improving the Sony MDR-V6 headphones:

I bought these ear cushions Beyerdynamic EDT 250 Velour Padded Earcushions for DT250, DT280, Sony MDR7506 and V6 Headphones (Pair) for my Sony MDR-V6 phones and could not be happier. The Sony cushions are certainly good, in fact are a cut well above average, but the Beyerdynamic's are still a clear step above even them. Wearing the Sony's with the original cushions for more than an hour left my ears a bit sore, especially at the very top and bottom where they were slightly pinched. The Beyerdynamics, however, allow me to wear the MDR's indefinitely with zero discomfort. I don't know if it's the slightly larger size of these cushions, or the material they're made from, but it's like wearing air - you simply don't notice their physical presence. And there is an additional benefit: for whatever reason, probably because of the superior seal these cushions make against your head, bass frequencies are enhanced over the already excellent bass produced by the Sony's. In fact, to make the expression of bass consistent with mid and high frequencies I found using an equalizer helpful. The lowered requirement for the headphone amp to produce bass frequencies allows it to reserve energy it can then use to support a wider, and more accurate, dynamic range. A win-win situation all because of better ear cushions!

In an earlier review I read about how to install the Beyerdynamic ear cushions. Nevertheless, I approached the job with more than a little trepidation, worried that I'd end up with a pretty but non-functioning pile of junk. Not to worry though, a good tug removed the originals and installing the new was a pretty obvious procedure. Glad I did it! And yes, at least for the Sony headphones, toss the plastic flanges that come in the package. They might be needed for some other headphone model, but not the Sony MDR-V6's.