Aloha friend and Welcome!!
Before we dive right into the Sony MDR 7506 vs. Senal SMH1000 comparison, grab a snack, sit back and relax because..
You’ve come to the right place!!
What I will bring you in this review
I will outline the Senal SHM1000, and then compare/contrast it with the 7506 towards the end. ?
- Ratings/Price
- Specifications
- Summary
- Pros
- Cons
- Video Review
- Amp/DAC requirements
- Who these headphones benefit?
- Thoughts from Stu’s notepad
- Consensus/Conclusion
- Similarities & Differences
- Final Word
Now without further ado, let’s get rolling!
Senal SMH 1000
Ratings/Price
Specifications
- Type: Closed back. Closed back vs. Open back headphones.
- Fit: Circumaural (over ear).
- Impedance: 58 Ohm. What is Headphone Impedance?
- Frequency response: 10Hz – 20kHz
- Sensitivity: 102 dB ±3 dB (@ 1 kHz/mW)
- Maximum Input Power: 1000 mW
- Material: Aluminum, plastic, faux leather
- Color: Black
- Weight: 8 oz.
- Plug: 3.5mm with gold plated 1/4″ adapter.
- Cable length: 3′ and 10′
Summary
It’s amusing to me how closely these are modeled after the 7506. I mean who the heck has ever heard of “Senal?” Color me surprised when I actually found out that these might be a better option than my old favorite: The MDR 7506.
What makes these stand out from the Sony’s is a detachable cable, and the headphones come bundled with 2 cables: a 3′ and a 10′. The bass also seems to be more well-defined, and the cans themselves are a pretty big improvement as far as comfort is concerned. More on that in a bit!
Pros
- Very clean response. Detailed, accurate, and articulate. Non-fatiguing.
- Lightweight with a good build.
- Very Comfortable over long listening sessions.
- Good noise isolation.
Cons
- Shipped with defective cables, or chord connection loose/interference after 2 months.
Video Review
Amp/DAC requirements
These aren’t going to need separate amplification and will sound fine out of your mobile devices. How to choose a headphone amp!
Who these headphones benefit?
Endorsed for:
- Video recording
- Field recording
- Sound editing
- Mixing/Mastering
- Documentary film work
- Post-production
- Watching movies
- Monitoring audio while doing interviews
- Monitoring spoken word
- Piano
- Independent filmmakers
- Radio broadcasting/TV
- Ham Radio
- You-tube film making how-to videos
- Tracking in studio
Thoughts from Stu’s notepad
- The ear pads can be replaced with the Senal Velour pads, or the Senal Genuine Sheepskin leather ear pads. The originals that come with the headphones may hurt your ears after a while.
- To attach the cable, plug into the left side and twist. It may sound rudimentary, but it’s important because when I got my M40x’s I didn’t plug and twist correctly and thought they were defective for a minute. Lol.
- One of the cables terminates in a 2.5mm jack, which is a bit inconvenient since the standard is 3.5mm.
- I would say these are bass lean – you’re definitely not going to be pumping out big beats with them on. However, you will be able to hear the bass notes with better clarity and definition.
- Goes well with the Case Star ® Black Color Lightweight Heart-shaped Protective Carrying EVA Hard Headphone Case Storage Bag for Sony MDR7506 Professional Large Diaphragm Headphone with Case Star Black Color Drawstring Carrying Pouch. Haha. That was quite a mouthful! 😛
- A couple of people said the headphones were a bit loose (or tight) for their heads. There also might be some pressure on your head depending on its size.
Consensus/Conclusion
A phenomenal set of balanced headphones with a bit of bass emphasis and some significant upgrades over the venerable Sony models. Chord connection may become a bit of an issue, but other than some minor nitpicks this is an awesome entry-level unit.
Similarities & Differences
Similarities
- Studio Monitor. Both have “Studio Monitor” on the top of the headband.
- Drivers. Both have 40mm drivers. What is a Headphone Driver?
- Both have the same general build structure and aesthetic.
- The mid-range on both is fairly similar.
Differences
- Detachable. The Senal SMH 1000 comes with a detachable cable while the 7506’s do not. Also, the 1000 comes with 3′ straight cable, and a 10′ coiled cable. The 7506 only comes with a coiled.
- Case/Carry bag. The 7506’s come with a carrying bag, while the SMH 1000’s do not.
- Warranty. Senal offers a 3-year warranty while Sony only offers 1.
- Ear-pads. I owned the 7506’s for quite some time, and one of their biggest weaknesses was the tendency for the pads to fall off and/or peel. The SMH 1000 actually somehow improves on this, even though the pads look almost identical. They do not fall off as easily, nor do they flake and peel.
- Sound. The bass is the big kicker here, as it has more impact and comes through with a bit more clarity. The treble is also tamed down in comparison to the 7506. These aren’t as strident/sibilant. What does Sibilant mean?
- Comfort. The 1000’s are more comfortable than the 7506’s by a wide margin, which is surprising considering they use very similar ear pads.
Final Word
It shocks me to say this, but I think the SMH 1000’s are an upgrade over the 7506, for all of the reasons outlined above. I would say go for it!!
SEE THEM FOR YOURSELF ON AMAZON!!
Well that’s about it for today my friend! I hope you’ve enjoyed this Sony MDR 7506 vs. Senal SMH 1000 comparison.
Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I miss the mark on something? Looking for something else? Please let me know down below or Contact me!!
Which of these tickles YOUR pickle? I would love to hear from you. Until next time..
All the best and God bless,
-Stu
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