When I first set out on this seemingly never ending task, I only had a small selection of the latest premium products. But I figured that if it were to be a true and relevant test, then I should include some "standards". The Sony MDR-V700DJs are one such product and have been around for a loooong time. I guess this is why Sony chose to ignore my pleas for a pair, but thankfully Westend DJ came through with a pair for me.



In The Box: The standard pouch and screw adaptor.

Looks: They look like a booth standard set of cans - Black and Silver with a fat logo emblazoned headband. No surprises - given their age, they probably helped lay down the blueprint that so many others adhere too.



Build Quality: At first glance, they appear to be very simlar to most in this group. But with this pair of used headphones, it's a lot easier to see where things might get a little worse for wear. And in this case, both cup connectors are both cracked in the hinge. And a little research online shows that this is quite common.



Sound Quality: Being so popular for so long does mean that there must be something good about the sound. It doesn't disappoint, and being DJ focussed, Sony manage to drive quite a lot of bass through the drivers - perhaps a little too much for me. But for some, beatmatching is aided by that heavy bass.

Isolation: About as good as you would expect from a pair of DJ oriented headphones. The ear piece is fairly rigid and shallow, thus doesn't seal as well as it could.



Comfort and Stability: On my head, they're just fine. But because of the shallowness of the ear piece, my ears actually touch the flat front of the driver cover just a tad too much, making them uncomfortable quite quickly. Because of these shallow ear pieces, the 700s don't stay on as well as others. And only possessing 90° swivels makes the whole 1 handed use issue trickier.



Compactness: Just like 99% of the others, they push up into the headband and fit neatly into the supplied pouch.



Value for money: Coming in at £76 and offering performance akin to others in the group, you'd say it was good value. But having seen the stress damage to both swivels and having corroborated this with anecdotal evidence online, I'd probably not put them at the top of my shopping list - no matter what the price.

Summary

As an elder statesman of the DJ headphone scene, the MDRs have an established following of loyal users. And it's fair to say that they are a very useful addition to any DJ's arsenal. That said, be wary of the snapping hinges and comfort issues.

Hype: Price - bass response - industry standard
Gripe: Build quality of the hinge and swivel (which doesn't bode well for others of this type either)