Review: Sony MDR-M1 Studio Headphones

Sony’s original MDR-7506 model may as well be etched onto the Mount Rushmore of wired studio headphones. The simple black cans with the blue sticker are relatively neutral sounding, built to take a beating, and they’re shockingly affordable at only $100 retail. These things have combined to make them a staple of studios around the world for decades. I’ve been rocking the same pair for about eight years and, other than having to replace the earpads a couple of years back, they’re still going strong.

What the 7506s are not, however, are premium studio monitors. They’re a bang-for-your-buck proposition. Good enough for most situations but often outclassed by more expensive hardware. With the new, $250 MDR-M1, Sony is looking to play at the higher end of the market.

These are pro-grade studio headphones through and through, but they borrow heavily from what has made the 7506s so enduring. If you're a musician, audio professional, or just someone looking to get more out of your music, the new model take everything we love about the cheaper model up a notch.

Proper Studio Headphones

Looking at a frequency response chart of the MDR-M1s next to the MDR-7506s doesn’t immediately reveal much; they both have slightly boosted low end with a dip around 4K in the midrange. If you're familiar with the warm but still bright sound signature of the original model, these do that thing but with a lot more clarity.

The biggest difference is that the M1s have a much greater overall range than the 7506s. The M1s will share a lot more audio at both the high and low ends; Where the 7506s have a frequency response of 10 Hz to 20 kHz, the M1s claim a range of 5 Hz to 80 kHz, which is well beyond the range of human hearing in both directions.

This extended range translates into better sound at either end of the spectrum. A port helps control bass and keep things from getting too muddy in the low end. I find transients on instruments in the lower register a touch sharper with M1s, and at the high end things are crisp without ever getting overly bright—a complaint I’ve heard lodged against the 7506s on occasion.

The M1s also offer excellent isolation. While the 7506s were decent enough in that respect, the M1s are in a whole other class. My attic studio gets quite warm during the summer and early fall, and I often put a box fan in the window to keep things from getting too sweaty. When I’m focusing on mixing I usually have to turn it off because I can hear it, ever so slightly, through my 7506s. I had no such issue with the M1s. Most low-level ambient noise vanishes thanks to the larger ear cups and better seal.

The better passive noise isolation also makes them better to use around microphones, where you'll get noticeably less bleed than you did on the prior version.

A Future Icon

These are possibly the most comfortable headphones I’ve ever worn. The earcups themselves are a significant upgrade. The M1s completely surround my ear. I was able to wear them for around four hours straight without any issues with sweat, even in the dead of summer.

They are light enough to wear all day. The original MDR-7506s are already pretty light at 230 grams (8.1 ounces). I’ve worn them for hours on end without much of an issue. The M1s are 216 grams (7.6 ounces). That might not seem like a major difference on paper, but on your head it’s huge. They feel obviously lighter and exert slightly less clamping pressure on your ears, despite offering a better seal.

One other major comfort upgrade that might not be immediately obvious is the cable. The M1s have a detachable cable which, for one, means you have to worry less about repairs, but also gives you flexibility when listening. In the box are two straight cables: a 1.2-meter cable for when you’re just sitting at your desk mixing and a 2.5-meter option that’s handy for when you need to track a live instrument.

The Sony MDR-M1s are a worthy evolution of the original model that improves upon them in every way, and they more than hold their own against other studio monitor headphones in the $250 price range. They sound great and feel almost weightless on your head. Perhaps the most ringing endorsement I can give them is that I plan to spend my own hard-earned money on a pair. If you already liked Sony's classic studio model, there is no reason not to upgrade to this, the latest and greatest, if (and I truly mean if) your original pair fails you. Otherwise, it's a worthy pair to consider when you expand your home studio, or if you're looking to get a decent pair of wired headphones to start with.