Sony’s MDR-M1 Are Excellent Wired Studio Headphones

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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.

Photograph: Terrence O’Brien

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.

Closeup view of the Sony MDR M1 Studio Headphones black headphones with thick cushioned earcups

Photograph: Terrence O’Brien

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