Sony’s new MDR-M1 headphones offer studio-quality sound for a premium

In brief: Studio headphones should provide a faithful sound to make the job of engineers and music creators much easier. Sony is now proposing yet another studio-level, pricey headset, offering the aforementioned creators a reference audio experience even outside the traditional studio environment.

Sony has a new set of headphones specifically designed for musicians and sound engineers. The MDR-M1 Reference Closed Monitor Headphones convey a clear, faithful sound, with specific features designed to re-create a recording environment anywhere.

The cans boast a closed acoustic structure with high sound isolation, an exclusively developed driver, and a lightweight and comfortable design. Customers can wear the MDR-M1 headset during long recording sessions thanks to their “extreme” comfort and reliability.

The MDR-M1 headphones can be used for a wide range of music production, though they should sound great even for audiophiles thanks to their high-resolution audio capabilities. Sony developed a “carefully tuned” acoustic structure that achieves ultra-wideband playback between 5Hz and 80kHz. A soft edge shape makes low frequencies easier to hear with less distortion, while a hard dome shape provides accurate ultra-high frequency reproduction. The MDR-M1’s closed acoustic structure helps filter ambient noise and avoid sound leakage from the headphones.

“Each note can be carefully tuned and monitored to support accuracy and authenticity of the creator,” Sony stated.

The company developed the headset with direct feedback from some of the “top sound engineers” in the industry. Mastering engineer Mike Piacentini at Battery Studios called the MDR-M1 a “great entry point” for music creators interested in audio quality and a faithful music experience for end users.

Berklee NYC recording and mixing engineer Akihiro Nishimura praised the MDR-M1’s tonal balance. Wearing the headphones feels like listening to audio in a control room headset. He also noted that the cans are comfortable enough to not cause distractions during long recording sessions.

“The tonal balance of the MDR-M1 feels very close to the impression of Power Station’s Studio A control room,” Nishimura said. “The comfort design also makes us focus on music in long sessions. I hope MDR-M1 will become the standard monitoring system for any recording sessions.”

The MDR-M1 headset is already available for preorder from Sony’s online store or Amazon. The MSRP is $250 US, but we have seen similar pricing from other high-quality headsets like the Steel Series. The package includes two cables and support for Sony’s 360 Virtual Mixing Environment 3D sound service.

Users on a budget should check out our feature article featuring our best headphone picks. Personally, I’m very fond of my Sennheiser HD 450BT headphones. They are very comfortable, even during long Elden Ring sessions.