Sony MDR-M1 | studio headphones
Sep 5, 2024 at 11:56 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 80

jb2unique

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Sony today announced the MDR-M1 Reference Closed Monitor Headphones, designed for music creators and sound engineers to produce music in any environment, heard as intended. The headphones host a closed acoustic structure with high sound isolation, exclusively developed driver, and a lightweight and comfortable design that allow users to create in their own environments, as if they were in the studio. The MDR-M1 headphones combine studio sound quality with extreme comfort and reliability, suitable for a wide range of music production and high-resolution audio applications.

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Sound Characteristics

The MDR-M1 offers studio sound quality with a carefully tuned acoustic structure to support a wide range of music production, all while offering high-resolution audio. At the core of the sound quality is a uniquely developed driver unit that achieves ultra-wideband playback (5Hz – 80kHz), featuring a combination of a soft edge shape to reproduce low frequencies with sufficient volume and low distortion, and a hard dome shape to accurately reproduce ultra-high frequencies.

The closed acoustic structure helps eliminate ambient noise and sound leakage from the headphones, making them suitable for use in a variety of production processes, so that each note can be carefully tuned and monitored to support accuracy and authenticity of the creator. A tuned port (Beat Response Control) acts as a ventilation hole to control low frequencies. By optimizing the operation of the diaphragm, there are improved low-frequency transient characteristics, making it possible to accurately reproduce sound with a very tight bass response.

Sony aims to create products that enhance both content creation and listening experiences for professionals and consumers. The MDR-M1 headphones were created in collaboration with some of the top sound engineers in the industry, including Mastering Engineer of Battery Studios, Mike Piacentini, and Recording and Mixing Engineer of Power Station at Berklee NYC, Akihiro Nishimura, to ensure an authentic and enriching music experience.

Mike Piacentini, Mastering Engineer of Battery Studios

"As engineers, we are often tasked to work in a variety of formats, which are all produced in different environments, on ever-changing speaker systems. Throughout the record production process, I believe it is important to have headphones that provide an accurate reference point, whether you are working on near-field monitors, mastering speakers, or an immersive speaker setup. I've worked alongside the Sony's incredible Tokyo headphone design team, to help create a pair of headphones that are accurate across the frequency spectrum in a variety of use cases. MDR-M1 are a great entry point for any creator who wants to be sure that the sound they are hearing in the studio translates to the end user in the best way possible."

Akihiro Nishimura (Recording and Mixing Engineer of Power Station at Berklee NYC)

"The tonal balance of the MDR-M1 feels very close to the impression of Power Station's Studio A control room. In recording sessions, it is important to care what musicians or singers are listening to when they play or sing. MDR-M1 gives you the same impression of listening in a control room headphone, which makes it easier to create music by listening to each other. 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."

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Comfort and Design

Engineered with comfort in mind, the MDR-M1 ear pads were carefully designed to achieve both fit and long wearing comfort. Thick, low resilience padding is used to ensure airtight listening, and a new lighter design makes for a precise fit and excellent comfort for long mixing and mastering sessions. The MDR-M1 includes two cables, one is a high quality replaceable, detachable cable with a stereo mini-plug and plug adapter (stereo mini-plug to stereo standard plug) and the second shorter cable is also included and can be used depending on the connected equipment and usage environment for ease of use in a professional setting.



The MDR-M1 will also work seamlessly alongside Sony's 360 Virtual Mixing Environment (360VME) 1 service to free creators from space constraints and heighten reproduction abilities from virtually anywhere.

Type:
Closed dynamic

Driver Unit:
40 mm (1.58 in) neodymium magnet

Power Handling Capacity:
1,500 mW (IEC *1)

Impedance:
50 Ω at 1 kHz

Sensitivity:
102 dB/mW

Frequency Response:
5 Hz - 80,000 Hz (JEITA)

Mass:
Approx. 216 g (7.62 oz) (without cable)



Pricing and availability

The MDR-M1 headphones are available for $249.99 MSRP USD/ $349.99 MSRP CAD and available for pre-order today at Sony.com and other authorized dealers including Amazon, B&H, Sweetwater and Guitar Center.

For US pre-orders, please visit: https://bit.ly/sony_mdrm1

For CAD pre-orders, please visit: https://www.henrys.com/sony-mdr-m1-headphones-pre-order

Slated for release early October 2024

For a full list of specs and information or to buy from Sony directly, please visit: https://electronics.sony.com/audio/headphones/all-headphones/p/mdrm1
 
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Sep 5, 2024 at 12:03 PM Post #2 of 80
As a lifelong Sony fanboy, I'll have to pick up a pair of these at some point. :L3000:

Also, I'm really curious how these will compare to Sony's previous closed-back monitoring headphone, the MDR-M1ST, which I'm guessing are now discontinued. :thinking:
 
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Sep 5, 2024 at 3:04 PM Post #9 of 80
I wonder if the tonal balance will be fuller than the MDR-7506 for people who just want to listen to some tunes. But that may defeat the purpose of a monitoring headphone. The earpads look like they could be comfy though.
 
Sep 5, 2024 at 6:47 PM Post #10 of 80
The M1 costs 250% more than the 7506s: I doubt that they'll be 2.5X better. I think they both have single 40mm drivers. I do like the detachable cable, but I already have that with my pair of HD598s. I'm happy with 7506s, still, so don't need them; but it'll be interesting.
 
Sep 6, 2024 at 3:47 PM Post #13 of 80
They look exactly like the M1ST
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Spec wise the two differ in impedance and efficiency but considering the old V6 and 7506 also had different stated specs but literally had the same part number for the replacement driver, Im inclined to believe the M1ST is just an export M1

Moreover the M1 has been announced on every Sony country site except that of Sony Japan which only has the M1ST
 

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