Sony MDR-7506 headphones have become an option for recording studios and creators. A set of boxes is only $100, and they offer crisp, clean sound so you know exactly what your audience is listening to. goes to hear. Today, the company announced a more robust choice for studio headphones, MDR-M1it has a slightly updated design, new drivers, a wider frequency range and improved bass response.
Inside, the MDR-M1 incorporates newly designed drivers capable of a frequency response of 5Hz – 80kHz. Sony explains that this ultra-wide range is crucial for things like fine detail in various recorded sound sources (especially Dolby Atmos and 360 Reality Audio). More specifically, the drivers here have a soft edge for those super low frequencies and a hard dome shape for accurate reproduction in the ultra high range. On the outside of the headphones is a “tuned port,” or Beat Response Control as Sony calls it, which provides the ventilation needed for improved low-frequency control. According to the company, this component works in tandem with an optimized diaphragm for “very tight bass response.”
“During recording sessions, it’s important to pay attention to what musicians or singers are listening to when they’re playing or singing,” explained Akihiro Nishimura, a Power Plant engineer at Berklee NYC, who worked with Sony to develop these headphones. “The MDR-M1 gives you the feeling of listening on headphones in a control room, which makes it easy to create music by listening to each other.”
These are closed-back headphones, so you won’t have to worry about sound leakage or ambient noise getting in. Sony has improved the interchangeable earcups for both greater comfort and better noise isolation. It’s also reduced overall weight compared to the 7506, meaning longer recording sessions shouldn’t be as much of a burden. The MDR-M1 will be supplied with two detachable cables with machined aluminum joints, one for stereo mini plug and plug adapter (stereo mini-stereo standard) and the other a shorter option for connecting to various professional equipment. Sony also focused on making the MDR-M1 more durable, as they tend to get dropped or dropped in the studio or other recording and editing environments.
The MDR-M1 is available for pre-order for $250, a significant increase over the MDR-7506. If you’re more into recording and editing, open-back headphones MDR-MV1 it carries a similar specification sheet to the new model. But the price tag is higher than $400.
