Sony MDR-M1 review: Ol' reliable gets a new version

Audio tends to move pretty slowly, and we’ve seen some standout headphones last over 40 years in the market. So when Sony announced a follow-up to the MDR-7506, now almost forty years old, we took notice. But is the Sony MDR-M1 any good? We were able to take an extended test drive.

Editor’s note: this is the first version of the article. Updates will follow as the market changes.

What’s it like to use the Sony MDR-M1?

The Sony MDR-M1 is a pretty straightforward set of wired headphones that would not be out of place in the 90s. The aesthetic closely matches that of the venerable Sony MDR-V6/MDR-7506 series of headphones, although it offers better padding and a removable cable.

Wearing the Sony MDR-M1 for an extended period of time will net you some trapped heat, but overall the experience is comfortable — an extremely important thing when you’re at the desk for hours at a time. The relatively low mass of the headphones due to the primarily plastic construction helps out a lot here. We also didn’t notice any issues with the rotating joints of the lay-flat earcups and our longer-haired colleagues. Just be sure to try to fit your entire ear within the ear cups, as discomfort often follows pinching your pinnae. You may want to get different ear pads if you wear rigid glasses, as these headphones can put a decent amount of pressure on the glasses arms.

While it’s tempting to wax on a lot about these headphones, it’s hard because their use case is very narrow: mixing by the computer. Sony has a number of dedicated content-creation headphones, and this is simply the latest in that line. The Sony MDR-M1 isn’t really something you’d want to take around town with you, nor should you work out with them (they have no ingress protection rating). These are destined to remain at the desk.

How does the Sony MDR-M1 connect?

The Sony MDR-M1 connects to source devices over its convertible 3.5mm or 6.3mm TRS connection. The mini plug has a screw threading around the base of the housing in order to allow you to fasten a larger adapter for systems without the smaller jack. Like many of the newer headphones out there, the Sony MDR-M1 does not require an amplifier to reach a usable volume.

If you’re prone to breaking cables, there are two in the packaging of the Sony MDR-M1. However, they’re not so easy to replace. Like the adapter, any cable you plug into the Sony MDR-M1 will need to be able to be threaded along the female plug at the bottom of the left ear cup. It’s a bit mystifying as to why this would be a feature on production headphones, especially when you want that cable to pull out should it get snagged to avoid breakage.

How well does the Sony MDR-M1 block out noise?

The Sony MDR-M1 isolates you from your surroundings decently well, though they’re no substitute for active noise canceling (ANC) headphones. That said, you shouldn’t have to worry too much about your bandmates being too loud. But if they are: just chuck ’em out of the booth. The deeper earpads do work here, as the improved seal in comparison to the Sony MDR-7506 avoid a lot of the older headphones’ fit flaws.

Just keep in mind that the isolation can change if you wear glasses, can’t get your ears all the way in the pads, or have other fit issues. Though the updated headphones are more comfortable than their predecessors, a broken seal can affect your sound quality and let in noise as well.

How do the Sony MDR-M1 sound?

The Sony MDR-M1 has a somewhat odd frequency response, but the headphones still sound perfectly fine. Just remember these are made for production in mind.

Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Scores (MDAQS)

The chart below shows how the sound of the Sony MDR-M1 was assessed by the Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Score (MDAQS) algorithm from HEAD acoustics.

Out of the box, most people will likely enjoy the sound of the Sony MDR-M1. However, it may have some distortion that purists won’t enjoy all that much. A 4.4 overall mean opinion score (MOS) quite good, and high marks for both Timbre and Immersiveness make for a solid — if imperfect — listening experience.

Reviewer’s notes

Editor’s note: this review uses a hover-enabled glossary to describe sound quality based on a consensus vocabulary. You can read about it here.

Objective Measurements

The Sony MDR-M1 definitely targets a much more consumer-oriented sound than some other production headphones, and that’s not a bad thing. However, it’s quite far from even our house curve, and that’s simply something to take note of. It’s a little strange that the “ear gain” hump at 3kHz is as subdued as it is, but it would not be the first time we’ve run across this kind of response.

The underemphasis at 200Hz makes bass sound comparatively louder than it should be in some mixes, but this is a fairly common feature in headphones. It will be a pretty familiar feature to anyone upgrading from the Sony MDR-7506, as we were able to measure that on the older headphones as well.

Weirdly enough, the higher you push your drive levels, the higher the distortion you’ll get in ways that will possibly be audible. In fact, when taking sample collections for MDAQS, the distortion scores would predictably drop the louder I pushed the headphones. While it would take levels that are dangerous to listen to in order to become truly annoying, it’s certainly an odd thing to have to deal with. Of course, it does make equalization harder when the narrow spike in THD is centered around 5kHz, or right where you’d want to boost.

Can you use the Sony MDR-M1 for phone calls?

As the Sony MDR-M1 does not have a microphone, you cannot use it for phone calls unless you have an external mic handy.

Should you buy the Sony MDR-M1?

I get the hype behind this product — I really do — but  $248 is a bit pricy to take the reins from the Sony MDR-7506 (currently priced around $80). Sony’s production gear has been solid for years, and the faults I can find with the Sony MDR-M1 are pretty small potatoes. If you want multipurpose headphones that live at the computer, these headphones are a slightly expensive, durable, reliable pick.

These headphones are a decent choice for a sound lab, tracking, or cutting videos. But since there are so many other headphones that are well-suited for this purpose: wait for these to go on sale. If you like what you see, then you should be happy with the Sony MDR-M1 for many years, as they’re built to last.

How do the Sony MDR-M1 compare to the Sony MDR-7506?

It’s very clear which headphones the Sony MDR-M1 is targeting, and it’s not a competitor: it’s the ancient MDR-V6/MDR-7506. On the outside, the Sony MDR-M1 improves upon the older headphones by being able to be laid flat, providing more padding, and having a removable cable. But on the inside, I’m not entirely sure everything came together as it was supposed to.

In a strange turn of events, the Sony MDR-7506 may be a more appropriate tool for some broadcast and academic creators. The more appropriate frequency response and lower distortion, coupled with the more justifiable price tag, mean that the main advantages the newer headphones have over the older ones are comfort, isolation, and maintenance.

What should you get instead of the Sony MDR-M1?

If you’re looking for a set of studio headphones, I’d suggest any of the HiFiMan Sundara ($299 at Amazon), Sennheiser HD 490 ($399.99 at Amazon), or… Sony MDR-7506 ($89 at Amazon). Any of these will be well-suited to the same conditions that you’d subject the Sony MDR-M1 to, but should be a little easier to get performing the way you want them to. However, only the Sennheiser headphones are more comfortable than the Sony MDR-M1. If you want something more durable, the Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO ($169 at Amazon) is also a good option.

If you’re hoping to create 360 Reality Audio content, the Sony MDR-MV1 ($347 at Amazon) will be a better fit for you, but you may not appreciate the bassiness of the headphones.

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