MDR-M1 Professional Reference Closed Monitor Headphones

These are absolutely fantastic headphones for enjoying music. No frills. No special tube amps, silver cables, or $1000+ stacks. No custom PEQ. No FR graphs or Harmon targets. Literally just plug them in and enjoy. I own several Sennheiser, Fiio, Audeze, and HiFiman headphones that are $1000+ and "audiophile grade". I am quite familiar with expensive and high quality headphones and amps... And I also know that once you hit a certain price range, headphones are not "better" - they just come in different flavors that fit your preference or genre of music they sound best for. These Sony MDR-M1 headphones are simply phenomenal. Sure, they don't have the MOST bass I've ever heard, but they have PLENTY (of both Sub Bass and mid Bass). Midrange is clear and balanced in the mix without sounding shouty, and Treble is clear and well represented but not peaky or offensive. Sony has absolutely NAILED IT making a one-size-fits-all, ultra-light, ultra-comfortable headphone. EVERY genre of music sounds fantastic on these. They are a jack of all trades. I would say that literally everything is 8.5/10, which is damn good for being so cheap and comfortable for all-day use. AND they fold flat for easy traveling in a slim hard case! What more could you ask for!!? If you want great closed-back headphones for lounging, chilling, or wearing at work (without looking like a helicopter pilot), these are going to be hard to beat. If you want to get the best out of them, spend the extra $20 on a USBC-3.5MM DAC/AMP with the X31993 & MAX97220 combo (you can find these by searching those chip models). They are super cheap and simple but make a HUGE difference compared to basic usbc-3.5mm adapters, including apple's. I also replaced my ear pads with Soulwit Cooling Gel pads and they sound great and are much more comfortable (I have big ears). But this was not essential. Don't listen to the nay-sayers and old people complaining that these aren't as good as the MDR-7506. These are fantastic headphones that everyone should buy.

Bought as a set to augment my wonderful but creaky sounding headband equipped Audeze LCD-1’s. I love those, but the headband has always made an annoying creaky noise with every little head moment. These don’t do that aside from appearing to use what very well could have been Sony parts for their headband system. They look very close if you compare images of the 2. Even the BT WH-1000x3’s are a similar design. Regardless, these are quiet from a mechanical noise perspective. Here’s my mini “review” from a headphone group I’m in on Facebook: “2 channel hifi on the go. Or on the couch when I don’t want to disturb anyone. These are the most recent versions of the ubiquitous and long time standard issue recording and mixing headphones but boy, they sure don’t sound like I recall the venerable 7506’s sounding. These are good. Not just for a professional application product but also a hifi enjoyment pair of headphones. They’re actually quite neutral to my ears but not in a way that makes things dull or boring, or even critically revealing to the point of merely being a studio tool like NS-10’s or Auratones. Something built for a specific purpose but not because they actually sound amazing. No, these are just plain good all around. For closed backs they actually throw a decently wide soundstage and their imaging is pinpoint precise. The have adequate bass and sub bass when called for but it’s not overdone to the point where it bleeds in to the midrange which remains crystal clear, full bodied and tonally correct. The treble range has appropriate energy and sparkle and air, but avoids being bright, harsh or sibilant. It’s just right. I’m super happy with these so far. I may investigate different ear pads to get a little more breathability as they can become a little warm on my ears for extended sessions. And I think something a little softer that perhaps uses a different material be it nylon, micro suede or something like a fenestrated sheepskin could work. As is though, pretty darn great. And I hear their open back siblings the MDR-MV1 are even better. I look forward to trying them. But Sony nailed it with this set IMO. And I’m happy to have them. These are the Sony MDR-M1. I dare say a potential future classic continuing Sony’s long standing professional product range, but one that also absolutely works for enjoyable music playback with a nice warm cup of coffee or beverage of choice and your favorite tunes.” So yeah, as you might have guessed, I’m very pleased. As mentioned the ear pads can be a little cramped and also don’t breathe super well which is common for closed backs using pleather pads. An easy fix for not much money. Not everyone may even feel the need to do this. Fed out of my iBasso DX-180 these are just plain silly good and a lot of fun to listen to. Thought about the MV-1’s and the HD-550 and Sennheiser HD-490 Pro, but probably as a companion to these, not a replacement. As for now I’m simply too busy enjoying my music. Btw, these come with 2 cables, a 1.2 meter cable for portable use with a 3.5mm single ended plug and a 2.5 meter cable with a standard 1/4 inch jack. The packaging could have been a little nicer for the price. A included case or storage bag at least. But that’s a nit pick.

Extremely lightweight and comfortable. These headphones have relatively low impedance and high sensitivity. This means that your amp/audio source will be able to deliver a good amount of current that will transfer to sound without much waste, and you'll go from inaudible to comfortable to loud in just 15% of the volume range. Most software controls will not be great for fine adjustment but it's still usable —I connected it to the Apple USB-C 3.5 mm dongle US version. I am not an expert but sound quality is amazing. Quality and durability look good to me. I like that the cable is removable.

When I pulled these from the box, admittedly I became a bit suspicious because of the construction. They just "seemed" flimsy. But I put them on and was immediately impressed with their comfort. Even with my glasses on, the cups were gentle and provided a great seal. I've used them to monitor my microphone in real time, monitor audio playback while editing video, and while listening to hi res lossless audio on my PC from Apple Music. The dynamic range and sound isolation of these headphones is pretty darn amazing, especially when listening to lossless music. I needed a great set of phones for multiple purposes and I wasn't disappointed one bit. On the pricing front, I think the range combined with comfort make them a good value. The headband is wide and the ear pads easily replaced when needed. As for their construction, I may have been overreacting a bit. 😏

I was looking for lightweight over-ear headphones to pair with a DAP and wanted to use them with other 3.5mm devices without an adapter. These are light, fit well, don't smoosh my head or ears (large head, normal-ish ears), and sound fantastic at all volumes. Came with two length cables and an adapter for phono. They work very well with PS5 and Xbox for games that you don't use voice chat.

I have gotten used to high quality studio wired ear buds and with my kids wanting to practice piano I wanted them to wear muffs to hear themselves without disturbing the adults talking. Then I thought, I was doing the same thing when playing. I decided to not go cheap and buy some of the best. No mistake here, the sound is excellent and I can hear all the nuances of highs and lows with no muddy mid-range. Clear as a bell. Far more comfortable than buds too. Plenty of soft cord that does not conduct cord friction noise to the muffs. My older, less expensive unit did make cable noise that was quite irritating. The headset fits really well on all sizes I have in my family (ages 9,12 & 21). It's also quite light without feeling cheap. The plug in pin arrangement is brilliant. Sony is really top-drawer!

First off, these were super light and comfy. I wear glasses most of the time and these are by far have been my most comfortable headphone. I did end up returning these mostly because of the sibilance I was experiencing. Yes, I KNOW I can eq out the highs to reduce it, but I am the type of person who wants a product that works out of the box. A buy once, cry once type. Some things I liked about the headphones: - Very lightweight - Love the little headband adjustment lines. Had no issues with the sizing at all. (Fits my big head) - The bass is present, but not overwhelming. Do not expect a THX experience with these reference monitors - Sound stage is intimate in my opinion, but clear separation between voice and instruments.

Don't know if these are worth the money but are working OK so far. The thing is I want a good sounding set but rugged. I guess I am hard on earphones. I throw them on the couch and shuffel them around. I went through 2 pair of "high quality" phones that sounded good but fell apart. Seriously they wern't built or designed well although highly recommended. Hey, sound quality ain't all there is to your product folks! Then had a pair from American airlines first class cabin, I got either at a thrift store or perhaps while exiting from coach, Ha!, and sounded wonderfull. But soon fell apart. I guess they were "throw aways" not made for long term use, so that's fair. BTW we only get earbuds in coach. These Sony fit well just like the Sony Bluetooth ones I have, for years, and don't seem all that rugged but don't seem to have a bad design either. We'll see how they do. The Sony Bluetooth were also not cheap but I am not complaining. I do like it that I have decreased the volume on the computer so they seem not to be dampening the power. I also think the cushions are replaceable which is a problem for all these that very soon start shedding little black flakes of "dandruff" all over you. So that is a pluss.