Sony MDR-M1

Wearing comfort

The lightweight construction makes the headband’s loose, rather than tight, fit very comfortable to wear. The precise sizing of the headband also covers a fairly wide range of head shapes, from delicate to large. The tilt and swivel earpieces, which are slightly angled in the suspension, are also adaptable. The replaceable padding does not fit snugly around the ears, which is an advantage when it comes to heat build-up, as it allows air to circulate. There is also plenty of room for larger ears.

Interchangeable cables

The Sony MDR-M1 does not have a fixed cable, and it is a good idea to include two 3.5mm jack versions, 1.2m and 2.5m long, and a 6.3mm adapter. This means you don’t have to deal with an overly long cable when you’re out and about, and if one breaks, it’s quick and easy to replace. There is a dedicated input socket on the left side of the case, and the audio cable is screwed on as well as being plugged in.

The sound

The Sony MDR-M1 features specially designed 40mm HD dynamic drivers with a significantly extended frequency range from 5 to 80,000 hertz. Even when listening through the headphone output of a MacBook Air or amplified through the Apogee Groove (review here), the sound is very airy, relaxed and accessible, even for a closed over-ear model. This impression is confirmed and intensified by a fixed headphone amplifier such as the Linear from Lehmann Audio.

Characteristic is also a spacious, very tidy and above all sparkling clean presentation, which also demonstrates a fast, crisp response on the recently released Linkin Park album ‘From Zero’. A direct comparison with the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro (review here), on the other hand, shows that the renowned headphones from Heilbronn offer a more spacious and indirect sound.

For a studio headphone, the bass seems quite solid, but it can also be quite fun. Playing tracks such as ‘Anti Loudness’ from the studio album ‘Empor’ by Hamburg-based techno marching band ‘Meute’, it is clear that an Adam Audio H200 (review here) has a more substantial bass response. Compared to the DT 770 Pro, however, the MDR-M1 is clearly tuned for more fun and has more substance in the low bass range, which in combination with the groove of modern music styles makes for a full, powerful reproduction.

The mid-range, on the other hand, is not overpowering, but rather natural. For more complex productions, the relatively large listening area is used for clean fanning out. The MDR-M1 has a high degree of separation, making it easy to locate or follow individual signals. Speech intelligibility is also excellent, as illustrated by Anne Clark’s vocals on ‘Soulthought’ from the 2022 album ‘Borderland’.

However, compromises have to be made when it comes to treble reproduction, which is sometimes very restrained. On the one hand, the MDR-M1’s sound reproduction benefits from an extended super-high range, but on the other hand it is particularly hesitant in the lower and mid-treble range. In this respect, the sound character is very pleasant and well-behaved, which adds to the listening pleasure, as even sensitive ears do not have to worry about peaks or a tendency towards harshness.

For a studio monitor, however, the highs are remarkably uncritical. Both the DT 770 Pro and the H200, for example, reproduce sibilants with much more precision, allowing a judgement to be made. This is hardly possible with the MDR-M1 due to its very defensive, glossing over reproduction. The MDR-M1’s strengths therefore lie more in the creative field, in recording or editing, and in relaxed music listening, but not necessarily in studio monitoring.

The bottom line

The Sony MDR-M1’s somewhat restrained high-frequency reproduction may prove to be a weakness in professional applications, as it is difficult to judge critically. On the other hand, the pleasant high-frequency range seems to be very conducive to creative processes and fun listening. Thanks to the wide frequency range of the HD driver technology, the sound is powerful, spacious, light and airy for a closed system.