Sony MDR-M1 Closed Back Reference Monitor Headphones

Worth every penny, if they are what you need

tl;dr Incredible spatial definition, amazing clarity, massive range. Hard to beat for exacting, all day listening.

Before we begin, ears are funny things and any review of headphones or earbuds is purely subjective. To cut down on variables I use the same sound sources and test tracks for all my reviews, but what sounds great to me might not sound as good to you.

The Design

I really like Sony's minimalist box for these professional headphones, and the simple card packaging is easy to recycle. The box contains the headphones, and two 3.5mm stereo cables to give you some cable length choice. Both work well and have a screw cap over the 3.5mm jack where it enters the headphones, providing a secure attachment.

The Sony MDR-M1 headphones feel surprisingly light, especially if you've been wearing wireless headphones weighed down by batteries and noise cancelling technology. It feels like Sony knew people wearing these headphones would be wearing them for prolonged periods and don't need bits of ballast to add heft and a feeling of worth. These are a carefully designed professional tool designed to be worn for hours on end without the wearer noticing. The materials might be light but they feel well made, and the nothing feels loose or likely to squeek or rattle. The design is decidedly understated.

The adjustment in the design is impressive as well. I have a large head, so find even with some big brand noise canceling headphones I stretch the limit of the headband and experience pressure points. Not so here, the band expanded for my head with almost an inch of additional range beyond my needs. The wearing experience is very comfortable, the padding feels soft and smooth, and there were no uncomfortable pressure points. The ear cups are large and easily completely encompassed my ears, and the wide headband rested but didn't push against the crown of my head. Even with glasses on there weren't any points of pressure or rubbing, and in multiple hours of listening I didn't feel fatigued or uncomfortable, so can easily imagine wearing these for long sessions.

The Sound

The Sony MDR-M1 is designed for a very specific audience. Like its sibling the MDR-MV1 this isn't a bass heavy set of cans for drowning out the commute. These are carefully crafted so that if you need to hear precisely what is happening, and where in the soundscape it is happening then these headphones might be just what you are looking for. Similarly, if you are an audiophile who wants to hear a recording exactly as it sounded on the mastering desk then these headphones are a dream come true. In fact, I lost several hours listening to lossless high definition recordings in my collection hearing new details. On the flip side I also ruined several of my favorite songs by listening to them on the MDR-M1s and noticing how cramped, static, and central the mixing was, and compression that isn't noticeable on other headphones became very apparent with these. The soundscape is very precise, and whether it is stereo content or immersive 360 audio, the placing of sounds is exact, clear and detailed across the frequency range. With high quality source material these headphones sound amazing, and they will expose a poor mix brutally and quickly.

Conclusion

These are truly incredible professional headphones, the sound, comfort, and build quality are all superb. They are a specialist tool stripped of all the gimmicks and extras that clutter headphones today. Are they worth the price? Yes, a resounding yes whether you are a professional who needs them for work, or an audiophile who wants to hear every detail the Sony MDR-M1s are frankly brilliant.