Sony's original MDR-7506 The model can also be engraved on the Mount Rushmore of wired studio headphones. The simple black cans with blue stickers are relatively neutral sounding, built to punch, and they're surprisingly affordable at just under $100 retail. These combined to make them a staple of studios around the world for decades. I've had the same pair for about eight years and, apart from replacing the earpads a few years ago, they're still going strong.
What the 7506 are not, however, are premium studio monitors. They A bang for your buckGood enough for most situations but often outclassed by more expensive hardware. With the new, $250 MDR-M1, Sony wants to play at the upper end of the market.
These are thoroughly pro-grade studio headphones, but they borrow heavily from what made the 7506 so durable. If you're a musician, audio professional, or just someone who wants to get more out of their music, the new model takes everything we love about the cheaper models up a notch.
proper studio headphones
look towards a frequency response chart There isn't much that's immediately apparent about the MDR-M1s next to the MDR-7506s; They both have slightly boosted low end with the midrange dropping to around 4K. If you're familiar with the warm but still bright sound signature of the original model, these do that but with much more clarity.
Photograph: Terrence O'Brien
The biggest difference is that the M1s have a lot of difference overall Range greater than 7506. The M1s will share a lot of audio on both the high and low ends; Where the 7506 has a frequency response of 10 Hz to 20 kHz, the M1S claims a range of 5 Hz to 80 kHz, which is well beyond the range of human hearing in both directions.
This extended range translates to better sound at both ends of the spectrum. A port helps control bass and keeps things from getting too muddy on the low end. I find the M1s a touch sharper on instruments in the lower register, and at the high end things are crisp without ever being overly bright – a complaint I've occasionally lodged against the 7506.
Photograph: Terrence O'Brien