(ASIA PACIFIC, 6 September 2024) – Sony today announced the MDR-M1 Reference Closed Monitor Headphones, designed for music creators and sound engineers to produce music in any environment, heard as they intended. The headphones host a closed acoustic structure with high sound isolation, exclusively developed driver, and a lightweight and comfortable design that allow users to create in their own environments, as if they were in the studio. The MDR-M1 headphones combine studio sound quality with extreme comfort and reliability, suitable for a wide range of music production and high-resolution audio applications.

Sound Characteristics
The MDR-M1 offers studio sound quality with a carefully tuned acoustic structure to support a wide range of music production, all while offering high resolution audio. At the core of the sound quality is a uniquely developed driver unit that achieves ultra-wideband playback (5Hz – 80kHz), featuring a combination of a soft edge shape to reproduce low frequencies with sufficient volume and low distortion, and a hard dome shape to accurately reproduce ultra-high frequencies.

The closed acoustic structure helps eliminate ambient noise and sound leakage from the headphones, making them suitable for use in a variety of production processes, so that each note can be carefully tuned and monitored to support accuracy and authenticity of the creator. A tuned port (Beat Response Control) acts as a ventilation hole to control low frequencies. By optimising the operation of the diaphragm, there are improved low-frequency transient characteristics, making it possible to accurately reproduce sound with a very tight bass response.

Sony aims to create products that enhance both content creation and listening experiences for professionals and consumers. The MDR-M1 headphones were created in collaboration with some of the top sound engineers in the industry, including Mastering Engineer of Battery Studios, Mike Piacentini, and Recording and Mixing Engineer of Power Station at Berklee NYC, Akihiro Nishimura, to ensure an authentic and enriching music experience.

“As engineers, we are often tasked to work in a variety of formats, which are all produced in different environments, on ever-changing speaker systems. Throughout the record production process, I believe it is important to have headphones that provide an accurate reference point, whether you are working on near-field monitors, mastering speakers, or an immersive speaker setup. I’ve worked alongside the incredible Sony’s Tokyo headphone design team, to help create a pair of headphones that is accurate across the frequency spectrum in a variety of use cases. MDR-M1 is a great entry point for any creator” – Mike Piacentini (Mastering Engineer of Battery Studios)

“The tonal balance of the MDR-M1 feels very close to the impression of Power Station’s Studio A control room. In recording sessions, it is important to care what musicians or singers are listening to when they play or sing. MDR-M1 gives you the same impression of listening in a control room headphone, which makes it easier to create music by listening to each other. The comfortable design also makes us focus on music in long sessions. I hope MDR-M1 will become the standard monitoring system for any recording sessions.” – Akihiro Nishimura (Recording and Mixing Engineer of Power Station at Berklee NYC)

Comfort and Design
Engineered with comfort in mind, the MDR-M1’s ear pads were carefully designed to achieve both fit and long wearing comfort. Thick, low resilience padding is used to ensure airtight listening, and a new lighter design makes for a precise fit and excellent comfort for long mixing and mastering sessions.  The MDR-M1 includes two cables, one is a high quality replaceable, detachable cable with a stereo mini-plug and plug adapter (stereo mini-plug to stereo standard plug) and the second shorter cable is also included and can be used depending on the connected equipment and usage environment for ease of use in a professional setting.

The MDR-M1 will also work seamlessly alongside Sony’s 360 Virtual Mixing Environment (360VME)  service to free creators from space constraints and heighten reproduction abilities from virtually anywhere.

Pricing and availability
The MDR-M1 headphones are available in selected countries in South East Asia from September 2024.

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ABOUT FOR THE MUSIC
Sony established the brand platform “For The Music” for its premier consumer and professional audio products and services. With “For The Music,” Sony is affirming itself as the premier audio brand connecting music creators and consumers, aiming to create authentic music experiences and transcend emotion for fans by supporting creator vision over everything.

To learn more about the “For the Music” brand platform, please visit https://www.sony-asia.com/for-the-music.

About Sony Electronics (Singapore)
Sony Electronics (Singapore) is responsible for the marketing and sales of Sony products in Singapore. It also handles export business for Sony products from Singapore to various parts of Asia. Since establishing our presence in Singapore in 1973, we have grown steadily over the years to become a leader in the electronics market. For more information on Sony’s products and services in Singapore, please visit http://www.sony.com.sg/

About Sony Corporation
Sony Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation and is responsible for the Entertainment, Technology & Services (ET&S) business. With the mission to “create the future of entertainment through the power of technology together with creators,” we aim to continue to deliver Kando* to people around the world. For more information, visit: http://www.sony.net/.

*Kando is a Japanese word that roughly translates to the sense of awe and emotion you feel when experiencing something beautiful and amazing for the first time.

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