yo, honestly i feel u on this one. choosing between the old school stuff and the new gear is a total vibe. > I’m torn between the industry-standard MDR-7506 and the newer MDR-MV1 open-backs for actual mixing. For your situation, I would suggest going with the Sony MDR-MV1 Open-Back Reference Monitor Headphones. Ngl, while the Sony MDR-7506 Professional Monitor Headphones are like, legendary for tracking vocals cuz of the isolation, they arent the best for actual 6-hour mixing sessions. The 7506 has a pretty aggressive high-mid boost—it makes things sound "detailed" but it can literally fry your ears after a few hours of critical listening. Plus, being closed-back, the soundstage is kinda cramped for making big EQ decisions. The MV1s are basically designed for exactly what youre doing. Since they're open-back, the air moves better, which makes the low end feel way more natural and less "boxy." i think you might want to consider how much the open-back design bleeds tho—if youre in a noisy room, it might be wierd. But for comfort? Dude, they're sooo much lighter and the pads dont get as sweaty. I guess the only thing is they're pricier, but for a "final mixdown" tool, the extra detail and spatial accuracy is worth it imo. If you definitely need a closed-back that's flatter than the 7506, maybe check out the Sony MDR-M1 Professional Reference Closed-Back Headphones. They just came out and are way more balanced than the older models. Just be careful with the 7506s... they're great for finding clicks and pops, but I wouldn't trust them for a whole mix balance. peace!!

For your situation, the 7506 is way too bright for mixing. id grab the Sony MDR-M1ST Professional Studio Monitor Headphones—theyre flatter and way more comfy for ur marathons

Tbh I totally get wanting to stick to Sony for the build quality, but have you thought about looking outside the brand? I am still pretty new to the gear side of things, but from all the market research and comparison reviews I have seen lately, some other brands seem to offer way better value for a truly flat mixing response. Ngl, it feels like Sony is great for that classic studio vibe, but for 6-hour marathons, maybe checking out some competitors would be better for your ears? Most of the pros I see online for mixing specifically tend to lean towards other specialized brands because they are designed purely for neutrality rather than tracking. Some solid alternatives that fit your budget would be:

• Sennheiser+HD+600+Open+Back+Professional+Headphones&linkCode=osi&tag=5422-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow sponsored">Sennheiser HD 600 Open Back Professional Headphones
• Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X Open-Back Studio Headphones Afaik the Sennheisers are basically the gold standard for neutrality in a home studio setup, and the Beyerdynamics are known for being superrr comfortable for long periods because of those velour pads. Do you think you would be open to trying something non-Sony if it meant a flatter sound for your mixdowns? Just a thought since you are investing so much time into your production!

Seconded!