Which Sony headphones are best for professional studio mixing?

Question

I really need to know which Sony headphones are actually the industry standard for professional studio mixing right now. I just got my first paid gig scoring an indie short film and I have about $400 to drop on a solid pair of cans by next Tuesday so Im super hyped!

I spent all morning looking at the MDR-7506s since they are legendary, but then I saw some people trashing them for being too bright for mixing and saying the MDR-MV1 are better for spatial stuff. But the MV1 is open back and my room is kinda noisy so I dont know if that will ruin my levels or if the 7506 is still the way to go?

Cvety_nlEt · Accepted Answer

Congrats on the scoring gig! Since your room is noisy, definitely skip the open-back MV1. I have used the Sony MDR-7506 Professional Large Diaphragm Headphones for years and theyre decent, but can be fatiguing tho. The new Sony MDR-M1 Professional Closed-Back Monitor Headphones is probably your best bet. It stays under your $400 budget and has a much more balanced sound profile for mixing. Good luck with the film!

Jeffreylon · Answer

^ This. Also, if your room is noisy, you definitely need to prioritize isolation or your mix decisions wont translate at all. I started with the 7506s years ago and found the high-end way too aggressive for long scoring sessions. It basically led to some really dull-sounding mixes because I kept cutting frequencies that were just the headphones being bright. For a more reliable, conservative choice that actually is a pro standard, consider these points:

Sony MDR-CD900ST Studio Monitor Headphones are the literal industry standard in Japan. They are closed-back and provide a much flatter, safer response than the 7506.

They handle environmental noise much better than any open-back like the MV1 will.

Build quality is very solid for daily studio work, which is key for a professional gig. I found these way more dependable for critical leveling. They usually run around $200 so they fit your budget easily.

CharlesRof · Answer

To add to the point above:I am so happy you mentioned the room noise because i have been dealing with the exact same issue for months now.I also have that 400 dollar limit and just cant find anything that works well without being too bright.Trying to balance the cost while needing high quality isolation is honestly so frustrating... i still havent found a solid answer yet!