Did SONY just make a better DT-990?

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00:00 - Intro
00:37 - Build, Design & Comfort
03:49 - Sound: Objective
07:25 - Sound: Subjective
08:41 - 360 Reality Audio
09:34 - Studio use vs music listening
12:29 - Conclusion

[@ResolveReviews]

Just for clarification, the DT-990 is not a high bar to clear. The reason for the comparison is that the tuning of this is more reminiscent of that one, just better in the bass and mids.

[@rhalfik]

The price is closer to the luxurious 990... 1990, so a comparison would be adequate.

[@rhalfik]

@@fisherman9435 it's a magnifying glass.

[@tysontyson1244]

As fisherman9435 pointed out, the Beyerdynamic DTXXX headphones have been used since the 1980's. I owned one that fell apart because the first ones were all plastic. The classic moniker is the bar that had been set. There are few classics in this category. Besides Beyerdynamic, Sony also leads in the classic monitor headphone category, perhaps followed by a significant margin Sennheiser.

[@goblinphreak2132]

They are better than their own z7m2 headphones which are $600

[@ubacow7109]

Sony did say they designed this for Spatial mixing. In regards to that this headphone also allows you to go to certain Sony studios or labs to get your HRTF professionally measured and they will give you the file for when you're mixing. I think the 6-7k boost is designed for that purpose in mind. Sony lists on their site which studios/stores/labs that you can go to get you're HRTF measured for this specific headphone.

[@eva2415]

If Sony made a consumer version with their typically warm tuning and made it slightly cheaper it would be an absolute hit.

[@wagiqwq]

I mean doesn't need to be "bloated"... warm would be fine though, because most consumers like it that way

[@filosavage7475]

I didn't expect these to be over 600 in my country that's double the price of hd560s

[@MuhammadKharismawan]

On the flip side these are 300 usd in my country.

[@shonen84]

Just got these. The bass shelf is very very very well done. It’s like a very tasteful, non bloated, modern version of the 90s Mega Bass. Vocals great, treble great and clear just on the edge of fatiguing and great soundstage. I love the Sony house sound and have a bunch of IEMs (XBA3, XBA Z5, IER Z1) and many of the XM line (1000XM1,2,4, WF XM3,4 , WI XM2) And THESE are the best I ever got from Sony!

[@Whiteshade]

@@filosavage7475 Sony is x2.5 priced in my country while hd560s priced 1:1 . I rather buy 2 560s one for backup.

[@TheJediJoker]

Headphones have multiple uses and purposes in a studio. 1. The most common use is as monitors for talent (musicians, voiceover artists, etc.). For that purpose, an open-back headphone is probably not going to work, depending on the sensitivity of any microphones nearby to the headphones. You don't want bleed from whatever is being monitored to show up on the recording. For talent monitoring, therefore, you generally want closed-back headphones with minimal leakage, good comfort, and excellent durability. Sound quality takes a back seat. That's why the DT770 is king in the studio. (There are also single-sided headphones so that talent can more easily hear what's going on around them during recording, including their own voice/instrument.) 2. The next most common is as monitors for engineers during recording. Sometimes, talent will be recorded in the control room for various reasons. In that case, bleed may need to be minimized just as in the live room or booth. Less frequently, an engineer may work from within the live room. In either case, the desirable characteristics are identical to talent monitors. (The same applies to field and location recording.) 3. The least common use is as tertiary, secondary, or rarely primary monitors for mixing and mastering. Depending on the goal, desirable characteristics for this purpose can vary widely. A tertiary monitor may be a consumer reference, in which case you're more likely to see AirPods than "studio/pro" headphones. A secondary monitor may be to zero-in on problem areas, in which case a tuning emphasizing those problem areas may be desired over a neutral, "reference" tuning. If being used as a primary monitor, however, a headphone should likely be as neutral as possible to help the engineer make decisions that will translate best to any and all end user playback systems. Even so, an engineer may prefer a less neutral headphone because they are used to it and know how their mixes and/or masters translate from it, and/or because it highlights problem areas. For these reasons and more, a studio/pro headphone may not be a good choice for reference listening.

[@Studio22mix]

I couldn’t explain it better 👍🏼

[@Rhythmattica]

The reason I settled on HD 600's ... Yep.. Muso here.. HD600's ... Bob Katz approved....

[@RafiGish]

@@Rhythmattica You must love things like soundstage and subbase huh?

[@KillaZamii]

@@RafiGishwhat headphones do you like as opposed to the hd600?

[@domonickwilliams33]

I’m a studio engineer and yes we often use headphones that are specifically meant for pointing out flaws within a mix and a completely neutral headphone will not do that as well so in that sense this Sony headphone would be well suited for studio use and just too clear the use case of a studio headphone is always to point out flaws and inconsistencies

[@g.o.9513]

Do you think this headphone (Sony MDR MV1) will help point out issues when mixing drums and doing sound design? All i have is the NDH 30's... just contemplating.

[@eliasbergstrom5300]

At $400 I expect it to be better than the DT990 lol

[@aidanfriedfeld8889]

Didn’t the new dt990 variant cost like 350$ new. I get in the used market old dt990s don’t cost much but like the most relevant competition is gonna be the new dt900 pro or whatever they call it which is a pretty similar price to this.

[@eliasbergstrom5300]

@@aidanfriedfeld8889 you are correct. But the title of the video literally says ”DT-990”. Which my comment was referring to.

[@2ndAveScents]

Twice as good!

[@ubacow7109]

It does seem like it is tbh

[@thegochie]

​@@aidanfriedfeld8889the 900 pro is actually amazing though.

[@hartyewh1]

That measurement was so bright I had to reduce the brightness on my phone to view it😅

[@iocomposer]

Where these headphone shine is specific to people like me, who mix films in immersive technologies like Atmos. The VME software allows me to emulate a large mixing room in a virtual way, allowing me to mix accurately without sitting on a dubbing stage which typically costs $500/hr. Thanks for the review!

[@jamestorres5582]

I've been waiting to hear your review of this one in particular

[@launchpadmcquack98]

Studio headphones are almost always used as a second reference (monitors being the primary) for checking various flaws in a mix that might go unnoticed on many monitoring systems. Very few accomplished mix engineers used headphones as their primary reference.

[@smoloms]

Even when my pair of mdr-7506 die, i will probably still get another pair. Just so used to them.

[@ericying]

Thanks for another detailed review resolv! I noticed the WF-1000XM5 (IEM) and WH-1000XM5 (full-size) both have a plateau in the treble from around 4.5K to 10K. Maybe it's indeed something to do with 360 Reality Audio.

[@shonen84]

I just got these. I have a Focal Clear Mg, Sennheiser HD 595 and Focal Bathys. And. I. Absolutely LOVE these!!! Jacked into my WMZ1, Discman (DE350) and RME Adi2FS - WOW! Right up my alley! Fun but technically well done V shape with great soundstage and super comfortable?! I might buy two!!

[@Maj0rTac0]

Had this for a month now. I only use streaming for music (Tidal). The app has a feature that works for this headphone. Having the Sundara and HD650. Each provides a different experience. Update: it's perfect on electronic drums. It gives that surround sound when playing

[@nativeenglish2u]

Girth and gumption! Wow! An ever-widening audiophile vocabulary. Thanks Andrew ;-)

[@KirkLazurus]

The biggest problem with Sony headphones is the spare parts availability. Sony just doesn't sell earpads, ear tips, replacement cables etc. These are basic parts that can & do get worn/lost/break & you just cannot buy genuine replacement parts. I will not take any Sony headphone product seriously until they commit to sell basic service parts and they are easily available to purchase from multiple places. Try buying earpads for Z7 or Z1R. With their BT headphones at least there are aftermarket options but all of them change the sound.

[@dadanardi5541]

this is a problem with other headphones as well, aftermarket pads even the official ones will change the sound depending on the batch. Meze, for example, their newer 99c pads sound different than the OG. The other days I tried to find replacement pads for Hifiman Ananda, couldn't find the original and the aftermarket one just sounds different.

[@Ca11mero]

That's concerning that they still have that mentality. It's one of the big reasons the brand itself is rarely seen as "premium", even though they sell more expensive stuff and have some classics in their catalogue. With the amount of money they have, they could easily launch something very good that will change that perception. But my guess is that they are so big at this point that innovation and passion comes very far down the list of priorities, unless it generates significant revenue.

[@mranthony1886]

I had one of there speakers have the grill dented during a shift.. no replacement parts for a expensive speaker.

[@ssolx5527]

+1

[@GadZookz]

Thanks Resolve! In trying to answer your open question, I had to put myself in the studio along with the MV1. The first thing I noticed is there is no place to put your coffee. There are MV1s everywhere but they just don’t allow coffee anywhere near the consoles! 😧

[@ResolveReviews]

This is a key issue that needs to be solved.... resolved.

[@themastroiannis]

great review. thanks so much. owned the Beyer DT1990 for mixing and mastering (jazz and classical) but got exhausted with the treble boost. I now use Sennheiser HD600 and Neumann NDH 30 and i'm getting waaaay better results! don't believe headphones have to be so treble boosted for mixing and mastering or to "facilitate" hearing flaws in a mix. from your reviews, i would love to try the Audeze MM-500 for mixing and mastering. hopefully soon i'll get a pair.

[@BurningBushPedagogy]

Their are atimes certan supposed popular recordings might sound imperfect even in a highend speakers or headphones, harshness is the easiest to get, and when those high frequencies boosted even if you think its too much, your recordings will sound smooth, in 100 thousands systems. You can just listen in all the speakers and headphones plus you'd can and think it's done. What about you listen on a LCD 5 and realize oh, I could have pull the 60hz a little more, you listen in an actual night club with people in if, and realize you bass was just mire than necessary and the djs always re eq you'd song. So translate must be also heard, in high-end stuffs, have you listen to you'd track very loud, and you feel like, I should reduced my hats just a bit. All these might have been avoid if your headphones have a little more of the essential frequencies. This is why older recording have less issues, because everything is mild or less, and they can be played loud and proud.

[@artureff3046]

​@@BurningBushPedagogyagree, old masters (tape) are too often much better than current digital cheap approach....

[@universeman657]

On studio headphones- I just mix and master with my Aeolus on a tube amp, because it’s what I listen to music through, and I know exactly what I want things to sound like on it.

[@malfunkt]

Glad to see you pointed out binaural audio. Just as an interesting note, many audio engineers have used the HD600 series as a bit of a common benchmark for years. Spatial audio is also important for engineers who are checking the mixes on the go, or who want to simulate different rooms than their actual physical studio. Professional spatial audio software will actually have EQ curves for common headphones such as Sennheiser and Beyer, but the target curve is actually pretty close to the HD600. For those interested in experiencing actual soundstage or even object-oriented positioning on headphones it will require spatial dsp. To truly get a more accurate perception of stereo soundstage on headphones requires either spatial DSP / good crossfeed (or you are listening to binaural audio). The reason for this is that music is primarily engineered for speaker listening in a room environment. Consider when listening to speakers in a room, each of your ears hears a blend of BOTH stereo channels. Additionally, you here room reflections. All of this can be modelled and really good spatial dsp can replicate this. Problem is, spatial dsp is confusing and implementation isn't straightforward. Apple Music tried to make this easier, but it only works on Apple Music and with their headphones (unless you force turn it on in preferences). On PC you have more options such as Dolby Atmos for Headphones (which works better for 5.1 than stereo music), DTS-X. Check out HeSuvi on PC. On phones there is Waves NX (free but it has some quirks and only works with mp3 music files on phone) and nPlayer Plus (which has DTS-X which can be enabled). For professional use there is Waves NX (non-consumer version) and Waves Abbey Road Studio and these are incredible and can make your headphones sound close to speakers. But getting these to work for music listening will require knowledge in setting up a VST/AU audio host to reroute your audio through. For gaming, most games will have spatial headphone audio built-in, but in some cases such as Returnal on PS5 you have to enable Sony Spatial audio and it is excellent. Some games, like the original Overwatch actually licensed Atmos in-game and it was great. The science of spatial audio will be perfected in years to come as it is essential for games as well as VR applications.

[@aracari]

I think personalized tuning is more important than a treble boost for a mixing environment. From my limited experience in the field I found my akg n90q to be essential for headphone monitoring. Built in hrtf compensation and 2.1 speaker simulation gives it an unparalleled accuracy, especially if your ears have audible hrtf differences like mine. I have yet to hear a headphone that comes close to its competency because it sound more like studio monitors than headphones.

[@twraia]

I have been living with this pair of headphone for over two months now, and finally I have my impression validated. I find them very fatiguing, which surprises me because I generally prefer bright sounding headphones. I guess the issue is, I tend to prefer a more forward mid, but because of the bass and treble boost of these headphones, I often found myself turning up the volume, which makes the treble even worse. Maybe it’s time for me to get into EQ…. The built-in one in Apple Music doesn’t do it for me in this case

[@MFKitten]

Very very smooth FR!

[@MonoPod_DD]

I got these for gaming. Needed a heaphone with good sound imaging so I could pinpoint direction and distance of audio. Went from those classic $20 headphones from the 2010 days of console gaming to HyperX Cloud IIs, to Phillips SHP9500, and now to these, and each step has been a more than significant improvement. Was considering getting the Audeze MM-100s but I could've gotten the Sonys faster, so I got 'em to try 'em and I kept 'em, because of how relaible of an improvement it was on what headphones I already had for how I wanted to use them.

[@Ca11mero]

Very interesting considering how the MDR-7506 has been around for a VERY long time. What I'm hoping for, that will probably not ever happen, is that they make a premium HIFI version of this, tuning it further to for example Harman target and make a full metal frame with all the replaceable parts we can expect. Considering their expertise, I don't think it's impossible since they already have a more expensive lineup.

[@miaobinhuang2315]

Hi just wondering if you could help me with these doubts. For movies and music do you recommend gamer headphones or could you recommend budget headphones for movies and music as for amp/dac I'm considering JDS Labs atom stack, Schiit Magni 3+ & Heresy, or any budget amp/dac you might recommend. Been spending days researching and watching endless youtube but no one really talks about this topic please help thanks. I posted the same message to some audiophiles but no response.

[@dmarcus1260]

I developed tinnitus a couple of years ago from loud music exposure with headphones. As a result I can't hear high frequencies as good as I use to. Despite all this, I still find the Beyerdynamic DT-990 too bright/zingy. The Sony MDR-MV1 might be the headphone that fits my needs. I don't mind a v-shaped signature as long as it is not too drastic. Even before my mild hearing loss, I always found warm sounding headphones like the Audeze line as well as the Sennheiser HD 650 and HD 660 too veiled.

[@Tesseus]

I have tinnitus too, let me know how the sony's are for you if you ever end up picking them up!

[@MuhammadKharismawan]

I've had this headphone for 2 months, I got it for 300 usd lightly used so just can't ignore it. For tuning, this is basically a small, one side cabled portable Z1R, Sony kinda cannibalize their own product as with this, I kinda feel there's no reason to buy Z7ii anymore, as I've had both Z7 and Z7ii before and both can't win against the MV1 in all but build quality. Even comfort, as with how lightweight this is its super comfortable, for comparison, this is basically as comfortable as Sony's MDR 1A but with Alcantara earpads instead of pleather. I wonder how DMS would rate this as 1A is the one Sony headphone he likes. For comparison, on its arrival, I got a HD650 come in at the same time, I simply just ignored it on the first day as with first listen the MV1 is simply more interesting

[@goblinphreak2132]

This. I was daily driving the z7m2 for over a year and got the mv1's asap and they blew me away

[@michcrimson]

Did you delete all the videos from the other chanel Resolve? I was looking for an old video of you reviewing the amiron home, but it doesn´t exist any more :(

[@ResolveReviews]

yes

[@user-eb4ne2hw6f]

I think using harsher gear for mixing makes sense, if not just because it's safer to undershoot than overshoot.

[@TotemTom]

Still holding out for content on the he1000se v2 stealth. I can't find measurements for it anywhere and if it measures up to or improves on its previous revisions, it seems it would be so compelling at its price point, but there's just no coverage for it

[@Damien_N]

I really love the MV-1. I don’t find it to be treble murder though which is really strange, even with music that is famously sibilant like Black Metal. As a counterpoint I can’t stand the DT770, this 100% is treble murder for me.

[@goblinphreak2132]

Its not bloated they are reading the graphs wrong. because they dont know what they are doing and how to properly setup the software. Don't get me started with the "Harmon-kardon" curve. Bullshit metric for people to jerk themselves off and push their preferences

[@Qimchiy]

I tried this headphone and I think it's excellent for most people. It sounds good, good bass, didnt notice that treble peak, its extremely comfy with its clamping and weight. I thought it was plastic, but as you've found out its metal. So itll probably last really long and stay comfy for maybe even days especially with thicker earpads.

[@conork325]

Looks like a good headphone for picking out the details in a mixes upper end. Also a good headphone for people who are older and/or have lost a bit of the higher end freq in their hearing - hey construction buddies!

[@lethalfright]

Excelente headphone. Paired with a decent DAC it is spectacular

[@maegnificant]

this has a treble boost to get back at the musicians dip :)

[@NetvoTV]

Is this good to use as monitoring headphone? Is any headphone that doesn't have processing can be use as monitoring headphone and just vary in sound quality from different price points? I actually prefer listening with speaker, is open back headphone sound like room speakers? Can you make any non 360⁰ headphone become one and don't have to buy these marketed as one? Is this good to watch Tenet movie? They say you can't have just one monitoring headphone, is 3 headphones setup with an open back like this plus a close back and a good listen headphone like B&O H95 good enough?

[@HiFiInsider]

I want to try the MV1.

[@delicrux]

What makes a good studio headphone? Tldr: a headset that can match flat reference monitors. Balance Detail range and transparency Balance: I need the bass to be properly represented not over emphasized/boost or anemic. Mids and treble need to properly handle layers texture ambiance vocal position/forwardness. Low mids and highs should accurately reproduce the signal sent to them without masking mud or distortion. It is preferable to not have coloration but neutral sound so the sound you create in the studio is correct and not cold because the monitors you used were warm so you overcompensated with your sound design. Granted the mastering process limited corrections can be made. A lot of this depends on the task you are doing but a all-rounder should come close to this.

[@TalonsRebellion]

I was looking into these for gaming, specifically because of the 380 effect. Are they good for locating and picking out specific noises?

[@TheHEADPHONEShow]

The 3D effect is nothing to do with the headphones, that's specifically to do with some of Sony's music mixes

[@TalonsRebellion]

@@TheHEADPHONEShow good to know! Would you still say it's pretty good for picking out sounds and locating them?

[@DefeatPete]

I had the chance to try out a number of headphones, including sennheisers, neumanns and beyers, but I ended up going home with these! As someone who likes bass and highs, this has been a very good headphone for long gaming sessions. That comfort is very hard to beat! I would however agree that it's quite pricey compared to the competition

[@shonen84]

so worth it though, loving mine

[@twraia]

Could someone recommend a good universal equaliser for iPhone users? Is it even possible to get one that’s also available in Mac or are we destined to need to buy two different apps? Thanks

[@rene837]

We seriously need more proper closed-backs in this price region.

[@mattrismatt]

Or priced lower. Headphone companies could correct their popular/current models with a custom pad-swap. (The ATH-M50 and Shure SRH-840A come to mind, the stock pads of which are garbage.)

[@goblinphreak2132]

Mdr-1am2 $300 mdr-z7m2 $600 both are closed back.

[@rene837]

​@@goblinphreak2132 And both are bad tuned headphones..., especially the z7m2 with it's resonance peaks in the upper midrange/lower treble.

[@ringsystemmusic]

Personally, I used to be of the opinion that reference tuning was best, but then I realized it’s easier to get a mix you like if your headphone already sounds the way you want it to. You’re not compensating for the inadequacies of your headphone, instead you’re actually in the mix and doing the whole EQ parts of the mix to sound better with each other thing. Having a headphone you really really like the sound of leaves your brain free to realize “hol up that bass is bloated af” or “hmm that reads better with distortion as opposed to overdrive” instead of “damn I can’t get this bass to sound right no matter what I do”. Effectively, this means audiophile headphones have precedence over studio-grade cans for me and my studio.

[@rezasafaie6396]

Hey . Any recommendations for a pair that translate relatively good ?

[@zorantodorovic6713]

Spot on, couldn't agree more.

[@rhalfik]

There are many roles to fill in studio, so studio headphones are anything that fits one of those roles. If I want to check how my mix sounded on consumer equipment... I buy consumer equipment. It's much cheaper! Studio headphones must be relatively good. At least as detailed as what other people are using, but to say that they need to be neutral is not exactly true. Headphones are never truly neutral, they're just sort of balanced but they drift away from it with age. Their job is to alarm you that something is wrong so that even after 8 hours of listening you're still catching the pops and esses. I mean you can use EQ to adapt them to be either a mixing reference or a speech monitor, but for mastering there's no need to freak out over neutrality. Many neutral headphones from Audio-Technica or Sennheiser will make you fall asleep and that's just not great. For recording you kind of need a couple different pairs because yes, closed back are good when there are a few instruments playing at once, but many singers don't like having occluded ears and they'll wear the headphones on just one ear and be uncomfortable. However by far the most important trait can be summarised as: longevity, ruggedness and repairability. You need to have an option to repair your gear and not have to wait a month for a replacement. The cable doesn't need to be detachable as long as it's a good cable. Sockets break too! Engineers know how to handle a soldering iron but the cable must be easy to solder. If it's a minijack, then the adapter must be threaded. So regardless of the function, it must be good industrial design that fits many different people and is reliable. Anything above that, like extraordinary fidelity is just a luxury - you don't need that although it's nice to have.

[@ronkkn4544]

When will you do a dekoni cobalt review?

[@SuperReview]

Very interesting to see the difference in measurements between GRAS and B&K! In the GRAS data, the treble looks... concerning. In the B&K data, the treble looks like a deal-breaker. Curiously in listening, I really don't find this headphone to sound especially bright, and I am someone who cannot really listen to Arya V3 for longer than 10 minutes because of the treble. TBH I expect most people, without a graph, would not predict that level of treble boost from a listening session with the MV1.

[@TheHEADPHONEShow]

Could be unit variation, but for me it was fairly noticeable right away.

[@SuperReview]

@@TheHEADPHONEShow Humans definitely have wild unit variation, I'm first to admit I shouldn't have made it past QC.

[@TheHEADPHONEShow]

Hahah I think that's just part of being into audio.

[@jeffriart]

I have MV1 and I can echo this experience. It's to my surprise that I see the measurement having such a treble boost, because this doesn't sound bright at all to my ear.

[@ryanhostudio]

i don’t hear the treble boost either like mark either, so it’s interesting that it shows up in a graph but in real life it’s way smoother…

[@happyforestgump1]

I do like the straight reference line.

[@AustinW_1]

The 360 seems like it would be useful for gaming. I am in the market for one that is both great for music and for gaming and versatile with EQ tuning. The Sennheiser HD650 vs the Sony MDR-MV1 seem to be my best options for under 500.

[@slyfox720]

I know this is a silly question..but would you recommend these for just regular listening enjoyment?

[@zorantodorovic6713]

Go to a headphone store with your own audio files and check out many different cans within your budget. Everybody likes a different sound so don't trust any reviews before you check a product yourself. I learned thet the hard way.

[@sirdan357]

@@zorantodorovic6713 I live in a big city and I've never seen a headphone store.

[@zorantodorovic6713]

@@sirdan357 There are a couple of them here in Vancouver, BC. Maybe there is a store where you live that you are not aware of?

[@sirdan357]

@@zorantodorovic6713 Maybe, but they're doing a terrible job advertising since I can't find a hint of one on Google. Some of the big electronics places used to have some headphones you can demo but that stopped years ago.

[@jimguo7633]

no, they are not supposed to replace nor a upgrade from MDR-7506. Sony MDR-MV1 is a brand new line of professional headphones from Sony. They have open back design and are intending to provide more natural and space-feel for mixing. Different from MDR-MV1, MDR-7506 are close back, which makes them ideal for recording and real-time playback for singers and radio program hosts, because the close-back design can better prevent feedbacks from being recorded.

[@GankWater]

The headphone show: Sennheiser products 'S++++ tier, especially considering the price!'. Beyer product 'This headphone nearly 3x the cost trashes it!'

[@zoltantoth1566]

What causes sound-stage? Certain property in the frequency response?

[@Ca11mero]

Multiple things and it's not entirely clear what makes all of it. What people strongly suspect is large drivers with open design, positional drivers (tilted or not centered), relatively bright tuning with a dip at 1.2-2.5kHz (look at HD800/HD800s and eggshaped Hifimans).

[@sirdan357]

I just got these. Most comfortable headphones ever. They replaced the Elegia as my backup set.

[@myHuge249]

imma be honest idk who these are for. Like i think the reason why so many people continue to use the original mdrs is cause they are cheap, meaning you could add them on on top of a more reference sounding system. Like i feel like you should always have a neutral headphone (or monitor) as your primary, then you can check if its too harsh with something like the mdr or a 770. At this price point i feel like most bedroom producers (the people most likely to be using headphones over studio monitors), wouldnt be able to buy this on top of something more neutral. Its a very useful tool to be able to check those sibilant regions, but its also a very specific tool. Its like using a massive filleting knife as your only knife, like im sure it can cut an onion but should you

[@klaymoon1]

Looks great to me. I wish Sony will release another version with a microphone. I like studio headphones for gaming, but not for music.

[@roguereaper2332]

Why not get the Audeze Maxwell

[@klaymoon1]

@@roguereaper2332 Maxwell has planar drivers, and this has dynamic drivers.

[@anupambphoto]

To be honest, we are just invested in the character progressions of resolve as time goes. He's got a long way to go with that smile.

[@gtye0h]

Is there a cd900st version of mv1?

[@Vaxeri]

The treble boost looks harsher than on DT-990. You better be careful with the volume for long sessions.

[@isaacapeltz]

Been working as a producer for around a decade now. I would never choose something to reveal sibilance over reference speakers, or reference headphones. When you're listening acutely you notice those things with flat frequency responses. I dunno, studio should be reference. Hd600 is the ideal studio reference headphone.

[@ResolveReviews]

This is sort of where I fall on the subject as well.

[@2ndAveScents]

This is sort of where I land on the topic too

[@Ca11mero]

Do you EQ down the upper mids on the HD600 or do you have it's characteristics in mind when working in the studio?

[@loganunknown]

I've been mixing for a really short time now in headphones and I find l end up using different harsh and bass heavy iem, earbuds and speakers to find problem areas, referencing professional songs too and I've found neutral headphones don't seem to translate well for me.

[@zorantodorovic6713]

Very true.

[@ObjectiveTruthSeeker]

Why not both styles of headphones for studio work? Mix with the treble peak headphones (if that’s your preferred workflow) and check against a common more neutral pair. Either that or use a neutral pair and software tools to temporarily EQ up the treble to check for sibilance, etc and then go back to normal? Maybe oversimplified 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@mranthony1886]

Some studios like Radio stations require the V Shape since ... what is the most common EQ regardless of sound system for people is the Rock V shape regardless of it is good for the speakers or not. The treble bounces like crazy off glass and sheet metal in the sibilance ranges and can make even the best speaker in the world sound poor. Sound engineers have to assume that 99% of rooms are untreated and quite hostile to audio. This is also why some sound engineers turn everything mono and play in car with factory default speakers and phones.

[@marksalamon619]

I've been researching headphones to buy and I greatly appreciate the reviews by the The HEADPHONE Show. I've realized that I will need to equalize almost any headphones I purchase in order to achieve the best performance. I'm new to this and I'm hoping that knowledgeable headphone fans can help me find an answer to my question. I have thousands of Classical music CDs and I'm wondering if there is a way to apply headphone equalization by using the digital audio signal from the coaxial, HDMI, or optical outputs of my CD player. Does the equipment exist that would enable me to do this? I'd love it if anyone could direct me to a resource that might provide me with a solution to this technical problem. Thanks for the assistance...

[@TheHEADPHONEShow]

I'm not sure about EQing a CD player, but you may want to look into the RME-ADI 2. It's a DAC that also has certain functions that could help. Make sure you research enough to ensure this actually works for your situation though.

[@marksalamon619]

@@TheHEADPHONEShow Thanks a million for your suggestion. I'll definitely give that DAC a close look to determine if it can help me EQ my headphones when I'm playing CDs.

[@JTB--]

I'd probably buy these for Tracking/Recording/mixing Guitar tracks at a $250 price point. But $400 is kinda steep

[@zorantodorovic6713]

The studio headphone should give you an enjoyable sound when listening to good, balanced mixes so that you can aim at that same balance when doing your own projects. When working on a mix, be it using monitors or headphones, the engineer will always, consciously or not, tweak the mix to subjectively have the most pleasing frequency and dynamic balance possible. So with overall bright, smiley curve or any other unnatural sounding headphones, the resulting mixes will have the inverse unnatural sound when listened through a neutral system. I have a pair of HiFiman Arya Organic cans that I bought based on stellar reviews and now they are sitting and collecting dust until I have time to build an analog preset EQ and put it into my monitor control box. Any attempt to mix on them would result in midrange heavy, dark and thin mixes. One should always mix on monitors or headphones one enjoys listening to good music on, not a unit that unpleasantly emphasizes any part of the frewquency spectrum. One can always globally boost treble to hear if anything annoyingly pops out, but it shouldn't be a permanent boost. Same for bass or mids.

[@impuls60]

The treble lift in 7-9kHz might be well for Pubg steps, but I wouldnt listen to music with that suckout in the 4-5kHz range taking out the clearity in speach.

[@ChrisKeyman]

Review please the Ollo s5x!

[@NobleOtterNZ]

These sound great for gaming?

[@gdemirjian]

If Sony could add a physical tuning slider so someone working with them could manually switch back and forth between neutral, and boosted 6k that would be the ultimate mix/master set of cans because both profiles can be a great tool for the engineer. I think the price will settle to $199-249'ish. #highfiaudiofriends

[@goblinphreak2132]

A simple equalizer would like a word with you

[@SKY11211213]

Sony MDR M1ST looks at this and wonders why it is not sold internationally. Yaxi M1ST Pads required!!! Also I really want this MV1.

[@bb1televator]

Is there an open back with decent bass that also doesn’t want to deep fry my eardrums in treble peaks?

[@tionanima]

Aune ar5k

[@OledBurnInKing]

I'm still looking for a pair of headphones that are open back, close back and the same applies to iems that are completely ruler flat frequency response from 20hz to 20 khz frequency response that shows a completely ruler flat on a frequency response graph. I'm looking for a pair of headphones that have complete accuracy in imaging, sound stage, no boost, no peaks, just complete accuracy. Lows have to be flat, mids have to be flat and treble have to be flat. I wanna be able to experience the sound in headphones and the same thing applies to studio monitors with no dsp, no compression, no eq, no filters. The way I described the headphones that I'm looking for, I'm willing to experience the same thing with studio monitors in the same way. I don't use any eq anymore. I would be interested in something like a portable tube amp that I can connect to my android phones from the usb c port and my fiio m11 dap when I feel like listening to something strictly analog. I prefer analog over digital any day of the week but sometimes I like to choose when its between something with complete accuracy for digital and something warm with tube amps with intimate vocals like the sennheiser hd 600 when going for analog depending on what mood I'm in when I make my decision.

[@zorantodorovic6713]

The problem is that there is no standard for "accuracy" as you call it. The bottom line is that if you listen to your favorite tracks on a hedphone. and at no point have an urge to reach for an EQ, you shoild ne able to mix on them.

[@OledBurnInKing]

I stopped using eq, I don't use any of the filters, no dsp since dsp reminds me of bose everytime dsp is mentioned.

[@fofopho]

Just to point something out that you seem to miss about studio headphones is that they generally aren’t used by recording engineers or mixing engineers. They are generally used by performers and musicians. So what you and your cohorts have settled on as “reference” tuning doesn’t really have any value in a set of studio headphones. As an example, the DT 990 and DT 770 are incredibly popular studio headphones not because of their frequency response, but because of their comfort, the 770s lack of bleed and ability to match one another in terms of power requirements when you Are sending a signal to 5 different headphone stations from your console (ie. You’ve got a bassist and guitarist strapped up with the 990s and then a vocalist and a drummer in iso booths wearing a set of 770s to prevent headphone bleed). I think the way the headphone community uses “reference” is a bit of a misnomer or is at least divorced entirely from the realities of the music mixing/production world. If you want a true “reference” sound, you would want to listen back on something that approximates the one of the most popular mixing speakers of the last 40 years the Yamaha NS10s (released in the late 70’s) which are used even in studios that have $100,000 speaker arrays. Most of the studios I’ve worked in are mixed on three separate sets of speakers. NS10s were so popular for so long not because they were great sounding speakers, but because they kind of sound like ass or at the very least boring, so if you get a mix to sound good on a set you can be pretty damn sure that mix will absolutely bang during the subsequent car test. Elevated treble is pretty common in studio headphones and stage IEMs - in my opinion this helps you detect potential signal path or more general noise floor issues, but more importantly it emphasizes the tighter rhythm elements (click track, cymbals, snares) which can help keeping musicians tight amid chaotic stage mixes - and same goes for rough tracking mixes in the studio. I hope that context helps. Those are at least my opinions and observations as someone who worked as a session musician for the better part of a decade before finding myself in the headphones hobby.

[@edjefferson9175]

"Studio" headphones (for mixing) should help the engineer create a mix that sounds right on any playback system. Club, car, home stereo......

[@zwete]

If it really does positional audio really well and is super comfortable = beast gaming cans.

[@torukmahtomahto409]

at 399, Ananda Stealth blown away those...

[@ThomasL]

And how does it compare against similarily priced Ollo Audio S4-X or Verum Audio Verum 1 ? These two have been highly praised for Audio Engineering in the past two years more or less. Seems like a bit overkill in the price if it's a take on a DT-990 voicing. Thanks for your honest review.

[@reflection1119]

A studio headphone should be flat through the lower frequencies abd revealing through the higher frequencies. Thats all that's needed to create a mix/master that will then sound good across as many different devices as possible. Its about sounding as average as possible

[@highdrifter4844]

The best mixing headphone by far is the HD600 or HD650 for me, the high end is more revealing than the all v shaped headphones, with a mid extremely detailed.

[@reflection1119]

@@highdrifter4844 v-shape will never make a good mixing headphone. Bass can always be adjusted to taste easily by the end consumer. Dialling down the bass in a mixing setup will automatically make the higher frequencies more transparent without actually having to boost the them. The lack of bass just creates more space for higher frequency detail to come forward. That said you want a flat bass response so that bass texture and presence can be assessed too. A major bass roll off before 150 Hz would not be good for mixing either.

[@loki76]

They are made specifically for SPATIAL AUDIO mixing. Take that into account. The sounds and tuning sound different using it. Listening in stereo isn't really how they were tuned.

[@BurningBushPedagogy]

Reference is like, lets hear how this track actually sounds, but that means nothing because almost listen medium is flat to see how a track actually, and even if you see with a specific headphones or speakers the true sound, it does nothing, because a sibilllant audio might not show up in certain listening medium, but my show in another headphones or speakers. It's so subjective that, you need to have headphones that compensate by adding more where most problems are likely to occurs. Eg, if your mix is done to make sure if smooth and not sibilllant, then no matter which other headphones or speakers it will sound fine, But if the high frequency is not boosted enough then, you might have gone too far, flat is bad for making decisions, because flat doesn't exist, so there is no need to have a reference persay, the rests of your speakers and your headphones are your references, not that there has to be one reference. Look HD600 might sound forgiving to a track and you think it's perfect, because your so called HD 600 has told you. But track might be listened to in say an Edition Xs or Sundara and too much highs or not perfect enough. So you'd HD 600 or whichever didn't help at all. So studio don't need a reference ie the real truth. There is no real truth, because not all humans have and use that specific system. Studio headphones don't need to be flat, flat will destroy your mix. The science of sound is a mysterious thing, that defies linear logic. NS is not flat its a your typical reference, it's flawed, but if your mix sounds nice on the NS10 then sounds in all other various system and their weird tunings. If that helps, you people should thinking V share shape is bad, or that is adding stuffs,it all must be kept neutral. There is no need for neutral. You must use couple systems to finally check if every decision of the mixing is fine, then go print the song. Sound or music is more of an Art than science and very subjective. Thanks.

[@SMEARGLEX75]

I'd like to have this Headphone, but very Bright-ish.

[@Vantavimeow]

Why isn't this being compared to the dt1990, the headphone it's actually priced against?

[@henryt9731]

I sold my empyreans for these… driving them off of a Holo bliss and Spring 2 kte, this should speak volume

[@klaushaunstrupchristensen7252]

Regarding Sony I wish we soon will see a MDR Z1R series 2. Greetings from Denmark

[@timbotibbetts]

I think the DT-990 gets such a bad rep, and it bugs me. Ive been using them for over a year now, qnd my only complaint is the cord. They sound better now than they did when i first got them, and i use them for everyday listening not studio use. Plus they're gorgeous to look at and comfortable. I get that some people might not like the treble bt i barely ever notice it being too much.

[@Stampede_G]

Don’t listen to these guys. I’ve owned nearly every headphone in the 100-800 dollar range going all the way back to 2012. The DT990 is the best I’ve heard and I absolutely love it. They trash on the 990s like their life depends on it and hardly anyone agrees lmao.

[@H0NSE]

As for what a studio headphone should be. Think Audio Technika got that sorted out. ATH-M are branded as studio monitors. ATH-R is branded as a reference headphone.

[@gabsriel]

Studio = flat = Tecsun wood headphones (maybe ?) Edit : and about detail ? are they detailed ?

[@diana73654]

For me, DT1990 pro is not a treble murderer lol . DT990 is ... Meze 109 pro is, Arya is also treble freak .... I consider Tesla drivers like T1 first gen and DT1990 pro , with a proper chain, without eq, just excelent . 😌

[@user-ml3yk7pv9u]

I have to say some of the major Japanese music labels' studios are lacking in using such a treble-boosted device in their mixing process, making some Japanese music unlistenable on some of the nicer headphones - even HD6XX. I may be more treble sensitive, but hearing that sibilance in the music is really unpleasant, and I hope they could have taken those out. I think both the headphones are more on the reference side, like MM-500, and headphones are treble-boosted and should be used in music or any other audio production, just to make sure the sound is first natural and not ear-piercing.

[@dudeekill4win]

It needs to be the same price of the DT990 to be considered. I like the sound of the soundstage and comfort and i can go for a bass boost with gaming but the highs seem like too much for me

[@memoryerror]

I think both are needed.

[@launchpadmcquack98]

wen MM-100??

[@aGrimTurtle]

I think BeyerDynamic's are so popular because they're durable, comfortable, and repairable.

[@jameskyler5441]

I love my DT990 pro (250 ohms). WHen my first pair got damaged I went out and got another. Even though I mostly listen to Stax Electrostats these days I still bring out my 990's a lot and enjoy the heavy bas and treble boost run off my Woo Audio tube amp. It still is one of my favorite soundstages.

[@RafiGish]

@jameskyler5441 What are you using these DT990's for exactly? And what further reference regarding headphones do you have for evaluating headphones, besides that you like your DT990 pro (250Ω}?

[@NanoDex]

Hifiman not addressing cables boarders on intentional at this point. What is their stance? Your going to buy something else anyway, so give em crap and put the money into the can? I sure hope that is the mindset.

[@LifeLongCaboose]

The MV1 was a let down for me. But I would compare it to the DT1990 more than the DT990. Honestly its almost a more afforable DT1990. I also don't really like the DT1990 but i would easily take the MV1 over it. The DT1990 is a bit less bright and less warm, but overall it cost more and doesn't really offer much else over the MV1. Both are IMO overpriced and too V-shaped. But if you like that tuning I'd reccomend the MV1 over the DT1990

[@jtavegia5845]

This is exactly where my hearing loss is. Made for me, and old guy.

[@disadadi8958]

MDR-MV1 costs 3 times as much as the dt-990 pro? I don't think they're direct competitors...

[@Mishael_Agyei-Boamah]

A good studio headphone is a "neutral" reference in trrms of its FR. Using DT990 for yout mixes can make you overcut or over boost some frequencies that arent needing boosts and cuts. So yeah slapping "studio" on the box means nothing