Skip to main content

Sony's new wired audiophile headphones are built for incredible spatial audio

Sony Pro is updating its studio-grade headphones by revealing the MDR-MV1 which is said to be specifically “designed for professional sound engineers and music creators," and the rapid rise of spatial audio.

Although the company is pitching this as something meant for studio production, the output it produces will almost certainly appeal to audiophiles and it starts with the device’s structure.

The headphones sport an open-back design allowing them to accurately replicate sound from a “wide frequency range.” According to Sony, this makes the MDR-MV1 a good option for producers “mixing and mastering immersive spatial [audio]... as well as stereo sound with hi-resolution capability.” Non-professionals can still enjoy the headphones as the open-back design “reduces internally reflected sounds” in order to ensure a rich output. Keep in mind audio from the outside world will leak in from the rear because of the open-back structure. As a result, the MDR-MV1 does not have active noise cancelation. 

You may notice on the specs page the wide frequency range goes far beyond normal human hearing, maxing out at 80 kHz (human hearing peaks at around 20 kHz). Sony states this is another feature meant for sound engineers as the range makes it easier for users (both professional and casual) to note “detailed changes in sound”.

Catching an audio trend

Apart from the impressive audio output, there isn’t a whole lot to the MDR-MV1. It’s a pretty straightforward pair of headphones. Other features include lightweight, fitted earmuffs that reportedly provide hours of comfort. The device also sports a detachable 6.3mm stereo plug complete with a special adapter to transform the cable into a 3.5mm stereo mini jack. And that’s pretty much it when it comes to features. 

The MDR-MV1 will launch later this month for $399.99. Currently, the headphones are available for pre-order on select online retailers like Sweetwater Sound. There’s no Amazon listing available at the time of this writing, but we hope that changes soon. 

Meeting people's needs

Sony states in the announcement it created these headphones to meet the “rise in spatial sound and high-quality streaming music services”. For example, you have the recently launched Apple Music Classical, housing well over five million classical tracks with thousands supporting spatial audio no less. There’s also the music streaming service Tidal which has High-Res music as part of its subscription plans. Spotify users, however, still have to cope with the fact the HiFi tier isn’t a thing, although the dream remains alive in some form. But maybe it’s for the best that Spotify HiFi stays as vaporware. The platform is no longer just about music, anyway.

Be sure to check out TechRadar’s list of the best headphones for 2023; some sport active noise cancelation.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Windows Copilot leak suggests deeper assimilation with Windows 11 features

Key Windows 11 features may soon be customizable as Microsoft further integrates its Windows Copilot AI assistant into the operating system. This tidbit comes from tech news site Windows Latest , which claims to have discovered new .json (JavaScript Object Notation) files within recent preview builds of Windows 11. These files apparently hint at future upgrades for the desktop AI assistant. For example, a “TaskManagerService-ai-plugin.json” was found which is supposedly a “plugin for Task Manager integration”. If this ever comes out, it could give users the ability to “monitor or close running apps using” Copilot. In total, six are currently tested and they affect various aspects of Windows 11. Next, there is an “AccessbilityTools-ai-plugin.json” that gives Copilot a way to “control accessibility [tools]. This would make it "easier for those with [a] disability to navigate through the system.” Third is “ai-plugin-WindowsSettings.json” for controlling important Windows 11 set...
Post a Comment
Read more

Google Chrome releases security fix for this major flaw, so update now

Google says it has fixed a high-severity flaw in its Chrome browser which is currently being exploited by threat actors in the wild.  In a security advisory , the company described the flaw being abused and urged the users to apply the fix immediately.  "Google is aware that an exploit for CVE-2023-2033 exists in the wild," the advisory reads. Automatic updates The zero-day in question is a confusion weakness vulnerability in the Chrome V8 JavaScript engine, the company said. Usually, this type of flaw can be used to crash the browser, but in this case it can also be used to run arbitrary code on compromised endpoints.  The flaw was discovered by Clement Lecigne from the Google Threat Analysis Group (TAG). Usually, TAG works on finding flaws abused by nation-states, or state-sponsored threat actors. There is no word on who the threat actors abusing this flaw are, though. Read more > Patch Google Chrome now to fix this emergency security flaw > Emergency...
Post a Comment
Read more

Samsung's ViewFinity S9 may be the monitor creatives have been searching for

Originally revealed during CES 2023 , Samsung has finally launched its ViewFinity S9 5K monitor after nine long months of waiting.  According to the announcement, the ViewFinity S9 is the company’s first-ever 5K resolution (5,120 x 2880 pixels) IPS display aimed primarily at creatives. IPS stands for in-plane switching , a form of LED tech offering some of the best color output and viewing angles on the market. This quality is highlighted by the fact that the 27-inch screen supports 99 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut plus delivers 600 nits of brightness.  Altogether, these deliver great picture quality made vibrant by saturated colors and dark shadows. The cherry on top for the ViewFinity S9 is a Matte Display coating to “drastically [reduce] light reflections.”  As a direct rival to the Apple Studio Display , the monitor is an alternative for creative professionals looking for options. It appears Samsung has done its homework as the ViewFinity S9 addresses some of...
Post a Comment
Read more