I tried and compared the MDR-MV1 to other headphones around my studio and found them exceptionally lightweight and super-comfortable for wearing for long hours. They have ear pads that are very soft and the ear cups are made from aluminum not plastic. So in the studio, dropping them or even stepping on them is not the end of the world! They fold up flat and are rated at 1.5-watts with an impedance of 24-ohms will go louder than sensible! Sensitivity is 100dB/mW and I love the "un-hyped" sound of them! Flat response is a definite requirement for me.

The MDR-MV1 headphones include a high quality, detachable cable with machined aluminum connectors plus a 1/4-inch TRS stereo-to-1/8-inch mini-jack adapter for using them with phones and/or a laptop/tablet.

Although rather than the adapter, I think Sony should include two cables like many companies for using them in the studio and a second shorter cable to connect them to your phone. Adapters tend to be a "point of failure" over time and add more weight to the included 98-inch long cable.

I found the open-back design did not isolate me from loud sounds and noises around me. When my singer used them to overdub her vocal, their sound tended to "leak" into the microphone but in all fairness, she sings very quietly and is just inches from the mic.

Taking those concerns into account, the MDR-MV1 headphones just came out and works within Sony's new 360 Virtual Mixing Environment service and are the perfect way to start immersive mixing with these super-accurate and comfortable models.

Sony Electronics MDR-MV1 Reference Monitor Headphones sell for $399 MSRP.