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HiFiMAN Sundara vs Sony MDR-M1ST

Reddit prefers Sony MDR-M1ST โ€” higher sentiment (100% vs 57% positive).

#2 in Headphones

HiFiMAN

HiFiMAN Sundara

57

Pros

  • +Great for instrumental music
  • +Violin hits different
  • +Great for eq
  • +Excellent value (refurbished)

Cons

  • โˆ’Replaced in the mindshare by many other headphones
  • โˆ’Too relaxed tuning for gaming
  • โˆ’Sounds flatter in game
  • โˆ’Gunshots lack punch in game
โ€œThere's no way the Sundara has been recommended so much it's top 5 in 2026. It's so hard to believe that just because it's been replaced in the mindshare by so many other headphones for years now.โ€
Full review
Sony MDR-M1ST
#11 in HeadphonesReddit favorite

Sony

Sony MDR-M1ST

$319.00

100

Pros

  • +Fun sound signature
  • +Deep bass
  • +Easy to listen high frequency
  • +Spot on mid range
โ€œHey, I have the Sony m1, itโ€™s a really interesting headphone. Traditionally a headphone made for studio work shouldnโ€™t be this fun! Thatโ€™s what the headphone is, itโ€™s got loads of deep bass, easy to lโ€
Full reviewAmazon ยท $319.00

Specifications

SpecHiFiMAN SundaraSony / MDR-M1ST Wired High Resolution Monitor Headphones
Driver80mm Planar Magneticโ€”
Frequency Response6Hzโ€“75kHzโ€”
Impedance37ฮฉโ€”
TypeOpen-backโ€”
Weight372gโ€”
Connectivity3.5mm (with 6.35mm adapter)โ€”
Driver TypePlanar Magneticโ€”
Priceโ€”$319.00
Reddit sentiment57%100%
Mentions71
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