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If you want an open-back reference monitor built for spatial-audio and stereo mixing work, choose Sony MDR-MV1; if you need a closed-back, isolating studio workhorse with a full cable-and-accessory bundle, choose Liquid Audio Audio-Technica ATH-M50X.
• Sony MDR-MV1 biggest strength: an open-back acoustic structure tuned specifically for reproducing spatial information — the position and movement of each sound in 360 degrees — which is why it's aimed at spatial and stereo mixing and mastering.
• Sony MDR-MV1 biggest trade-off: open-back means the cups don't seal or isolate, so it's a quiet-room tool, not something you'd wear on a plane or in a noisy shared space.
• Liquid Audio ATH-M50X biggest strength: closed-back passive sound isolation plus a swiveling, foldable, detachable-cable design that survives studio abuse and one-ear DJ monitoring.
• Liquid Audio ATH-M50X biggest trade-off: it's a wired closed-back monitor — no spatial-audio tuning, no open-back soundstage, and no wireless freedom.
• Choose Sony MDR-MV1 if you're mixing spatial or high-resolution stereo material and want accuracy over isolation.
• Choose Liquid Audio ATH-M50X if you want one durable closed-back pair for tracking, DJing, gaming and everyday listening, with cables for every situation in the box.
The MDR-MV1 is a specialist, and it's honest about it. Sony built it around an open-back acoustic structure "carefully tuned to support mixing and mastering of spatial and stereo sound," with high-resolution audio capability. In plain terms: the earcups are open, so air moves freely and sound doesn't get trapped and reflected back at your ears the way it does in a sealed cup. That's what gives open-back designs their reputation for a wider, more speaker-like sense of space — and it's exactly why Sony positions this pair for capturing "the sensation of place and space."
The second thing the spec sheet stresses is comfort for long sessions. Sony describes it as lightweight, soft and stable, made for creators doing extended studio work. If you routinely sit for three or four hours straight mixing, that matters more than any single frequency-response talking point.
Who should buy it? Producers, mixing and mastering engineers, and spatial-audio creators who work in a controlled room and want to hear positions and movements in 360 degrees, not just left and right. The bundle also ships with a large EVA hard-shell earphone case with a plush velvet interior, a near-360-degree zipper, and water, dust and splash resistance — a genuinely useful travel layer for a headphone you'd otherwise baby. There's a 3-year warranty on that case through Knox Gear.
Who should skip it? Anyone who needs isolation. Open-back headphones leak sound both ways — you'll hear the room, and the room will hear you. If you track vocals in the same room as a live mic, commute, or share an office, this is the wrong tool. It's also a wired, reference-first design: if you want a fun, bass-forward everyday pair, look elsewhere.
This bundle is the opposite philosophy: closed-back, sealed, and built to be used anywhere. The ATH-M50X uses 45 mm large-aperture dynamic drivers rated 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz at 38 ohms impedance — an easy load that most phones, interfaces and laptops will drive without drama. The circumaural earpads contour around the ears rather than pressing on them, and the adjustable headband plus professional-grade pads are there to keep the fit secure over long sessions. Passive sound isolation comes from the closed enclosure itself, so you get some natural blocking of room noise without any electronics involved.
Where it earns its reputation is versatility. The ear cups swivel 90 degrees for one-ear monitoring — the classic DJ and tracking move. The whole thing folds, so it disappears into a bag. And the cable system is genuinely thoughtful: the bundle includes the headphones plus three detachable cables (a 1.2 m–3.0 m coiled, a 3.0 m straight, and a 1.2 m straight), a Pig Hog 10-foot extension cable, a screw-on 1/4-inch adapter, a carrying pouch, and a Liquid Audio polishing cloth. That's eight items covering basically every cable scenario a studio throws at you. Construction is leather, metal and plastic with a reinforced frame, and there's a 1-year manufacturer warranty.
Who should buy it? Tracking engineers who need isolation while a mic is live. DJs who want swiveling cups and a coiled cable. Gamers, editors and commuters who want one durable wired pair that works off a 3.5 mm jack. Anyone who wants a complete kit rather than buying cables and adapters separately.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for spatial and 360-degree monitoring → Sony MDR-MV1. The open-back tuning is explicitly built for placing and moving sounds in space.
• Best for mixing and mastering in a treated room → Sony MDR-MV1. Open-back plus high-resolution capability is the reference-monitor recipe.
• Best for isolation and tracking with a live mic → Liquid Audio ATH-M50X. Closed-back passive sound isolation keeps your playback out of the take.
• Best for DJs and one-ear cueing → Liquid Audio ATH-M50X. The 90-degree swiveling ear cups exist for exactly this.
• Best for cable flexibility out of the box → Liquid Audio ATH-M50X. Three detachable cables plus a 10-foot extension and a 1/4-inch adapter.
• Best for long-session comfort → Sony MDR-MV1, based on Sony's lightweight, soft, stable fit design; the ATH-M50X counters with circumaural pads and an adjustable headband, so try both if you can.
• Best for portability and protection → Sony MDR-MV1's bundle, thanks to the molded EVA hard-shell case with plush interior and near-360-degree zipper.
• Best for a foldable, travel-friendly workhorse → Liquid Audio ATH-M50X, which folds flat and ships with a carrying pouch.
• Best for impedance-friendly everyday gear → Liquid Audio ATH-M50X at 38 ohms, drivable from a plain 3.5 mm jack.
In my opinion, the right pick comes down to one question: do you need isolation or do you need space? If you're mixing, mastering or working in spatial audio in a quiet room, I'd buy the Sony MDR-MV1 — the open-back reference tuning is the entire reason to choose it, and the hard-shell case makes it a safe travel companion. If you're tracking, DJing, gaming or just want one rugged closed-back pair with every cable you'll ever need, I'd buy the Liquid Audio Audio-Technica ATH-M50X bundle. Neither is "better" in the abstract; they solve different problems. Check the current price on Amazon for each before you commit, since budget will tip a close call.
FAQ
how to open back headphones work
what is open back studio headphones
It's a studio headphone design where the back of each driver is exposed to the outside air rather than enclosed. Studios use them for mixing and mastering because the open structure helps you hear spatial cues and detail more naturally. Sony describes the MDR-MV1 as an open-back reference monitor for precisely that job.
what are the best open back headphones
"Best" depends on your workflow, not a spec sheet. For spatial and stereo mixing and mastering with high-resolution audio, the Sony MDR-MV1 is the open-back option in this comparison. The Audio-Technica ATH-M50X is closed-back, so it isn't an open-back pick at all — it's the isolating alternative.
are open back headphones better
They're better for one specific job: accurate monitoring in a quiet room, where the open design gives you a broader sense of space. They're worse for tracking, commuting or noisy spaces because they leak sound and block almost nothing. If isolation matters more than soundstage, the closed-back ATH-M50X is the more practical choice.
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