Short answer: the HIFIMAN Edition XV. It ranks #137 of 481 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.9/5, at $399; the Sony MDR-MV1 ranks #153, rated 3.8/5, and costs $418, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the HIFIMAN Edition XV does well: Its open back planar driver scores 79.8 for preference in the median of 8 squig.link measurements, a strong result for an open headphone. The catch: An 8.7 dB dip near 9.7 kHz dulls cymbal shimmer and sibilance, and sub-bass falls about 4 dB short below 60 Hz, as open planars often do.
What the Sony MDR-MV1 does well: The open back has lively, extended treble and a full low end, with sub-bass on target and bass from 60 to 200 Hz about 2.7 dB above, so it delivers real punch for an open design. The catch: Treble from 6 to 10 kHz is about 4.4 dB above target, with a 6.9 dB peak near 6.2 kHz, so cymbals, sibilance and hi hats can sound sharp or fatiguing.
Buy the HIFIMAN Edition XV. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Sony MDR-MV1 and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
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Its open back planar driver scores 79.8 for preference in the median of 8 squig.link measurements, a strong result for an open headphone.
Amazon $399.00 eBay
The open back has lively, extended treble and a full low end, with sub-bass on target and bass from 60 to 200 Hz about 2.7 dB above, so it delivers real punch for an open design.
Amazon $418.00 Lowest Sony $419.99 eBayPrices on this page were last checked October 16, 2026 at 5:46 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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Specifications Side By Side
| HIFIMAN Edition XV | Sony MDR-MV1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $399.00 | $418.00 |
| Ranked | #137 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones | #153 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 79 (median of 9 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 78 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.18 dB standard deviation | 2.34 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.44 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.42 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 27 Hz (-5.8 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.4 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Back | Open | Open |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic | Dynamic |
| Impedance | 12 ohms | 24 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 100 dB/mW |
| Weight | 1 lbs (452 g) | 0.5 lbs (223 g) |
| Frequency Response | 8Hz - 50kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 5Hz - 80kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
| Drivers | - | 1 x 40mm dynamic |
Frequency Response Compared
Both headphones’ measurements overlaid on the Harman target. Above the target sounds louder in that range, below it quieter. Each curve is the median of several independent measurements, shifted so its 500 Hz to 2 kHz average sits at 0 dB, so only the tuning is compared.
Measurement data: the HIFIMAN Edition XV from aden, audioamigo, capraaudio, daemonxar, dl, gadgetrytech, kuulokenurkka, listener and sai; the Sony MDR-MV1 from audioamigo, gadgetrytech, hadoe, listener, sai and superreview, all via squig.link.
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