Short answer: the Moondrop Horizon. Both are rated 3.1/5 for sound quality (#326 and #325 of 481 over-ear headphones), and the Moondrop Horizon costs $199.99 against $277.91 for the Sony MDR-M1ST, and with sound quality even, the cheaper one is the better buy.
What the Moondrop Horizon does well: Lower mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, keeping voices and guitars natural. The tradeoff: Presence sits about 3.4 dB low with a 14.6 dB dip near 10.6 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite.
Why pick the Sony MDR-M1ST: A wired closed-back studio monitor with a 40mm driver, 24 ohms and 103 dB/mW sensitivity, so it plays loudly from a phone or interface without extra amplification. The tradeoff: The Harman score of 62 means the response drifts noticeably from what most listeners prefer.
Buy the Moondrop Horizon. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $77.92 less than the Sony MDR-M1ST.
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Lower mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, keeping voices and guitars natural.
Amazon $199.99 eBay
A wired closed-back studio monitor with a 40mm driver, 24 ohms and 103 dB/mW sensitivity, so it plays loudly from a phone or interface without extra amplification.
Amazon $277.91 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
| Moondrop Horizon | Sony MDR-M1ST | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.99 | $277.91 |
| Ranked | #326 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones | #325 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Back | Open | Closed |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 50mm dynamic | 1 x 40mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 32 ohms | 24 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 109 dB/Vrms | 103 dB/mW |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 34kHz | 5Hz - 80kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 62 (median of 7 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 62 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 3.12 dB standard deviation | 2.97 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.78 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -1.00 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 53 Hz (-10.2 dB at 30 Hz) | - |
| Weight | - | 0.5 lbs (215 g) |
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