Sony IER-M7 In-Ear Monitors Headphones Review

Overall tone: Warm/Warm Neutral

Fit: These fit pretty well. Not the best, but they’re above average.

Comfort: They’re pretty comfortable. Better than most, but not the best.

Cable: The cable is pretty good.

Isolation: These are great for blocking out outside sounds. You can take them on a walk and not hear a thing!

In 2018, Sony revamped their top-of-the-line in-ear monitors with the IER-M7, M9, and Z1R.

The M9 was a hit, praised for its excellent sound and perfect fit for stage use.

The Z1R, on the other hand, was a bit of a mixed bag. It had a high price tag, a tricky fit, and a sound that wasn’t for everyone. But for those who could make it work, the Z1R was a top-notch choice.

Today, I want to talk about the often-overlooked youngest brother of the line, the IER-M7.

The M7 looks pretty much the same as the M9.

It has the same shell design and four of Sony’s in-house balanced armatures instead of five. It also comes with the same awesome set of accessories: 13 pairs of Sony tips, two cables, and a hard carrying case.

The cable isn’t the most stylish, but it does its job well with no cable noise or memory. Fit, comfort, and isolation were all great for me. It’s clear that these IEMs were made for stage use.

The biggest difference between them is that the M7 shells are made of light plastic, while the M9 is made of magnesium.

And guess what?

The M9 also has a carbon fiber faceplate. When I held them side by side, I couldn’t help but feel a little bummed that Sony didn’t upgrade the M7 with that extra bit of premium.

Maybe there was a good reason for it, but at $770, I would have expected something a bit more solid.

The IER-M7 is a well-built device.

It’s made of lightweight yet durable glossy plastic.

The nozzles are made of brass, and the tips are covered by a filter to keep debris out and prevent damage to the drivers.

The back face plates are plain black.

The MMcx connectors sit flush on the body for a secure and tight connection, like the IER-Z1R. Unlike the IER-Z1R, the M7 connectors don’t spin.

The cables are plastic-coated but feel soft and flexible. They’re not stiff or thick like other cables.

Wearing comfort is great because they stay in place thanks to the small profile and ear hooks.

The M7 is marketed as a “stage” or “studio” IEM, but I didn’t find it boring or sterile. It has a warm, neutral sound with a bit of a bass boost and laid-back vocals.

It works well with most music I tried.

But I could hear the difference in how the drivers worked when the crossovers were used. Sony’s BAs have a unique sound, and the transitions aren’t always smooth.

The mid drivers are clear and stand out until the bass drivers kick in and add their own flavor. Interestingly, when I demoed the M7 next to the M9 a year ago, I thought the M7 was too dark.

But listening to it again for this review, I didn’t think that at all. While it’s not my favorite tuning, it’s still fun to listen to.

The entry-level BAs in the M7 and M9 are probably the most interesting drivers.

Sony’s BAs are totally different from other industry models and have a unique firing mechanism.

I don’t know all the details, but you can definitely hear it in the bass of the M7. If you didn’t know it was a BA, it could almost pass for a dynamic driver.

I’d say it’s about 70% of the way to a good DD and better than a lot of bad ones. There’s a decent amount of rumble in the subbass, and the M7 leans towards being boomy rather than punchy, which is unusual for BA IEMs.

Luckily, the clarity in the midbass isn’t too affected, and the BA speed is mostly still there. Overall, the bass is elevated and blends into the mids.

My only complaint with the bass is that it needs more of a defined leading edge.

Right now, the notes in the bass sound rounded off, which makes it a bit soft and contributes to the boominess.

It can also get a bit muddy at times when there’s too much going on because of a lack of definition.

Of course, the better the recording or mastering, the better the M7 will perform.

The midrange of the M7 is warm and laid-back. If you prefer a softer, less aggressive sound, you’ll probably like the M7’s tuning.

Personally, I’d prefer more upper mids to give vocals and electric guitars a bit more punch.

Acoustic instruments sound great with the mids balanced, especially when they’re unplugged.

The mid BAs have a nice, engaging quality on their own. But when the track switches from acoustic to drums, the bass BAs come in and make the mids sound a bit muddy.

The laid-back upper mids make vocals sound clear and never harsh or tired. There’s no sibilance either.

I think the M7 does a good job of balancing being too relaxed and having enough vocal presence to avoid sounding buried.

The treble of the M7 isn’t the star of the show.

It starts to fade away pretty quickly in the lower treble, which can muffle the attack of the hats and cymbals.

But don’t worry, it’s still there, just not as loud as you might expect. They kept it to a minimum to avoid getting too tired of the sound.

I was surprised to see how much treble there was in the M7. It was actually quite surprising, especially since I didn’t think there would be so much of it past the upper mids.

I was actually pretty impressed with how well it extended and sounded.

I would have liked a bit more presence in the treble, though. That way, the hats and cymbals would shine a bit brighter, and the vocals would have a bit more space to breathe.

But overall, I thought the treble of the M7 was pretty well done for what they were trying to achieve.

The timbre isn’t perfect, but there aren’t any major flaws here.

The M7 had some really impressive features.

The soundstage was huge and felt natural, and the imaging was spot-on.

The upper mids were a bit relaxed, which made it feel like the music was in a bigger space, but I wish there was a bit more treble to give it a clearer sound.

The instrument separation was pretty good, and the resolution was a big step up from other IEMs in the same price range.

The M7’s presentation was pretty good too.

The stage, resolution, and tonal balance all worked together well, making it a really enjoyable and easy-to-listen-to experience.

But it wasn’t always perfect.

I couldn’t help but feel like the M7 was just a rough draft of something better.

I mean, it’s definitely not the M9, but it’s definitely a step up.

If you ever get the chance to hear them side by side, you’ll definitely notice the difference.

1. Sony XBA-N3AP

I’m leaning towards the N3.

The bass is way more prominent, and the midrange feels a bit lost in the mix. But hey, if you’re sensitive to treble, this one’s a great choice.

The M7 is a bit more technical and detailed, but it’s perfect for those who want a more immersive listening experience.

If you’re looking for something more fun and engaging, the N3 is the way to go. And if you’re in the mood for something more relaxing and detailed, the M7 is the perfect fit.

2. Fearless Audio S8F

I added this mainly because of its similar pricing.

These are different sets for different people, in my opinion.

The M7 is chill and neutral.

The S8F is fun and super detailed.

The M7’s bass is surprisingly close to being a DD, though not as boosted as the S8F. The S8F sounds more “boomy” and detailed. The mids (except for female vocals) are more pleasant to listen to on the M7.

The treble is more detailed and forward on the S8f. The M7 is less tiring but lacks the detail of the S8F.

If you absolutely had to choose between these two sets, here’s the TL; DR. If you can handle the S8F’s aggressive sound, they’ll be great for you, otherwise go with the M7’s more relaxed neutral presentation.

3. Moondrop Blessing2

I’m a big fan of the Blessing2.

It has a better sound quality, more technical details, and a more detailed presentation. Considering the price, it’s a no-brainer. The only downside is the fit.

If you can put up with a bit of discomfort, these are the best sets out there.

4. Dunu SA6

I’m a big fan of these over the M7.

The tone is spot-on for me on the SA6. The bass frequencies are also more to my liking.

There’s a bit more of a dynamic feel to it, though the M7 does a great job for being an all-bass set.

The midrange is perfect for me on the SA6.

Vocals never sound shouty, but they’re also super detailed and clear. Both male and female vocals sound amazing on the SA6, but female vocals have a strange quality on the M7.

It’s not bad, just different to my ears.

Treble is where it’s at for me.

I prefer the treble on the SA6, but the M7 wins if you’re looking for a more relaxed sound. Both are super detailed, though the M7 is less forward. Staging and imaging go to the SA6 for me.

The Sony IER-M7 is priced at $770, which is a bit steep for me.

On the one hand, I really liked the M7 and kept using it even though I had other IEMs I could’ve tried. But on the other hand, I’m not happy with how Sony made the build quality cheaper (though I appreciate all the extra accessories).

And I still feel like it’s not quite there. This is especially true because there are so many other mid-fi IEMs at this price point, like the Moondrop Blessing 2, and even some used entry-level hi-fi IEMs. It’s a tough spot to be in, especially when new models like the DUNU SA6 come out.

I don’t think I can fully recommend the Sony IER-M7 at its original price.

But if you can find a used one in good condition for around $250-300 or less, I think it’s worth considering.

It’s not perfect, but it’s still a great IEM and it’ll do the trick until you can afford a better one.