Sony Launches IER-M500 Stage Monitor Earphones for Under 20,000 Yen
Sony fills a gap in its professional audio lineup with a stage-specific IEM, addressing the distinct monitoring needs of live performers rather than recording or mixing.
Reporting from 1 source: ASCII.jp.
Sony announced the IER-M500, a closed-type wired IEM for live stage use, priced at 19,800 yen and releasing August 28. The earphones prioritize sound isolation, fit, and durability for professional musicians. A listening demo with band MIMiNARI was held. The model joins Sony's pro audio lineup alongside the MDR-MV1 and MDR-M1, but targets a different use case: on-stage monitoring.
The IER-M500 uses a completely sealed structure with no air path to the outside, combining high isolation with a large acoustic chamber. Sony previously released the open-type MDR-MV1 for spatial audio production and the MDR-M1 for recording and mixing, but the IER-M500 is built for artists to wear on stage. At a listening demo in Tokyo, the four-piece rock band MIMiNARI-who made their major debut in May-monitored their own performance through the earphones, letting attendees hear what the musicians hear. The model comes in Red & Blue, Black, and Clear, all with a skeleton design that reveals the interior. The housing uses red for the right earpiece and blue for the left, making left-right identification immediate.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.