Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Review: Great All-Around Studio Headphones
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x review: A great all-around studio headphone. The Audio-Technica ATH-M50x headphones are a good choice for many different users. Their excellent build quality, and balanced sound makes them ideal. They delivered excellent audio quality throughout 24 hours of testing.
We like this
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Sound quality is solid
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Excellent build
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Nice accessories package
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A bit pricey
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For some users, it may be a good fit
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You are missing a quarter inch adapter
The industry's favorite studio headphones, the ATH-M50x, are great for musicians and can also be used as solid audiophile choices.
- Design
- Comfort
- Qualitative Construction
- Sound Quality
- Accessory
- Prices
- Concurrence
- Final Verdict
- Specifications
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x was purchased so that our expert reviewer could fully test it and give us an honest assessment. Continue reading to see our complete product review.
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x headphones are among the most versatile and best-selling all-rounders you can purchase for a wide range of uses. Although it may sound bold, you can see how versatile these headphones really are.
These headphones will appeal to average listeners for their well-represented sound, comfort fit, and stylish design. AT designed the headphones to be used as studio monitor and DJ headphones. This means they are great for music mixing, mastering and creating new sounds. These headphones are a great all-round purchase because of the mix of both these things.
These headphones may not be as popular with consumers as Sennheiser studio headphones, but they are still great. The ATH-M50x is a great choice for audiophiles and casual listeners who want to improve their set-up, as well as home-studio musicians who need a versatile, all-round pair of headphones.
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Design: A simple and elegant design, but with options
Black is the most popular model of ATH-50x you will see anywhere in the world. The black ATH-M50x is a favourite of DJs due to its simple, uncomplicated build and modular design. This demonstrates that you are serious without appearing flashy. You can also get the M50xs with a classic black or an all-white version. Or, you could choose a unique gunmetal.
Although the all-white look is very elegant, it can also be prone to dirt and grime buildup. A gunmetal unit was my first choice, and it surprised me how well they work. The all-black studio headphones are my preference, but I prefer the darker metallic gray of the gunmetal units. It looks more professional and adds a little flair for people who like more personality to their headphones.
AT's headphones look almost robotic and futuristic because of the way they build the chassis. They look like something from Star Wars with the thin cylindrical that serves as the hinge and sitting under the headband. I like the look of the classic oval-shaped earcups with the Audio-Technica symbol. It's a better option than trying to stuff the entire brand name onto the sides.
The headphones come with a hardshell, black protective case. It only has the name of the manufacturer on the label on the back. The only bold thing about the headphones is the large font that displays Audio-Technica on the top. This is difficult for others to read when they're worn. This design choice makes sense considering that the headphones were originally designed for professionals, however there are sufficient design details to be easily accessible to consumers.
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Comfort: Very well-fitted but may run a little small
The ATH-M50x headphones have a small set of earcups. They measure 45mm, which is a bit larger than those on the ATH-50x headphones. The earcups' chassis is actually quite shallow. The closed-back design of these headphones means they try to hold sound in your ears and are more effective than open-back vented headphones.
This all contributes to a pretty claustrophobic feel—especially for me because I have bigger earlobes than average. Strangely enough, your ears are actually quite large. Instead, it's the depth of the earcups —less than an inch between the outside of the foam pads to the driver enclosure on the inside—that makes them feel like they're pressing in on your ears. These headphones will not cause any problems if you have smaller ears. However, larger ears may feel more stuffy.
Positive aspects of this story are the rest. It is a great quality foam, somewhere in between memory foam and springy foam. Too soft foam cups can cause headphones to not fit comfortably on your head. Also, foam that is to thick and too springy won't mold well. This is the middle ground.
The ATH-M50xs uses a high quality foam that is somewhere in between memory foam and springy foam.
You get a pair of really comfortable headphones when you combine that with the faux leather outer shell which is smooth and almost buttery. The foam that sits in the headband is actually a little denser—something that's rare in headphones—providing more support for my head. These headphones were perfect for both listening and studio recordings.
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Quality of Build: High quality with attention to details
The headphones' high quality is what contributes to the moderately expensive price. It is important to feel secure in closed-back headphones. This includes the ears, plush foam, connectors, wires, and even the connectors. Because studio headphones are often used, the headphones will be removed and reattached frequently.
These headphones are comparable to the Sennheiser HD closed back headphones and far more durable than any other headphones. There are two main things that contribute to this feeling of quality—the headphones' hinges and the plush foam sections. You don't feel as though you are fighting the hinges because they have large smooth movements.
The foam attachments—the parts that will spend the most time touching directly against your skin—have a soft, plush feel, but because the faux leather material is very thick, I'm confident it won't break down and flake as easily as lower-cost models.
AT chose to use disconnectable wires over hard-soldered attachments. You can replace the damaged 3.5mm cable/jack if it fails. The clever twist lock mechanism that connects the wire to your left earcup means that you don't have to worry about it coming apart.
AT chose to use disconnectable wires over hard-soldered attachments. You can replace the damaged 3.5mm cable/jack if it fails.
High Quality Sound: The best of both
Audio-Technica is the first company to offer studio headphones. This means that they have taken great care in putting professional-grade specifications. Although numbers like 38 ohms and 15-28000Hz are not important to most people, they can be very useful when used as reference headphones for audio production. These headphones are capable of producing all sounds within the human hearing spectrum (from 20 to 20,000Hz), without having to be pushed beyond their limits. They also have 38 ohms resistance.
These headphones are slightly quieter than most consumer headphones, which is a good thing considering the high headroom and excellent sound quality. These headphones, just like other studio monitors, aim for a flat response. The headphones do not offer any EQ shaping (no bass boosting) at their ends. The headphones want to be accurate to the music you are listening to.
This frequency range allows these headphones to produce sound in all frequencies (20-20,000Hz), without having to be pushed beyond their limits. They can also use a basic headphone jack with 38 ohms resistance but can also function with an amp or DAC.
Even if you don't use these headphones to produce audio, the experience is still good. These headphones have a soundstage that is quite open for studio headphones. It's for this reason that I think they're the best for most users—they'll do the job for casual listening much better than even more expensive studio headphones, but they can serve as accurate monitor headphones, too.
The only problem with these headphones is their inability to produce a clear speaking voice. You might find it easier to listen to podcasts with a lot more detail than you would like.
Accessories: An attractive, comprehensive offering
The odd thing about high-end studio headphones? Many models don't include a complete set of accessories, regardless of their price. For example, the Sennheiser HD600 series comes with a box but not a carrying case or additional cables.
This is why the ATH-50x product line is so remarkable. There are two separate headphone cables included—one four-foot straight cable for average use, and one coiled cable that's effectively the same length, but can be pulled to a longer length. A hardshell, durable case is included with a cable pouch and felt lining.
One notable omission is a 3.5mm-to-¼-inch adapter. I have so many that I don't need one, and I have plenty of them in my studio. It's an excellent package by Audio-Technica.
Prices: A little bit high
The ATH-M50x headphones seem a bit too pricey for me. The equivalent models from Sennheiser and Sony hover closer to $99 retail, while the ATH-M50x—probably owed to their market popularity—are most often $150 on Amazon. These are excellent products from all angles. These would have been a huge hit if AT kept the cost down to $100.
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x vs. Sennheiser HD280
Audiophiles rely on Sennheiser's HD600 series, however, for studio headphones that can be closed back and multipurpose, they are more comparable to the HD280, which you can find on Amazon. The M50xs are superior in sound quality to the HD280s, with better responses across the entire spectrum. However, the HD280s offer slightly better build quality. The M50x is my favorite, although the HD280s have a similar look. However, the Sennheisers are much more affordable at $89 for most of the week.
The Audio-Technica ATH-M50x headphones are sure to please most. The headphones are versatile and feel great. They are only $40 less than their closest competitor. These headphones can be affordable for most budgets, so they are definitely worth considering.