18.9.2016

Update 2018/07/01: After 25.5 months of daily use, the left speaker appears to have suddenly died. After disassembly, the soldering seems to be intact, but I tried re-soldering a couple of things to make sure, and the speaker seems to be all that's left to blame. I still love these, and although I use them a lot, I had hoped they would last longer. I'm now moving onto my second pair, and if or when they die, I will again update this review.____________________________________________After going through a load of gaming headsets, I wanted to try some high-quality headphones out. Initially, my main purpose for these headphones was to be gaming. Before I got these, I didn’t listen to much music; but man,that changed when I started using them.I’ve used a lot of gaming headsets for gaming because of the virtual surround sound that they often have, to provide a sense of spatial tracking – so that you can hear where your enemies are. I’ve tried headsets from Corsair, Turtle Beach, Logitech, Sony and others, and in all truth… these Audio-Technica headphones are better for gaming, and I don’t think virtual surround sound is necessary (though my PCs audio driver can do it anyway). In fact, I think using high-quality headphones like these helps you to pinpoint sounds even better. Not only that, but everything sounds better too – so that’s a solid win for gaming.I mentioned I bought these primarily for gaming, but since I got these headphones, I’ve been listening to so much music. Ever since I got these 4 months ago, I’ve been using them for hours and hours every day, listening to so much music, because it just sounds so damn good! If you’re coming from a gaming headset, even the higher-end ones, you will be in for a pleasant surprise with these awesome headphones from Audio-Technica. They’ve made me a music lover!We’ve established that the audio coming out of these is pretty damn good, but headphones are more important than just audio. If you’re wearing these for hours on end every day like me, it’s important that they’re comfortable. I can’t tell you how many headphones I’ve had that hurt my ears by putting pressure on them after a few hours, or hurt the top of my head with extended use – it’s been quite an issue for me with some models. Fortunately, these headphones are pretty light weight and there’s some soft padding on the headband, so I’ve not had any top-of-the-head pain. The cups also go over your ears, instead of sitting right on them and applying pressure, and the cups are soft. Another win there – I’ve not had any pain on the ears either.With how much I was enjoying these headphones, I decided to take them out and about with me. I found them really nice to have when I was revising for my summer exams, and took them into my university’s study areas. This is a good point to mention that these headphones have pretty good noise isolation, which is very helpful. However, on the topic of taking these headphones out and about, they fold in on themselves very conveniently, and the ear cups swivel 45 degrees in each direction (see images). You can then put them in a bag, but if you want to protect them then you may be interested in getting a hard case. Personally, I went for this one: for Audio-Technica ATH-M50X M40X M50 M40 M30 M20 Studio Monitor Professional Headphones Hard Storage Carry Storage Case Bag by co2CREA. It’s a nice hard case that fits the headphones perfectly, and has an additional compartment to put your audio cable in. I’m not a fan of the really “bold” branding on the carry handle, and speaking of branding, I don’t particularly like how bold the Audio-Technica branding is on the headband of the headphones. It’s a minor point though – but here’s an option if you’re interested in a hard case. Back to the review!These headphones use the 3.5mm audio port, however they come with a proprietary Audio-Technica cable. One of the advertised advantages of this is that you can twist the cable on the end that plugs into the headphones, like you would turn a key; and it will lock the cable in – this way, you won’t accidentally yank it out. However, I think this is missing the point of removable cables. If something yanks on your cable enough to pull it out, then I think it’s better to let it be pulled out; otherwise, your headphones could be yanked off your head and damaged. For this reason, I don’t twist the cable to lock it in, and just let it sit normally. Let the cable get yanked out, and keep your nice headphones safe.In the box, you get three of Audio-Technica’s proprietary audio cables. Two of them are straight, measuring 125cm and 312cm. The third is partially coiled, and measures about 2m, going to about 3m when stretched. Two 3.5mm to 6.35mm adapters are included in the box; one of them screws on, and another just plugs in. The screw-on adapter will thread onto both of the longer cables, but not the shorter one. See my images to get a look at how this works. Finally, there’s a 3.5mm splitter for planes, and a leather pouch to keep it all in.I’m not an expert on audio. These are the first headphones I’ve had that I would say are professional quality, and it’s just another step in my audio journey. Having heard the sound that these produce, I can’t imagine what comes out of Audio-Technica’s higher end headphones; but some day, I hope to find out. For now, I’m extremely happy with these. The experience I’ve had with these headphones has been enlightening, and it’s truly brought me many hours of joy; I’ve experienced sounds from music that I never knew existed. If you’re interested in music in any capacity, even a little, then I highly recommend these headphones to you. They will open up a whole new world of sounds, and you will enjoy your music better than ever.The ATH-M50X is not just a product. This might sound silly when we’re just talking about headphones, but I really would describe this product as a magical experience; and if you have any appreciation for audio, then you owe it to yourself to dive in!

27.3.2014

Let me just begin by saying these headphones are incredible for the price. When compared to headphones among the same price range these blow them all out of the water. When it comes to headphones one thing is more crucial than anything else and that is audio quality, and it appears audio-technica have concentrated their efforts mainly on that aspect.Pro's:Audio quality on these headphones is immense for the price, the highs are crisp and clear, the bass has lots of depth and isn't too overpowering and the mid's are perfect for any genre of music or any type of listening for that matter. You are going to hear lots of new added detail in songs that you never heard before with these.A lot of reviews I read before purchasing these headphones myself, stated that the bass wasn't as great as going for a pair of beats etc. I can confirm however that the bass on these is absolutely perfect. They have great depth and have no distortion what so ever which the beats are frequently renowned for.They feel sturdy and durable and the ear cups and head band are extremely comfortable to wear. I have been wearing mine over 8 hours per day and I don't even feel as if I am wearing them they are that comfortable.They isolate noise very well, even when the volume is cranked up I can confirm that there is no sound leak and background noise is kept to a minimum at all times.They handle all types of listening very well. They make great headphones for gaming, watching film and of course their soul purpose, music. I have listened to a variety of different genres with them; rock, EDM, classical, country, jazz, blues and they fared brilliantly with them all. In my personal opinion however, to me, they really shine when listening to EDM of any kind. It's as though I am rediscovering all my favorite house, trance and dubstep tracks with all the new detail I am hearing which I was missing out on before.Cons:The big one here is build quality. For the price tag the build quality isn't as good as going for a pair of beats for example. They feel very durable and solid but the plastic feels a little bit cheap and they can make some ghastly creaking noises when you swivel the cups and especially when you fold them up to put them in the bag which comes with them. I think this was their business plan however, they have focused on audio quality and by doing so sacrificed on the build quality. I would personally recommend keeping these phones strictly in your study/studio/bedroom. These are not on the go headphones even though it seems some development has gone into making them look like they could be with the folding cups etc.The response probably isn't flat enough for professional music producers. If you are an amateur music producer or you are just getting into producing they are brilliant and you can't go wrong. But if you really want to critically monitor the sound these are not the best on the market and in my opinion are more tailored towards commercial headphone users. They make music sound amazing but I think that is exactly what they are for, to give an enjoyable listening experience not an audiophile analytic experience.The cables which come with these can only be used with these headphones and you can't use a different brand of cable if you damage the ones which come with it. So look after them!Overall these are the best price to performance headphones on the market in my opinion. If you have the money go ahead and buy some pricier ones, but there comes a point of diminishing return in terms of bang for your buck. You would be a fool to go for a different brand of headphone in the same price bracket as these. You simply aren't going to get the same audio quality which these deliver.

24.11.2015

The ATH-M50X are a great pick up for everyone who doesn't have the funds to invest in 500 dollar headphones and still wants similar quality.ME: I have been using these for about 7 months. I am not an audiophile, nor a professional reviewer so sorry if I made any technical mistakes!PROS:Build and design: The build is excellent. The headphones are very sturdy and feel and look premium. Take impact well and no damage done when dropped. Even can be worn in light rain (not recommended!) I feel that the design is attractive and the attention to detail by Audio-Technica is unbelievable. The ear cups are extremely cushioned and comfortable and can be worn for many hours without becoming uncomfortable.When they did become uncomfortable on the head taking them off for 5 minutes worked like magic.Convenience: These headphones are extremely portable and practical. The cups swivel 180 degrees from one side to the other, which isn't necessary but is a nice bonus. The best thing is that the headphones easily fold up vertically, which reduces their size and bulk vastly. Thus the headphones can easily be transported. They are also relatively light, and they fit perfectly into the premium leather bag. I use my M50Xs mainly with my phone, they are very suitable for mobile use. The cables can be switched, however since there is a special jack only the three provided cables can be used, not a custom wire. The provided cables are a 1m cable, a 3m coiled cable and a 3m straight cable. This wasn't an issue for me, as the 1m one is perfect for mobile use, the coiled one exceptional for PC use and the other 3m cable suitable for when I needed more reach, like when my phone was plugged in far away etc.Sound: Coming from a non-audiophile this is by far the biggest pro. The sound quality blows me away every time I use the headphones. The bass is punchy and sounds realistic, the highs, mids and lows all sound excellent and instruments, sound and effects can be heard which you wouldn't here without headphones on. Very neutral and not modified sound, you hear what the artists intended you to. There isn't much else I can say about sound quality, you have got to try these on to understand what I mean. The other aspects of the sound are the volume, the max volume is really loud, even too loud for my ears, and noise isolation. While there is no active noise cancelling the puffy ear cups do stop lots of the noise coming in. Rarely, this can be a con like when someone is calling your name, but in general this is an excellent feature. I can't hear anything from the outside world when music is playing. Conversely, there is little to no sound leakage. No strangers or parents can hear that you have a secret passion for Justin Bieber!Price and Comparison: In its price bracket, I feel these are the best headphones by far. I have tried a few more expensive headphones which have a worse sound quality. Beats by Dre for instance, cost so much more for worse sound quality and enhanced bass and highs. Well worth your money.Another pro which doesn't fit in to any category is that no amp is needed for them to work, making the price seem even better.CONS: There are hardly any. The main ones are that none of the cables include a mic, so phone calls can be annoying, but how often do you take a phone call while listening to music anyway? The headphones can be slightly bulky even while folded. Because of the special jack I can't use my custom cable. A mentioned, after hours of use get a bit uncomfortable.VERDICT: As you can see, the Pros outweigh the Cons by far. Audio-Technica would get 6 stars from me for immaculate headphones!Best value headphones (quality for price) on the market.

25.8.2015

I bought these headphones after I'd decided that it was time to pass the Dr Dre Pro Beats to my teenage son and buy an 'adult' set of cups. I did a bit of research including looking at the Amazon reviews, and seeing that they mostly rated as 5 Stars (with the odd bizarre low star ratings that seemed not to be even about the performance of the product) decided to make the purchase. I should say that I also purchased the Audio-Technica ATH-MSR7 headphones at the same time (the two together were still cheaper than the Beat Pro's...!), so felt I had nothing to lose, and let's face it, I could send the more inferior headphones back as a Prime Customer.I'm a skeptical type so I didn't expect to beblown away by either set of cups (anyone who has owned the Beats Pro will know that the bass and treble of those babies can have you scrabbling for the volume buttons to turned the darned things down before your ears start bleeding your eardrums burst).But, truly? I was very, very impressed by the ATH-MSR7's, especially in conjunction with my Smartphone (Sony Xperia Z2 with built in Sony Walkman). Lovely balance and detail with the bass tight and in the background, where it should be, and the percussion and acoustic instrument upfront where they should be.The ATH-M50X's? Man, oh man! I honestly didn't think I'd ever listen to a set of headphones where I could hear every intake of breath of a saxophones, trumpet, flute; the drumsticks brushing the snare drums as they slid over to the hi-hat and cymbals. I'm hearing the truly genius singers and virtuoso musicians in all their painfully beautiful detail, for the first time since I stopped having the time to listen to my vinyl record album collection through my Lind Sondek turntable and amps. And that's the point - the ATHM50X's sound like the very best vinyl recordings played digitally. Absolutely fantastic headphones - best sound I've ever heard and not been at the gig.Just to end on that note: the ATH-M50X's are so balanced right the way up the musical scale and down again - you feel the bass in your chest, and in your feet, but in a good way, no a great way. Every percussion instrument, the echoes, the thrum of the bass string, the air passing through the wind instruments.I have a very eclectic taste in music - so tested the headphones right across the musical spectrum: Steely Dan, Abram Wilson (Jazz fusion) Pharaoh Sanders (jazz), Philip Glass (cultured pop - well, I think so!), Tabaca Y Ron (salsa band), Various hip hop, jazz funk bands like Slave, War, and legends, such as Donald Byrd, Johnny Hammond, Pressure (Ronnie Laws protege band) Beethoven, Mozart, Bach. All passed with flying colours.These are truly great headphones. But be warned, as a previous reviewer has already admonished - these headphones will expose inferior recordings, and be a joy on the the best recordings. Many happy years await those discerning enough to purchase them.

8.9.2014

I've had these just three days; so this is based on early impressions.I've got a collection of cheaper headphones that have all somehow disappointed. So I decided to spend a bit more, knowing that I wanted over-ear phones and comfort being a priority - particularly so that I could manage prolonged wear without discomfort. I use phones at my desk, in other settings and on the move.These cost £108, being a previously opened-box item from Amazon (Sept 2014). So far I'm pleased with my purchase and think I got good value.The first impression was that they look quite 'chunky', almost industrial-looking and are not particularly light.

25.2.2015

(White Version)Okay, so... Here goes.I bought these headphones with the recommendation from about a trillion people constantly blathering me with suggestions for it in forums, in person and via all the other communication methods available including morse code. As I'm really not an audiophile, I don't really know what "amazing sound" sounds like -- but* (and this is a big but...No pun intended) I find that audio is a very subjective experience and there are even people who like to hear the crackles in lower grade (maybe older) music.I personally find that hearing everything in a song (yes - including all the little pops and crackles that come along even with flac sometimes)

13.5.2016

There are better and more detailed reviews here than this one but I just wanted to maybe put in terms a person with no previous experience to headphone in terms they could understand.This product is worth the money.Why ?I used to buy crappy £30 headphones from shops like tk maxx, that would end up breaking 2-3 months in to owning them, I use headphones for everything. PC gaming movie watching music on my phone on my laptop etc etc and without a doubt these headphones are the best headphones I have ever bought in my life !Sound quality is amazing, even for the average user you will notice the difference. The build is very solid it has not shown one bit of wear or tear despite owning it for a year now.

21.5.2018

These M50X studio headphones are superb for listening to music. I've tried them with Classical, Country, Sacred, Folk and other music - and the crisp sound reproduction and quality is outstanding. The various instruments can be distinguished clearly, and can be heard playing from their different positions.There's a good range of frequencies. Bass is fine. It is not boosted to overwhelming levels as with some other headphones. Midrange and treble frequencies are also well reproduced.I have noticed that these headphones perform best when listening to sounds recorded in high quality studios - as is most Classical music and certain other genres. By contrast,

26.7.2015

I spent a long time looking for some quality headphones with a flat frequency response at a reasonable price, eventually biting the bullet and ordering these. I previously owned a pair of Sennheiser HD201s which are fantastic headphones for the price.Initially when trying these headphones I was somewhat underwhelmed, but I think that's due to my unrealistic expectation that they would somehow make the music 'better'. The bass was louder in the mix than with my previous headphones but not very well defined. The trebles were clearer and I felt that the mid-range was recessed. I didn't panic because I had faith in the existence of the 'burn in' period (I know others will disagree with me).

6.5.2015

These headphones are quite outstanding in their ability to deliver true Hi-Fi provided of course you feed them with sufficiently good source material. You will hear all kinds of sounds and instruments which previously you never noticed. And despite however much bass or sharp treble is fed into them they simply seem to refuse to deliver anything other than firm, true bass and smooth treble. The overall experience is wonderful. They are also sensitive enough (99dB into 38 ohms impedance) to be easily driven by even small portable audio players and I have recently used my ATH-M50X's with a new Sony Walkman NWZA-15A "High Res" player with excellent results and plenty of volume (see my Review on the ATH-M50X elsewhere on Amazon).

9.5.2015

Okay, before purchasing these i have spent hours of research on loads and loads , spanning from turtle beach to sennheiser, to phillips to sony. Decided to go for these on the basis of : reviews, price ,and looks. I wanted a pair of headphones primarily for music and gamingSound I have KRK rokit speakers so the wow factor from these isnt astounding as im used to very high quality sound. However these are on par with my speakers on quality, bass is good but not pounding , the trebles are also good but the mids are somewhat lacking. Not a problem for me but if you like good mids then i wouldnt go for these.

9.3.2017

I was worried buying these, they were the first headphones I had ever paid more than £20. Before these I used the Apple ones that came with my Iphone. They did arrive 4 days earlier than expected (always a positive) and the seller kept me informed throughout of exactly where they were which was really quite helpful.They are simply amazing. The amount of cables they come with gives you a great choice and they are really practical and functional to use. The cups are a perfect size and the sound quality is unparalleled for such a well-priced set. I use them for gaming (Rust and CSGO) and they perform much better than I expected; the in-game footsteps are really easy to hear and to pinpoint where they are coming form.

9.2.2017

After years of being too mean to buy a decent set of headphones I finally decided to take the plunge.So I did weeks of research and read every review of virtually every headphone available on Amazon I decided that these were the one to go for.Well here we are two weeks into the purchase and here are my thoughts-Sound - absolutely amazing. clear, concise, good bass and I can actually hear instruments that I didn't know were there before.Comfort - starts of fine but over time my ears begin to get hot and sweaty so I have to take them off, take a break then start again.Alternative - well I also bought, just in case, a pair of Grado on the ear headphones which again sound fantastic but they do leak sound which annoys my wife.

2.7.2014

Best Headphones I have owned! The sound is true and they are comfortable, I wore them for about 8 hours on a flight and they didn't irritate. Having these makes my other headphones sound bad and before having these I might not have noticed how big the difference in sound was. After reading in a review that these headphones present the music as the producer intended, that is exactly what they do, if they want you to hear huge base that is what you get from these headphones but only if the track has been produced that way. The M50X give clarity and all the base needed when the track demands it, not like many headphones these days that are base heavy.

18.1.2018

I bought these to replace a 10 year old set of Denon headphones that were in a similar price bracket when I bought them. Certainly not high end but a lot better than the cheaper ones out there.I use headphones primarily for playing playstation and also listening to music or videos on my phone. I wanted something fairly neutral as too much bass can distract you when gaming because the gun shots/explosions end up distracting you.Sound wise these are fine, I am definitely no expert but they sound very neutral to me. Music can sound a bit dull to my ear, but they're perfect for gaming.My biggest issue is the comfort. They're OK, but the padding on the head band is pretty thin and I can feel the band pressing on my head.

Audio Technica ATH-M50x - Reviews

Info

Analysis

Detail