Detailed review: Audio-Technica ATH-M50x headphones

Advantages: Audio-Technica ATH-M50x studio monitor headphones offer a very balanced, detailed sound of excellent quality with deep bass. They sit comfortably on the head and (compared to their predecessors) have slightly softer ear cushions, as well as a detachable wire (3 different wires are included).

Disadvantages: The lack of a built-in microphone makes it impossible to make calls, and the cumbersome design makes it difficult to use headphones on the go.
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Bottom line: Speaking seriously, the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x headphones are a slightly improved version of the impressive ATH-M50 , which was considered to be one of the best headphones in the price range of up to $ 200.


Here and hereafter the photo of Sarah Tew

One of the reasons why the Audio-Technica ATH-M50 headphones became popular was that they were created as “killer” Beats. Or, to put it differently, these were headphones for “smart” listeners who look down on people who overpay for the brand and are completely immersed in the marketing machine Beats.

For money, almost half the cost of the original Beats from Dre Studio for $ 300 (the studio was later renamed Beats Studio), the ATH-M50 sounds much better, and more powerful. There is only one small problem. In the name of the headset ATH-M50, the letter "M" means "monitor", and although they are intended for studio use, many people use them on the street, so a built-in microphone and volume control on the wire would be useful.

At first glance, the new ATH-M50x 2014 looks like headphones, more suitable for portable use. They are almost identical to the ATH-M50, but have softer ear cushions and a detachable cord. Headphones are available in black, white and blue colors. In the box with headphones, the color of which coincides with their color, there are also three different wires.

When buying headphones with three wires, you expect that at least one of them will be equipped with a built-in microphone and volume control, but the strange thing is that there are none of them. Instead, you get a long 3-meter straight cable, a short one - 1.2 meters and a long twisted wire, from 1.2 to 3 meters long.



Audio-Technica explained the absence of such a wire in the question and answer section of the product page:

Unfortunately, ATH-M50x headphones do not support a built-in microphone or volume control. Like other headphones Audio-Technica series "M". At the moment, there is no adapter that provides both.

Well, it happens. In any case, the ATH-M50x remains an excellent headphone model, with enough add-ons, which justifies the fairly high price of $ 169 in the United States, £ 126 in the United Kingdom and $ 249 Australian dollars in Australia.

Before you purchase the ATH-M50x, you should know that this is only one of the four models in the line of headphones from The Audio-Technica, which have been improved. Early ATH-M40x , ATH-M30x and ATH-M20x models are also worth the money.

Features and design

As we said in our review of the previous model, the ATH-M50x headphones are also well assembled and have a robust design, and, as it seems, will last a long time. The headphone cord is thick and has a trustworthy connector at the end. Thick, soft ear cushions rotate in two directions, thanks to which the headphones fold and are easy to store, although it is worth noting that a simple soft case with which they are supplied is nothing more than just a bag.


The ear cushions are slightly softer than the ATH-M50

By the name of the model, you can understand that these are monitor headphones, and they sound and look like headphones on recording studios (some use them for these purposes). With a weight of less than 283 grams, they are not light, but fit perfectly on the head and do not cause discomfort. Naturally, since these are full-size closed-type headphones, your ears can sweat on hot days.

Despite the fact that they do not have an active noise reduction system, as in the Bose Quiet Comfort 15 Acoustic Noise-Canceling or Beats Studio headphones (2013), they are quite good at isolating the noises of the surrounding world, although a little worse. The ATH-M50x is a great alternative to QuietComfort 15 headphones for people who are susceptible to light pressure due to active noise cancellation - and they sound better.

Sound

In terms of sound, ATH-M50x headphones are hard to blame. The sound balance is very accurate, the stereo sound (for closed-type headphones) is incredibly surround, and the dynamics of the sound are beyond praise.

Although Audio-Technica claims that there is no difference in sound between the original ATH-M50 and their improved version, we think the ATH-M50x sounds cleaner and the bass, mids and highs are more detailed. The headphone ATH-M50 sound is not so clear and he heard a little muffled. We concluded that the old and the new, the improved version sounds very similar, but not identical.


Complete with headphones go twisted wire and two straight

Although we are confident that the ATH-M50x is better, we are also sure that there are people who prefer the ATH-M50 because of its richer, more relaxed tonality. But every time it comes to sound, there is always a touch of subjectivity in the discussion.

A comparison of the ATH-M50x with the overhead V-Moda M-100 headphones revealed clear differences. First, the M-100 focuses on high frequencies and has a less saturated sound in general, while the ATH-M50x sound is richer, with a deep bass that has become more saturated. We felt that the ATH-M50x transmits sound more accurately. Both models are winners, but if we chose one among them, then the victory would go to ATH-M50x, since these headphones perfectly reproduce music of all genres. M-100 are focused more on electronic music, and not on acoustic.

Conclusion

It’s a pity that Audio-Technica didn’t include a cable with volume control and a microphone in the package of professional ATH-M50x monitor headphones, which, most likely, audio-purists will not pay attention to. ATH-M50x cost more than ATH-M50, but they have something to offer you, for example: excellent sound quality, a slightly more convenient design and additional interchangeable wires.