Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Closed-back Studio Monitoring Headphones Reviews

Colton, if you get this… these are incredible! Thanks so much! It's a big deal trusting someone on a headphone suggestion haha but these are so crisp and comfortable!

This is the second set of M50x's I've bought, and I'm sure I'll keep buying more. I've owned the same personal set for 4 years and I've got a set by my venue's console for sound humans.

These are super comfortable to me and sound crisp and clean. I'm super glad I got these. Great value for the price!

I've been using these headphones for an extended period, and quite frequently, and I must say they are hands down the best I've ever owned. They offer an exceptional level of comfort, being both lightweight and easy to wear. The audio quality is outstanding – loud and crystal clear.

Exceeded expectations … and my expectations are always extremely high with products.

The multiple cable options, light weight and great sound.

The 'DELIGHTER' would have been if it came with a hard shell type case for storage … but not a show stopper.

I got the original M-50 before the X's were released over 13 years ago, and it lit a fire in me that never stopped. Since then I have built my own mastering speakers, as well as upgraded headphones to Audeze LCD-X's and have listened to many audio systems since, in different rooms and professional studios especially while I have been working in the industry. I own both the M-50 and M-50x and use them regularly. You can probably tell from the photos I have spent more time with the M-50's than almost anyone on Earth. Over the years I have developed many observations about it I wish to share with you. I will tell you right now, you could take everything away from me and leave me with just a pair of M-50's and I would be happy for life. Even strictly for enjoyment the M-50's are fantastic.

That being said, these have been so popular for so long that people use them for a wide variety of applications and fundamentally misunderstand why you would buy this headphone. It is not the best headphone in the world, but it is the best in the world at what it does. For example, if you buy this headphone for mixing, I feel sorry for you. That's not what its intended use is for and you will get less than satisfactory results. M-50's are exceptionally good at making something sound clear and finished when it is not yet. That is to say, everything has a firm sound that does not bend to the will of the track, rather emphasizing frequency ranges that make it easy for a performer to distinguish their performance from other tracks that are competing for the same space. It's hard to record an artist with headphones that are great for mixing. They would hear problems in the audio and wouldn't reach the mental space that elucidates real creative decision making. M-50 headphones make things sound finished or polished in spite of them not sounding that way. If I were tracking an instrument or setting up microphones, I would use no other audio source in the world. It's probably the application that made these famous in the first place. Within seconds you know if you're in the right sweet spot since it will already have a matured sound and transparent phase response.

The bass surprises me the most. This bass extends lower than you'd expect and the bass is exceptionally clean. There does seem to be some more midbass than I would prefer, in the 100-300hz range, but not much. Overall this headphone has a very contoured shape, actually not flat at all, so you'll find that the bass envelops the midrange in a very pleasing way.

The Mids are my favorite part of this whole headphone. The lower and higher ranges of this headphone are certainly more emphasized so it's easy to not notice how clean and lean the midrange is. The midrange is the most "holographic" part of the sound signature to me, meaning there is no honking, shouting, or any nastiness in instruments or vocals. The imaging there is stellar and I can "see" (hear) where things are located and how they are intended to be perceived.

The treble response is very analytical and detailed, almost too much so. Again, for recording instruments and vocals like it was designed for, it's perfect. While recording it's the "sparkle" that cuts through any amount of mud in your other tracks that may not be mixed yet, or in the vocal itself. Finished music it can sound a bit overhyped in this area. Beyond the treble region it rolls off quite nicely, not giving you anything crazy, just the right amount of detail.

Soundstage is fantastic in its own way. Is it wide? No, Quite the opposite in my opinion. These excel at center imaging. The drivers themselves are angled so that the fronts of the drivers are angled towards each other. You get full-band imaging in the center at the cost of left/right soundstage. Bass seems to appear in any position, but the mids and highs seem more centered than the bass. If you were performing you wouldn't be distracted by panned instruments or anything going on in the stereo field.

The dynamics of this headphone are astonishing. They can go from whisper quiet to roaring loud while maintaining a level of control over all of it. I have never heard distortion of any kind on these headphones either. They are super malleable, nearly indestructible and they're so durable that I fully expect my ancestors to inherit them long after I'm gone.

*Heed my warning: * these are recording headphones. If you want to get great recordings in short time, this headphone will give you a sound signature that makes you want to perform confidently knowing you can hear yourself well and not be distracted by bad elements of a mix. Using this headphone for other purposes seems like gambling to me. Don't mix on them. They are "revealing" in the sense you can hear every layer of audio with clarity; they do not "reveal" problems in your mixes, they are intentionally hidden so you can clearly discern what's happening with the sound itself.

Also, get new pads for your M-50's. I cannot emphasize this enough! The stock pads aren't great, they trap heat like crazy, and for $ you can get great pads that suit your comfort and sound needs. I'd suggest felt pads to soften the treble response and make it sound flat, or larger pleather pads to get a more "scooped" sound emphasizing highs and lows.

This is an essential tool just because of how absolutely widespread it is as well. Consider this: almost every studio that produces the music you love owns and uses these headphones. It's quite likely that the actual sound of your favorite albums was specifically tested on these headphones before calling it "done" and final mixes may have been checked on these headphones along with cars, earphones, and other sources to verify final quality. They have quite literally influenced sound of music more than most sources of audio on the planet.

In summary, buy this because you want to get the best *recordings* not final mix. Buy this because when you perform with these on, you'll tend to notice the good part of the sound and not the bad parts. Hearing the clearest range of audio helps emphasize great recordings and performances, and these headphones are tailored better than most to do that. If you use these for other applications, you may have mixed results. They do NOT reveal problems in a mix, on the contrary, they hide problems to give you clear audio no matter the situation.

I love these headphones. They are soft, comfortable and the sound is incredible.
I needed a new set of headphones and didn't have time to spend researching for headphones because of my busy schedule. So I contacted Jeremy Kaiser my Sweetwater sale representative for advice. I give him all the credit for getting me into the right headphones that work for me. He knows me and my equipment and knows what to recommend for my situation.
I'm not sure if I'm giving 5 stars to the headphones or to Sweetwater and Jeremy because they both deserve it.

Great headphones. Great info and help from Patrick.

This is just what I was looking for!

I like them.

The sound from these are Great.

These have been absolutely great for me. I use them as monitor headphones when I play lead guitar for my worship team. Crystal clear and the detachable cord is incredibly useful!

Excellent quality and sound. 2023

Been playing headphone Russian roulette for the last year with headphones. In price range from $85 to $150; I now own the Mackie MC-250 / Sony MDR-7506 / Beyerdynamic DT-770pro / Sennheiser HD-280 / and lastly these Audio Technica ATH-M50x. These Audio Technica finally hit my mark of what a flat response highly detailed headphone should sound like. I am not that critical in this price range, but I am comparing these headphones to my inexpensive near field monitors the JBL305P 5 inch, which are fantastic, great detail and a flat response. And the Audio Technica match these monitors almost perfectly in flat FR and detail. So, if you want a great match for headphones and monitors THIS IS IT!!!
RESULTS:
1) The Mackie headphones just fell apart in my hands after just one year of light use. They are in the trashcan.
2) Sony MDRs are good, but typical bass heavy like most unskilled audio engineers like them.
3) Beyerdynamic are flat but lack detail, they sound very much like the Sennheiser HD-250pro.

We have a winner, the Audio Technica. For the money, they are it. For $ I will be looking for this Audio Technica sound with just a little of the minor harshness in the higher frequencies smoothed out. Maybe the ATH M70x ???

These headphones come with a couple of different cables allowing them to be used across a variety of device platforms. They sound great and are comfortable for long listening sessions.

Love these headphones!

Recommended to me by Cody Krause from Sweetwater! Absolutely love them

I love these headphones! I used them when studying production at university, and then bought my own pair when I set up my own space. I use them constantly.

Read up on some reviews and conclusions...yes, these headphones will perform as advertised while taming your G.A.S.
But, wait there's more!
Nate McClure and the legion of hardworking staff at Sweetwater ensure timely delivery and follow-up, all while including some candy...sweet!
Thank you!

A very good Playback and recording headphone. Especilly those who are on a budget and use them as a main use for home recordings..

being a musician and studio, a artist of 30 yrs these are the best sound ear phones i have had on my head in years.

I play lead guitar at my church. To get a quality sound on stage with in ears it costs several hundred dollars. If you can get over wearing headphones on stage these are a great option!

I rated these a 5 star because for the price Audio-Technica M50x are fantastic! Obviously not as good as the $ pair I tested, but these are 10 times less $$. So in perspective I highly recommend ATH-M50x. My primary use is for Line 6 HX Stomp XL guitar tone building without cranking up my '68 deluxe reverb disturbing the wife and neighbors. They work well for mix-reference too! I chose these over the AKG 240m and Byhrdynamic 770 in a store head to head comparison. You will hear all the details of EQ, chorus, reverb, etc. and they sit comfortably over my glasses without too much pressure on my ears.

Years ago I bought the M40x and complained about them at first. I didn't like the swivel and flipping of the ear cups, but the sound was good. Then Sony, then back to M40x. I got Beyer Dynamic 990Pro, to used them for mixing, but started switching back to the M40x for mixing too. Then I tried Sennheiser Hd660., meh, okay.. I recently saw the M50x on sale and thought I might like to try them. These are the best headphones of all! I want another set for the other side of the studio. Love the chord length (not the curled one), sounds is great, fit is perfect, the cups still swivel, but got used to that. Light, can wear for long sessions and no fatigue. Get these. I tried the rest and these are the headphones to get.

I think they are tops. I really like them. I have two pairs. Henry L Anderson jr. The blues hopman.

I bought these to replace my Sony's. These were a nice step up. When I let my daughter have a listen she said: "It's like I'm there".

Have a good one.

I have several pairs of higher end headphones from different companies. They're all "nice" in different ways, but I've always found myself gravitating back to a pair of ATH-M40s that I purchased in the mid 90s. They were the only pair that could cleanly handle the low end of my electronic drums. Well, the ATH-M50x are now my new go-to headphones. They're everything I love about my old M40s, times 10! Big, balanced, clear, and loud when you need them to be. I'll be purchasing at least one more pair to keep with my live set up.

I bought these to replace my old Bose TriPorts that I've used for practicing with an electric guitar. So glad I did! Hard to believe how much better the sound is with the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Closed-back Studio Monitoring Headphones! I highly recommend them!

These headphones fit like a glove and feel great. The sound is pure and clean. They also block out background noise. My opinion... Get a pair.

Bought these for DJing and occasional session monitoring. They sound great, and are very comfortable.

As always, on the advice of Paul Rowan, Sweetwater has helped my little studio become a better place to make music. Thank you to everyone at the best company I deal with: Sweetwater.
Couldn't be happier with the gear and everyone at Sweetwater.

The sound is very clear and to be honest these headphones are just perfect in my opinion, also a great price!

So I was having issues tearing up headphone. I went thru a number of brands in the bast and now that I have owned these just over a year I will say these are SOLID.
Likes:
-Sturdy construction
-twist to lock in cord - doesnt pup out easy
-muff covers
-rotation and adjustments
-sound range these go pretty low you can easily hear SUBS well in the 50hz range
-sound range highs these things are crispy on the top without being too much
-no need for a preamp just to hear well all 4 interfaces I've used make more than eough for these Scarlet, NI, Apollo, PreSonus
CONS - but not really
-They are colored slightly with a bass boost. So if you are using these for production you need to account for that. It's not much but if it sounds just right in these it will be just lightly not enough on flatter systems.

I use these for hours everyday and they look like the day I got them except for a little head sweat on the cups.
You will not regret buying these!
I've owned all the other major brands in this price range, these are the best if you are into
Hip Hop, Metal, Rock, Trap, Country, Bluegrass

Thanks to John Vaughn who helped guide me to this product. I love them and the difference in being able focus the sound is amazing. I am new to a more professional approach to videos so this has been super helpful. Thank you!

I finally found the best ever wired headphones. The sound quality is impeccable and clear. No static but very powerful. This is my second pair of Audio-Technica headphones but the best of the two. I will definitely recommend this to family and friends. Audio-Technica has a great product line. ATH-M50x headphones are made with quality materials and very durable. The cords that come with the headphones are incredibly robust. The locking feature for the cords is a nice touch as well. Thanks to Sweetwater for selling great products.

Got these to use with Fender mustang micro- amazing sound. As usual, great service from Sweetwater!!

Love everything that comes out of this. I use it for work, for field mixing, mainly vocals. It has the right amount of isolation and the everything is proportional. From the lows, mids, to the highs. Great sound.

I will admit - I'm biased towards Audio-Technica products. WHY you ask? (Even if you didn't ;-). Their products are well-made from good materials with exceptional workmanship. And they do what they are supposed to do. I already owned a pair of ATH-M20 headphones and liked them. Enough so that I used them for about five years in our community radio station's broadcast and production studios. The only thing I did was replace the soft earcups because my makeup made them kinda gross after five years! Alcohol and various solutions didn't help and I felt a hand sledge hammer with a cold steel chisel might be a tad excessive. So, I replaced the earcups instead and voila! The headphones are like new again. But that set isn't what I mean to write about, here… My new ATH-M50X headphones are *sweet* - especially with three different cords and a nice bag to keep everything in. As for the sound, it's sublime - full, well balanced through comfortable over-the-ear earcups and soft headband. The different length cords are great - secure click as I insert the connector. The four foot cord is great for my recording console at home. In the studio, I use the eight to ten foot coiled cord to move about and the straight ten foot cord is available for gigs or whatever. I find it very convenient having the different length cords. The price isn't bad at all, given the quality of these headphones. Audio Technical, you have a winner in these headphones! Call me a satisfied customer :-)

Perfect set of head phones .they have excellent sound one neat feature is the cord for these head phones is how the cord hooks up . You can change the style of cord you want to use .or do like I did get the 25 foot extension cord you will be able to move around more at a further distance.

These are great monitoring headphones--accurate and reliable sound! Definitely recommend for any recording/studio work!

These are by far more comfortable for me than any of the other, comparable headphones I tried. They are ideal for my listening needs.

I have a pair of these (the older model with permanently attached cable) that have gone without issue for almost 10 years now. The low and high end of the spectrum are all represented perfectly without any obnoxious boosting. After 7-ish years of use I had to replace the pads because they started to fall apart, but that was an easy fix. For studio referencing or just listening to music I would highly recommend these.

I needed new headphones, since the pleather on my HD380 Pro's had all gone, and the audio was being heard on tracks. Well, I saw Johnny Van Zant wearing these for tracking on his "Sweet Florida" video, and that was all I needed. Another nice thing, is that the left and right sides are clearly labeled, avoiding time searching for the hidden L or R before putting them on. I was really happy that they actually sound great. There is a wide stereo image, and everything is clear and crisp, and the bass is really there. Thanks!

I use these when I want to play my guitars in the house when I can't play through the Fender GTX100 loud. They work great. I also use them when I just want to sit back and listen to music on my phone. Sound quality is amazing. I love them.

Can't go wrong here... great price point, great sound. Comes with plenty of cord options and are super comfy for long nights in the studio. Will buy more!

The flexibility and sound of this pair of headphones are astounding. I got these to replace my Yamaha HPH-MT7's and got an upgrade in every possible regard. The M50x's are very comfortable, can swivel in all sorts of directions to make them super compact, the bass is great, and come with multiple different cords to suit different needs. You cannot possibly go wrong with these headphones.

I don't have a real basis for comparison as I've never had studio monitors or headphones before but I can absolutely hear the subtle details in voiceovers/microphone comparisons that I was never able to before

I am a very new 60 year old drummer with excellent hearing that was seeking hearing protection. These reduce percussion volume just right and the crystal clear music can be played at a safe level. I can hear musical sounds that i was missing with a plain Bluetooth speaker. Gives me excellent drum interpretation and ear training since i can hear the individual parts if the drum kit. Just the right amount of isolation from outside noise.Dan Vranic was super helpful, in guiding me to these headphones as well as my first pair of in ear monitors. Sweetwater is the best.

These headphones are perfect for monitoring recordings . They are really good and reasonably priced. The service at Sweetwater is first rate. The expert who helped me pick out the headphones took time to get the details and understand what I was going to do, so I could pick the right headphones for my purpose. The best customer service I've ever seen. Buy from Sweetwater.

I've had these head phones since October. Sound quality is excellent, as is the build quality. These are comfortable headphones. You can for wear them hours of editing, or listening to music. I have two pair!

17 years with Sweetwater and I will keep on keeping on be a lifetime customer with Sweetwater

Best customer service ever!

Very comfortable, and the sound is amazing!

I play guitar and listen to a lot of music. These headphones work great both ways. Versatile, comfortable, and sound amazing. Couldn't imagine finding any other headphones like these in its price range. I just hope they will last me a while!

I've tried alot of headphones for recording and just playing guitar in general. Most headphones (even much more expensive ones) just don't give you the low end or the right sound period to be able to play the guitar and still FEEL it like you would through an amp. The ATH-M50x solves that problem. I've still got a set of Sennheizer HD300 Pros, but mostly my girl just uses them now, because I have begun using my M50x's for EVERYTHING including gaming. They are just the best sounding headset I have ever owned, or heard for that matter. Their EQ curve is exactly what my ears like, and they reproduce guitar like a dream. Obviously you will never be able to use headphones to sound 100% like you would through a good loud amp, but these get you as close as you can possibly get to it, and they do so without a bunch of break-up and distortion ruining the tone when you crank them up loud. Even if you aren't going to use them for guitar, they are still worth buying at the price-point. Don't keep wondering if you should get these or whatever other set(s) you have taken into consideration. Do yourself a favor and just BUY THESE. You'll most likely save some money too, but still end up with the better headphones.

Very happy I got these. Big improvement over my MDR-7506's.

Amazing! I have a pair of 64 Audio A6 Custom In-Ear Monitors that I use when I play with bands, but I needed something that would give great isolation and true, full range that I could then have other's throw on to listen to what I'm working on or creating. These are it! They sound just as good as my custom molded in-ears that were super expensive! Easy and comfortable to wear for hours! A definite must-have for anyone working in-studio on audio or film, even for live audio monitoring. Way underpriced for the quality you get!

I've had these headphones for 8 years, and the only thing I've replaced is the earcups. The headband just started flaking, and one of the plastic swivel pieces for the earcups is broken, but I don't care. I deal with it. Because these are the some of the greatest headphones I've ever owned. I'm not an audiophile, but I bought them because I wasn't impressed with other ones I bought and I'm so glad I did. I'll keep rocking these until they break on me, and even then, it'll be difficult to find a worthy replacement.

I purchased these headphones after writing to Sweetwater for a recommendation. I bought their Casio keyboard which I love, and wanted to be able to play my music and not disturb the neighbors. This is the best purchase I've ever made. The headphones put me right in the middle of the music I'm playing in a way I've never experienced before. The people at Sweetwater are great. They have been so helpful and responsive with their replies. Great company.

They are working great. Blocking out the outside noise and allowing me to hear the sounds cleary

Upon recommendation by Ed Nystrom, I ordered The Audio-Technica ATH-M50x headphones. Been using them a lot the last couple weeks. They are comfortable, sound great and as bonus, come with multiple cables. This also makes the cables replaceable. That is important if you are like me and occasionally get a foot tangled in the cable and wreck the jack. Sweetwater and Ed have never disappointed.

I've been using these headphones for a couple of weeks now and they work incredibly well. Thanks to Allan at Sweetwater for his recommendation.

Love them I use them to mix livestream for our church services.

I use them for Roland drums with a TD-27 control module. They are comfortable and easy to wear for a few hours. They pick up details that the Roland 200 misses and pulls out sounds from hi hat to kick. Good price too.

Love these headphones! I use these for live and post work. Comfortable to wear for hours at a time and excellent sonics!

They fit so well and sound so good. A necessity if you want to play your guitar late and loud, in an apartment complex.

Among the most popular studio cans in the world, with good reason. Great sounding, great value.

Never knew how much depth of sound I was missing until I bought these beauties. The quality of sound is amazing. The highs, the lows and everything in between is crystal clear and nuanced. I can hear all the little things that my previous set of headphones obviously had hidden from me. A great addition to anyone's home studio or for any other audio needs. You can't go wrong with these!

Worth every penny. Love these headphones. Very comfortable, durable and high quality.

I've owned the AKG, Sennheiser, and Sony headphones around this price range, and thus far these are my favorite! Really like they come with a detachable cable.

My wife got me these for Valentine's Day so I could rock out on my boss katana with all my pedals and not disturb our neighbors. It's like I have the amp cranked all the way up in my ears. The quality is superb. This is the difference good headphones can make. No breakup between the amp and my pedalboard setup, all crystal clear. 100% recommend these for musicians who live in apartments or don't want to disturb others in their home without sacrificing quality sound.

Absolutely amazing headphones for mixing and monitoring. The price is so low for the quality. The sonic range is incredible. As soon as I tried my girlfriend's pair, I had to get a pair of my own.

I feel like I finally stepped my headphone game up! I'm really enjoying the sound and clarity for mixing.

Excellent headphones! Great Bass response and very comfortable to wear especially for longer periods of time. I spend several hours a day at my studio with these on my head for reference. Very Happy with this Purchase.
Sweetwater's service was amazing as always. There was an issue with the order and these guys went way out of their way to set it right. Best retailer in the music business.

Granted, I've only had these for a few weeks at this point, but I was blown away by the audio fidelity of these headphones. As soon as I received them, I took a listen to some older mixes that at the time, I thought were pretty good. After a listen through the M-50x's however, I immediately realized I still had some work to do!

They are also incredibly comfortable, even with a pierced ear and larger frame glasses. The detachable/replaceable cable is also a big plus, as this was the reason I was looking to upgrade (other headphones cable had split and frayed). In this case the reviews were spot on and I couldn't be happier!

This is a fantastic piece of gear I love the deep bass sounds it gives, plus it knocks out the outside noise.
Thank you very much!!!

Stephen Geyer

Good deal. Great for Church Worship Team.

Sound is very good /separation of stereo is awesome!!!!

Great headphones for tracking and listening

Didn't know what I was missing soundwise. Unboxed these and plugged them into my Headrush pedalboard ,along with my laptop, and couldn't believe the sound. Highly recommended. NATE at Sweetwater is my hero. Again.

Not a expert on headphones but lm happy with the sound quality and fit of these headphones. Especially around my ears. Comfortable to wear and they stay put on my head.

Believe all the positive reviews. These are the real deal for a fair price. I bought these because of all the great reviews and I'm very satisfied. They sound great and fit great too. There are 3 cables included which makes them more adaptable to different applications. The isolation from outside sounds is pretty good also. So if you are willing to get what you pay for put these in your cart.

This is the second Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Closed-back Studio Monitoring Headphones I added to my home studio. They provide great monitoring balance & tone when recording & mixing. Highly recommend for the price.

Incredible sound and comfortable fit. Solid choice for any studio or just for listening to music.

These headphones have amazing quality and I can truly hear everything. These headphones don't distort the sound that other companies do and the bass on these headphones is clear as day, but also doesn't overpower the other sounds! $... was definitely worth it!

I was a sound engineer on Broadway shows for many years, and I love these cans. They are the best sounding most comfortable ones I have ever heard at anything near this price.

This is my second pair of M50s and these sound just as great as my original pair!!! My draw to the M50x was the capability to disconnect and change cables for different needs (coiled, straight, or mobile device interface) that the original M50s did not have. These are still excellent sounding headphones and I would highly recommend them to anyone. The staff at Sweetwater have always provided great support and the delivery was very quick! Thanks Sweetwater!!!

This is truly a great way to listen to my play back mixing and also recording my instruments. I definitely is worth the price. I know its nots the number 1 but it is in my book.

I tried them years ago and did NOT like them. Too bright and the mids made guitar oriented music sound "incorrect". I returned them and now something like 5 years later I'm given them a shot again. I was surprised how quickly I got used to them. They have some pretty drastic curves but every curve seems to be on some borderline type deal. What I mean is the guitar mids are scooped but not unacceptably scooped. At the same time they're probably 0.5dB away from crossing that completely unacceptable line and I think that's what makes them good for mixing. Same goes for the 6-8k range. Cymbals are super bright but they don't quite cross the line. I mixed a song on these after only owning them for a few days. The mix turned out better than anything I've done on my Barefoot studio monitors which are literally the best that money can buy. The low end is very accurate and punchy. Great stuff. If flat is what you want don't buy these but I guess this is the week that I learned flat isn't necessarily what you need for mixing music! For a more neutral sound get the 40's.

I think I've finally blown them a little bit (I play with overdrive and very high volumes through them but sit them on my neck playing guitar) and I'm going be buying another pair soon.

I wore them out so badly the ear cups completely rubbed off and now are all soft haha. Sure, they probably shouldn't do that but I wore them SO MUCH. This is an incredible pair of headphones and I guarantee you that it can hang with headphones twice the price. Perfect for musicians

I bought a pair of these as a gift for my dj partner because I love the ones I've had for several years. The new ones sounded so good I had to get a pair for myself.

These headphones look and feel great. Good construction - I was looking for that after a few cheaper sets failed. The sound is better than my ears too.

I purchased these headphones for the purpose of listening to my guitar through my amplifier. I previously tried to play through my existing headphones which work well for listening to MP3s but not for listening to my guitar. I purchased this brand because I have a record player from the same company and was familiar and satisfied with their products so far. I currently have these headphones paired with a Boss Nextone. The headphones work just as expected. The sound closely mirrors the sound that would normally have come out of the amplifier speakers. Whereas, non-monitoring headphones modify the sound, changing it too much to know exactly how it should've sounded. I am very happy with these headphones.

I went from a pair of Roland RH-5 to this for my electronic drum set. Night and day. Unbelievable.

I have had this Headphone for a little while now and I must say they do a great job for editing music plus they are really good for casual listening. I love that they come with different cable lengths so you don't have a tangled mess when you only need a short run. Sound wise they have a good flat tone with a little bass that ain't overpowering. Sending out a big thanks to Adam Hunter for hooking me up with them as soon as they came back in stock.

I had the OG m50x's and these definitely blew those away! It's much lighter and the feel of the cable and headphones are much more solid! Definitely happy with my purchase.

The headphones are great. Good noise isolation. Pretty comfortable.

The only downside, and this is probably the same for many headsets, I find that they get very warm after long periods of use.

Absolutely love these for mixing. I mainly use them to reference my mixes and to get a better listen to effects such as reverbs and delays. Such a great and accurate response!

I went from a cheap 20 dollar pair of headphones to these beautiful babies. They work awesome for mixing on a budget. Would recommend.

I have the ATH-M40 head phones, but needed an additional pair for another use. I have to say that I love using these ATH-M50x headphones. Super clear and very comfortable to wear. Adjustability if great too. If you are looking for a good pair of closed back headphone, but don't have a limitless supply of funds, this is a great choice.

These headphones are perfect for mixing! The sound quality is Immaculate, they don't Sacrifice any of the lows or highs, it's a perfect flat line.

Tried gaming headphones and several other brands of headphones for use with my Line 6 Helix and these are the best things I have heard by far. They are very accurate with no added base or effects. Very true to when I am playing through the PA. I love playing the guitar but am by no means a pro but I can tell you that they do exactly what people say and the price at Sweetwater was great!

I've had a pair of ATH-M40x since picking them up at Gearfest 2016 and they've been excellent headphones for tracking and mixing. Recently got Waves NX and Abbey Road Studio 3 - and they listed the M50x as one of their pre-set headphone models - so, figured I'd grab a pair. The M50x's are even better than the M40x's - same great build quality - and the sound is fantastic. Very comfortable, compact, and the inclusion of the various cable options (part-coiled, straight, etc.) is a great touch.

Great sound quality and very comfortable

Jimmy Hart suggested these awhile back and they're awesome. They make 'em blue sometimes, bought those, I'll buy red ones or green ones, the best

I'm amazed at how great the quality of the headphones are. I can't hear anything, but my music when I put them on.

Great headsets for listening to music. Bought them to run off my computer music My computer
plugs into an amplifier and the headphones into the amp. The earcups fit tightly (but not too tight)
around the ear and block out outside noises. Perfect lows and highs. Detachable cables are a nice touch.
Plug the cable into the headphones, give it a slight twist, and they lock down.
Also use for drumless tracks while kicking around my Gretsch drums. The music comes through loud
and clear.

Overview: When ever I buy something expensive, like these headphones, I like reading detailed, long reviews, so here we go… I have now owned these headphones for 2 years and have had very little problems. The only thing that has noticeably deteriorated over time is the earcups (see build quality/durability). Other than that I have really enjoyed using the headphones. Throughout the review I will be comparing these headphones to my Beyerdynamic DT-990 Pro"s, and the Sennheiser HD 598 Closed back (a direct competitor do the M50x"s).

Sound Quality:
This is one of the key points when purchasing headphones for this use. So, how do they sound? Well, they don"t have a completely flat response as some people have said, but they also don"t have as much of a v-curve as others have said.

Highs: The highs are definitely there. They are boosted slightly, but it does not affect the listening experience. They have sparkle and detail in them, and the highs make the headphones sound more detailed overall. At first, after coming to these headphones from cheap non-professional headphones, the highs caused fatigue after listening to a track with a lot of cymbals, but I got used to this after only 2 or 3 days. In comparison to the DT-990"s they have a similar sounding highs, the DT-990"s have a spike at 8kHZ which these don"t have so they have a flatter response in that regard, but overall they are very similar. Compared the the Sennheisers, these have more highs where as the Sens are more rolled off, I personally prefer the M50x"s.

Mids: The mids are slightly recessed, but not to the point where you couldn"t do mixing on them. When people say that the response is v-shaped or colored, they are still considerably more accurate than Beats or Bose headphones. The mids while slightly recessed are still present and I don"t feel like I am missing out on anything. The DT-990"s have clearer mids, the bass has less bleed into the mids, and guitar sounds slightly more crisp. Compared to the HD 598"s I much prefer the M50x"s, the 598"s have a very in-your-face midrange that I don"t care for. Overall, I don"t feel like I"m missing much in the midrange when I listen to the M50x"s.

Lows: Well, the lows are boosted, but not in a bad way. Sure, this has downfalls but it makes these headphones enjoyable to listen to, it makes the kickdrums sound powerful and it doesn"t bleed much into the mids. And for mixing (which should be done on monitors), but it is accurate enough that you can do it if you have to. The boosted lows make rock and metal really energetic because of the kickdrums" power through these headphones. When I switch to the DT990"s they definitely have less bass and this gives them more clarity, but that doesn"t make the M50x"s bad, it just makes them different. As for the 598"s I feel like I"m missing something especially with low end bass guitar, drums, and synthesizers.

Soundstage:
The soundstage is good, and for gaming I can tell where the person is when I hear their footsteps, but it is more constricted than the DT-990"s, but those are open back. And they are similar to the 598"s which are closed back like the M50x"s. Because the M50x"s are closed and the DT-990"s are open, when I need more sound isolation, the M50x"s are my go to. For many songs, like the intro for Led Zeppelin"s When the Levee Breaks, the 990"s definitely sound more open, but the M50x"s are still good.

Sound for Specific Songs
When testing these headphones I used a multitude of songs from many different genres. Here is how these headphones (only the M50x"s and the DT-990"s) compare for specific songs.

Back in Black by AC/DC: They definitely help show the power with the drums and the guitars. I think the M50x"s and the DT-990"s shine with rock. This specific song sounds similar on these two headphones.

Roundtable Rival by Lindsey Stirling: These is is a combination of rock and classical, with the main instrument being a violin. The M50x"s have detail in the violin, but the 990"s have more. With the 990"s you here the bow moving along the strings better and when all of the instruments kick in the M50x"s cause the violin to become lost in the mix although still noticeable where as the 990"s keep the violin clear throughout the whole song.

Orion by Metallica: This song has bass guitar under the main guitar riff that becomes noticeable around 1:12. This is not the main bass part that starts when the song does, but a very quiet part where the bass is playing the same thing as the guitar. Whether or not I can hear it through are pair of headphones lets me know if they have good instrument separation and detail. I can hear this part through both headphones. Although throughout the song, the bass drum is much more powerful on the M50x"s where as the DT-990"s sound more laid back.

Build Quality/Durability: These headphones are made primarily out of plastic, though it is a high quality plastic, that has held up well throughout my course of use of 2 years. However, the ear pads have worn down as well as the padding on top of the headband. But, overall I would say that they have held up really well. I also really like the inclusion of multiple cables that I can switch out to fit my needs.

Comfort: This is an area that the DT-990"s clearly win, although the do cost more. The M50x"s even out of the box would hurt the top of my head after a couple hours of listening. But, it did take around 2 hours so they are still comfortable. However, I don"t like that my ear get sweaty in the M50x"s. This is due to the pleather ear cups and the closed back design. This only happens in the summer where the inside of my house stays about 80 degrees. So if you don"t live where it gets this hot it won"t be a problem for you.

Noise Isolation: The M50X"s have passive isolation as most studio headphones do. This means that they don"t have microphones and batteries to actively block out sound. But, they still do a good job at isolating noise. Once they are on you can"t hear people who are talking quietly around you. Once you turn on music you can"t hear people talking at normal levels. Then, if you close your eyes and zone out, well … you can barely hear people yelling at you. The M50x"s beat the HD598"s at the DT-990"s, but the 990"s are open back, so you can hear people whispering next to you.

What about the Beyerdynamic DT770"s: Well, I haven"t listened to them, but I have read that they sound similar to the 990"s, so that means they sound good. But they are not open back so they probably sound very similar to the M50x"s, but because of the earpad material they won"t isolate as much. However, they will be more comfortable, but they don"t have a removable cable. So, it"s a lot of tradeoffs.

Conclusion: The Audio Technica M50x"s have a good sound at a price that isn"t as expensive as some other professional headphones on the market. If these headphones break I will be definitely be buying another pair, which is a testament to how good the are. If I had to choose between the 4 different pairs of headphones mentioned I would pick the M50x"s, because they are the most versatile because of their sound and noise isolation. Overall, I would recommend these headphones to anybody who wants to get into the audio world or who wants a good pair of closed back headphones that can withstand a lot of abuse.

best sounding cans for the price, sound way better the the more expensive beats or bose.Got these to play guitar w/o disturbing neighbors but after unboxing they went straight to ipod and i was blown away.I have to say as a hobbyist Mitch Fraizer is the man, extremely knowlledgable and friendly,really knows his products.i will always buy here because of the customer service alone. Thanx Mitch

Great Headphone and great sound quality I recommend for DJ

Opening the box up and you get Multiple cables that insures you don't have to make a 2nd superfluous accessories purchase so you're in a good mood then put them on and the audio quality blows you away. Can't recommend these enough! My rep Curt at Sweetwater is great as well.

In my experience as a producer and musician, this is by far, the HIGH QUALITY headphones for the money. This is a no brainer decision ... Just buy it !!

By the way: SWEETWATER guys, YOU ARE THE BEST !!

Ordered these about a week ago, just wanted to really try these out and then submit a review. First thing I noticed was the build of these, sleek, crisp, quality. These are hands down the best headphones I've ever used, They allow me to sit down and make a beat from start to finish only using the headphones, you can't do that with a lot of headphones, when you try, you listen to it over speakers and the results are just horrifying, that's not the case here, I get really clean sound and am able to crank the volume without distortion, just pure clarity. These pick up all the important frequencies without hiding, meaning you dont have to work as hard to dish out frequencies causing clashing. These have the perfect amount of lows to them, not to harsh and not to soft. If you dont cop a pair of these, you missin out, these are quality headphones.

I researched and read many reviews on headphones before making a decision. These fit comfortably over the ears, and have fantastic sound quality, that capture all the details and nuances of your sound. Great value!

I have owned other brand headphones but, as it appears, I have gravitated toward Autio-Technica. Have been extremely pleased with these ATH-M50x headphones. They are not loose nor clumsy but comfortable around the ears, and they feel like quality in the hands far above the price. As advertised, these headphones add a bit of bass to the overall tone. So they are a great listening set. However, as well, they remain accurate with true sound during recording for next-stage mix-down—so that is a plus in my thinking. I like the choice of a coiled cable that prevents me from walking all over myself. I should also mention that every item I have ordered from Sweetwater—guitars to devices to a simple set of strings—comes packaged with care. Truly a well-run company.

Excellent sound, very comfortable, and very versatile. Fast shipping and top notch customer service from Sweetwater.

I recommend these headphones

Great sounding clean and clear

I've loved my old Audio Technica ATH-M40fs phones for studio monitoring, with their smooth flat response, and put up with the inevitable ear pad disintegration and replacement over many years. Just recently, the head band coating started disintegrating, so it was time for a replacement.

The #1 improvement is the extended bass response. I hear roughly another octave lower that I was totally missing on my old ATH's. The overall response is still very even and smooth, but now with a much more accurate presentation of the entire spectrum.

Other pros:
• Excellent build quality. It's clear these are professional-grade phones.
• The detachable (and replaceable) cords and pouch are a nice touch.
• The ear and headband pads are reportedly using a new formulation, and won't disintegrate. Time will tell.
• The fit is very comfortable. Ear pads are a good size and cover my big ears nicely.
• Isolation is outstanding. The outside world disappears almost entirely.

Con:
• Perhaps the straight cord could be a couple feet longer, but that's a nit.

Bottom line, these are an excellent value, and provide me confidence that I'm hearing reality for headphone mixing.

So far the greatest headphones I bought, very clear sound, good size, liked the black color, they also look very nice on blue!!!

Great product, good price, good service! What more could you ask.

I needed this headphone for my special research. If you need to hear very low voices, this is a great device and it is very comfortable. I truly recommend this product.

I use these for everything. They are strong and fold up nicely. They sound really good, are comfortable and for me worth the hassle of packing them around. They don"t fail in the low end when I"m playing my Virus etc...Closed back is nice when recording. Cables included are purpose built and quality. Bonus, People in public know you"ve got them on iykwim.

These are the first headphones I"ve bought in a long time and they are so beautiful to listen to. Ahhhhh! It makes me want to record more music!!!

I have used other brands at similar price points for years now. These monitors though, these monitors?! These absolutely blew my mind into outer space. Every frequency is crystal clear. The cup design is superb and fits over my very large ears, which was a problem with other brands. These are comfortable, compact, come with awesome switchable cables, and have huge 45mm drivers for very loud and clean sound. I cannot recommend these enough. Absolutely superb sound reproduction at an unbeatable price. Do yourself a favor like the rest of us satisfied believers and get yourself at least one pair of these headphone monitors. I swear, the sound will melt your ears into ecstasy!

Purchased these headphones for my home studio a few months ago never reviewed them until now. I love the quality in these headphones, really have depth in what your listening to, for comfortably and secure, just great headphones!

I was not looking for wear-around-town headphones. I play bass and our band only gets together once a week for group rehearsals - the rest of the week I practice by plugging my bass into my desktop computer and play along with tracks. Up until now I used earbuds which were a pain to take out and put in as they always seemed to become knotted. In more than a couple of instances I have also lost sound in one ear or the other due to their flimsy wiring, so I decided to try a pair of reasonably priced headphones.
The ATH-M50x's reviews seemed promising but I was leery due to the price. Nonetheless I am thrifty and decided that I would settle for a little less quality for the savings. I can't imagine what higher priced headphones might sound like, but I can honestly say that these provided the best listening experience I could have ever imagined.
Their sound reproduction is crystal clear - not too bassey and not tinny at all. I hear subtle sounds that I had never noticed before, even in songs that I had practiced with scores of times with high quality earbuds. I expected a trade-off in quality for the price, and I am happy to say that I did not get what I expected,

I have had the usual array of headphones over the years(Sony, Sennheiser, Grado), and used others I did not own in various studios(AKG). I do not recall ever feeling like any one pair really blew me away. After lots of reading and research I decided to try this model of Audio-Technica headphones.
In a word, impressive!
Highlights::
- They are comfortable in spite of being a little bulky in design. The ear-cups are large enough to sit comfortably around my ears. The headband is padded and adjusts easily.
- They come with 3 detachable cable choices, long straight, short straight and coiled. IMO, this should be the industry standard for pro headphones at this price point. Very handy in the studio. There is also the usual pleather bag, which for me just ends up holding the other cables when not in use.
- The sound: Tons of detail, width and depth! Lows are not over-emphasized and boomy.
I suggest listening to your own mixes, something you know well and see what you discover. Then explore a range of high-level mixes from the masters to hear what is possible. These cans will show you ears everything in the mix. Opinions on mixing with headphones aside, I will definitely be reviewing my work before delivery from here on out with these babies!
Nice work AT!

I've been thinking for a few years now that I should get new headphones, to take advantage of newer technology. But it's been hard for me to find new headphones I like. I've always gone back to very old ones that I love. That is, till now. I recently recorded some new songs and the producer had me try these ATH-M50x's. I loved them instantly. With these AT's, the tone is fabulous (rich, clear bass and mids, lovely highs) and the detail is amazing. In fact, I've gone back over some recent mixes and made important -- and positive -- changes because of these.

So I'm just getting started in recording and needed a set of headphones. Reading 3 million reviews online, or something like that, I kept coming back to the ATH line. I wasn't willing to fork out the money for the 50's at first, I ordered the m20x and used them for some recording and also listening to music while at work. The 20's made me realize how much sound quality I was missing in the years of listening thru cheap bluetooth headsets and earbuds. So now I have a dilemma, I want to leave the M20x's at work, and get another set for at home in the studio...... ah screw it, I order the m50x from sweetwater.. I have them 2 days later... Listen to some music side by side with the 20's and OMG, the 50's are incredible. I don't know how to describe other than they are crisp, flat and tight. A noticeable and worthwhile upgrade from the 20x
Now I'm faced with a new dilemma. I want a set of m50x at home and at work... anyone want to buy a lightly used set of 20x's? lol

Certainly the best sound I've heard in headphones. Amazing bass, something many phones lack. One of the more comfortable sets of phones also. Used more than an hour without any discomfort, don't yet know how they will do on longer sessions. Would recommend, great deal at the current discounted price, better than phones I've had that cost considerably more.

Nothing to say, best I have ever had,

Pete

Blown away at the quality of the product and all it comss with. Audio Technica has won me as a client. Excellent product at an unbeatable price. Thanks Frank.

Very comfortable to wear and has an awesome sound coming through. Wish I had bought some sooner.

Best sound quality ive ever had in a headphone. Especially with FLAC files. You hear every little nuance in the music. I only use them for enjoying music, I'm not an engineer or anything. Comfortable, great quality.

These are my go to phones for the studio! As a drummer they work great at isolating outside sounds, and they represent the full frequency range accurately and musically. Great for live use too. 3 thumbs up!!!

I lost my 1st set of these and recently replaced them with this newer version that have the replaceable/interchangeable cables. I love the ability to change cable types. There is almost no break in period. Very smooth from lows to highs, with no obnoxious peaks. Super comfortable and no noticeable ear fatigue with extended wearing.

I have used Sony MDR7506's since they were introduced years ago and I've always enjoyed their sonic capability and their durability. I tried the Sennheiser HD280 Pro but my first set kept making noise every time the cord moved the slightest bit. I exchanged for another pair that did the same thing. Maybe I got a bad batch but twice was enough for me. Then I decided to get the Audia-technica ATH-M50x and I have found the best headphones for everyday studio use, Their sonic range is as good as you would expect a top quality piece of gear to be. They are very comfortable for long sessions. I still use my Sony's but now they are my backup set. The M50x are the best headphones in their price range without a doubt.

The ATH-M50x headphones are extremely comfortable, isolate outside noise very well, and come with 3 very thick cords that won't break easily along with a nice pouch to carry it all in.

I am blown away by how great the sound is from these headphones. Wether you are mixing your own music or you are listening to songs you enjoy, you can hear each instrument being played more clearly than ever before...Even vocals too.

It's worth the money. You won't be disappointed. GET A PAIR I RECOMMEND IT.

The change from my old AKG 260 Pro set to these was stunning. I can get a rough mix using this set. The tone and volume output increased 50%. I just love them!

I spent many hours demoing more pairs of headphones than I can remember. These were the highlight of four days' listening.
They sound beauitful out of the box. But this is only half the story. Mine are now around six years old. They sound better and better with age. Certrainly, much better after about a month of use.
The slightly cheap plastic has come off mine around the bar over the top. And the cups are a bit on the worn out side. I'm assured these are replaceable. None of this takes away from their sound though, and I've no intention of swapping them any time soon.

The headphone was amazing. I highly recommend it. Thanks sweetwater for the great service

Awesome product love using them, sound quality is spot on.

I continue to be highly impressed with the Audio Technica ATH-M50 brand pf headphones. The 50x model continues the excellent quality of its predecessor. LOVE IT !!

Recommended by Cody at Sweetwater. These headphones are amazing, top of the line for the price range.

Great headphones with amazing quality! Great price for a great product. Its perfect for mastering tracks and allows you to really hear the lowest of the frequencies and the highest of the highs.
I would really recommend this to anyone that has a passion for sound quality and sound production!

Great response and extremely comfortable.
Would be nice if it came with an extension line and a hard case, but otherwise met my exectations.

Can't go wrong with these. I use them in my home studio. They sound great and are very affordable.

I bought these to use with my Boss ME-80. They are very good sounding headphones. I like the 3 cords that came with them, so you have your choice for the application you are using them or extras incase one gets damaged.

Best dollars i ever spent on headphones

A very well balanced headphone that translates well, combined with a solid construction even after falling to the ground a handful of times, and a comfortable wear makes the ATH-M50s my go to cans! Over the last 24 years, I`ve had my share of headphones, the M50s are my favorite for tracking, mixing, and mastering. I even use them for pure listening enjoyment.

I bought these headphones specifically for recording acoustic guitar sessions. I wanted a pair of closed back phones that would give me a full spectrum audio playback with no hype in the highs or lows. I have found that this really enhances the player's response and improves the over-all performance. With great acoustic players, you really want them to be able to hear and capture the emotional content of their performance. I bought these phones based on the recommendation of my Sweetwater Sales Rep - Jeff Green. He has been my sales rep for over 20 years and I have found his input and opinions highly valuable. I found these phones to be very accurate even a low volumes. Especially nice was that the mids and highs were present, smooth and not hyped at all. As a matter of fact - it was really refreshing to hear the full spectrum playback without the "typical" hype you hear in the upper mid-range. The bass response was very smooth balanced and again not hyped. I found the over-all playback balanced with a smooth 3-D clarity. I was actually very surprised on over-all quality being biased by the low price. I own AKG, KRK. Focal and Sennheiser headphones in the studio. I found the ATH-M50x the best pair for recording acoustic instruments.

Awesome set of earphones!

For the price you can't go wrong, sturdy construction and solid sound performance.

They feel good on my big head and they cover my ears completely.

The included carrying bad is a bit small.

Before purchasing these headphones, I did tons of research on a variety of brands. I was extremely impressed with the price of the Audio-Technica ATH-M50 compared to others. So, after 6 months of research, I made my purchase. These are the most comfortable headphones I've ever worn. And, they sound great! I love the fact that they come with 3 separate cables. The short cable is perfect to use with my iPhone and the other 2 are sufficiently long for recording purposes. Service from Sweetwater was as usual, fantastic. I'll be using these for a long time!

Wow, I upgraded to these and can't believe how much better they sound than every other set in my studio! I can hear so much that I could not hear before. I can't give a tech review, but I know what I like. I have not compared them to my $500 Westone in ears, but I just use those for stage performance monitors and they are harder to put on. Buy these, I am glad I did.

Amazing studio monitor headphones

I have a pair of Beats Studios (Original) that at the time of purchase, I thought were the best things to happen to the audio world. I was blind to the fact that there were many other brands out there that were even better. I just wanted the cool effect. However, after purchasing my own home studio the other day, I bought these as well, based on the reviews and research. Accurate sound reproduction is key for me and Beats don't cut it. These I must say, are the best things to happen to the audio world for the price range they're offered in. There supremely accurate, comfortable and come with 3 different cables, as well as a 1/8 to 1/4 adapter, which was perfect. Tight bass, crisp highs and solid mids. I will probably never buy any other brand of headphones again. Do yourself a favor and pick these up if you're serious about your sound.

I got these headphones on the recommendation of my main-man Tony Dayton here at Sweetwater. These headphones really suit my needs as a mixing engineer and for tracking. The irony was I can mix really good just with these cans and that's impressive. Obviously, mixing on monitors is even better, but for rough mixes these perform great. For tracking they are sheer perfection. Thanks Tony for another great recommendation!

Amazing, perfect, love it, you need it, buy now!

I use these for recording in my home studio. I sing in better tune and I play better using these headphones. Beautiful, clear, detailed sound. My AKG k240's are officially retired.

I really like it. It cam with different cable to use it and the sound is incredible.

I have heard the M 50s in some studio's and they always impressed. I have had these for 1 week and the new Ath-M50x headphones have left me speechless. If a break-in period makes them sound better in 40 hours I can't wait. Definition, separation and clarity are just a few words that come to mind. I bought these for my home studio which does double duty as my listening room and when I played some classical through these - wow. I heard things that in 30 years of listening, I haven't heard before in these pieces. Jazz , R&B and blues likewise. The only bad thing is I also heard things in my mixes so I need to remix some lol !!!!!!
As always Wayne gave me great advice and Sweetwater's service is the best..

I have Apple AirPods Pro, I also have the AirPods Extreme Headphones. This set is better in every way if you don't mind being wired in. Love the pair and I would highly suggest picking up a set if you edit video, do podcast, or just enjoy listiening to some music.

Sound fine, comfortable, a selection of hook up cables, priced reasonably…. A winner for me.

These are great sounding headphones. They're really not the most comfortable. I have a set of Beyerdynamic 770 pro80s that I prefer because they are much more comfortable to wear for long sets. They both have really great sound for low end monitoring. I use these as a bass player in place of in-ear devices - that just don't work for these 65yo ears...

I absolute love these, I Was shocked to see how clear and balanced this was compared to the last monitor headphones I was using. Very comfy & worth the price

These are by far my favorite headphones. I've been using these for years. I know them. I like the un-hyped low frequency and relatively flat response. My only complaint, and this is true of every set of closed-back headphones I've ever used, is they get a little uncomfortable after a couple of hours. Gotta take 'em off for a bit.

The main draw for me in regards to these headphones was its portability, with a detachable cable as well as a nice bag to carry it in. They pull this off while also having an amazing sound. I will recommend buying replacement earpads, as my ears ran hot after about an hour of use. With the replacement pads I bought, they became useable for longer periods of time and I enjoy using these as my main set of headphones, whether I'm audio monitoring or listening to music. As expected, Sweetwater is great with shipping and customer service, these headphones managed to come in after five days of ordering them, which is amazing considering I live in the middle of the ocean.

Had these for about a week now. First pair of studio grade headphones and the sound quality is great. Love that it comes with variety of cables.
Only thing that may be an issue to others is the pretty strong clamping force of the headphones.

I would know, because I own both.

Audio-Technica ATH-M50x: Great for mixing, gaming, and I've had them for four years now.

AKG 701: Owned for six months before the right earphone began going out and generally used for mixing.

These are an acquired taste but they excel in the low end specifically. When it comes to mid range and high end you simply must learn your headphones but some headphones just don't do a good job of reproducing low end. Not these. They produce low end with ease. I compared these to Shure 840's a long time ago and thought these were too bright and scooped. Now as a mixer I've learned that these work for mixing in the same way that NS10's do. What I mean is NS10's have so much of that midrange bark that once you get the mids sounding good on them you know they're going to sound great everywhere else. These are the same but the opposite. The mid range scoop is just almost too much but not quite and what that means is that once again just like NS10's if you get the mid range sounding great on these you know they will sound good everywhere. It's just a matter of learning that curve. For example I can't listen to guitar driven rock music on these unless it's one of my favorite "guitar tone" albums. Albums that don't have the best guitar tone I can think of just don't sound right, but the perfectly mixed midrange tracks do still sound good on them. That's what you want in a pair of headphones or monitor system: for the mixes you know are the best ever to sound great and for anything not up to that standard to clearly sound like something is wrong with it. Overall I'd recommend these to studio and live engineers for sure. Maybe there's better pairs that exist (there almost certainly is) but these are affordable, and readily available. If you lose a pair of smash them somehow your local best buy will probably have a pair. You get where I'm going with this. I'd rather not buy some crazy awesome boutique pair of headphones that are "better" but if I break them or something I have to wait weeks for a replacement from some cave in germany. LOL.

I use these headphones for quiet practice with my Headrush gigboard, mixing on Garageband, and casual listening. These headphones are great for me, as I'm just starting to build my small home studio. Maybe I'll upgrade in the future, but for now, these headphones are getting the job well done for me. Thanks to Josh Hacker for the recommendation!

Pros:
Sturdy design and feel
Pretty comfortable overall
Great mix
Interchangeable cable, with three different attachments, two of which support 1/4" jack

Cons:
If you have a big head, it can be uncomfortable at first. Once you break it in, it feels fine.

Overall, I really like these headphones! I haven't spent a ton of time recording with them yet, but I've used some Kontakt VSTs and Get Good Drums' One Kit Wonder and Modern and Massive, and the sound is great! They sound well-balanced. I find that I like a little more bass in the 200Hz range, which is easily adjusted with any EQ program like EqualizerAPO.

I would definitely recommend them to a friend! I only gave it a 4.5/5 because I simply haven't spent enough time with it to give an extended review. I have no reason to doubt this will be a 5/5 product for me.

Solid sound and accurate response. Good clarity as well. Could have a little better noise canceling, as the Beyerdynamic 770 set I got with this one is better for blocking out external sounds. But it also was in the next price tier, so good for what they are.

The sound quality is excellent across all spectrums. The only negative is one that most people would not notice - they fit really tight. Normally, I like the closed-back to fit tightly, but I must confess I have some issues with them fitting too tightly for my head. Full disclosure - I've had brain surgery, and my temples are more sensitive than most people so I'm willing to attribute the tight fit to that over-sensitivity. All other features are first-class. The headphones included both a straight cable and coiled AND the 1/4" adapter came with it! I ordered a hard case, but they include a soft carrying pouch. Very pleased

This is my second set of ATH-M50's and a replacement for my older pair that I basically wore out. I have a few sets of Sony MDR7506, Sennheiser HD 280 and Focal Listen headphones. I use them all for different things but I usually grab the ATH-M50's first, so that says a lot. These headphones just always sound right to me, and I can trust that what I'm hearing will basically translate to other speakers or systems. I will say that I really like the detachable cable and different cable/connector options that come with the newer version, they come in really handy. There's no case or bag with these headphones, which the older models came with, but there are many after market cases you can find online for $15 or so that work quite well.

Audio-Technica clear Isabel!

After suffering through several pairs of "cheap" headphones and uncomfortable ear buds over the years, it was finally time to get something decent.
I was more than happy when I unboxed these. Very well made, super comfortable, and the extra cords that all twist lock into the headphones was a plus.
Sound is crisp and clear even at louder volumes. Im a heavy bass fan and with no adjustments through, say, your phone or laptop or whatever, they don't disappoint. I've heard things I never noticed before playing music through typical stereo speakers.
Check them out! Quality for what ya pay for is top notch.

I have a newish AKG K240 and this ATH-M50 is Much better. I spent some time going back & forth. Missing so much with the AKGs.

Yes, they sound great. They all sound great. But these come with three different cords. A short one for when I’m outside plugged into my phone. A long one for when I’m at my DAW going back and forth for stuff out of reach. And a curly one that does not hang on the floor when you’are standing in front of the mike. So you don’t keep stepping on it. And they sound great. I do not know how flat they are because I don’t use headphones to mix. I didn’t give it a five because after a couple of months they no longer had a real tight fit. But the fit is good enough. I like them so much I bought a second pair.

I have spent a long time looking for a pair of headphones that I could use on the road for mixing and mastering tracks, as I'm an audio engineer who travels quite a bit and it's extremely inconvenient to only be able to work at home on monitors. However, I had not yet been able to find a mixing solution that left me confident in my final results, having tried out several of the common choices for mixing cans.

Knowing all along I would prefer closed-back phones, I decided to turn my attention to the ever-popular M50's. Since pairing them with the newly updated Waves NX (which has a calibration setting for this specific model), I am churning out quality mixes that I am confident in sending to a client without having to test through monitors. If you are able to grab Waves NX on sale, you've got yourself a solid headphone mixing setup. Highly recommended!

I've spent a ton of money on headphones over the years and these are without a doubt the best you can buy for under $. They sound very, very good.

I read all the reviews on these and other headphones before I made a decision. It's hard not to like the ATH-M50X headphones. They are very comfortable and have great dynamic response. I have a Casio Px560 and a Yamaha Avant Grand and use these for practice so as not to disturb my wife in the early morning hours. Every detail from the lowest notes to the highest notes are clear and detailed. I also do some mastering and mixing with these and they are truly superb for that. You can't go wrong with these headphones.

Great product. My son loves tgem

I love these headphones! I have had them for about a year now and I have found them to be the best sounding and durable cans I have ever owned. It took a while, but I mixed and mastered two complete projects with nothing but these alone. The results were very competitive.

I am that person who spends weeks and even months researching something before I make a purchase and I am so glad I happened to find these. I typically wear these for 8+ hours every day just listening to music and they travel with me in the Gator headphone case I also purchased. I never get an achy jaw wearing these. The sound quality is amazing. I am not a professional audio tech or anything, but my old, blown-out ears required something more than a $40 pair of headphones that sounded like music under water. These sound amazing. I can even pick out those highs I gave up on hearing years ago. I really could go on and on about how comfortable they are and how great they sound but I will sum it up. You don't have to be a professional audio tech to give yourself something great to listen to music with. Maybe you are looking for yourself and you know your ears deserve more than what you have been giving them. Maybe you are looking for a gift for someone who loves music but doesn't require a $500 pair. Look no further, these headphones are the by far the best bang for your buck in this price range. I'm pretty sure you will be blown-away, certainly not disappointed.

I've had my ATH-M50 headphones since 2011. They've been the best set I've ever owned and have provided hundreds of hours of mixing and listening while holding up to all the abuse I could give them. But it is time. My original pair will be hung near the turntable for the occasional listen when my M50x set arrives next week.

While they may not be the best sounding set you could buy, you won't find a better sounding set for this price.

I wanted reasonably priced- yet solid quality- headphones, so I tried these based largely on previous Sweetwater reviews. I use these primarily for writing electronic music, and I'm enjoying them. The sound is crisp & accurate, and I don't feel too stuffy wearing them for a while. Most importantly, I don't feel that sinking disappointment when I need to turn off monitors and throw these on. score!

Got the limited green version but non the less...Incredible! Out of the box they are clear, full and comfortable. I'm using them for writing/recording purposes and I couldn't be happier. The cables are long enough to not get in the way which is a huge plus! A++... would buy again! Thanks to Sweetwater for the quick delivery!

I needed a set of cans for some home recording projects but I didn't want to break the bank. A professional engineer friend of mine recommended these, I love them! Very comfortable, they sound great and I love the three cords you can select depending on the length for the job you're doing. Very pleased with these, especially for the price.

No complaints with sound. Bass is deep and rich, highs are crisp.

Only complaint is that they are not as comfortable as my ATH-M40fs, but sound SO much better. Not a big deal. Much more stiff in the headband, but maybe that will mean they wont peel and shed it's black shiny coating like the ATH-M40fs did.

Definitely worth the money. Overview: Good isolation, Great for monitoring, Seems pretty true for mixing as well. Note on the short cable, it's really designed for connection to things like an IPad, direct to computer without a box (why would you use the computer driver anyway??). The adapter has a screw on lock for 1/4 to mini for the coiled and longer cable. np, just an FYI. Cable twist locks into the headset, I like that. Very comfortable. I can hear LOTS of detail with these headphones when mixing without the use of mains. I was also looking at the ath-m40 but decided I wanted the other driver material and extended range. Glad I tossed in the extra $50.

These headphones are most likely about as good as it gets. Comfortable, crisp, clear sound and light weight.

Don't have a clue what my hat size is, but ****, when they're collapsed, there's is still air above my head. Got around that by just hanging them over my baseball cap, which I wear anyway... prob solved. Other than that, Fantastic!

Probably not the best you can get, but they certainly do a nice job of isolating the sounds I make on my bass. I worry about their durability because I take them on and off a lot. The cord length and type options are nice. Time will tell how well they perform, but they've already allowed me to focus better on the signal I produce on my instrument.

Headphones recommended by Nick Reedy work as advertised. Very comfortable and flexible to the listening environment I was looking for.

Priced nicely. Generally good tones across the spectrum. Fit comfortably. Three separate cables for different scenarios, is nice. I have had these only a month or so. I can't comment on durability. They are packaged nicely and come with a leather bag for storing or transporting.

They sound GREAT and are super comfortable, but sometimes my headphone jacks get stuck in the headphones when I'm trying to switch them out—this may just be because they are new... hopefully.

I have been using the SONY MDR-7506 headphones for years and have been really happy with them. Since I haven't bought new headphones in a long time I did some internet research to see what the latest and greatest was. These AT headphones came highly recommended, so I thought I would give them a try. In all comparison reviews I read between these and the SONY headphones, people preferred these AT headphones.

First of all, they sound COMPLETELY different than the SONY headphones. That's not what the reviews indicated. The AT headphones have a much heavier bass response - too much for my taste. The midrange is lacking and the high end is good.

I think these headphones may be good for DJs, as the ear cups swivel - which is a feature I really like, and for people who like a real thumping low end. For me, though, they just were not an accurate representation of what I was looking for.

A bit heavy on the ears with glasses. A clear true sound. They do break up a bit when pushing the low end too much with bass/bass synth though. Nice options for detachable cable (comes with options)Seem to be a sturdy construction,

No issue with sound.

MY only problem is the headband. After an hour of wearing, the top of my skull starts to mildly throb with a dull pain. Never had this before with my last headphones. The headband has minimal padding on the underside, If you press, its soft-ish, but give it a decent press and your thumb comes up against hardness. The top side of headband has a dense cushy foam feel, WHY? isnt that on the underside behind the soft foam? I think Audio technica needs to take this headband back to the design board. Pad it up a little more and spread the headband force more widely across the skull.

I'm not one to return something when I can engineer my own fix. I cut a piece of thin grey foam, sculpted it a bit with a razor, and used velcro to strap it at the top middle. The force distribution isn't center middle anymore, but like a 10 and 2 o clock. SO MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE. Takes so much pressure off. My next step it to cover it with thin leather and sew it together. Its too bad the default headband didn't preform as expected.

These headphones sound very good and they are comfortable for me. The closed back cuts out most other noises. Comes with 3 different cables to pug in.....long/straight, long/curly and a short straight.

In comparison to my SONY MDR 7506 Studio Monitoring Headphones, the ATH-M50x cost almost twice as much, provide a little more volume, accentuates bass frequencies more, surrounds my ear better and the cord is removable. I do not have a preference between the two as the most important factor for me is that in use in my home studio they both reproduce quality sound equally as well.

I bought these as a secondary set for recording, in case I work with someone someday. They fit very well over the ears. I don't have radar dishes but I don't have elf ears. They are comfortable. The sound quality is good. I have two sets hanging from my MIDI controller, this set, and the set I've used for a while. They are Marantz MPH-2's. I like these, but they seem to lack a little on the low end. But they are a very good quality sound. And quiet so far as ambient noise getting through. If you want silence so room noise doesn't block your ear from hearing what you're doing (working with multiple people/instruments at once), these do a great job.

After living with these for a few days I have to say I really like them. In my opinion they are missing a little bit of mid range and I've certainly used headphones that are more transparent however these seem to be built like a tank and I can only assume they will last me for quite a while.

Sound Great, Feel Great... wish they were a little beefier is all.

These headphones sound to me a tad bit clearer than my HD 280 pros, but they aren't quite as comfortable due to the size of the foam cup, seems the 280s have a tad larger cup than these do which for my big ears is easier to wear for longer periods of listening.
I use them for studio monitoring which is only for finding the bad tones and carving them out, I use speakers for actual mixing so I'm not wearing these all day, but with lots of track it can take some time.
These seem pretty sturdy and well built, I love the ability to change cords from coiled to straight and different lengths.

These headphones work really well in the studio and are comfortable to wear for a couple of hours. Very happy.

I have a ten year old pair of Audio Technica cans of this price range that despite years of abuse (stepping on the cord while wearing, dropping them) still work perfectly. I was getting a new set only because the plastic lining on the old set was basically disintegrating. I tried the Sennheisers in this price range for something new and different but returned them and got the ATH-M50X. No comparison in terms of clarity of sound. These are very sturdy and work great for monitoring while recording. No need for anything better unless you mix thru headphones. Be sure and get a cable extension also if you are using in any type of group setting with a headphone amp.

Very comfortable for those long recording times . Sound quality is great. They are affordable, I bought two pair so when recording, what we hear, will be the same.

The sound I hear when recording now went from thin, empty with my old set to really full and the phones are very comfortable to wear over a period of time.

I have owned a lot of headphones over the years. These are my favorite for just plain clarity. Nothing overhyped. Great for just sitting back and enjoying music. Cd's with higher quality than mp3 sound really good. No ear fatigue or harshness with prolonged listening.

I would say the sound of these headphones is definitely over-hyped, I would not mix on these headphones but they are pretty decent for tracking vocals or any other instrument! So if you're in the market for a good pair of tracking headphones or casual listening headphones then these are great!

The Audio Technica ATH-M50x are a pretty good headphone. I used these to mix releases for years (before that the regular ATH-M50). The ATH-M50x sound pretty flat with good bass response and flat frequency response throughout. I have noticed that with all ATH-M50 models eventually they somewhat die. By this I mean there begins to be a rattling distortion in one and I assume eventually both ears. At low volumes this isn't much of an issue but some frequencies even at moderate levels seem to make these headphones not perform as they did new. These are very comfortable and I didn't find myself getting ear fatigue or discomfort from prolonged use. I would probably buy these again when I start booking DJ gigs again. But for now I'm doing all my mixing on Shure se215 wired earbuds. I know that sounds crazy to do serious mixing on earbuds but the se215s are the best sounding headphone (earbud) I've ever heard with detailed flat bass and crystal clean frequency response. The ATH-M50s have a good sound but aren't as durable as they should be.

My old Sony MDR-7506 phones were looking tattered and tired with exposed padding around the ears, so I decided to upgrade to the ATH-M50x. Now, this is a quality product from a reputable company, and the packaging and accessories were impressive, including 3 separate detachable cables. So far, so good. Upon attaching it to different audio sources, inc. my iPhone, music videos on YouTube, and the iTunes library on my computer, I was impressed with the balanced audio tone and smooth (not thumpy or muddy) bass response.
My issue, and the reason for the middling rating, is the weight and bulkiness. After much adjusting, I just could not get a comfortable feel, and after about 10-15 minutes of wear, I couldn't wait to take them off my head. As a musician and audio tech, I've done a good bit of recording and live sound reinforcement, and I can't imagine using these on a gig or a recording session because of the discomfort.
I'll probably keep them around for occasional use listening to recordings, music videos, etc. As previously stated, they do have a high-fi sound, and the versatility of the 3 cables and carrying case is appreciated.

Pero calidad de audio no esta muy eficiente

great quality
fast delivery
good job sweetwater-

If you're using these as fold back for the studio and you're not particularly concerned about getting the "best" (correctly balanced) sound, then these will fit the bill. They have good noise isolation and would work very well where that's required. I would not recommend them for casual listening or mixing but YMMV.

To me, there are two problems. First, they sound quite noticably boxy and I find that disconcerting. I can deal with a bit trebly or too much bass but the response curve on these headphones doesn't make me want to spend a long time listening to them. If you're looking for phones for mixing, I suggest you evaluate a set of AKG semi-open. I've had good luck with those and they've long been an industry mainstay.

Also, I find that the shape of the support frame to be less than ideal. The chosen radius makes it put too much pressure on the side of my head. Fine for short term but after a couple of hours, I just have to get them off my head for a while whereas I've had others that are comfortable enough that I almost forget I have them on after a time. Slightly wider ear pads might eliminate that.

These are not the best for monitoring or mixing IMO. I much prefer the Beyer DT770's, warmer and flatter response.

Well made, just good sounding headphones, with slightly heavy bass, recessed midrange, and average treble. For example, female voices sound dark and lack articulation. Jazz cymbals lack the requisite sizzle and zing. Short, narrow sound stage. You don't really feel on stage - certainly not like open air earphone receivers, but notwithstanding these are closed back cans, they have a more narrow sound stage compared to other closed back headphones. Overall uninspiring sound signature. OK for dark, heavy hard rock and rock-style country music, yet rather dull for classical, acoustic, and lighter fare such as bluegrass. Fairly durable and comfortable enough over long listening sessions, but nothing to brag about. I replaced my M50x with the lower cost M40x which have a cleaner, more balanced, more articulate profile, and substantially larger sound stage. The M40x are much better and more realistic for all styles of music. That is just my take - your your mileage may vary. JR

I have used the Shure SHR440's for years untill they were falling apart. I researched and decided to replace them with a pair of Audio-Technica ATH-M50x's. I have a basement recording studio and use the headphones for mixing and checking on mastering. I'm an amateur, but a pretty good one. The Audio-Technica ATH-M50x's are good, but I don't hear a big difference between them and the Shure 440's, and the 440's are much more comfortable to wear. I'm keeping them, and they're not bad headphones, but if I had it to do over again I would have repurchased the Shure SHR440's. Sweetwater's customer service is excellent as usual. I have come to expect nothing less than perfection from them, and they never disappoint.

I used these for about a week and loved the audio quality, but I couldn't wear them for longer than an hour. They squeeze very tightly to your head to the point that your ears will get incredibly sore. Had to take several breaks in order to keep recording with them. Purchasing velour pads would probably help.

sweetwater is comepletely amazing. these headphones are just alright. good if you need something . definitely keeping them for as backups

The yoke on one side broke. The plastic is light and weak. Not for daily use. Disappointed in the build quality, specially at this price. And the cord scheme, with all the different detachable ends etc is ridiculous. More crap to lose.

First off let me talk about the benefits before I cut in with the down side. These headphones really are great headphones, they come with the little gig bag to store them in, they have a pretty flat sound, and are pretty great to have. Additionally, they are pretty comfortable, I love the ability to flip the cups if I need to have a critical ear outside of the headphone while still having one inside the headphones. Now let me tell you the big turn off. I've owned this pair for about 3-4 years now, and right around the 2-3 year mark the headband starts flaking the black "fake leather" all over your hair and the back of your neck which is a royal pain in the neck. If that doesn't annoy the heck out of you, it's Audio Technica's lack of allowing you the consumer to buy a replacement headband, and nowhere being able to find a replacement headband. So here you are with a pair of headphones flaking all over the place, and your only option to stop the flaking is to hope you can find a pair of headphones on eBay that doesn't have the same problem, and is broke so you can use it for parts...

Don't let that discourage you from these cans entirely though, because the flaking can be minimalized by not using them when you are sweaty, and not letting them get sun exposure, or any environment that is either too dry, or too wet. Unfortunate for me that's near impossible because I use them on the road and there's no telling what kind of weather you're going to run into and these are great headphones to compose music on the go.

If I buy another pair of headphones, MY FIRST plan of action is to find a pair of headphones with serviceable parts that I can service myself, and make sure that the headphone band is replaceable.

I recently wrote to Audio-Technica about my ATH-M50x headphones. They are 5 years old and the padding inside the headband has disintegrated so when I take them off there are little flakes of vinyl on my head and falling all around. Audio-Technica told me they are outside of their 2-year warranty, so I need to replace the entire headband assembly which requires complete disassembly and soldering. If you plan on replacing your headphones every 2 or 3 years these may work for you. Otherwise I would look for a different product.

I made the mistake of purchasing these headphones (then the 70s thinking it'd be better). At 1st they seemed OK simply for writing music when I wanted to be in my head and focused completely, or when making/designing sounds that require headphones for whatever reasons.

However, these headphones are FAR from accurate. Your music will need WAYYYY too much treatment outside of these headphones. Which may be fine for some, but time IS money and these require a stupid amount of correction. Your audio may sound decent inside these headphones, but outside, on any other device, it will sound AWFUL. Especially proper monitors.

My biggest gripe is how cheap and poorly made this entire line is. Like i mentioned, I owned both the 50s and the 70s. These are suppose to be the higher end ones for this line. Both models I had to send in for fixes MULTIPLE times. MULTIPLE. Which took weeks each time. It is crazy. Also, what broke was dumb things that should NEVER happen unless you're rough with your stuff (which im definitely NOT). Dumb things would break like I simply picked them up and the ear broke off, or one ear just stopped working out of the blue because they use crappy glue to put wiring in place! Fuzz in the earphone that absolutely was the headphones.
These are WAY cheap thin plastic with cheap glued in pieces. It is surprising. This brand is good at making their products LOOK legit, but these are not.

I finally gave up and just spent the money on proper headphones with flat response. It made my life SO MUCH easier. I wouldn't buy these for my Toddler even if they were 20$ (like they should be).

I really had hopes for this brand given the reviews. Don't buy the hype! Unless you have minimal care about quality or just want to have fun messing around.

There are other options that are professional quality for not much more. In the long run you will save time/money.

You're welcome!

I am giving 2 stars for the Customer Service. The Custoemr Service was not the worst. It is nothing to write home about, but they're present and will help eventually.

Headphones sound great and are comfortable but they are not durable at all. I went through 2 pairs in my studio this year alone, and over 3 pairs over the last 3 years. Im finally just going to move on from these. Their is a small clip on the side of the phones that broke on two of my pairs and make it impossible to wear the headphones. The other set had a different issue one side of the headphones just stopped working. If you need durable headphones that are used for your recording studio i would not recommend these

These may sound really good, but they are so incredibly tight fitting I am concerned about my skull being indented on the sides with extended use.

Absolutely terrible. What a waste of money... Left cup vibrates more (aka has moe low end) Super ANNOYING FOR mixing. I reached to support to get a new headset, they sent a new one, and it has the exact problem but on the opposite ear. These headphones have degraded in quality. Not worth the money.