Audio-Technica ATH-M50X Professional Studio Monitor Headphones, Black, Professional Grade, Critically Acclaimed, with Detachable Cable

What you’d expect from Audio Technica
I’ve owned several products from Audio Technica over the years. I still have two other head phones from them in great working condition. I have a few microphones as well.First off, I’ve got a big HEAD, and I don’t know what is it, but most headphones the covers for the ears always bother me, or just feels like my ears are getting squeezed. I have gotten the ear pad replacements for each set of head phones I’ve owned and that usually does the trick for me. I had a pair of Razer headphones some years back I couldn’t wear for more then 30 minutes before I had to take them off.After I swapped the ear covers, things were comfy. I went through a series of games, youtube music videos, and youtube pod casts/etc. The sound was good, although at times felt like I needed more bass here and there.They can definitely bring the noise when you crank the volume up, I feel like after you hit a certain sweet spot on volume, things start to pop and come out better. I found that listening with them at lower levels I struggled at times hearing voices or certain details. (It could be my 50 year old ears…)I liked the look and feel of them. You can fold in the ear covers, and stow them without taking up as much space. The head phone was easy to adjust, and get around my huge cranium. It came with several different cables to use to plug into the headset, pc or audio interface. I liked that, and the fact you can unplug the headset and/or change out the cables for more distance or shorter distance.The older models of headphones I have from Audio Technica, the cable/wire would over time twist a lot, and sometimes became rigid. I had two of them break, and I had to repair them myself. The thing with this one, is you can just swap out the cable, and you’re fine.They feel sturdy, and since I replaced the ear covers already, I’m sure it will last a lot longer. I’ve noticed with headphones being tight on my head normally I tend to wear or rub over the faux leather padding off the ear phone covers.All in all, pretty solid, some audiophiles will either love or hate them. I just think at this price point they do the job well, without killing your wallet.

Easily the best pair of headphones I’ve ever owned and I’m Hard of Hearing
Let me start off with a disclaimer that I am rather severely hard of hearing (require good hearing aids to hear well…ish) caused by a bout with bacterial menigitis as a toddler, so take the following review for what you will.General Summary: With these, I can hear/feel bass, I can now (occasionally) hear things I couldn’t hear before (eg: cymbals/high-hats on drums) and similar sounds (although my headphones are in the dangrously loud range of 85-90db+ range when I do so). Volume is not an issue with these by any means as I can actually turn them up to be loud enough to hurt my ears and force me to turn it back down (though I rarely ever have it that loud as my hearing is damaged enough as is lol).For music: The bass has will actually vibrate my headphones when turned up despite not having EQ tuned more towards bass (it’s pretty flat which is another bonus as it gives you a better baseline for EQ control). I can hear certain things I never could before such as things in the “back of the mix”, faint adlibs, subtle sounds such as cymbals and hi-hats on drums.For Gaming: Clarity is incredible and I have slightly more situational awareness when in games (though I still miss some things due to my hearing issues). Volume & sound feels rather “full” to me as well. I rarely ever have volume/sound issues in games with these headphones.For movie/video (youtube, netflix, etc): Outside of really soft speaking/whispering, I have absolutely no issue with hearing everything rather clearly (aside from added effects such as distortions of course, but I can barely understand that to begin with due to hearing). Even with distortions though, I can actually hear and understand it a little better than I have ever been able to with any other headphones I’ve ever used, personally. My previous headset was a Logitech Artimis which was surprising how good it was and until I got these, the Artimis headsets were the best I’ve ever used (though gaming focused)… Now? Sorry Logitech, but these are even better, however, with that said. Both are surprisingly affordable for their quality and neither use the dreaded “in-line controls” which always the weakest point and when that goes, the headphones stop working so any headphones without in-line controls will always be viewed far more favorably by me in durability… Speaking of…Durability: I’ve dropped these countless times (by accident… butterfingered klutz problems lol). Have accidentally “kicked” them, pulled a little too hard when there was not enough cord, and other various, minor mishaps common from daily use and they are still working fine with 0 issues or any actual damage.I have one minor gripe although I think that has more to do with my glasses (or me) than with the headphones and that is that sometimes I can’t seem to make them sit comfortably on my head, but rotating the cups a little seems to help though it still takes a few minutes to get used to it again but once I do… They are incredibly comfortable and remain comfortable even after wearing them for 12+ hours a day as I do most things on the PC and at my PC most of the day, so I’m wearing the headphones more often than not.These are durable, powerful, and comfortable. The only drawback for me *personally* has less to do with the headphones and more with hardware/software of my PC which is I wish this came with an app that could read db output so I can be more conscious and careful of my hearing for it is more dangerous (for me). Thus it is more likely to cause damage for me as my starting volume is considerably higher by default due to hearing loss as the 70db range is what I need to hear well enough to follow along (I can *hear* the 60db range, but have severe trouble understanding as it’s barely whisper level for me due to hearing). but that’s really close to 80db range and I can easily cross over into that (and into the 90s) for long extended listening periods which can damage hearing if done for extended amounts of times.All in all, I highly recommend this product whether your hearing is normal or damaged. I have found no legitimate faults with this product. I would definitely purchase again in the future (doubly so if they create and include an app that can help keep track of db levels to add a layer of hearing protection much like apple does with their air pod ear buds and the hearing section of the health app). I would hope that if they do the app, it is free or at least cheap and affordable (like 5-10 USD at most and not something like 50-100 USD).To the person reading this: I hope this review from someone with hearing impairments was helpful in spite of the fact that I have severe hearing damage. Thank you for taking the time to read this and have a great day/night.

I bought these in 2018 (currently 2024). The cables have broken a few times over (and have been replaced several times over), the headphone leather has worn off (but is still very much wearable), and even though the headphone hinge snapped out once (and I was able to snap it back in), I am STILL using these headphones and experience the same high quality audio as the day I bought them. Best sounding pair of headphones I own. I would recommend over pretty much any other headphone in its price range. They are actually built to last and have withstood incredible abuse and are still going strong.

Non sono un audiofilo. Non so quasi nulla di cuffie, eccetto qualche nozione imparata qui e lì in questi giorni ascoltando opinioni online e leggendo qualche recensione. Pertanto, mi limiterò a commentare questa cuffia da persona qualsiasi che cercava un prodotto adatto a sentire musica e al gaming.Premetto che avevo una cuffia di fascia più alta e ritenuta da molti un eccellente prodotto, la V-Moda Crossfade M100 Master, che costa oltre 100 € in più rispetto a questa. Tuttavia uno dei due padiglioni mi ha abbandonato dopo due anni e, poiché non sono mai stato soddisfatto fino in fondo, ho colto la palla al balzo e ho deciso di fare un salto nel vuoto con questa cuffia da 100 € in meno fidandomi delle recensioni.Versione breve: la scelta migliore della mia vita.Versione lunga: I miei principali timori vertevano intorno al fatto che questa cuffia da studio, in quanto tale, producesse un suono eccessivamente “tecnico” e freddo. Io, da profano della musica quale sono, cercavo una cuffia che fosse sì tecnicamente fedele all’audio voluto dagli artisti / sviluppatori, ma che restituisse anche un suono caldo, emozionante, con bassi ben presenti ma non “pacchiani” come altre marche blasonate pubblicizzano.Quando la cuffia è arrivata a casa ho capito letteralmente all’istante che stiamo parlando di un prodotto che per 150 € restituisce un valore immenso all’ascoltatore, ed ho capito che con la mia M100 non avevo mai davvero ascoltato musica come si deve.Di contro, devo confermare il fatto che il comfort NON è il punto forte della M50x, che tende a stringere parecchio e a fare “effetto tenaglia” anche per me che ho la testa piccola, figuriamoci per chi ce l’ha più grande della mia. E’ una cuffia robusta – cosa che apprezzo – ma davvero pressante sull’orecchio.Eccetto questo, non è praticamente possibile trovare un difetto alla M50x. Credo che Audio-Technica non mi abbia solamente fidelizzato come cliente, ma mi abbia letteralmente stregato.La M100 di V-Moda che avevo prima era una buona cuffia, non la rinnego, ma il suo suono era un po’ più freddo, c’era sempre la sensazione che “qualcosa non andasse” e che la musica non raggiungesse il mio cuore fino in fondo.La M50x mi ha fatto mettere letteralmente a piangere al primo ascolto, e non me ne vergogno. Ho riprodotto un brano in HQ a cui tengo particolarmente, e.. Sì, con questa cuffia è arrivato al cuore.Concludo questa recensione con una domanda: “A cosa serve la musica?”Per me, la risposta è che serve ad arrivare al cuore e a farci provare – o riprovare – emozioni.La M50x ci riesce perfettamente.Non abbiate paura di un suono freddo, perché il suono della M50x è incredibilmente caldo.Non abbiate paura che essendo una cuffia tecnica il volume sia basso, perché non ho ancora sentito la necessità di mettere il volume al massimo (ci tengo ai miei timpani!).Non abbiate paura che 150 € siano troppi, perché vale ogni singolo centesimo.Non abbiate paura che per il gaming non sia adatta, perché ha portato il mio gaming ad un altro livello.Ho sempre creduto che il modo per conquistare un consumatore sia offrirgli un prodotto eccezionale: e Audio Technica mi ha davvero conquistato, e mi sento di ringraziarli.E grazie a voi anche per aver letto questa recensione. Buon ascolto a tutti! 🙂