The King
One of the most popular headphones in the audio/gaming/tech circles are Audio Technica’s ATH-M50X’s. These are excellent, reference style headphones with a slight emphasis on bass response, and a great looking contemporary aesthetic, all at an affordable $150. I personally own a pair, and they are my go-to’s for a closed-black studio session. I use them anytime I need to hear my audio in the purest form, and its closed-back design allows me to pinpoint details. And that’s not too mention how comfortable they are during long sessions. That said, if you do own these, I need to recommend you the Brainwavz ear pads, which drastically improve comfort by dampening the clamp force, as well increase audio separation. So yeah, for the price, you’re getting close to audiophile quality and assurance. I love them.
Contemporary Updates
Well now Audio Technica has taken their very beloved M50x’s and slapped on a Bluetooth connection, as well as integrated their own DAC inside to give users a more freeing experience, without sacrificing its signature sound and feel. The newly named ATH-M50xBT’s (yeah, a bit long in the tooth) come in at a comfortable $199.00, include Bluetooth 5.0, is compatible with aptX and AAC codecs, and feature an “internal battery providing up to 40 hours on a full charge”. You can also, of course, attach them to a 3.5mm jack for a legacy listening experience. The only downside being they charge by micro-USB, and not the now ubiquitous USB-C. Also, there is no active noise-cancelling, though the M50x’s do have great passive noise-cancelling already. For active noise-cancelling you’ll need to opt for the ATH-ANC700BT which are the same price and still offer the great AT Sound Signature they’re known for. So, the M50xBT’s do seem a bit pricey in that regard.
Above are the technical specifications for you audiophiles. As you can see they contain the same driver, the same frequency response, impedance, and sensitivity. What you’ll also notice is the extremely long charge time to go from 0-100%. A whopping 7 hours, which could’ve been cut down if they had used USB-C and fast charging. So putt it all together, at a $199.00 price point, you’re getting all the benefits of the M50X, with added wireless capabilities, but nothing extra. In my opinion, these are now the headphones to recommend. Only $49 more dollars and you’re getting a modern updated headphone that give you the great freedom of Bluetooth. Though, if you’re looking to buy headphones that offer noise cancelling and a much more immersive listening experience, the Sony WH-1000Xmk3’s are still at the top of the heap (also in price).
