Audio-Technica ATH-M30 Professional Headphones
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A perfect choice for project studio engineers, home recordists and recording musicians, Audio Technica’s ATH-M30 features include neodymium magnet structure for exceptional clarity and sonic accuracy for mixing.
Features
- Professional-quality closed-back cynamic stereo monitor headphones
- Great choice for project studio engineers, home recordists and recording musicians
- Adjustable cushioned headband and lightweight design for maximum comfort
- Ultra-flexible 11-foot cable with single-side exit
- Includes 3.5mm stereo connector with strain relief and professional and screw-on 1/4-inch adapter
- Dimensions (W x H x L): 4 x 10 x 8 inches
- Weight: 1 pounds
Great!
For the money (I purchased mine on sale from Amazon for under $50.00), these headphones are wonderful. Crisp highs and substantial bass. I have no idea where they rank in the world of “studio monitor” headphones, but for listening to MP3s when you want the comfort and solitude of a over-the-ear phone, they are pretty dang satisfactory.
Excellent Quality and Value!
This is not an expert review, but is meant for those who like decent headphones to listen to mp3’s, etc. that will maximize so-so equipment without costing hundreds. I ordered this to replace a Koss HQ1 vibration stereophone (battery-powered bass enhancement) and wondered if I’d suffer a fall-off in bass, but the ATH-M30 is even better! The sound is crisp, clear and the volume is more powerful than the Koss – I’ve had to turn my volume/equalizer settings down.
On WinAmp I can hear much more clearly than before what happens when I adjust the equalizer. If I pick the preselectable “headphones” preset, which trims back the midrange volume around 600 Hz and gradually ramps it back up to around 16 KHz, and then kick up the base end, it almost makes my ears vibrate.
I tried it out on mostly string music (Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusic), piano music (Chopin’s Revolutionary Etude), listened to the clear high frequencies in Bach’s Violin Concerto #2 in E Major, and then the real test: Linda Ronstadt’s “Silver Threads and Golden Needles,” where the clear and distinct drums, bass, steel guitar, fiddle, and voice left me finding no fault with these headphones.
Of course, it’s not the same as “live” (I play in classical piano in adult music recitals), but it comes close enough for me.
Additionally, I like the design and construction. The curved part that fits over the top of head is the only spring needed to force each headphone to seat itself in the proper position – as opposed to other headphones that have a spring inside a hinge that can break or weaken. The plug – a 1/8″ stereo plug that comes with a screw-on 1/4″ stereo plug – has a strain-relief spring over the last inch of line to prevent kinking and breakage.
Others have complained the headphones fit a little tight. That is true, although the cups fit over my ears so it doesn’t bother me and actually leaves me free to move around without worrying about it falling off – the cord’s a nice 11 feet long.
I ordered this a week ago for $39.21 and see it’s now $48.84 but I guess it’s still a sale considering it’s $119 list price! If an unexpected problem arises in the future, I’ll edit this review.
great headphones
Really great headphones. Comfortable and blocks out most other noises.
The sound is very good to me.
awsome
well i bought these headphones not knowing alot about the world of im just gonna call it high performance head phones i was sick of the cheep peaces of crap i used to buy and i would be forced to listen to everything around me with these if u dont have sound going through u can just about here somone talking to u awsome sound quality the base hits nice and hard in them great for watching movies on my comp crystal clear sound quality and and extra bonus i didnt read about the cord is like 8 ft long when i un raveled it my jaw dropped and it still sounds awsome no creaks tight adjusting so it wont loosen up very easily a great buy for anyone who wants to pay a little bit extra for a det of head phones
Great studio phones.
Pros: Great sound, Comfortable fit, Durable Design, Long cable, comes with the 1/4inch adapter, reversible cup for convenient studio work. I love em!
Cons: These are big. They’re not really created or designed for travel, or packing up. They don’t fold up.
They are studio monitor headphones, so as long that’s what you want them for and use them for I KNOW you’ll be pleased with the whole experience when using these headphones.
For the price, these headphones are fantastic. I’ve had no problems with them. I use them for my in-home studio work and they are perfect for that.
Great headphones. Especially for the price on Amazon
I’m not an audiophile, but I think these are pretty great headphones; certainly the best I’ve ever owned. The sound quality is great, and they are comfortable. I do wish there was a little more bass, but it’s still has a good bass response.
The 11 foot cord is a blessing and a curse depending on your application. When I’m at my computer, playing games, or listening to movies through them it’s really nice. But, when I’m walking with my mp3 player it’s a bit annoying.
I would recommend these to anyone who wants good quality sound without spending a small fortune.
Excellent for small home studio and Church’s live audio
For the price, these are pretty amazing headphones. My husband owns some personally, which he uses for simple audio editing and listening to music at the house. Our church also owns a pair for the sound booth in the auditorium. Our church has a full band (drums, guitars, keyboards, vocals, etc.), and the headphones really help isolate the sound for the tech.
- Comfortable (no headaches)
- Structure is durable and hardy
- Adjustable for different size heads
- Good sound quality and dynamic range
- Effective at blocking out external noise (okay, so they’re not Bose, but they’re pretty dang good!)
ONLY CON
Wear and tear on the ear pads – the vinyl fabric covering the ear pads starts cracking and crumbling eventually (takes 2-3 years depending on how much you use them). The bonus is that you can purchase the replacement ear pads for just a few dollars from Full Compass online.
Obviously, you can get much better headphones by paying lots more money, which some people need to do because of their usage needs. However, for this price range, I haven’t found anything better. If they ever break, we’ll be replacing them with the identical pair – they are that good.
These things are incredible
I’ve had my hands on a lot of headsets, and this is by far one of the nicest I’ve put on my head. I like the closed-ear phones, and they are studio quality.
They’re EXTREMELY comfortable, and the sound range is fantastic! Picked them up on an Amazon special and boy, what a bargain!
If you want a set of phones with a clean, rich sound, you can’t go wrong with these. They have incredibly clear lows and crisp, clean highs.
I would buy another set of these without even thinking about it.
Great Headphones, Great sound quality
These headphones are the real deal!! I am not a die hard musician but these sound great. I can also wear them all day. The sound they produce has made me question why i have only been using earbuds my whole life. Comfortable, great sound, good bass and treble — and i also wear them with no music playin as a sound muffler. I would def reccomend these if you are looking for a good pair of headphones that wont break the bank.
I use them at work on my desktop. If you were to use them as your normal everyday ipod/mp3 player headphones they would be great just bulky.
I love the long long cord as well!! It is a great set of music blaring headphones.!!
Decent but Not Great
I had a Sennheiser HD202 that lasted a few years before they started sounding bad, so I got the ATH-M30.
Ok they are not bad but nothing to get excited over. The fit is acceptable, the cord is too long, they external sounds good, but the main problem is they are not loud enough. Also there seems to be a little missing in the sound quality department, bass is not deep enough to hear the hit of the drum or explosion in a game.
I am no sound technician so I will not try to use big words to describe the highs and lows of these headphones, but like I said they are decent.
Overall satisfied enough to keep them because it’s not worth what I would have to go through to get a replacement.
Great Sound Quality and Comfort
I ordered these when the Fender headphones that came with my bass guitar broke. I really liked the good sound and bass of the Fenders, but they had no padding on the top, so I was hoping to find something with both.
These headphones sound really good. The sound is very clear and the bass is great for headphones. The cord is long (which is good for the reach but bad for the annoyance the rest of the time). The plug is very nice. It’s big, but that means it’s sturdy good quality. There’s a spring on the cable coming out of it to keep the cable from bending too far and breaking wires inside, and the connector actually screws into the 1/4″ adapter to keep it from coming out.
They go all the way over your ears and are very comfortable. They feel a bit bulky, but for headphones this size, that’s a given, and the comfort is what counts.
I bought these for a car trip. In the car (or other similar places, I guess), the bass is much less noticeable. They block out a lot of sound from the outside, but it still affects the sound quality. I tried using the equalizer on my iPod to make it better, but it made only a little difference. You’d probably need noise cancelling headphones to really perform in that environment. Other than that, the quality was still great.
Also, on a lesser note, the packaging was really nice. Very easy to open, no tools needed.
Simply Put – You can not beat these for the price!!!
I’m not a headphone aficianado, or some uber musician type, I’m simply a guy who sometimes wants to listen to some music, or play a video game, or just read and listen to a score while doing it. So, take that into consideration for this review. My old headphones were a pair of noise cancelling Sony something or others, that were great for the time I had them, though were flimsy and I swore I’d buy something new next time around. Cue to about a month ago when a friend of mine had a pair of headphones he uses DJ-ing, and I thought they looked solid, so I tried them on. He told me he just bought them last week, and they were on sale at Guitar Center for like $60. I gave them a twirl, checked them in my computer, and decided then and there, I was going to buy these. I was even more stoked when I got on Amazon and found them for like $38 bucks! But, that was where I went wrong.
Decided I could get the same for $38, or the next step up (the ATHM40FS) for only $15 more, I got the M40s. And it was only one day after owning them that I realized how crappy the M40s are. They’re poorly made, a sloppy design, and you need to buy a jack adapter. Essentially all the things I did not want in a set of headphones. So, I returned them (mine also had a blown speaker in one ear) and turned around and bought the ATH-M30s. And one month later, I’m even more impressed with these then when I got them. They’re as comfortable as can be, the sound is amazing, and flat out they get the job done!
If you’re looking for something solid that will last years, these are a great buy.
Great price, sound good, comfortable to wear
I’ll keep mine brief. I like these headphones. They have a nice dynamic range range response in all frequency areas. I listen with them on for over an hour at a time routinely, and they never get uncomfortable. And this price is way better than anyone else. Guitar Center could not match this price, they told me if they did they would be losing money.
Great headphones at a great price!
I’m going to fall into the category of folks who use headphones to drown-out office and airplane noise. If your looking for an audiophile-like treatment of these headphones then I’m too simple a user to provide that. So far I have used them on 12 hour flights and they are as comfortable as you can get in my view. I tried the Sony noise canceling headphones which are in the same $50 range and these are more comfortable than them and just as quiet. I’m not one to spend $200 on headphones so I don’t know how they compare against $200+ headphones since it just doesn’t matter to me. The ear pad cushions are really soft and comfortable and so is the cushion on the top. That top cushion really does feel nice when you are wearing them for long periods. I typically have the headphones plugged into a laptop or my miniature 2nd Gen iPod Shuffle and they sound great. In the office environment these headphone really do a good job blocking out the annoying ringtones of the coworkers who can’t figure out how to put their phone into silent mode and the loud phone conversations between loud people. You know who you are.
I had a set of Sennheiser HD 201 Headphones which I really liked and thought they were great but once I put these on the difference was obvious. These headphones do cost twice as much but I have to say they are worth the extra. Very clear and precise when listening to Pink Floyd, Pearl Jam, VH, etc. Not sure about music which requires a heavy bass sound since I don’t generally listen to it. Classical music also sounds great in these headphones. The cord on these headphones comes out of only one side which is very nice and the plug end has a spring on it which acts as a strain relief. The plug is also robust which was the downfall of the Sennheiser headphones since I bent that plug and when you bend a plug on a $25 pair of headphones they become landfill material. If you are questioning the extra cost of these headphones then don’t and pull the trigger. You will not be disappointed in them.
By my standards these are incredibly good
I’ve had these for 3 years and use them almost every day. Working perfectly so far. I’m not rich so i don’t have many hundreds of dollars to spend on speakers, headphones, acoustic paneling, etc. but to my ear these things sound fantastic. I mostly listen to classical and lots of speakers and headphones short the midrange which is vitally important for this kind of music if not for movies, games or rap. This is best sound I’ve ever had at home. I don’t see how anyone could go wrong with these ESPECIALLY for the price.
Don’t be fulled by the price!
For what you pay for these they are very well made. The sound is crisp and clear. They look and feel very sturdy. Yeah, you can get better ones but, for those of us who are in a budget these are great. I use mine with my electronic drum set and they work perfectly. Good deal!
Distant, flat, uninteresting sound
Well I was hoping professional headphones meant that I was going to get the best experience with listening to music, playing games, and watching movies. I was wrong. These headphones make my music sound boring and makes everything sound soooo distant and quiet. Turning up the volume makes it feel loud but STILL distant. I realize I really hate wearing headphones after buying these, so I’m going back to earphones.
If you want to enjoy your music, look elsewhere. I would suggest Sennheiser as I went back to them and haven’t looked back.
Outstanding
These headphones are absolutely outstanding. Ignore any of the earlier ho-hum reviews, I don’t know what these people were thinking. Maybe they are comparing them to ultra high end units which are 10X the price, in which case why would you bother writing a review comparing apples to oranges??
Anyway, I am an audiophile with a fairly high end amp, tuner, speakers, etc…. but have always been disappointed with my headphones. I’ve tried quite a few over the years, mostly earbuds and other in-ear types (sennheiser etc…) but have had mixed results. Mostly, I don’t like the way earbuds and in-ear headphones ‘feel’. Maybe my ears are a weird shape, but either they don’t fit right or they get uncomfortable after a short time. On the other hand, the closed back home stereo type phones I’ve sampled did not work great with my ipod; the ipod just did not put out enough power to really drive em’. The ath-m30 phones are the perfect compromise. They sound great, and my ipod (at about 60 to 75% volume) drives them just fine.
These things are a steal. Both my wife and my 6 year old daughter absolutely love them so I’m probably going to have to pick up a second pair.
Best Headphones I Ever Owned
I had this headphone for only 3weeks now and it’s the best headphones I’ve used in a long time in terms of comfort, quality and construction. The earpads are large and comfortable for long use, the headband is made of metal with a soft cushion on it which proves to be durable and takes a long time to wear. I also like the fact that it delivers the right amount of bass not too much to be uncomfortable and not too little to keep u amping up the bass on your EQ. I compared it to a set of Beats by Dr Dre Earplugs and this won hands down. I love it so far no complaints…..Also great for mixing recordings
DO NOT BUY THESE HEADPHONES DO NOT LISTEN TO THE REVIEWS THERE MORONS!
Here is my rant. I have used the headphone for awhile and the DB are not loud I have amazing hearing like a dog. so, with that being said. people are saying “amazing sound I can hear the instrumentals clearly) FALSE! not clear. I have the volume all the way up and the DB are 13. then, for awhile when I put these on and music plays my left ear really hurts. like the frequency is high pitch and DAMAGED MY EAR!!! it hurts now. fallure of a company and these headphones are terrible. I hate this company! pourly made. DO NOT BUY THESE! 50 BUCKS MY ARSE! I AM GOING TO FIND SOMETHING ELSE AND GOING TO GET MY DESERT EAGLE AND SHOOT AT THESE HEADPHONES!