Audio-Technica ATH-M50S Monitor Headphones w/ Straight Cable
| Overall rating: |
|
You are currently browsing reviews. If you would like to return to the main product page, you can click on the following link: “Audio-Technica ATH-M50S”.
Subscribe
Subscribe to be alerted of new reviews.
Love ‘em!
I love these headphones. Right out of the box you can see they have a superior fit and finish – and wait till you put them on – they are incredible. I primarily use them for gaming, listening to music on my computer (mp3s, FLAC) – they are way better than my iCEmat audio headphones – which weren’t much less money actually. These are a great set of headphones – the bass was impressive – which I wasn’t expecting based on some of the reviews for these heaphones. They are powered by a nice Auzentch x-FI forte – which has a small amp for the heaphone out – definitely helps. I couldn’t be happier with the Auzentch sound card and these Audio-Technica headphones. As an added bonus, its not made in China (it is made in ROC/Taiwan).
GREAT HEADPHONES!!!
These were my first set of good headphones. I love them. Once they were burned in I couldn’t put them down. They brought dee dee’s base out something lovely on the first Ramones record. This is a great set of ‘phones and I highly recommend them.
Love these cans!
Not the highest audiophile cans, but they are fun. They produce a very good sound with slightly exaggerated bass and crisp highs. Instruments sound very natural without a ‘nasal’ or ‘tube’ effect. Light, comfortable and easy to (iPod) power.
Believe the unbelievable
My husband started looking for studio monitor quality headphones. He looked around, read all sorts of reviews, and comes to me and says “We have to get these, every review is excellent!” I was skeptical, I mean, how can a product have only positive reviews? Well, he ordered them. The one week wait for delivery was torture! The day came and he put them on. It’s been almost a week now and I am officially a headphone widow. He loves them. In fact, he loves them so much, he convinced me I needed a pair.
So we ordered up a second pair. I, along with most females, have always been sensitive to treble. These cans are the best! The sound is smooth from the lowest rumble to a tinkling bell I’ve never heard before in a particular cut. And the comfort level is phenomenal. I can see why my husband has had these on for 6 – 8 hours at a stretch.
You can’t go wrong with these monitor quality headphones. They pass the audiophile (and the female treble) test!
Great headphones.
Great buy. They sell for $159.99 locally, I got them for $109.99 on Amazon.
The swivelling earpieces can get annoying.
I got the coiled cord version – I would definitely recommend it for desktop use. I’m glad I don’t have a huge pile of cord getting in the way.
They sound great!
so this is what music sounds like
I guess I’ve never used good headphones before because I’ve never heard the songs I love this way before. These things are amazing. I use them with my Ipad and it is a thing of beauty. Comfort is decent. A little tight at first but they are very comfortable now after having used them a dozen or so times. Can’t recommend them enough.
For home listening, simply outstanding
After doing quite a bit of research to replace Bose around-ear headphones, I’ve had these nearly two months now and couldn’t be more pleased. Construction is sturdy and they feel built to last. I primarily listen to music from my PC through an Auzentec Forte X-Fi soundcard, WinAmp Pro, music converted to FLAC. Since these are monitors there are no artificial enhancments, and you simply feel like you are in the recording studio with everything you play.
The only downsides, not worthy of removing any stars, are (1) there is a bit of leakage at high db levels, and (2) they are bulky. For those reasons they are not condusive to wearing outside with an MP3 player IMO for which there a gazillion quality alternatives.
For home listening through quality reproducion sources, you will not go wrong with these.
Headphones worth ten times their weight in gold.
If you are reading this in the hopes of deciding between the M40f and the M50, I would strongly encourage spending the extra 50-60 bucks and getting these. I was in that position, and I have 0 regrets about spending that extra cash for the M50s
I normally do not take the time out of my day to write a review despite having bought lots and lots of things through Amazon. These cans are good enough to break that kind of habit of mine.
I’ve had these headphones for a few weeks, and I am extremely happy with the purchase. I’ve often seen the phrase “professional quality” slapped onto items to have it be a lie, but this one, straight out of the box lived up to that name. Packaging, build quality, sound quality… everything is just so damn good! Plus, it’s collapsible and stores in a provided case. The guys at audio technica have really thought this one through.
The first impressions I had with these headphones was that they have oodles of clarity, detail, and balance. Like the other reviewers said, the bass on these is not overwhelming, but is very tight, clean and transparent. Also, if you have anything in your audio collection that really pushes the low freqs, these cans deliver true to how it was meant to be heard. I compared these with the top model of Monster Cable Dr. Dre cans, and I prefer these headphones hands down. I’ve also compared them to some low-middle class Sony studio monitors, and M50s blow those out of the water.
For studio work, it has helped me fish out a ton of little things that I was not able to catch before. Not surprisingly, these headphones do extremely well with headphone amps, and no longer do guitars and basses sound tinny and uninspiring. I even took these cans to some drumming sessions and was thoroughly impressed. I also use them extensively for enjoying my iTunes.
Isolation is very good, and the headband loosens up after a while, allowing me to wear them for hours on end with no discomfort. The coiled cable is also a very convenient feature, since I have enough cables all over the place. The 1/4 inch adapter is a screw-on and fits perfectly on top of the 1/8 inch plug.
I’ve walked around outside with these plugged into my iPod, and I received many compliments about the looks. I personally love the fact that it looks modest yet classy with its matte black finish with metal trimmings, compared to the garish red and white of the Dr. Dres.
I’m trying to think of cons right now, and the only thing that I can come up with is that it squashes my hair where the headband goes. 1) that happens with all other headphones, and 2) who cares? I can ruffle my hair and brush it back again and it goes away. Also, on humid days, the earpads can get a little iffy against the head, but wiping them down with a moist tissue every half hour or so knocks that out of the con list.
Like I said, I am very happy about this purchase, and it made for a very memorable 18th birthday gift to myself.
Very comfortable headphones for the mixing board!
These just sound great! Very “rich” sound overall, I don’t think think the response is as “flat” as my Senn HD-280s, but I’ll take the slight added warmth over the bass drop off the 280s have. Very comfortable headphones, decent external noise attenuation too. My only complaint is the non user replaceable cord, for what these retail at this should be a must (obviously a way for AT to cut costs). If my $99 Sennheisers have this feature I don’t see why these can’t. With that said these are great headphones, at the $99 price point I would choose these over the Sony MDR 7506/Senn HD 280 monitors any day. Check them out!
ATH M50 Headphones
I nearly spent $300 on a new set of Bose Headphones. I have purchased 3 previous sets of Bose Headphones in the $175.00 range and was fixing to move up to the more expensive set I had seen advertised. The Bose are very good headphones and comfortable to my ears. I happen to read a review about the ATH M50 Headphones from Audio-technica and decided to spend the $100 bucks. I’m not an electronics person but I have a great sound system and always have bought great stereo equipment for my home. I have a great set of B & W Speakers and a 300 watt Sunfire Amp driving them and I have got to say I am awed by how good this simple set of headphones delivers sound from my Iphone. I bought these as I did the others to play music when I didn’t want to crank up the big system or when I am on the plane traveling. They do a great job. The sound is clear and crisp and the base is distinct. I don’t think you can get the sound much better for any price. The pads around the ears are very comfortable and you could listen to them for an hour at a time with no problem. The headband is adjustable and not too tight. I don’t know anything about voice coils or driver diameters, etc but I do know my music and how it is delivered and you can’t buy a better set of headphones for the money. I would buy them again (and will) and I would give them as a gift to any friend that I had that loves music.
Excellent sound
I have recently tried to leave the realm of large-diaphragm hi-definition headphones and bought a pair of (equally) expensive in-ear phones, and what a disappointment that was! (the review of the in-ear phones is here:Shure SE210 Sound Isolating Earphones (White)) After such a frustrating experience, the Audio-Technica’s ATH-M50 were a pure delight! Excellent sound definition (I mostly listen to orchestral music in lossless formats) and a very comfortable fit of the phones—just snug enough. Highly recommend to anyone who looks for excellent sound at home or while commuting.
Stop Searching….buy these!
I had been looking for a good set of headphones for about two months i looked at everything from open air to closed back, If your debating on which headphones to buy stop it! BUY THESE. Theyre incredible!!!
The bass: its not overwhelming, perfect bass! If your a kinda person who likes booming skull shaking bass, these arent for you. But if you want crystal clear sound with really good bass. These are for you.
I just got them in the mail, not even 30 minutes ago and im still burning them in, but so far…..i am amazed!!!!
THANK YOU AUDIO TECHNICA
Solid, versatile headphones
I was initially looking at noise-canceling headphones for traveling purposes but didn’t find a pair that I felt good about paying the asking price for. I was not looking for noise-canceling as much as I wanted to be able to hear my music and video clearly and crisply on airplanes. These headphones knock that ball out of the park. I heard little things during recordings of live performances that I had never heard before using these headphones… on the airplane. I couldn’t hear the kid screaming that was driving the guy next to me bonkers. I was in my own little world in seat 9A.
I’ve also used them in a library and computer lab and there is apparently no sound leakage. I find them comfortable to wear for several hours. They pack up small enough to sit comfortable in my “personal item” carry-on bag. I will also use them for the occasional sound board work I do. I find them to be an exceptional value (purchased 3/2010). If you are looking for great headphones at a great price, you have found the right product!
Pure bliss
I’ve been meaning to purchase a nice set of headphones for quite a while, and seeing as how much praise these have been getting I decided to go ahead and invest in them. I just received them and the only thing I can say is WOW.
The highs are pitch perfect, every single little detail can be heard, from cymbals to sirens to whatever. Like another reviewer said, it’s like two little tweeter cups.
The mids are also amazing, not a single voice or echo or instrument is lost, its all there.
The lows, holy s***, I cannot give enough praise in this department, all low freq sounds are there and emitted PERFECTLY. These cans should be twice the cost for the lows alone.
Really, all I can say is if you’re looking for a nice set of cans look no further, amazing price, amazing sound, I haven’t heard anything so crisp and beautiful ever before.
P.S. I just received these, so I can’t wait to see how much they improve after around 40hrs of burn in.
Great headphones… loving it!
This is the best headphone I’ve ever bought! All the music on my iPhone feels like new! I’m not an expert, but once you put on these headphones, you can definitely tell that you can hear all the little sounds so nicely!
The only thing I’m surprised to see that is not mentioned in any of the reviews is the length of the cable! Is it just me who is bothered by it? It is the only reason I’m giving a 4 to an otherwise perfect set of headphones! Check on the length of the cable before you buy… it’s almost 8 feet! It is a bit too long for the purpose of using it with an iPod in your pocket! How is everyone else managing the extra coils of the cable? How come nobody mentioned having any issues with it?
Anyway, this is a great buy and would definitely recommend. Much better than noise-canceling headphones from Bose (especially the QC15 which I borrowed from one of my colleagues to try).
Worth buying it!!!!
best value hands down!!
I’ve always been picky with headphones. My last pair of headphones were bose triport over ear that my friend got me a good deal on. I was happy with these for several years until my dog decided to destroy them. Rather than just buying another pair of those, I decided to search around. This particular model (Audio Technica ATH-M50, straight or coiled) was one of the best reviewed of any headphones I saw. They sounded stellar when even compared to much more expensive ones (Shure, Sony studio, Beyer Dynamic). The Beyer Dynamic 770 were the only ones that could these a run for their money. These headphones deliver pristine highs and lows that can rattle your brains. They bring you right into the music making you feel closer than any other headphones I’ve heard.
Lives up to its reputation
I was looking for a good set of headphones at a reasonable price for listening to my mp3 player at home and at my desk at work. These had some really good reviews so I decided to give them a try. They did not disappoint. I am not an audiophile, but I can hear a clear difference with these headphones. The music sounds extremely real, present, detailed, and balanced. Other reviewers have spelled out the details better than I can, so I will simply confirm that the good things others have said about these headphones are true.
One of the best headphones under $100
I own a pair of Grado SR80 for years using a Grado headphone amplifier in my office. The Grado serves me well except it is not the most comfortable pair of headphones. The other problem is the open design which leaks out sound which may disturb my officemates.
I have been searching for a replacement on and off for a while. Finally, I read enough reviews and jumped on eBay and scored a pair of Audio Technica ATH-M50 for under $100 shipped.
Without burn-in, I would say these compare really well (at par) with Grado SR80. Although I think the sound stage presented by SR80 is wider may be due to the open design. M50 with the closed back design seems a tad closed in. But, nevertheless, the sound right out of the box is really good.
I can say a good pair of headphones can certainly beat loudspeakers that cost 10x even 20x. My Dunlavy SCII with Velodyne DD15 will shy away in comparison with M50. Very neutral and detailed sound stage. The fitting is a bit tight. I plan to stretch it out using my desktop PC while doing some burn-in.
Initial comparison with Grado back to back, I noticed the following:
1. At same volume level, M50 plays louder than SR80
2. Sound isolation of M50 is pretty good, plan to use it on airplane
3. The sound stage of SR80 is wider
4. M50 has better bass than SR80
5. Highs and mids are very close with slight preference for M50
6. Fit and comfort of M50 is better but I hope it will loosen up a bit after use
7. Build quality is much better for M50 – obviously SR80 foam cushion is deteriorating after a few years of use
I’ll update this review when the burn-in is complete.
——————————————————–
Update after 100-hour burn-in
Sound updates:
I compared to my office-mate who owns a pair of Sennheiser HD 280 Pro. Right off the bet, we both noticed how much more open the ATH-M50 sounded. This is before the burn-in.
I am even more impressed after the burn-in. The close-in that I commented before comparing to my Grado SR80 is now gone. The bass also improves quite a bit.
Off course, my home system with Velodyne DD15 packed a better punch but this is not a fair comparison.
Comfort:
Stretching for 100 hours also loosened up the fit so it is very comfortable. My only gripe is the top of the headband still has a pressure point. I might just bend to provide a better fit.
All in all, if you are shopping for a sub $100 headphone, you cannot go wrong with this one. Highly recommended!
Best closed cans for monitoring
These headphones are closed type, so they give you some insulation from outside noise. There are one of the best of this type; music sounds like music, unlike other closed type models. Although they don’t give the highest isolation from noise, they are nonetheless good good for travel, and, although large, they fold up nicely. A better choice than those that rhyme with Nose.
More even in frequency response than most of this type. An excellent set, although closed phones never sound quite as good as the open ones. Great for all kinds of monitoring; non-fatiguing.
Best Headphones I’ve Ever Owned
I’m not an audiophile or any expert by any means, so I can’t give a lengthy review. On a whim I decided to order the M50S headphones. I never knew music could sound this good, and this clear. It’s a totally different listening experience. Best purchase off amazon.com of the year for me.