Review | Audio Technica ATH-m50X

                          

The Audio Technica ATH-m50x is a sound headphone and an equally sound choice even though it may end up burning a tiny hole in your pocket. This unbiased *clears throat* review covers each and every flaw and perfection of the beauty which is the Audio Technica ATH-m50x.

The headphones as seen from above

Priced at around $169(Rs. 9000), this is one pair of cans which is a must-have for any Audiophile. Although these are officially termed as Studio Headphones, ignoring the sweet symphony pouring out of these cans is simply a fool's errand. The headphones seem to be pretty durable, and the specs impressive. As for the sound, well, that's another story altogether.

Looks and Durability

Upon unboxing the product, we find a superior quality pouch to hold the device, which makes it all the easier to carry. Inside this pouch lies the Audio Technica ATH-m50x,

lying collapsed in all its simplistic beauty. Upon examining the looks, we can observe the durability of the headphones in its most interesting feature: the detachable cables. The Audio Technica ATH-m50x comes with three detachable cables: one coiled cable 3.0 meters, the other a straight cable 3.0 meters in length, and finally the 1.2 meters long straight cable. 

Audio Technica ATH m-50X completely collapsed

The headphones are completely collapsible with earcups which swivel up to an angle of 90 degrees making it possible to monitor sound with just one ear cup. The headband and earcups are very soft and comfortable for the long run, in case you want to listen to some sweet notes for hours on end. The Audio Technica logos are present in silver on the outer side of both ear cups, while the headband bears the brand on top. It's available in Black, White, and Gray colours. Now while it may not look as funky or generic as other similarly priced headphones on the market, one has to admit that its simplicity gives it a different sort of elegance. Such is the beauty of the Audio Technica ATH-m50x.

The 3.0 meters long coiled cable

Now that being said, the headphones do seem to be a little heavy to carry and certainly feel a little heavier on the head when worn. The comfort factor might be a little bit of a problem as most circumaural headphones are designed to cup the ears, which in turn generates heat and makes the overall listening experience a little bit stuffy.

Looks: 3.5/5

Durability: 5/5

Specs and Features

The Audio Technica ATH-m50x simply boasts modesty with its features. To start off, these circumaural (around the ear) headphones provide superior noise isolation. What that means is that external sounds shall not influence your musical experience. Furthermore, these headphones rarely ever leak sound or let it bleed with other sources of sound.This pair of cans features a hefty set of 45mm Dynamic Drivers which promise more of a natural sound. That combined with a Neodymium magnet, and a copper clad aluminium voice coil provides for a sweet listening ecstasy. The Audio Technica ATH-m50x prove to be rather sensitive with a sensitivity of 98 dB and provide an impedance as low as 38 ohms. The frequency response starts from as low as 15 KHz and goes as high as 28,000 KHz. But specifications are a technicality and one can rarely ever guess the true sound of a pair of headphones just by comparing the specs.

Rotating cups of the Audio Technica ATH-m50X

Impedance: 3/5

Before the Burn In

Luckily, that's what this site is here for. An unbiased review of what the headphones sound like both before and after they're burned in. Now, when these headphones for first tested, they were fresh out of the box so we can rest assured that they were as raw as

they come. The way the Audio Technica ATH-m50x sounded back then wasn't exactly the most impressive thing. The soundstage was moderate, but not as expected from a pair of headphones boasting a set of 45mm drivers. The sound gradient was all messed up, with comparatively clear mids, shrill crispy treble which made you want to rip these cans off and throw them away, and a bass which went missing somewhere in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle. The mids weren't exactly something to show off either. In all truth, we were genuinely disappointed in these headphones. But, that's the story of

what happened before the burn-in.

After the Burn In

If I was to compare these headphones with any creatures, I'd be sure to compare them with a caterpillar. The way in which a caterpillar starts off as a dull little green bug, and slowly transforms into a beautiful butterfly is something which can truly be compared to the performance of the Audio Technica ATH-m50x. Once burned in, these headphones took something of a highly unexpected turn into a thing of beauty.

Development of the soundstage

The soundstage increased dramatically giving an almost true to life surround sound experience, showing off those 45mm dynamic drivers in full effect. The sound gradient increased drastically and the bass was officially the first thing to be recovered from the depths of Bermuda Triangle. The treble was more mellow and as clear as a crystal. The Mids were very highly differentiated and could be recognised from a mile away.

Soundstage: 5/5

Sharp, Crystal clear Highs

The highs in the Audio Technica ATH-m50x were impeccably perfect with each and every single note hitting the exact right spot every single time. The clarity was something to fall in love with as each and every change in pitch and tine could be easily deciphered. The treble was mellow. Not too shallow and certainly not too shrill, but a delightful sweetness to the ears. With the clarity of sound produced and the range of frequency which these headphones offered, it is quite easy to say that these headphones are pretty much what an audiophile needs.

Highs: 5/5

Precise Mids

The mids in these headphones was another melody altogether. They were acutely precise and really easy to tell apart, which is actually something you can't find often even in more expensive headphones. They neither stood out in the songs nor did they blend in with the rest of the music. They were just there flowing along with the treble and the bass as melodious as ever, and I had never thought that I would find myself saying this, but yes, the mids were a melody on their own. Now moving on to the next feature, the Bass.

Mids: 5/5

A powerful but not overpowering Bass

As for the bass, it was perhaps the best development in the Audio Technica ATH-m50x after the burn-in process was complete. Simply put, the bass was ever present and ever accurate. As it turns out, these headphones support all sorts of bass responses. The bass was punchy when required, and sustained when needed. We observed some razor sharp bass which could be heard over all, but which suppressed none. The Audio Technica ATH-m50x puts the bass where it technically belongs: in the background. You can hear the bass in all its wonderful variations as clear as ever, but one thing which it simply does not do is completely, or even partially, dominate over the rest of sound spectrum.

Lows: 5/5

Frequency response and comfort

The entire sound gradient is heard as clear and responsive to each individual sound hitting your eardrums gently like a melody embedded in a river. However, after a few hours of wearing these headphones, they did start to feel quite heavy and stuffy. The ear pads did not hurt our ears, but they sure did turn uncomfortable and a little hot. And at that moment, we actually realised the true worth of the Audio Technica ATH-m50x. Even though it wasn't the most comfortable thing that could grace our ears, the heavenly sounds produced by this marvel of a device certainly did overcome the discomfort provided in the first place.

Frequency response: 5/5

Comfort: 2.5/5

Overall Sound Quality

In retrospect, the entire sound quality of the Audio Technica ATH-m50X seems to be simply amazing. The soundstage was huge and sound from the headphones felt three dimensional, which is quite the rare feat for headphones. Furthermore, all the three frequency ranges seemed to fall exactly in order and cooperate together in harmony to create pieces of music so delicate, that they cannot be produced elsewhere. None of the frequencies popped out, and none of them stayed in the background either. All of them did their fair role in the production and all of them took equal credit for it. Talk about teamwork. All in all, the sound quality from these headphones is simply amazing. I, for one, haven't heard better than this, even though the headphones might get a bit uncomfortable and sweaty in the long run.

Overall Sound Quality: 5/5

Conclusion

In the end, the Audio Technica ATH-m50x and all the features which it flaunts, are certainly something that one should experience in a lifetime. For the price of $162(Rs.9000), their crystal clear and differentiated sound, their ruggedness, and their sheer portability and compatibility with multiple devices, big and small, are much more than the price which Audio Technica charges for them. The final judgement from our side indicates that the Audio Technica ATH-m50x is a great buy and must have for any Audiophile out there.

Overall rating: 4.8/5; Near Perfect

You can use the following link to purchase these Headphones at a discounted price. This will help our blog out as well.

The Amazon Link:

Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Over-Ear Professional Studio Monitor Headphones (Black)
The Flipkart Link:

Audio Technica ATH-M50x Headphone