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Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Closed-back Studio Monitoring Headphones

Closed-Back Circumaural Headphones with Collapsible Design, 45mm Neodymium Magnet Drivers, Detachable Cables, 1/4" Adapter, and Carrying Pouch
$149.00

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Incredible Value from the ATH-M50x Headphones

Looking for amazing value in professional monitor headphones? Sweetwater has a great suggestion: ATH-M50x closed-back headphones. A-T’s flagship M series ’phones are best sellers, featuring 45mm neodymium magnet drivers that deliver the accurate frequency response and stunning detail you need to make sound decisions when you’re recording, mixing, or DJing. The closed-back design gives you superior isolation with minimal bleed, while the circumaural earpads give you cushy comfort during long sessions. Factor in their space-saving collapsible design, swivel earcups, and detachable (both straight and coiled) cables, and you have a winner. Consider the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x headphones today for your studio or casual listening.

Closed-back vs. open-back headphones

Sometimes referred to as simply “closed” and “open,” this distinction addresses the design of the part of the headphone that covers the area behind the driver in a straight line away from the side of your head. Closed-back headphones like the ATH-M50x prevent sound from escaping and leaking into your microphone. The downside of this design is that it traps pressure inside the headphone, which creates false low frequencies. Open-back headphones, on the other hand, don’t suffer from this issue. They deliver outstanding accuracy and clarity that are suitable for critical listening.

Circumaural vs. supra-aural headphones

In layman’s terms, these words simply mean “over ear” (circumaural) and “on ear” (supra-aural). In the case of headphones, this refers to the design of the earcup, which is the cushion that sits between the headphone’s speakers (drivers) and your ear. Supra-aural headphones are rarely used for professional applications; although, they’re great for casual listening — especially if you need to be aware of what’s going on around you. On the other hand, over-ear headphones such as the ATH-M50x offer excellent attenuation of external noise.

Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Features:

  • Critically acclaimed sonic performance and build quality
  • A favorite of top audio engineers and pro audio reviewers
  • 15Hz–28kHz frequency response
  • 45mm drivers with rare-earth neodymium magnets and copper-clad aluminum wire voice coils
  • Tuned for flat response and superior accuracy across the entire frequency range
  • Circumaural design contours around the ears for excellent isolation in loud environments
  • 90° swiveling earcups for easy 1-ear monitoring
  • Professional-grade earpad and headband materials give you comfort and durability
  • Collapsible design gives you space-saving portability
  • Detachable cables (3.9–9.8-foot coiled cable, 3.9-foot straight cable, and 9.8-foot straight cable)
  • A top choice for tracking, mixing, DJ monitoring, and personal listening
  • Includes carrying pouch and 1/4-inch screw-on adapter

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Tech Specs

  • Type: Wired
  • Open/Closed: Closed
  • Fit Style: Circumaural (Around the Ear)
  • Driver Size: 45mm
  • Noise Attenuation: Passive Noise Isolating
  • Frequency Response: 15Hz-28kHz
  • Impedance: 38 ohms
  • Connectivity: 1/8" plug, 1/4" adapter
  • Cable Type: 2 x Straight, Coiled
  • Cable Length: 2 x 9.8 ft. (straight, coiled), 3.9 ft. (straight)
  • Detachable Cable: Yes
  • Features: Swivel Earcups
  • Foldable: Yes
  • Color: Black
  • Case/Bag: Drawstring Bag
  • Weight: 0.62 lbs. (without cable and connector)
  • Manufacturer Part Number: ATH-M50x

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Customer Reviews

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Rated 5/5

It's the best of its kind, if you know why you're using it!

I got the original M-50 before the X's were released over 13 years ago, and it lit a fire in me that never stopped. Since then I have built my own mastering speakers, as well as upgraded headphones to Audeze LCD-X's and have listened to many audio systems since, in different rooms and professional studios especially while I have been working in the industry. I own both the M-50 and M-50x and use them regularly. You can probably tell from the photos I have spent more time with the M-50's than almost anyone on Earth. Over the years I have developed many observations about it I wish to share with you. I will tell you right now, you could take everything away from me and leave me with just a pair of M-50's and I would be happy for life. Even strictly for enjoyment the M-50's are fantastic.

That being said, these have been so popular for so long that people use them for a wide variety of applications and fundamentally misunderstand why you would buy this headphone. It is not the best headphone in the world, but it is the best in the world at what it does. For example, if you buy this headphone for mixing, I feel sorry for you. That's not what its intended use is for and you will get less than satisfactory results. M-50's are exceptionally good at making something sound clear and finished when it is not yet. That is to say, everything has a firm sound that does not bend to the will of the track, rather emphasizing frequency ranges that make it easy for a performer to distinguish their performance from other tracks that are competing for the same space. It's hard to record an artist with headphones that are great for mixing. They would hear problems in the audio and wouldn't reach the mental space that elucidates real creative decision making. M-50 headphones make things sound finished or polished in spite of them not sounding that way. If I were tracking an instrument or setting up microphones, I would use no other audio source in the world. It's probably the application that made these famous in the first place. Within seconds you know if you're in the right sweet spot since it will already have a matured sound and transparent phase response.

The bass surprises me the most. This bass extends lower than you'd expect and the bass is exceptionally clean. There does seem to be some more midbass than I would prefer, in the 100-300hz range, but not much. Overall this headphone has a very contoured shape, actually not flat at all, so you'll find that the bass envelops the midrange in a very pleasing way.

The Mids are my favorite part of this whole headphone. The lower and higher ranges of this headphone are certainly more emphasized so it's easy to not notice how clean and lean the midrange is. The midrange is the most "holographic" part of the sound signature to me, meaning there is no honking, shouting, or any nastiness in instruments or vocals. The imaging there is stellar and I can "see" (hear) where things are located and how they are intended to be perceived.

The treble response is very analytical and detailed, almost too much so. Again, for recording instruments and vocals like it was designed for, it's perfect. While recording it's the "sparkle" that cuts through any amount of mud in your other tracks that may not be mixed yet, or in the vocal itself. Finished music it can sound a bit overhyped in this area. Beyond the treble region it rolls off quite nicely, not giving you anything crazy, just the right amount of detail.

Soundstage is fantastic in its own way. Is it wide? No, Quite the opposite in my opinion. These excel at center imaging. The drivers themselves are angled so that the fronts of the drivers are angled towards each other. You get full-band imaging in the center at the cost of left/right soundstage. Bass seems to appear in any position, but the mids and highs seem more centered than the bass. If you were performing you wouldn't be distracted by panned instruments or anything going on in the stereo field.

The dynamics of this headphone are astonishing. They can go from whisper quiet to roaring loud while maintaining a level of control over all of it. I have never heard distortion of any kind on these headphones either. They are super malleable, nearly indestructible and they're so durable that I fully expect my ancestors to inherit them long after I'm gone.

*Heed my warning: * these are recording headphones. If you want to get great recordings in short time, this headphone will give you a sound signature that makes you want to perform confidently knowing you can hear yourself well and not be distracted by bad elements of a mix. Using this headphone for other purposes seems like gambling to me. Don't mix on them. They are "revealing" in the sense you can hear every layer of audio with clarity; they do not "reveal" problems in your mixes, they are intentionally hidden so you can clearly discern what's happening with the sound itself.

Also, get new pads for your M-50's. I cannot emphasize this enough! The stock pads aren't great, they trap heat like crazy, and for $ you can get great pads that suit your comfort and sound needs. I'd suggest felt pads to soften the treble response and make it sound flat, or larger pleather pads to get a more "scooped" sound emphasizing highs and lows.

This is an essential tool just because of how absolutely widespread it is as well. Consider this: almost every studio that produces the music you love owns and uses these headphones. It's quite likely that the actual sound of your favorite albums was specifically tested on these headphones before calling it "done" and final mixes may have been checked on these headphones along with cars, earphones, and other sources to verify final quality. They have quite literally influenced sound of music more than most sources of audio on the planet.

In summary, buy this because you want to get the best *recordings* not final mix. Buy this because when you perform with these on, you'll tend to notice the good part of the sound and not the bad parts. Hearing the clearest range of audio helps emphasize great recordings and performances, and these headphones are tailored better than most to do that. If you use these for other applications, you may have mixed results. They do NOT reveal problems in a mix, on the contrary, they hide problems to give you clear audio no matter the situation.
Music background: Audio Engineer/Musician
Rated 5/5

Great Headphones!

I have several pairs of higher end headphones from different companies. They're all "nice" in different ways, but I've always found myself gravitating back to a pair of ATH-M40s that I purchased in the mid 90s. They were the only pair that could cleanly handle the low end of my electronic drums. Well, the ATH-M50x are now my new go-to headphones. They're everything I love about my old M40s, times 10! Big, balanced, clear, and loud when you need them to be. I'll be purchasing at least one more pair to keep with my live set up.
Music background: Long time musician/songwriter and live/studio audio engineer.
Rated 3.5/5

audio technica M50x

great quality
fast delivery
good job sweetwater-
Rated 5/5

My go to FOH headphones

This is the second set of M50x's I've bought, and I'm sure I'll keep buying more. I've owned the same personal set for 4 years and I've got a set by my venue's console for sound humans.
Music background: Sound human, production person & drummer dude.
Rated 5/5

EXCELLENT!

These are super comfortable to me and sound crisp and clean. I'm super glad I got these. Great value for the price!

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What Do Our In-house Gear Experts Think?

Cristian Good

Like any experienced live sound engineer, I depend on the accuracy of my headphones, but they also need to be comfortable. I've loved my Audio-Technica ATH-M50x monitoring headphones from the minute I got them, because they're both detailed and comfortable enough that I can wear them all night, without getting fatigued. I don't just use them for gigs - they're also perfect for just listening to music.

Bo Freeman

For 5 plus years the Audio Technica ATH-M50x’s have been my go to reference headphones for monitoring during recording and live performances. When recording as a multi-instrumentalist or playing/singing live, the comfort and particular hype these give are often the reason I don’t want to stop. Plus I can’t tell you how often I’ve dropped, stepped on, or rolled over the cord on these yet these things still look and act brand new. These help me reference my mixes in a biased environment and keep my music translating to the real world with ease.

Sami Ross-LaMotte

One thing I’ve learned from working in audio production for 6 years is that a great pair of headphones
makes all the difference in the world. I got a pair of these headphones at the beginning of my career and have been using them ever since! From production sound mixing for movies to editing podcasts and TV shows in my office, the M50x headphones give me the clarity, noise cancellation, and comfort over long periods of time that I’m looking for. No ear fatigue here!
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