Review on 🎧 White Audio-Technica ATH-M50XWH Studio Monitor Headphones: A Professional Choice by Tony Wylie

This is going to be a long review so be sure to read to the end, I promise it's worth it! -Technica ATH-M50x most likely for one of three reasons: a friend who has never heard really good headphones tells you they are way better than Beats by Dre, a YouTuber told you they are way better than Beats by Dre and most other consumer headphones, or because you need headphones for sound monitoring. I would say almost 90% of people don't buy M50x for this last reason, which is the main issue here. Not so much the headphones themselves, but the reason people buy them. Countless people spend most of their lives listening to music through headphones and earphones, which are either cheap, tinny sounds or overpriced consumer "trend cans". with powerful bass. So it's only natural that when you go from something like the M50x to something like the M50x, which has a lot more detail and definition, you'd think it's a bee's knees and ditch everything else off the shelf at your local electronics store. . store outside the stadium. And for the most part this is very true. Many consider the M50x to be the "beats killer". And that's true, the sound quality is better than even the most expensive Beats headphones, at around half the price. These headphones are often compared to the Beats if you haven't figured it out already. BUT. There is an unnecessary hype surrounding these headphones created by various people on YouTube recommending these headphones for everyday use and gaming. So here's the thing, I don't like the M50x. I respect the M50x for its original purpose: audio surveillance. If you don't know what monitoring is, then in simple terms it means listening to and analyzing audio recordings. To do this effectively, you need a pair of monitor headphones or monitor speakers that will reproduce your music in maximum detail. So while these are indeed very good monitoring headphones, they have some very important drawbacks that make them impractical for everyday use. I hear. I'm going to break things down into 3 main categories: build, comfort and sound. LINE: The build quality of the M50x isn't an issue here for the most part. The plastic feels solid and fairly thick, and the headband is metal, making the earbuds overall durable and won't break unless you really try. They fold down and the earcups recline all the way, so portability is very good. They also have a detachable cord which is great for portability. The faux leather on the headband and ear pads feels soft but a bit cheap. In my opinion, for such a price, nothing critical. But then the corners, cut from high-quality faux leather, will bite you in the back when the pads and/or headband peel off. However, the pads are easy to swap out. Overall good build quality but nothing amazing. COMFORT: If you're like me and most audiophiles, you'll refuse to wear headphones that bother or hurt your ears, no matter how good the sound quality. The M50x aren't terribly uncomfortable, but they're far from the most comfortable. Anyone who says the M50x are "super comfortable” was probably wearing concrete over their ears until they bought them. For many, the main cause of discomfort is cheap, poorly made ear pads. As mentioned in the build quality, they're made of faux leather, which isn't a big deal. But stuffing into them, in my opinion, is unacceptable. This is a cheap foam that has a very low density. The second reason, which fortunately can be mostly eliminated, is the pinching force they put on your ears. The clamp wasn't too bad when I first used them, but after 30 minutes of listening my ears started to hurt, also due to poor ear pads. You should be able to fix this by stretching them over the box they came in and leaving them there overnight, maybe a little longer. This helped me a lot to loosen the clamp. Comfort can be greatly improved by purchasing different ear pads. However, this affects the sound quality, usually for the worse. More on that in the sound section. In general, they are not very comfortable, but in any case, these headphones should not be used for long listening. Which brings us to .SOUND: How can you describe sound in simple terms? Clear, detailed, precise. But also tough, tiring and narrow. Do these sound better than any Beats by Dre headphones, yes. But not in incredible amounts. You won't change your life by simply switching to the M50x if a pair of Beats Studio or Solo has been your "best" listening experience to date. The bass is cleaner and less accentuated, which can be a disappointment for extreme bass lovers (people who only crave bass in headphones). That doesn't mean the bass is bad though. The bass gets deep but can be a bit "dirty" at times, meaning it's not very tight (I know these terms might not make much sense! Google them, you might find a much better explanation than that , what I can give). Mids (think vocals and strings and most brass) are there and can be heard well, but they're not quite front and center like bass and treble. . You might even have heard someone say that the M50x has a recessed midrange, and that's true. acoustic guitar chords). This is where the M50x stops being everyday listeners or "fun" headphones. High frequencies are clear and detailed, which can be useful for monitoring purposes, but they are emphasized enough to make listening at high volumes uncomfortable and tiring. Some people like the headphones to have this even for casual listening, but most people end up finding it uncomfortable and not very relaxing. Finally, the soundstage and image (Soundstage: how big is the area of the sound. It's very close to your head, no further away, it's a narrow soundstage. If it sounds like you're in a big room or theater are located, it's a wide soundstage (Image: How exactly the tones are located in the soundstage. If you feel like you can hear almost exactly where that sound is coming from, that's a great image.) The soundstage is almost non-existent. It's pretty tight, though. Everything sounds right against your head. However, the picture is decent. Usually I could pretty much tell where the noise was coming from. So the sound of the M50x is where the fun, relaxed listening experience ends. Yes, they are very detailed. Yes, clarity is exceptional. But high frequencies and sometimes muddy bass, especially treble, can make relaxed listening very difficult. It boils down to this: the M50x's build quality is good and they're very portable, but the level of comfort falls short of other similarly priced headphones. (and even cheaper) headphones and sound quality are not suitable for pure music enjoyment. Audio-Technica themselves, for some reason, state that "casual listening" is an advantage of these headphones over other M-series headphones, which is silly and shows they're trying to capitalize on anything unnecessary. Hype about these headphones. Avoid me if you want, but if you research it a little more it will become obvious. But again, as I said, I respect these headphones and they are good, just not for the reason people are leading them to believe. ALTERNATIVES: If you really need a pair of good wearable headphones (the funniest, most enjoyable listening experience) then check out these headphones that I have used or owned myself. There are many more, but here's a short list to get you started. Good luck with your research! SONY MDR-1A: Great portable earphones for everyday use. The build quality is excellent, the wearing comfort is top-notch, the sound is warm and relaxing but definitely not dull or boring any more than the M50x, currently around $200 for a new one. However, the price jump is well worth it. Bose Soundtrue AE2: good portable Headphones, excellent comfort, they are light and easy to forget when wearing. Build quality is good, sound is relaxed but can still be fun when the volume is turned up! For this review, they are available from Revain for $100. A used one Pair is even cheaper. Not on sale, they cost $180, which cost $180 is a bit pricey, but worth it in my opinion. Beyerdynamic DT770 32 Ohm: All in all a great headphone for casual listening and even for professional use. Build quality and comfort are top-notch, and sound quality is the same as the M50x, but frankly better. However, the cable doesn't come loose and they don't fold, so they can't be carried around. They can be found for around $200 and sometimes less. Significantly less when buying used. CB-1 Audio Status: They're basically half the price of the M50x, but they sound nicer (lots of bass!) and they're more comfortable. The build quality is questionable though, so don't be rough with them. And if you have a very large head, they may not fit your head exactly due to the low clamping force. B&O PLAY H6: They're more expensive than the M50x, especially the 2nd gen which starts at around $240, but the construction is great, they're very comfortable, they look amazing, and have a clean, warm, inviting sound that fun to listen to. The workmanship is good, the wearing comfort fantastic, the sound spacious and surprisingly pleasant. However, these are OPEN headphones, meaning the sound leaks out. When you listen at a normal or extra high volume, other people around you will hear your music. But if that doesn't bother you, or you use the headphones mainly at home, you should definitely get one. , although they are more suitable for casual or relaxing listening. The workmanship is good, like the M50x, the comfort is almost the same, but if you swap out the pads for something like Brainwavz HM5 slanted leather pads, they become excellent and don't negatively affect the sound (other pads can affect the sound). The sound is more neutral than the M50x, bass and treble are not emphasized, but still good. Plus, they're only $100! HIFIMAN Edition S: Comfortable, well-built portable headphones that sound great and actually have the option to switch between open and closed-back headphones (open-back headphones usually sound better!). Also on sale for $130 right now, great deal! If you managed to read all of this, thank you for actually taking the time to do so!