Audio-Technica ATH-M50x, A Deep Dive into the Legendary Headphones
by Samuel Kalenga on Sep 30, 2024
A Symphony of Quality and Comfort: Unveiling the Design and Features
The ATH-M50x distills this design philosophy down into a body that is incredibly durable and incredibly comfortable. The materials used to create these headphones are high-quality and the feel of them suggests they’ll last through professional use and multiple plane trips – the earcups themselves are plush, and come with the largest earpads you can buy, meaning they’ll remain comfortable for an exceedingly long time. The headband is also heavily padded for an even distribution of the load on your head and to avoid pressure points.
The closed-back design is a key feature of the ATH-M50x, a sign of its studio-grade pedigree. By effectively shutting out sound, users are able to focus on their listening experience and prevent distractions from their environment sneaking in. This is especially favourable for musicians, producers and sound engineers who need to hole up in a dim room and assess their work in relative peace and quiet. The closed back also helps to create a punchy listening experience: when you shut out the world, you can delve deep into the world you’re listening to.
The separate cable is also useful, making it a whisker easier to replace the cable or switch in a better version when necessary, extending the lifespan of your cans. The cable has been wrapped to significantly reduce tangling, a nice touch for wherever you may want to keep these headphones. This is a can that can go further and work better than the friendly price would suggest. While the ATH-M50x has never been a budget creation, it’s rare to find a pair of closed-back cans that sound as good.
The Heart of the Sound: Exploring the Sonic Performance
Critical to the sonic performance of the ATH-M50x is that it’s a versatile tool. Its ‘flat’ or balanced sound signature (a sub-bass deficit aside) somehow seems to translate equally well to recording genres as disparate as classical and jazz at one extreme, and electronica and hip-hop at the other. Few headphones achieve this, implying that audio engineers at Audio-Technica have designed a headphone with the accuracy to faithfully reproduce the density and richness in a wide range of music. At the core of the ATH-M50x’s sonic ubiquity are its 45mm large-aperture drivers, with the ability to produce deep and accurate bass and a broad range of mid and high frequencies.
The bass on the ATH-M50x is punchy, though it doesn’t contradict your own sense of rhythm on top of overtly taking command of the intervals. Instead, it fills in those gaps. When a sub-80Hz bass note randomly kicks in, your ear is suddenly reminded that it’s there, in all of its nonphysical authenticity. The powerful low-end packed into these headphones can magnify the punch of a two-kick beat. On songs such as MGMT’s ‘Electric Feel’, you can instantly hear that the ATH-M50x delivers deep and impactful lows, yet they don’t overpower the other frequencies. While you can clearly pick out a very full base, it sounds natural amongst the rest of the harmonics.
The ATH-M50x’s clear midrange is highly articulate; it makes sure that you hear plenty of nuanced details and plausible timbre from the voices and instruments. The highs here are clear enough, extending into a bright treble range with delicate nuances, such as the attack of cymbals, strings and other high-frequency instruments. Regardless of the frequency you’re tuning in to, you can walk away from the ATH-M50x gratified that you heard music the way your favorite artists intended you to. The best word to describe the ATH-M50x’s soundstage is expansive.
The headphones generate an unusually harmonious three-dimensional listening environment, permitting the listener to distinguish between individual instruments and vocals in the mix with incredible clarity. This sense of place is a valuable commodity for musicians and producers, as it helps them evaluate both the spatial relationships and the layering of elements in the mix. The ATH-M50x has the ability to render this spatiality with a lifelike precision, putting the sound on the plane and bringing it to life.
Navigating the ATH-M50x Ecosystem: Understanding the Variations
As Audio-Technica’s engineers continued to judge and discuss the ATH-M50x as it evolved, they recognised that there would eventually be a need for several variations on the family tree. There’s an ATH-M50x for different pJobs, an ATH-M50x for a specific sound, even an ATH-M50x that’s a little different just because. Armed with an understanding of the different variations, you’ll be armed with a guide to choosing an ATH-M50x that fits your individual needs.ATH-M50xBT: The Wireless Revolution
The ATH-M50xBT extends the world-renowned sonic performance of the ATH-M50x into the wireless realm, adding Bluetooth wireless technology and an integrated battery for truly convenient and liberating listening. It also provides a built hands-free calls. The cable-free experience allows users to move freely at home and on the go.ATH-M50xBT2: Enhancing the Wireless Experience
The ATH-M50xBT2 upgrades the ATH-M50xBT with further refinements and improvements. The enhanced Bluetooth performance features an extended operational range and improved battery life to provide a more stable and longer wireless listening experience. The wireless range is improved, assuring a more stable connection even in adverse conditions, and the doubled battery life offers a longer uninterrupted listening experience. These performance upgrades add extra convenience and usability to the wireless listening experience, which is now a more reliable option for the user who wants to eliminate the cable ending her listening with the battery.ATH-M50xSTS: A Touch of Style
The ATH-M50xSTS is a limited edition and customised version of the ever popular ATH-M50x. With its visually striking combination of silver and teal, it offers the same sound quality as the classic version, with a hip new vibe that’s all its own. This is the headphone for those who appreciate the experience of a high-powered, vivid sound, but also want the option of a subtly striking look. Ultimately, if you like the ATH-M50x but want to add a lil’ somethin’-somethin’ to your signature style, this model is for you.The Verdict: Why the ATH-M50x Continues to Reign
The Audio-Technica ATH-M50x represents the legacy of innovation, design and sonic excellence that Audio-Technica has brought to the global audio industry. The company assures audiophiles, musicians and sound professionals the same unmatched access to tools that provide all music lovers with an immersive and awe-inspiring listening experience. If you’re an experienced studio engineer who uses components you know will have a known and correct monitoring quality, the M50x is a good bet you can make if you want to branch out from your usual go-tos without making any wrong choices.
If you’re a musician who composes, produces, records or performs music, having a headphone that will sound like what you imagine it’ll sound like – and you can trust consistently – could be a critical piece of gear that could let you take your creative ambitions further than your old A/Bing headphone ever allowed. If you’re an audiophile, a casual music listener or a reviewer looking for a good headphone that makes everything sound great and keep its users happy, AKG’s ATH‑M50x are non-negotiable: it delivers a balanced sound, fits comfortably, is built to last and is priced right.
Every base that it needs to cover has been covered with complete conviction. Ten years out, it doesn’t appear that its place at the top of the heap is shifting anytime soon, and it shows no sign of fading from relevance. In the era of Discriminating Headphone Listeners, AKG’s ATH‑M50x are truly a classic.
