ATH M-Series Questions

[Made In Canada]

Backstory

So i am getting my first custom pc with in the next few months, and was wondering what headphones to get.  After a bit of searching, it was clear the 2 options were the ATH M-series with a added mic and the Kingston Hyper Cloud II  but i thinki  will go with the ATH M-Series and add a mic.

 

Questions

My question is what is the difference between the ATH M-Series?  (Example) such as the ath m30x and ath m40x.

 

My second question is, in Canadian dollars, which is the best bang for buck headset?  I dont have a set budget but would only go around or above $100 (for just the headset) if it is worth it.

 

What Im Using It For

 

Gaming mainly but watching videos to.  I do not plan to use them for mobile divices.

[minibois]

The higher the number (an added X is 'higher' in this case, alright?) the nwer the headphone.

The difference? The way they sound.

 

I have heard people argue either way: Some say they all sound the same/similar while others day all heaphones have a slightly different sound.

[spwath]

Dont get the M series. They are not good for- Price to Performace, Soundstage, Comfort, sound quality, and more.

[Paralectic]

I have a pair of M30X's, I've tried a few of the M-series and the only difference is functional, not driver-wise.

The M30X's are like the less bassy version of the M20X's and the M40X's have detachable cables and the M50X has a higher impedance, looks a little different too.

I have the M30X's and if you're not a bass head they are the best "bang for the buck" headphones from the M-series honestly.

[Paralectic]

Dont get the M series. They are not good for- Price to Performace, Soundstage, Comfort, sound quality, and more.

Disagree, I have had mine for 1.5 years and they are really comfortable, great neutral sound and they are sturdy built.

[spwath]

Disagree, I have had mine for 1.5 years and they are really comfortable, great neutral sound and they are sturdy built.

The m50x are far from neutral.

[Paralectic]

The m50x are far from neutral.

NotNeutral.png

Perceptive wise they are, I experience them as neutral.

[Made In Canada]

Dont get the M series. They are not good for- Price to Performace, Soundstage, Comfort, sound quality, and more.

What would you advise then?

 

(explanation would be nice but is not needed).

[Made In Canada]

I have a pair of M30X's, I've tried a few of the M-series and the only difference is functional, not driver-wise.

The M30X's are like the less bassy version of the M20X's and the M40X's have detachable cables and the M50X has a higher impedance, looks a little different too.

I have the M30X's and if you're not a bass head they are the best "bang for the buck" headphones from the M-series honestly.

With the detachable cable on the m40x, would'nt the sound not be "as good" as it would be if wired?  (i think i heard something about how fully wired headsets are better than wireless and removable wire ones).

 

Comfort is a varable too, with the steel framed m30x, how are they in comfort?  (i believe the website said something abot the m30x and steel framed).

 

And finally, considering youve had experiense, how much different was the sound quality from the m30x-m40x-m50x if youve tried them.  (im also not a huge bass person myself but if they are worth it for sound quality, i might go for them).

[Guest Kloaked]

As far as comfort goes, the Clouds are super comfy. They have the usual gaming sound (V-curve mostly) and the band is a somewhat thick piece of metal with a cushion on it. Good for durability, but you know, anything will break if you don't take care of it.

 

If you're looking for "audio quality" or "neutral sound" though, you may want to look elsewhere. Sennheiser and Audio Technica have plenty of $70-$200 choices. If I had to personally recommend something though, if you have the money that is, is to get something from Beyerdynamic. 

[Guest Kloaked]

With the detachable cable on the m40x, would'nt the sound not be "as good" as it would be if wired?  (i think i heard something about how fully wired headsets are better than wireless and removable wire ones).

 

Wireless audio can be spotty if the connection isn't perfect, but removable cables won't take anything away from the "quality" of the sound, no.

[Made In Canada]

As far as comfort goes, the Clouds are super comfy. They have the usual gaming sound (V-curve mostly) and the band is a somewhat thick piece of metal with a cushion on it. Good for durability, but you know, anything will break if you don't take care of it.

 

If you're looking for "audio quality" or "neutral sound" though, you may want to look elsewhere. Sennheiser and Audio Technica have plenty of $70-$200 choices. If I had to personally recommend something though, if you have the money that is, is to get something from Beyerdynamic. 

So you dont advise the ATH M-Series?

 

With the Sennheiser and Audio Technica, which headset would you recommend for $70 and which one for $100 (one for each if you dont mind).

[Guest Kloaked]

So you dont advise the ATH M-Series?

 

With the Sennheiser and Audio Technica, which headset would you recommend for $70 and which one for $100 (one for each if you dont mind).

 

I used to have a pair of M50's and I liked them, just not over my Sennheiser HD280's. I usually just swapped between the two but ended up using the HD280's more. I ended up trading the M50's for a pair of Clouds just to try them out and they have a similar sound signature. Granted the M50's had more mid frequency presence, but the Clouds were better to listen to, just for me anyways. But I still even use my HD280's more as they handle bass the best out of the three, which is the most I care about.

 

If you can find the M50's (non-X) for a good price, like $70-$80 then they'd be a good buy. I paid $100+tax for mine and I felt like I overpaid whenever I tried the Clouds. I've seen people say that the M40's sound exactly the same as the M50's, but I can't personally confirm this.

For Sennheiser, I'd recommend the HD280's (something I can personally attest to since I actually own them). I've seen other people also recommend the HD518's and HD558's - they're Sennheiser so they're bound to sound good.

 

If you need a mic, I'd recommend the Zalman clip-on mic that's on Amazon for like $8 or something. I have it and it's 10/10 for the money. Nothing else can match it.

[Made In Canada]

I used to have a pair of M50's and I liked them, just not over my Sennheiser HD280's. I usually just swapped between the two but ended up using the HD280's more. I ended up trading the M50's for a pair of Clouds just to try them out and they have a similar sound signature. Granted the M50's had more mid frequency presence, but the Clouds were better to listen to, just for me anyways. But I still even use my HD280's more as they handle bass the best out of the three, which is the most I care about.

 

If you can find the M50's (non-X) for a good price, like $70-$80 then they'd be a good buy. I paid $100+tax for mine and I felt like I overpaid whenever I tried the Clouds. I've seen people say that the M40's sound exactly the same as the M50's, but I can't personally confirm this.

For Sennheiser, I'd recommend the HD280's (something I can personally attest to since I actually own them). I've seen other people also recommend the HD518's and HD558's - they're Sennheiser so they're bound to sound good.

 

If you need a mic, I'd recommend the Zalman clip-on mic that's on Amazon for like $8 or something. I have it and it's 10/10 for the money. Nothing else can match it.

Is the attachable mic muteable?

 

How much are the HD280's?

 

On a scale from 1-10 on what youve tried, how are the m50x?  (10 being the best).

[Guest Kloaked]

Is the attachable mic muteable?

 

How much are the HD280's?

 

On a scale from 1-10 on what youve tried, how are the m50x?  (10 being the best).

 

On the Clouds, yes. The Cloud's microphone sounds like shit though.

 

The Zalman one doesn't have a button on it, so no. You can mute it through Windows or on VOIP's with a hotkey.

 

The HD280's are usually about $100, but I got mine for $60 as a Best Buy sale. If I had to buy them again for full price, I would.

 

Out of the headphones I've tried, the M50 (non-x, but they sound exactly the same) would be a 6 or 7. Don't take that as a universal answer though, as you may like the sound signature more than I do.

[Philosobyte]

If you're going to get a pair of M-series headphones, the one to get is the M40. It is more neutral than the M50 or the M50X, as I've read in various threads on Gearslutz. I recommend against the Audio Technica M series. They're like the Beats of the professional audio industry: not bad, but not the best for the price.

 

I personally own the Sony MDR-V6 headphones which are $80 on Amazon, but I got them for $60 new on eBay. They have a better transient response, a more neutral frequency response, and the same soundstage as the M40. Also they're a standard in recording studios. But I'm not sure how they compare to the Sennheisers or Beyerdynamics (haven't heard them), or if you can attach a microphone to it.

[SSL]

You want to use the M series for gaming? Good luck with that.

 

I'd say more, but this is yet another discussion that has been beaten into the ground. I lack the energy to point out basic logic here.

 

I expect people to, like, think.

[Made In Canada]

You want to use the M series for gaming? Good luck with that.

 

I'd say more, but this is yet another discussion that has been beaten into the ground. I lack the energy to point out basic logic here.

 

I expect people to, like, think.

What are you going on about??

[Lauen]

What are you going on about??

The Audio-Technica ATH-M00 and M00X series have become sort of a laughing matter with the more experienced people in the audio subforum. They all share some common features: bass-heavy when they claim to be neutral, extremely narrow soundstage which sucks massive penises for gaming and it feels sort of claustrophobic at times, slightly elevated highs as well, giving it an all so slight V-curved sound, they all have sort of small pads compared to other headphones that claim to be full-size over-ear headphones, the pads are also not that nice, the pads on my M50S turned rock hard after 4 months, and the M50X isn't very good value when the M40X exists, which sounds the same, and the only difference is that it doesn't have rotatable cups, and costs less. And then there are Beyerdynamic DT770 which beat the M50X to the ground in every application. 

[EnsoZero]

The Audio-Technica ATH-M00 and M00X series have become sort of a laughing matter with the more experienced people in the audio subforum. They all share some common features: bass-heavy when they claim to be neutral, extremely narrow soundstage which sucks massive penises for gaming and it feels sort of claustrophobic at times, slightly elevated highs as well, giving it an all so slight V-curved sound, they all have sort of small pads compared to other headphones that claim to be full-size over-ear headphones, the pads are also not that nice, the pads on my M50S turned rock hard after 4 months, and the M50X isn't very good value when the M40X exists, which sounds the same, and the only difference is that it doesn't have rotatable cups, and costs less. And then there are Beyerdynamic DT770 which beat the M50X to the ground in every application. 

 

While I agree to avoid the M series with some exceptions, there are some critical flaws in this. They don't all sound the same, they have different sound signatures from the top to the bottom because of construction differences, even though many of them use the same drivers. The M40/M40X for example is fairly neutral, while the M50 is very much so not. 

 

Also the DT770 isn't exactly neutral either and has a massive treble spike that can fatigue most people under the age of 40, especially if they are treble-sensitive.

[CierroMierdo]

Perceptive wise they are, I experience them as neutral.

You see, this is why we refer to measurements because not all ears are made the same. To you they sound neutral, but having tried the M30X, the bass response with a still lackluster while its mid range is a little recessed compared to the "upper" M lineup like the M40X and the M50X which have the midrange up front way more than it should ever be on any headphone at all. That ain't neutral, thats midrange harassment and its quite offensive to the ears, unless you like listening to vocals more than anything.

[Lauen]

While I agree to avoid the M series with some exceptions, there are some critical flaws in this. They don't all sound the same, they have different sound signatures from the top to the bottom because of construction differences, even though many of them use the same drivers. The M40/M40X for example is fairly neutral, while the M50 is very much so not. 

 

Also the DT770 isn't exactly neutral either and has a massive treble spike that can fatigue most people under the age of 40, especially if they are treble-sensitive.

You do have some good points but as far as I'm aware, the M40X still is just a little bit on the bassy side, and also has a very narrow soundstage. 

 

DT770 IS better. Maybe not a perfectly flat headphone, but definitely better. 

 

 

We all know that if you want a flat headphone, Sony MDR-7506 and V6 is pretty much the way to go, and they're only like 85 bucks. 

[Paralectic]

You see, this is why we refer to measurements because not all ears are made the same. To you they sound neutral, but having tried the M30X, the bass response with a still lackluster while its mid range is a little recessed compared to the "upper" M lineup like the M40X and the M50X which have the midrange up front way more than it should ever be on any headphone at all. That ain't neutral, thats midrange harassment and its quite offensive to the ears, unless you like listening to vocals more than anything.

What you've said is once again, just perception. I don't like alot of bass and a flat sound is what I like.

[CierroMierdo]

What you've said is once again, just perception. I don't like alot of bass and a flat sound is what I like.

Thats why measurements have a tendency to be more accurate than perceived sound. What I said and what you said is what makes it inaccurate to really describe what the M30X or any of the Mx0X headphones are. Is it neutral? Measurements give a much better data about it. Afterall, history's written by the victor. And following that line, reviews and opinions are written by experience. If there was a way to measure how accurate history was recorded, then we'd have a clearer picture oh what the past was like. Sadly, history is still debated if its technically accurate. In headphones, we HAVE the tools to tell what the headphone stands out on.

To you, its neutral. To the rest of us, including myself, have mixed opinions about it. Thats why the HD800 gets alot of love AND hate, as its praised for its technical capabilities and hated for its boring flat response due to having dry treble. If a headphone of that caliber gets that much love and hate, what more with other headphones of different prices?

Remember, measurements are a point of reference, not something to tell if its the absolute best unless there's a category.

[Paralectic]

Thats why measurements have a tendency to be more accurate than perceived sound. What I said and what you said is what makes it inaccurate to really describe what the M30X or any of the Mx0X headphones are. Is it neutral? Measurements give a much better data about it. Afterall, history's written by the victor. And following that line, reviews and opinions are written by experience. If there was a way to measure how accurate history was recorded, then we'd have a clearer picture oh what the past was like. Sadly, history is still debated if its technically accurate. In headphones, we HAVE the tools to tell what the headphone stands out on.

To you, its neutral. To the rest of us, including myself, have mixed opinions about it. Thats why the HD800 gets alot of love AND hate, as its praised for its technical capabilities and hated for its boring flat response due to having dry treble.

You have a point there, graphs and charts can't really make you decide on what you want. Testing them in store is the best option always.