buying Audio Technica ATH-M50

[Ciccioo]

i've never been an audiophile of any sort, and by that i mean that i never cared about the best sounding headphones or the highest bitrate file

but, i broke my headphones some time ago and now that i really really miss having those, i decided to buy a pair of headphones and to spend some money on it if needed, because i can really spend a lot of time listening to music and i like to go full-immersion when i do so

 

so i googled around and i ended up on those ATH-M50, all the reviews i read/watched are very positive about it and i'm just about to buy them, but before doing that i decided to ask here for some tips

 

what do you guys think? are those good headphones? is it a good value for €130?

let me know in the comments below, and don't forget to like if you... oh sorry, nevermind

[EmoRarity]

130 could get you HD380 Pro's or SRH 440's which are better in most every way. 
If you could find them for 80-90 you would be getting a solid deal.

[Heisenbleurgh]

130 could get you HD380 Pro's or SRH 440's which are better in most every way. 

If you could find them for 80-90 you would be getting a solid deal.

To built up on this, the M50s are really good headphones that sadly have gone up in price a lot recently.

[EmoRarity]

To built up on this, the M50s are really good headphones that sadly have gone up in price a lot recently.

I got in to a discussion with some guy who said that they had always been $150ish. Not 18 months ago they were $85ish. 

[NannerBeans]

I got in to a discussion with some guy who said that they had always been $150ish. Not 18 months ago they were $85ish. 

They have fluctuated a lot. When I bought mine they were like $150 and then about 4 maybe 5 months later, they were $100 near Christmas last year. 

[EmoRarity]

They have fluctuated a lot. When I bought mine they were like $150 and then about 4 maybe 5 months later, they were $100 near Christmas last year. 

Case and point I guess. 

[Ciccioo]

130 could get you HD380 Pro's or SRH 440's which are better in most every way. 

If you could find them for 80-90 you would be getting a solid deal.

alright, so i read some stuff about those and i have to say this:

HD380 pro: they're significantly cheaper (i found a good deal for €100) but for what i read, they don't perform as good as the M50s if you don't use an amp, and i'm not going to use one

SRH 44: these look like a cheaper, viable option, i'll investigate some more

[Cyrus]

Well i recommend the m50's worth the buck.

[Heisenbleurgh]

alright, so i read some stuff about those and i have to say this:

HD380 pro: they're significantly cheaper (i found a good deal for €100) but for what i read, they don't perform as good as the M50s if you don't use an amp, and i'm not going to use one

SRH 44: these look like a cheaper, viable option, i'll investigate some more

M50s have 38 ohms of impedance, the HD380 pros have 54. Slightly higher, but considering I can drive HD558s with 50 ohm impedance with any device I've ever tried them with (desktop, laptop, 4 year old iPod, Samsung phone) I don't think it's a big enough difference to cause an issue.

All 3 headphones you're considering are good, it's really more of a "which model can you find for the cheapest at any given time" situation and which you like more in terms of looks I guess.

[adriel604]

the girlfriend just got these for me as a gift and they are amazing.  Every time I listen to a song I can't help but smile.  I feel immersed in the music and I'm hearing songs like I've never heard them before.  You won't regret it.  They are really comfortable too.

 

As for the price it went down during xmas around $80 I think?  Went up to $150 and now the one the gf got for me was $119 on amazon.com.

[EmoRarity]

alright, so i read some stuff about those and i have to say this:

HD380 pro: they're significantly cheaper (i found a good deal for €100) but for what i read, they don't perform as good as the M50s if you don't use an amp, and i'm not going to use one

SRH 44: these look like a cheaper, viable option, i'll investigate some more

Sennheiser wraps their voice coils more, and they there for run a bit quieter and the same volume. Though I found the M50(x) to be uneven and confusing, the 380 was even and straightforward. Plus the 380's were better built. 

[creatip123]

Best way is to find a physical audio store that have demo/test units of various brands and types. Try to find something that suit your preference.  Personally I love audio technica's sound characteristic, but only their open back type. I've tried M50 (without s), and it does sound good, but too 'boomy' and 'closed/tight room' for my preference. I think it's good for general listening, but not suitable to get the best out of specific genres/musics.

 

About the price, my guess is maybe they produce a fixed amount of headphones per year (for example, maybe 10000 units/type/year for worldwide distribution), so the price easily fluctuates depending on the classic demand-supply law. 

[Ciccioo]

Best way is to find a physical audio store that have demo/test units of various brands and types. Try to find something that suit your preference.  Personally I love audio technica's sound characteristic, but only their open back type. I've tried M50 (without s), and it does sound good, but too 'boomy' and 'closed/tight room' for my preference. I think it's good for general listening, but not suitable to get the best out of specific genres/musics.

i would like to do that, but i can't seem to find a place where to try them here nearby

 

thank you all for the advices, though i still believe the M50s to be the best headphones in this post overral, i couldn't find enough evidence about the other ones as far as quality goes, and i can bear with the extra money

and all the goddamn reviews about the M50s are just like @adriel604 said, so i can't help choosing them

 

the only thing that bothers me is this

black M50 = €130

white M50 = €100

[creatip123]

i would like to do that, but i can't seem to find a place where to try them here nearby

 

thank you all for the advices, though i still believe the M50s to be the best headphones in this post overral, i couldn't find enough evidence about the other ones as far as quality goes, and i can bear with the extra money

and all the goddamn reviews about the M50s are just like @adriel604 said, so i can't help choosing them

 

the only thing that bothers me is this

black M50 = €130

white M50 = €100

 

The M50 I tried sounds good right out of the box, played with flat EQ on the media player. Good (too much for me) bass with nice mids and highs. If you like techno, RnB, dance, or just about anything with thumping bass, then the M50 (or I'd imagine the s version have similar sound) is probably what you're looking for.

 

If you're looking for some easy listening, oldies pops, audiophiles, classical and instrumentals, I'd say stay away from these. 

[stevv]

I don't know if they ship international, but this is where I got mine from (http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/ATH-M50x).  I also got them pre-modded with detachable cables.  Just recently got custom velor earpads from them (A MUST if you hate sweaty ears from plastic ear cups!)

 

They been selling around $100 for a while, but looks like it had gone up again.  Now they have the M50x... I got whites with black pads =).  Will be adding more cushion to the headband.

 

 

[Ciccioo]

The M50 I tried sounds good right out of the box, played with flat EQ on the media player. Good (too much for me) bass with nice mids and highs. If you like techno, RnB, dance, or just about anything with thumping bass, then the M50 (or I'd imagine the s version have similar sound) is probably what you're looking for.

 

If you're looking for some easy listening, oldies pops, audiophiles, classical and instrumentals, I'd say stay away from these. 

yep, i do appreciate "heavy" bass in my music

but i read a review of a person listening to classic music, and enjoying how each and every instrument sounded so well distinguished from the others and well defined, so i hope they will do a good job when i listen to chilly music too

[creatip123]

yep, i do appreciate "heavy" bass in my music

but i read a review of a person listening to classic music, and enjoying how each and every instrument sounded so well distinguished from the others and well defined, so i hope they will do a good job when i listen to chilly music too

 

I think their signature sound characteristic is the good mids and highs clarity and balance. It's the amount of bass that's a variable between their types. I have 2 type of audio technica, the cheaper line TAD300, and the almost extinct AD700, and I've listened to M50 demo unit. All 3 of them have different bass amount with similar mids and highs. The AD700's mids and highs are the most clear among those 3, TAD300 second, and the M50 third, mainly because the M50's bass 'swallows' some sounds and details in the lower mid range frequency. I think the closed back plays some part in the less clarity too. It's hard to describe, but just say you have the demo unit of M50 and AD700 in front of you, I guarantee you you'll know right away what I was talking about.

 

I'm not saying M50 sounds bad. It's good, but according to my preference, the TAD300 and AD700 (both open back type) sounds better.

[NannerBeans]

I compared my M50s to Crossfade LPs and honestly, the Crossfades give the M50 a run for their money and you can get used crossfades for about half the price. The crossfades are more on-ear than over but the pads are softer and SQ wise they are almost the same. The mids and highs are slightly clearer on the M50 but the crossfades have a much punchier and clearer bass. 

[adriel604]

I don't know if they ship international, but this is where I got mine from (http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/ATH-M50x).  I also got them pre-modded with detachable cables.  Just recently got custom velor earpads from them (A MUST if you hate sweaty ears from plastic ear cups!)

 

They been selling around $100 for a while, but looks like it had gone up again.  Now they have the M50x... I got whites with black pads =).  Will be adding more cushion to the headband.

 

 

So you have the m50 and the m50x?  Lol why did you buy both?  But I'm curious if you see a big improvement on the m50x?

 

Also do you recommend the velvet ear cups?

[adriel604]

i would like to do that, but i can't seem to find a place where to try them here nearby

 

thank you all for the advices, though i still believe the M50s to be the best headphones in this post overral, i couldn't find enough evidence about the other ones as far as quality goes, and i can bear with the extra money

and all the goddamn reviews about the M50s are just like @adriel604 said, so i can't help choosing them

 

the only thing that bothers me is this

black M50 = €130

white M50 = €100

lol actually here in North America the white ones are more expensive than the black m50!

[EmoRarity]

So you have the m50 and the m50x?  Lol why did you buy both?  But I'm curious if you see a big improvement on the m50x?

 

Also do you recommend the velvet ear cups?

As a person that has both too (Review samples) they are identical, I can get you an email from out Audio Technica rep before release who said they sound the same. Only difference is the pads really, and they loosened all the joints....

Velour ear pads were more comfortable, but killed the low end. 

[stevv]

So you have the m50 and the m50x?  Lol why did you buy both?  But I'm curious if you see a big improvement on the m50x?

 

Also do you recommend the velvet ear cups?

 

I only have one M50 whites.  Sorry for the confusion from the link.  I got them last May, and it was pre-modded with the detachable cable for around $140.  I guess they don't need to mod them anymore since the M50x is only a little bit more and with multiple cables included.  The sound signature should be the same, as they didn't change the internals.  Why change it when it's not broken?     

 

I recommend these Velvet cups, especially since these perfectly fit the M50's (probably custom ordered?).  I'm surprised Audio-technica didn't make one.  They now feel as comfortable as my sens HD650's.  Planning to get this  for the headband... yeah, the headband looks thick, but the cushion is thin and only touches the center of the head.  As for sound quality... I didn't notice any, if any obvious changes, but certainly still no problem shaking my head when bass boost is maxed out on my fio e17.  Actually, I couldn't stand more than half hour of listening before.. so if anything for me personally, I can have them tight and still feel comfortable and not sweaty after even long sittings.

[adriel604]

As a person that has both too (Review samples) they are identical, I can get you an email from out Audio Technica rep before release who said they sound the same. Only difference is the pads really, and they loosened all the joints....

Velour ear pads were more comfortable, but killed the low end. 

Interesting.  Thanks for that.  I guess the best bang for your buck right now is the m50 eh?  I'm curious about the velour ear pads though.  It's cold where I'm from right now but during summer I'm thinking my ears might heat up.. lol

 

I only have one M50 whites.  Sorry for the confusion from the link.  I got them last May, and it was pre-modded with the detachable cable for around $140.  I guess they don't need to mod them anymore since the M50x is only a little bit more and with multiple cables included.  The sound signature should be the same, as they didn't change the internals.  Why change it when it's not broken?     

 

I recommend these Velvet cups, especially since these perfectly fit the M50's (probably custom ordered?).  I'm surprised Audio-technica didn't make one.  They now feel as comfortable as my sens HD650's.  Planning to get this  for the headband... yeah, the headband looks thick, but the cushion is thin and only touches the center of the head.  As for sound quality... I didn't notice any, if any obvious changes, but certainly still no problem shaking my head when bass boost is maxed out on my fio e17.  Actually, I couldn't stand more than half hour of listening before.. so if anything for me personally, I can have them tight and still feel comfortable and not sweaty after even long sittings.

Thanks for the links bro.  I'm considering getting those velvet cups because I really do not like warm/sweaty ears.  Found some on ebay but your link is cheaper

[EmoRarity]

Interesting. Thanks for that. I guess the best bang for your buck right now is the m50 eh? I'm curious about the velour ear pads though. It's cold where I'm from right now but during summer I'm thinking my ears might heat up.. lol

Thanks for the links bro. I'm considering getting those velvet cups because I really do not like warm/sweaty ears. Found some on ebay but your link is cheaper

not really, the SRH440 is a better headphone.

[adriel604]

I only have one M50 whites.  Sorry for the confusion from the link.  I got them last May, and it was pre-modded with the detachable cable for around $140.  I guess they don't need to mod them anymore since the M50x is only a little bit more and with multiple cables included.  The sound signature should be the same, as they didn't change the internals.  Why change it when it's not broken?     

 

I recommend these Velvet cups, especially since these perfectly fit the M50's (probably custom ordered?).  I'm surprised Audio-technica didn't make one.  They now feel as comfortable as my sens HD650's.  Planning to get this  for the headband... yeah, the headband looks thick, but the cushion is thin and only touches the center of the head.  As for sound quality... I didn't notice any, if any obvious changes, but certainly still no problem shaking my head when bass boost is maxed out on my fio e17.  Actually, I couldn't stand more than half hour of listening before.. so if anything for me personally, I can have them tight and still feel comfortable and not sweaty after even long sittings.

update that link you gave me is only for 1 ear cup! lol laaaameeee