The m50x are some of the most bass heavy over the ear headphones i’ve ever used. ... I’ve never in my life heard someone describe those AT’s as bass light.
Mention
Headphones
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Professional Studio Monitor Headphones
Best Studio Monitor Headphones
The Audio-Technica ATH-M50x are the benchmark closed-back studio monitor headphones — trusted by professional audio engineers, podcasters, and music producers worldwide for their reference-accurate sound and bulletproof build quality. Available on Amazon.ca (ASIN B00HVLUR86) at around $199 CAD.
19 mentions · 8 threadslast mention Jun 20267.4/ 10
ClearPick Score
Mixed Reviews
Score informed by 19 owner mentions across 8 Reddit threads · see every quote ↓
6 positive8 mixed5 negative
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Best Studio Monitor Headphones
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Professional Studio Monitor Headphones
~$199 CAD est. on Amazon.ca
View on Amazon.ca →Opens Amazon.ca · Affiliate link✅ Ships to Canada
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Every mention, sourced
Real comments from Reddit, linked to the original thread. Nothing paraphrased.
M50X aren’t a mixing headphone by any stretch. They’re a pretty standard *tracking* headphone though.
Complaint
I use the ATHM50x for mixing very often and sometimes exclusively. Like any other monitoring system, you have to learn them and get used to them and how things translate.
Praise
At one point years and years ago they *were* one of the better performing and more popular closed backs, and an easy recommendation for people who didn't want to spend tons of money but get something that sounds good. Now it's 2020, and there's a massive amount of competition. At this point in time, the M50X isn't considering as good of a performer *relative to the market*.
Mention
M50x are a package deal of suckitude. Uncomfortable, sounds awful, and bad hinge design. Would sooner recommend AKG K371 or K361 if you want a solid closed back headphone.
Complaint
I think the M50x have like a 10dB boost in the bass or something, maybe not as crazy but certainly one of the bassiest headphones around. They also have a bit of a high lift, making them pretty d**n scooped. I hate them, personally.
Complaint
M50s are popular in studios because they’re affordable and decent for recording. Not because they’re good for mixing
Mention
I mixed in them for 10 years and the day I got hd650’s was the single best studio improvement I’ve ever made. The m50’s are way too hyped in exciting frequencies and they flatter everything too much. It’s a fun listening experience but it makes them slow and difficult to mix on
Comparison
They are very high quality set of headphones *objectively speaking*. These are used in the studios a lot. Professionals (whose livelihood depend on sound, and not random internet warriors) chose them.
Praise
The M50x isn't bad, but it is not the best - wonky in the high mids, wonky in the bass. At best, it'd be a "funner" side grade, not an upgrade.
Comparison
As someone who has owned the original M50 for well over a decade, my take is that they have excessively grainy, unpleasant highs and woolly, undefined bass, paired with particularly uncomfortable pads and a headband coated in some of the worst pleather imaginable (it will literally disintegrate and a proper replacement headband costs about $70).
Complaint
I just listened to these side by side yesterday actually. I like the m50x less than the d770 pro. The m50x just sounds harsh any time there's a particularly strong sound in the highs.
Comparison
They are the perfect utilitarian headphones. They are cheap, understated, can take abuse and will last for a long time. They also have the driest, most sterile, flavorless and unfun sound ever so if things sound good on them they will sound good on most other stuff (IMO).
Mention
I know that this is an unpopular opinion here but I prefer M50x by a mile. I couldn't listen to rock or jazz on DT770-80 because every time a cymbal crashed my ears bled a little.
Comparison
The new default recommendation for good sounding, closed-back headphones in the same price range of the m50x is the Fiio FT1. The m50x hasn't really been a default recommendation for a while.
Comparison
I owned one and it's the most overhyped thing for studio. Sounds bad (the sound it makes is not even neutral, or anywhere true to life for that matter, it significantly bends voices), uncomfortable (it is tight and hot for my small head, I genuinely have no idea how ppl can wear it for hours long podcasts), and the pads flake like crazy.
Complaint
I think the M50x is the best budget headphone I ever have. Love listening my bassy music with it.
Praise
The ATH-M50x are really good monitors, I've had my pair for about 10 years now, been DJing and producing with them and they're great. But if you're looking for a pair that's mostly going to be used for listening to music you're probably going to be better served with something else.
Praise
Bought my pair back in 2021, they still sound great sans are super comfy. I recommend you get the perforated ear cups as the ones it comes with are less comfy. Good investment
Praise
✅ What Works
- Praised as a durable, versatile workhorse by owners with a decade or more of use
- Strong value at the price point relative to newer competitors
- Well regarded for DJing and general studio monitoring use
⚠️ Worth Knowing
- Sound accuracy for critical mixing is disputed, with some engineers calling it colored, not neutral
- Headband pleather reported to disintegrate over time, with costly official replacement pads
- Considered less competitive against newer headphones at a similar price today
- Some long-time mixers have since switched to alternatives like the HD650
ClearPick Verdict
Opinion is genuinely split on these long-running studio headphones (6 positive, 8 mixed, 5 negative), and the disagreement centers on sound accuracy for mixing specifically. Fans who've used them for a decade call them accurate, versatile workhorses; critics counter they're "not even neutral" and "significantly bend voices," with one engineer switching to HD650s and calling it "the single best studio improvement" they made. A second recurring complaint is physical wear — the headband's pleather coating is described as disintegrating over time, with a proper replacement costing around $70, and pads flaking with extended use. Even critics tend to agree they're comfortable-enough, durable, and a fair value at the price, just increasingly outclassed by newer competitors for serious mixing work. Solid as a durable, affordable all-rounder for casual listening or DJing, but if precise mixing accuracy is the priority, several long-time users now recommend stepping up to something like the HD650.
