Audio-Technica M-Series ATH-M50x

The ATH-M50x nails comfort at the 87th percentile and delivers solid sound at the 77th percentile with its 45mm drivers and 15Hz to 28kHz range. But the mic is a 15th percentile letdown and there's no wireless or ANC. Buy it for the studio, not the subway.

The 45mm dynamic drivers are the workhorse here. Audio-Technica uses rare earth magnets and copper-clad aluminum wire voice coils, which is a fancy way of saying the diaphragm moves fast and stays controlled. The frequency response spans 15Hz to 28kHz, extending well beyond the typical 20Hz to 20kHz range. That low end extension matters for bass-heavy mixes, and the high end gives you room to hear the air in a vocal track.

Sound quality sits at the 77th percentile, which puts these in 'impressive' territory but not at the absolute top. The closed-back design and circumaural fit provide solid isolation, though the ANC score of 32nd percentile tells you these rely on passive isolation only. There's no active noise cancellation here. For studio monitoring, that's actually fine. You want to hear the room, not have a chip decide what to filter out.

Against the Sony WH-1000XM6, the ATH-M50x loses on features. The Sony has ANC, wireless connectivity, and a mic that doesn't embarrass itself. But the Sony also costs more and targets a different user. The Sennheiser HDB 630 and JBL Tune 670NC are both wireless options with better connectivity scores, but neither matches the M50x's comfort percentile. The Beyerdynamic Aventho and Apple AirPods Max sit in a different price bracket entirely. If you need wireless and ANC, skip the M50x. If you need accurate monitoring and all-day comfort on a budget, the M50x holds its own against pricier competition.

The USD price spread here is wild. We're seeing listings from USD 175 to USD 477 across two Newegg listings, a USD 302 gap for what should be the same headphones. The lower end of that range is a solid deal for a studio workhorse with this comfort and sound profile. The higher end is harder to justify unless you're getting a bundle with a stand or some other add-on. At USD 175, you're getting 87th percentile comfort and 77th percentile sound for less than most wireless earbuds cost. At USD 477, you're paying a premium for convenience and availability, not performance.

The Audio-Technica ATH-M50x sits at the 77th percentile for sound in our database, which is strong but not the headline. The real story is comfort at the 87th percentile. These are headphones you can wear through a full mixing session without your ears staging a protest. The 45mm drivers with copper-clad aluminum wire voice coils deliver a 15Hz to 28kHz range that covers more ground than most ears can even process.

But here's the thing. This is a wired headphone in a wireless world. Connectivity lands at the 40th percentile, and the mic is a rough 15th percentile. If you're buying these for Zoom calls, you're shopping in the wrong aisle. If you're buying them to actually hear what's in your mix, keep reading.

Skip these if you need wireless connectivity or a usable microphone. The mic sits at the 15th percentile, and the calls score of 23 out of 100 makes them a poor fit for anyone who takes calls on their headphones. Commuters and travelers should look elsewhere too. No ANC, no Bluetooth, and a wired 3.5mm connection mean you're tethered to your device. If you want one pair of headphones for everything, the ATH-M50x will frustrate you. These are for people who sit down, plug in, and focus.

The ATH-M50x is a studio tool, not a lifestyle accessory. The 87th percentile comfort and 77th percentile sound make it a solid choice for mixing, editing, or just critical listening at a desk. The 15th percentile mic and lack of wireless connectivity mean it's not a daily driver for commuters or call-heavy users. At the low end of the USD price range, it's an easy recommendation. At the high end, you're paying too much for what you get.