Scored on 663 verified owner verdicts, from 3,101 comments read across 6 communities
TL;DR
Durable, detailed studio staple that holds up for years, but the bass is heavy enough to muddy the mids and the treble runs harsh, and the tight clamp plus stock pads make long sessions uncomfortable for many.
55% of 663 verified owners recommend the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x, based on real owner verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube.
3,101 comments reviewed · scored on the 663 clearest verdicts
55%
Recommend
364 owners
16%
Neutral
107 owners
29%
Don't recommend
192 owners
Last 6 months:62% recommend(8 recent verdicts)→ holding steady vs older reviews
Source
Breakdown
Score
N
Counted in the score
Reddit
59%
245
YouTubeiOrdinary owner comments (not the reviewer). They line up with what owners say on Reddit and forums — within a few points — so we count them here. When YouTube comments skew too far from other trusted sources, we leave them out.owner comments
56%
364
Head-Fi
30%
30
Other forums
30%
23
Independent blogsiIndependent blogs with no affiliate links or paid relationship — we checked every one.no affiliate links
100%
2
Reviewed, but not counted — and why
No clear verdictiGood-to-know notes — setup, tips, and things to watch for. We use them for the pros, cons, and who it's for, but they don't reflect a definitive opinion on the product, so they're never counted in the score. See the 'Good to know' section below the quotes.Setup, tips & quirks
—
7
The headline score reflects owners (Reddit, enthusiast forums), independent lab tests, blogs with no affiliate links, and YouTube owner-comments when they line up with owners. is shown for perspective but kept out here — hover the i for why.
What owners like
Excellent sound quality for the price · 55 · 8%
Built like a tank, lasts for years · 34 · 5%
Comfortable for long listening sessions · 26 · 4%
Great value for the money · 24 · 4%
Punchy, satisfying bass · 21 · 3%
What owners flag
Bloated bass that muddies the mids · 33 · 5%
Too-tight clamping force, uncomfortable for long sessions · 30 · 5%
Earpads and headband flake and peel · 21 · 3%
Harsh, fatiguing treble · 20 · 3%
Overrated and not worth the price · 20 · 3%
Who it's for
A great fit if
Producers and DJs wanting durable closed-back monitors
Budget buyers wanting a build that lasts many years
Listeners who enjoy a bass-forward, fun sound signature
Anyone needing solid passive isolation for tracking
Look elsewhere if
Mixers wanting a flat, reference-neutral response
Glasses-wearers or big heads doing long sessions with tight clamp
Gamers and movie fans wanting a wide soundstage
Synthesized from what Audio-Technica ATH-M50x owners say — not a spec sheet.
Common questions
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x reviews seem too good to be true. Are they?
The praise is real but partial. 55% of 663 owners recommend it, level with the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro and well behind the Sennheiser HD 600 at 81%. What holds up is the build and the value, with owners still using the same pair at eight and ten years. What the glowing reviews skip is the tuning, a bass lift that pushes the mids back and a treble that turns sharp, plus a clamp that gets painful over a long session.
Why do owners complain about the bass?
Because the tuning is deliberately bass-forward and the mids sit behind it. The complaints run from bloated bass with over-polite mids and very sharp highs, to an upper-bass emphasis that grated within days of unboxing, to mids that measure correctly but sound recessed until the lows are EQ'd down. That is what makes this a poor choice for anyone wanting a flat reference response, and a good one for anyone who wants a fun, punchy signature.
Do the M50x hurt during long listening sessions?
For a fair number of owners, yes. The clamp is tight and the stock pads firm, and the complaints cluster around glasses-wearers and larger heads: pads pressing on the tops of the ears, pain after two or three hours, headbands stretched or bent by hand to take the pressure off. Softer aftermarket pads are the standard fix, and owners who made that swap describe the discomfort going away.
M50x or DT 770 Pro for closed-back monitoring?
Owner scores here are level, 55% of 663 for the M50x against 55% of 197 for the DT 770 Pro, so fit and use decide it. The M50x folds flat, takes a detachable cable and travels well. The DT 770 Pro has deeper cups, velour on the 80 and 250 ohm versions and leatherette on the 32 ohm, a fixed cable, and an impedance choice whose highest version wants an amp. Owners who moved between the two point to the Beyerdynamic for comfort and a wider, more open sound.
How does the M40x differ from the M50x?
Tuning, mostly. Audio-Technica sells the M40x as the flatter of the two and the M50x as the one with the deeper bass, so the M40x is the closer thing to a neutral monitor and the M50x is the more exciting listen. Both are closed-back, both take detachable cables and both have cups that swivel for one-ear monitoring. The M50x ships with three cables: one long and straight, one long and coiled, one short.
What tends to fail on these first?
Pads and headband covering. The foam hardens and the outer layer flakes or peels, often within the first years of use, and both parts are cheap to replace. Past that, the failure owners name is the hinge, with one pair breaking there after five years. On the other side of the ledger are owners still running the same headphones at eight and ten years, and one who wore a pair out after seven bought the same model again.
Retailers' own star averages, for comparison — separate from our vetted owner-verdict score above.
Top quotes, sourced
3,101 reviewed · 407 shown
Sentiment
Community
Sort
YouTube— neutral
“They still serve me well after like 8 years. I no longer use them for music but for gaming when my house is a bit noisy. They isolate like a champ and sound pretty decent with some EQ. But yeah there's better options out there.”
YouTube▲ recommend
“I can absolutely recommend these, even today.”
YouTube▼ don’t recommend
“the M50x isn't even good for monitoring”
YouTube▼ don’t recommend
“they aren't as good as they say...
I fell for the hype”
YouTube▲ recommend
“Just got these in too, love the detachable cable.”
YouTube— neutral
“In terms of clarity of the sound, I thought it was pretty average. Nothing special.”
YouTube— neutral
“I would buy a Sennheiser HD25 as they sound much better”
YouTube▼ don’t recommend
“These headphones sucks if you consider using them for music listening! Highs are metalic and too harsh.”
YouTube▲ recommend
“Love em.”
YouTube▼ don’t recommend
“these headphones give me headaches”
YouTube▲ recommend
“My original M50 still going strong after something like 15 years and 3 pad swaps. Built like a tank.”
YouTube— neutral
“The m50x's sound fine. Your ears are different”
YouTube— neutral
“The M50x has none of these problems: It's incredibly easy-wearing and consistent, with bass that is far less fussy to whether or not you achieve a perfect seal.”
YouTube▲ recommend
“10 years later and still a relevant review.”
YouTube▼ don’t recommend
“M50x was one of my first serious disappointments in the world of audio gear.”
YouTube▲ recommend
“It’s good because it is fairly detailed, durable version of a typical cheap consumer headphone.”
YouTube▼ don’t recommend
“these are just too intense, everything too close together”
YouTube— neutral
“They are a great, and I mean GREAT budget option, but their longevity is not up to my standards.”
YouTube— neutral
“I had one for many many years, but ended up with the classic broken hinge that seems very common to this model.”
YouTube▼ don’t recommend
“Gosh dang it I should've seen this before I bought mine, this is very accurate”
YouTube▲ recommend
“I'm diggin' the lock mechanism and removable cables with varied adapters.”
YouTube▲ recommend
“Watching with my new M50xs, and they sound amazing :D”
YouTube— neutral
“I've no regrets about buying my M50's. Are there much better choices out there for the price? Hell yes there are.”
YouTube▼ don’t recommend
“your review pretty much sums up how I feel about them... so overrated”
Practical notes owners raise — setup, quirks, and issues to watch for. They don't say whether the person likes the product, so they're not counted in the score, but they inform the pros, cons, and who it's for.
Audio Science Reviewⓘ good to know
“Without equalization the sound was fine. Bass was exaggerated a bit depending on content. Spatial qualities were low with sound on each side of the ear.”
Audio Science Reviewⓘ good to know
“I could immediately tell the difference with the background noise dropping off and the voices being less harsh and pronounced. I was able to then turn the volume up to louder levels without discomfort or harshness. definitely preferred it!”
r/audioengineeringⓘ good to know
“I have AKG 701, Beyer DT990, Audio Technica Ath M50 and the Sennheisers are by far the most accurate.”
Head-Fiⓘ good to know
“My head happens to be large, so this was a big issue for me. I just bent the headband outward.”
Audio Science Reviewⓘ good to know
“this is the generally agreed bass heavy cans which upon personal listening it surely is”
Audio Science Reviewⓘ good to know
“I have a pair of these, but only use them for noncritical listening.”
Head-Fiⓘ good to know
“They have a clear distinction where the one instrument or voice is and what this instrument or voice is producing and contributing to the track.Every one of these instruments and voices are detailed and beautifully reproduced except that they are not...how to say it...they are not apart from each other a lot.”
