Over-Ear Headphones · owner-verdict comparison

Audio-Technica ATH-M50x vs Grado SR80x: what real owners say

Real owners rate these about evenly: 55% of 663 Audio-Technica ATH-M50x owners recommend it, vs 60% of 55 for the Grado SR80x.

Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score

Audio-Technica ATH-M50x

55%of 663 owners recommend

55% recommend · 16% neutral · 29% don't

Owners praise

Excellent sound quality for the price
Built like a tank, lasts for years
Comfortable for long listening sessions

Owners complain about

Bloated bass that muddies the mids
Too-tight clamping force, uncomfortable for long sessions
Earpads and headband flake and peel

Full owner report →

Grado SR80x

60%of 55 owners recommend

60% recommend · 18% neutral · 22% don't

Owners praise

Punchy, dynamic, "fun" sound signature that owners describe as energetic and addictive rather than flat or clinical
Excellent entry point into higher-end audio for the price, with many owners keeping their pair for a decade or more
Clean, airy sound with surprising clarity and detail retrieval for a budget open-back can

Owners complain about

Glued-together build (drivers, gimbals, rodblocks, headband) that owners view as flimsy, breaks over time, and often requires DIY hot-glue or aftermarket-part repairs
Bright, treble-forward tuning that a meaningful minority finds fatiguing or outright harsh on longer listening sessions
Stiff, thick, unwieldy stock cable that's awkward to manage and a recurring standalone complaint

Full owner report →

Which should you buy?

Get the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x 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

Skip it if

Mixers wanting a flat, reference-neutral response
Glasses-wearers or big heads doing long sessions with tight clamp

Get the Grado SR80x if

✓First-time audiophiles wanting an affordable, exciting-sounding upgrade from stock earbuds
✓Listeners who love an energetic, forward, treble-tilted sound signature
✓Home/desk listeners who don't need isolation or a lightweight on-the-go cable
✓Tinkerers open to swapping pads or modding to fine-tune comfort and bass

Skip it if

Anyone sensitive to bright, fatiguing treble on long listening sessions
Buyers wanting a durable build, since the glued drivers and stiff cable feel fragile and cheap

What Audio-Technica ATH-M50x owners say

“I can absolutely recommend these, even today.”
— @jonas4288 on YouTube

“Just got these in too, love the detachable cable.”
— @TLD on YouTube

“the M50x isn't even good for monitoring”
— @DJScopeSOFM on YouTube

What Grado SR80x owners say

“SR80x (120€ new) was my first audiophile headphone over two years ago. They were so good that within a week I returned them to upgrade to SR225x”
— Hunter-97-G on Reddit

“Grado SR80s were my first decent pair of headphones too, and I still love them - still have them and listen to them something like 15 years later.”
— srmd22 on Reddit

“Using chinese components. And a lot of glue... You'd think with all that American Engineering, we could not use Glue, and instead use... maybe screws?”
— KaosC57 on Reddit

Audio-Technica ATH-M50x vs Grado SR80x: frequently asked questions

Is the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x or the Grado SR80x better?

Real owners rate these about evenly: 55% of 663 Audio-Technica ATH-M50x owners recommend it, vs 60% of 55 for the Grado SR80x.

Who should get the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x?

Owners point the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x at producers and DJs wanting durable closed-back monitors, and budget buyers wanting a build that lasts many years.

Who should get the Grado SR80x?

Owners point the Grado SR80x at first-time audiophiles wanting an affordable, exciting-sounding upgrade from stock earbuds, and listeners who love an energetic, forward, treble-tilted sound signature.

What do owners complain about?

The most-cited downside of the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x is bloated bass that muddies the mids. For the Grado SR80x, it's glued-together build (drivers, gimbals, rodblocks, headband) that owners view as flimsy, breaks over time, and often requires DIY hot-glue or aftermarket-part repairs.