Audio Technica ATH-M50 Review!

Let me just start off by saying these headphones are amazing for the price, I was pretty shocked at how great everything sounded for such an affordable pair of cans.

• ~100$
• Closed-Back Dynamic Design
• 45mm Neodymium Driver
• 15 - 28,000 Hz Frequency Response
• 11' Cable w/ Gold-Plated  3.5mm Jack
• Comes With Carrying Pouch and Screw on 1/4" jack

Comfort 

The headphones themselves are quite comfortable, and light on the head. Some might find the pressure to they exert to be slightly annoying, but that was not the case for me. The earpads are soft, and easily conform to the contours of my head.
 

What deserves comment though is the size of the earcups themselves – they are quite small in my opinion. Now, I have small ears so for me the m50 are a perfect circumaural fit. But I can easily imagine the m50 being supra-aural for larger eared individuals.

More In-Depth Sound Analysis  

Bass is clear, with good extension, and respectable low end impact. It stays where it’s supposed to, and there is no mid-bass bloat that intrudes into the midrange.  The m50s do have a slight warmth to the sound, but it isn’t anything intrusive or ungainly.

The midrange itself stays in line with the bass. It is neither forward nor recessed. The lack of added warmth leaves it a little dry, but in a good way, unless warmth is what you’re looking for.

Treble is a little recessed relative to the bass and mids. This does not mean that the m50 lack treble extension, not at all. The treble extends as high as I am able to hear. It is just that the treble is slightly less prominent than the mids and bass.

The m50s have pretty good noise isolation, though I wouldn't recommend listening to music at increased volumes in a quiet public setting. 

A Personal Note

I typically listen to music at low volumes, and prefer a V shaped sound. When using the m50 I kept wishing for a little more sub-bass impact, and more treble energy/sparkle. Though I freely admit that the m50 are very proficient technically, especially at their current price point, I could not help but find the m50 to sound borderline boring for my tastes.

Summary 

The Audio Technica m50 represent a great value for those looking for a well isolating closed headphone. They are built about as well as anything out there at the $100 benchmark, and should be comfortable for most people. Technically the m50 is very proficient, and offers a fairly balanced and non-fatiguing sound. But people who are after a little more excitement may find the m50 a little boring.