ATH-M50x

It was a blessing in disguise!! The moment I realised my lost my BOSE OE2 i came to know how much i miss them. Then i started browsing for my next set. Googled "best budget headphone" under 15k and this headphone was always on top of any site even competing well against mommentums and MDR1A which is 5-7 k above its price. After alot of headbanging on headphonics headphonia headfi and headphonezone for 6-8 continous( now u can imagine the desperation) i was sure this may be the headphone that may fulfill my need even if cannot i might return and get 2nd best mommentum in my list. So i gave it a shot trusting the reviews and pocket so ordered ATHM50X black and it arrived in no time. Box contents does exceeds expectation 3 different detachable cables much bigger headphones than picture which feels bit heavy in hand, but i realized lil downside initially when i felt the quality and look of headphones. Felt lil less of its price. Wore them and i found it looks bulky but the clamping force and design makes it easy cushions are hefty and comfortable for good 3-4 hrs. Though It will make its presence known for sometimes untill 1 week or so untill u start gelling with the music it produces. Now the sound. My google search says it all it is the best sounding headphone at this price. I have owned them since 1 year and i use them for music games or pluged into the tv via 3m cable for football matches to get the best experience. i am not an audiophile kind of guy so dont expect frequency response kind of thing coming. But i love listening music gotta good ears and passion for it. Source i use fiio x3 + E12, ipod touch 4g for running and note 4 wolfson chip dac which was my main source before fiio stack. Files mainly mp3 above 256k and flacs. Genre of music classics, bollywood 90s, indie pop, jazz, trance, house edm,soft rock, and eminem collection of rap songs. I dont like bass, if it has to be it should be tight infact verytight. I like to listen clear and spatial music. ATHM50X tends to come out as lil bass heavy for me. Though its not boomy nor loose also its not that "very tight" i remember it sounded amazing right out of the box. And i knew that moment my risk paid off well. Genre after genre it never disappointed me untill 3 hrs when It started feeling lil heavy though i got used to it in a week or soo. For sound its a flat sounding headphones thats what u must have read it most of reviews but for me they are inclined lil towards lows. Mids are accurate and attacking. Which can be tiring for long listening 3-4 hours. Intruments placement and sound stage is impeccable for this price range. Highs and treble are perfect even comparing much expensive models in the market. No hissing or creeking highs being heared even at high volume. Listening to low volume is a unique character found in very few out there vocals flow easliy and intruments play nicely at the background. They are low on impedance it can be powered by ipods mobiles etc however it is a lil disadvantage for some as it picks noise from music files. If the music files are high quality then this wouldn't be much of a problem. Comfort factor is little downside but that doesn't make me cut any star of its rating just because of the sound at this price range. I found my Bose oe2 2 weeks after the purchase but i never touched them eversince. Its a headphone for casual/ serious listners or even many audiophiles prefer them over much overpriced once. One of my best music listening headphones in my list.

The box that it comes in is large, and there is no other way to put it. There is a large picture of the headphones on the front with the model number. On the back it has the highlights and features. Once we crack the seal and pull off the Audio-Technica labeled cardboard box we have the headphones.Under the headphones we have the cables. Just something to note: each cable is made specifically to work with Audio-Technicas, so just a standard aux cable will not work with these headphones. Inside we have the following: Protective carrying pouch 6.3 mm (1/4') screw-on adapter 3 meter straight cable w/ 1/8' termination 1.2 meter straight cable w/1/8' termination 3 meter coiled cable with 1/8' termination Design The M50's are around-the-ear, closed back, folding, isolation headphones. It comes with the option of a 2 straight cords or a coiled cord. Within the package you also have a Naugahyde sack to keep it everything together when traveling. The cord is wrapped in thick shielding and is extremely smooth to the touch. The color scheme is extremely attractive, bold, and in your face. For some reason, I feel like these are the Avengers edition of headphones. From the looks of it, Audio Technica got the memo that bold colors are in for headphones. I'm not sure if we'll see a Lime Green version of the headphones, but this color and the black and white ones are tastefully done. Everything in regards to the headphones match. The colors on all of the parts of the headphones all follow the blue and coppe rcolor scheme. Even the marking on the headphone to show where the cord is located has an accent of the copper color to show you where it belongs. The little things like this really shows how well thought out these headphones are. Build Quality Audio-Technica really did not pull any punches with the m50's construction, the headphones are solid and sturdy.. You don't hear any squeaks or otherwise unnecessary sounds when opening and closing the headphones. You get a consistent experience each time you pull them out. Collapsing and expanding the headphones are done in one smooth motion. Other headphones of this style sometimes has a clunkiness to them. Every design element was well thought out and in place, it's impressive to see, but even better to feel. The cups on the ear are plush, buttery soft leather, that gently rests around your ears. The band on top has a cushion that may mess up your hair, but keeps the listening experience enjoyable. the earpieces both flip over 180º so you can hear out of one ear independently and, each yoke also pivots 90º so each earpiece can be folded to lie flat in a bag. These are monitor headphones, which are designed to be worn for long use. Since the headphones do not clasp your ear, but rather sit around the ear, these headphones are delightful to wear. I wouldn't say they feel weightless, but they are light enough at 10 oz where weight is not an issue. They seal your ear form most of the outside noise, and also does a great job at remaining comfortable after hours of use. The padding on the ears are large, and I've noticed sometimes air would get trapped between my ear and the pads. This is nothing that a minor adjustment can't fix. These also could get a bit hot when walking around. There is a bit of ventilation that helps with this, but overall these are designed for a sedative listening experience. Regardless of the two minor cons that I mentioned, these are a great feeling and well constructed headphones. Performance The M50's are monitor headphones, which gives the best representation of true sound possible. They will provide you with accurate tones and vocals. Sometimes this is referred to as transparent sound, but flat is technically the correct term for this sound. During these tests I was using these headphones plugged directly a computer without any additional amps, and I listened to a mix of FLAC and also MP3's. The M50's peaks in its response at about 9,000 Hz, which sound great for many kinds of music, when it comes to classical music is where you really hear the highs come into play. When the strings kick it up a notch and then you can appreciate the sound that these headphones can produce. Listening to a vocalist like Jennifer Hudson who can belt out the high tones is a way to demonstrate the great sound of these headphones. Some headphones would create a sharp sound at higher levels, but the M50's create a smooth tone that is easy on the ears no matter the level. The treble at higher levels finds a way to sneak out of your headphones and allows others within a few feet to hear what you are listening to. This is something that should be mentioned so you are mindful when listening in close quarters. The soundstage is lacking on these headphones.There is some separation between instruments, but nothing to be truly excited about. The bass response is always a subjective topic. The bass peaks at 33 Hz, and it goes down to 10 hz which is inaudible to the human ear. There are times that I feel the bass is a bit loose. Compared to headphones that are known for their bass, it just does not have a tight kick. Not saying the experience is bad, by any means, Just you do not have that tight bass feeling. Listening to music that has quick and precise bass thumps is where they can come into play. Listening to One Republic's Counting Stars is a great example, this song has quick bass hits during the chorus. . The bass does hit the lows better than most headphones within this price range.. On Mobb Deep's shook ones PTII ' the deep bass comes in within a few measures is a great example. The bass rumbles, and you can truly feel the sound. It's not overpowering nor jarring. Just enough to really feel it, and that brings attention to the great sound. Some may argue that the lows sounds loose, but I would suggest that its not extremely tight, not necessarily loose on the low end. Conclusion I can honestly see why these headphones are rated so highly. The style, comfort, and overall great sound is what makes these headphones a great buy. During my time with these headphones, I actually purchased some for myself. I had let several people wear the headphones, and I never heard one negative thing in regards to the comfort or the sound. Price considering, these are the king of over the ear headphones. There is nothing within this price range at sub $200 that even comes close.

6 Year Update: Wow! time really flies. I've used Yamaha HS5, Sennheiser HD598 SE, Sony WH-1000XM3, and a few others over the years, but I always come back to these if I need to hear detail in certain tracks. These are no longer my most used pair anymore, partly because I got spoiled by the comfort of Sennheiser HD598 and the Sennheiser veil got to me. I now crave a lot of mid-range in my headphones! These headphones now sound quite sibilant and piercing but this is something that I get used to in a few hours when I switch back to ATH M50x from Sennheiser HD 598 SE. Some observations from long usage: 1. Headband is completely ruined. I've had to cover it with a woolen cover to prevent it flaking all over my head. 2. Earpads were changed twice in the last 6 years. So, each pair lasted 2 years. I tried HM5 earpads but they changed the sound signature and I immediately switched back to stock earpads. Ordered 2 pairs of replacement earpads from official Audio Technica Distributor in India many years ago and have been using them for quite a while. 3. Comfort is something that is sorely lacking in these pair. You might get used to it, but you're always aware they're on the head. -------------------------------------------- 4 Year Update: Can't believe it's been 4 years. These are still going strong. They are on my mixing desk along with my Yamaha HS5s. For the perfect mixing, these are the headphones. A track mixed with these will never be too sibilant or bass-heavy. It's just right. I hope it works for another 10 years. -------------------------------------------- 2 Year Update: Still using these. There's absolutely no cosmetic damage or degradation. I'd to change the earpads as the old ones wore off. The earpads are Rs. 999 and they are totally worth the replacement. You get the feel of new headphones as soon as you replace them. The old ones got torn off and degraded completely. The sound is still the same there's no change. However, they get very warm in summer, and wearing them beyond 4 hours is very difficult due to pressure behind the earlobe as I wear spectacles. Still recommended to people who want Closed-back headphones and want to experience audiophile sound. I'd recently got Sennheiser HD 598 SE (which were on sale for 7.5k!) and compared to HD 598 these headphones still have better clarity in high end (treble) and much more punch in the low end (Bass is quite controlled and powerful, you'll feel the bass on your earlobes!). Compared to HD598 these are not as flat. What these headphones do lack is mid frequencies clarity. HD598 are very good at that. Overall, these headphones might take some getting used to (because of extreme clarity and high-frequency punch, they might be fatiguing to some people). -------------------------------------------- 1 Year Update: Still using the product and it has been a wonderful experience. Earpads have become a little sweaty but they can be replaced. Sound quality still the same. Headband clamping force is neutral now. There is absolutely no discomfort. -------------------------------------------- Original Review from 2015: So far I've used this product for 1 month and this is my review of the ATH-M50x headphones I'd been using Phillips SHP2000 headphones before these and these are my first high-end headphones. I'd already heard the sound of Sennheiser HD518s before (Those are open-back and leak sound and there is no noise isolation). 1. Comfort: Compared to Phillips SHP2000, the comfort levels are not so great, but sound sealing is excellent. You might pinch your earlobe after extended use as the driver unit is not deep enough for me. (Phillips driver unit was very deep and airy. Also, due to pleather earpads, your ears will get sweaty after an hour of use. The headband is soft and very comfortable. The clamping force would be high initially, but as you keep using, it will reduce a bit and you'll get used to it. During my 1 month of use, the clamping force reduced a bit and now they are more comfortable. Update after 5 months of use: After initial breaking into these headphones they get satisfactorily comfortable. In warm environments, you can wear these for 3 hours at a time continuously. And in cold conditions probably an entire day (8 to 12 hours), albeit giving a few gaps during long listening sessions. 2. Build Quality: The wires are as thick as ropes and they'll not wear out anytime soon. The hinges and joints where headphones swivel are also very strongly built. Some kind of a very hard plastic material. Update after 5 months: I wear these daily for at least 2 hours or more. They still look like I've unboxed them 2 hours ago. Wires look like they'll last for a lifetime. Earpads show no wear and tear. 3. Sound: Coming from Phillips SHP2000, I was not very impressed with the sound. But then, I was listening to 128kbps mp3s. I then started scouring the internet for flacs and wav files and started replacing my existing music collection with high bitrate files and only then I was able to distinguish how good these headphones are. You will hear every recording artifact and noise made in the studio. You will hear the guitar strings being plucked!! As for the bass, these are just right. Most people have a wrong idea of how the bass should sound like. Usually, the bass is produced by bass guitars that have low-frequency strings amplified by an amplifier. When these strings are plucked, these low frequencies sound as bass to our ears. Now, these headphones have such control over bass that, you can identify strings being plucked even on bass guitar!! Once plucked, the vibrating is what bass should sound like. And that's exactly what these headphones do. Compared to my old SHP2000s, they had accentuated bass and they started sounding boomy and inaccurate. I used to laud Phillips headphones for sound accuracy (for the money SHP2000s are a total steal) but after listening to these headphones, my perception of accurate sound has changed. Sound Stage is not as open as Phillips SHP2000 but for a closed-back headphone, it's decent. You will not be awed by it. The frequency response is very well controlled. Before these headphones, I'd never paid any attention to the higher frequency sounds such as cymbals or anklets. But now they are quite apparent, along with the vocals and the lower frequencies such as bass and drums. There is a perfect distinction between each instrument. However, you may not be able to distinguish all these in the first few listening sessions. You need to actively keep listening to a certain instrument and find out if they are present. It takes practice!! (Critical Listening) Stereo Imaging is very very precise. An instrument meant for the left channel will make its presence felt to your ear lobes!. That's how accurate the stereo effect is (this sentence may not make sense unless you experience it). Update after 5 months: The sound remains the same. Accurate, detailed, and enjoyable. Loudness: I intend to use these headphones for audio monitoring from microphones. For now, my use case is listening to music from my PC or my smartphone. A nexus 5 can very much drive these headphones. At half the volume on any smartphone, the volume is perfect (unless you're going deaf or you are in a noisy environment). You will not require any external Amp. I myself have Fiio E6 which seems like a waste of money now as these are perfectly driven by any source you have (Note: My friends say I have a very high sensitivity to volume and they constantly keep asking me for the amplifier with these headphones. Either they're deaf or my ears are sensitive, I'm not certain. But please keep this in mind before buying an amplifier with these headphones). 5. Noise Isolation: About 50 to 70 % of outside noise will be reduced if you wear these headphones. However, they are not suitable for use on the road or travel because there's just noise isolation and not noise-cancellation. Overall, these headphones have changed my perception of what accurate sound should sound like! I don't think I will ever be able to go back to any other headphones. (Unless I upgrade to Grados or Beyerdynamics---but then it's a point past diminishing returns). I would recommend these headphones for those who take their sound seriously. For those who wouldn't want to change their headphones every year or 2. And for those who nit-pick in sound quality and have extreme attention to detail(obsessive) and cannot compromise on anything less than perfect.

Honestly curiosity got the better of me with this one. The MOST talked about headphones on the Internet whether you love em or hate em. So I had to get one. And I love the customisation options including skins and wraps for A-T headphones. Takes me back to my college days that were a long long time ago. If you like bright sound with strong punchy bass and are looking to upgrade to good quality headphones this is the one to get. TBH these are not as flat as claimed to be but have a distinct V shaped FR curve. There's nothing much I can add to what has not been already said here and elsewhere on the 'net. But if you are looking at a great full size headphone upgrade from a crappy set of in-ears included with your mobile phones this is the one to get. Best of all it comes with 3 different cables for you kind of use. I find the 3 meter coiled cable best for me. Sound - 4 stars, bright, revealing punchy and at ear piercing. Coming from the world of Sennheisers audiophile grade headphones I felt someone was poking a needle in my ear drum. I winced and gave them time to run in and open up which they did. These are studio monitors after all. They sound good with rock, pop and EDM. Not so much with Jazz and instrumental/classical. Not a set of cans I will use for day long listening because they cause ear fatigue. Sound stage is limited. But to be fair these cans aren't meant for home use although that is precisely what most owners use them for. Construction - 4.5 stars. Plastic with a steel headband. They look hardy and should last a long time even if given a few knocks. Well constructed like other M series pro monitors. Comfort - 2 stars, I have medium-large ears and they squeeze into ear pads but only just. The ear lobes are pinched and cause pain. Replacing the ear pads with after market pads affects the sound in varying degrees. So tread carefully here. I bought Brainwavz memory foam pads just in case. All in all a good start and introduction to the world of A-T pro monitor headphones. And now this has a place in my collection.But I can at best give them 4 stars overall and I am being generous here. There are better choices in the world of A-T headphones. If you can pony up about 50% more, look at the M50xBT for a similar sound signature with smoother sound, better comfort and the convenience of wireless operation. Or best of all, get the M40x for more at a marginally lower price, comparatively balanced sound but with a compromise on comfort. One word of caution - A-T's customer support is non existent in India. I emailed them via their site enquiring about ear pads and have not received a response. Not an encouraging sign IMO.

I have Bose QC15, Bose QC17, Philips SHS8100/98 & had Sennheiser HD449 including others and now this new black diamond! Since opening the box, I am listening to my music (burning?) and love every bit of it right away... Solid build, top quality materials and packaging and most important a shocking price than usual! Thank the vendor and Amazon for making it happen! Sound quality is impeccable & clear in re production with excellent sound resolution throughout the spectrum & true stereo sound stage. About balance, yes, you can hear every note from frequency spectrum (excellent sound resolution) and don't compromise in balance when volume or bass is bumped up. Bass is clean, non interfering and punchy in the background. Treble is not metallic/tinny (shrill) but silky smooth, pleasing to ears. As the impedance rating is low at 38 ohms due to the manufacturer's proprietary technology (other expensive hi-fi, monitor headphones impedance range between 50 to 200 ohms necessitating external headphone amplifiers apart from the playback source), do not need a headphone amplifier but do need a good hi def music player hardware on mobile coupled with a high performance decoder and equaliser software app like Neutron, Poweramp or Winamp. The playback coupled with FiiO E06 is decent too but not recommended if you want to hear pure sound as closer to the original source recording. External analogue->analogue sound signal amplification stage introduces sound quality deterioration even if at minuscule levels; no matter how good the amplifier is. Fitting over the head is tighter than expected (though comfortable) so as the foam pads block to and fro sound leakage. Noise isolation is much better than expected...may be 40-50% in comparison with Active noise cancellation from Bose QC15. Only inconvenience is the long jutting proprietary connector pin of the cord tucked into socket in backward direction under the left driver. This cord, kind of bends and rubs against the left shoulder during head movement making it a bit of annoyance. Bottom line:- Buy it as an investment if you love unadulterated music and wont regret your decision. Update: Try to amp bass between cut off between 55hz to 66hz with slope Q of about 4.5 to 4.8= Bass is transcendental!!

Edit : Updating the rating from 4 to 5 stars, after 10 months of usage. As the title says, I totally fell in love with it. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ This review is for those, who are confused regarding the hype of M50X. I personally did not like the sound signature earlier. But after a lot of tweaking with equalizer and with enabling spatial sound (Dolby Atmos for windows 10), I am slowly falling in love with these headphones. It requires time to get used to the signature of sound if you are hardcore bass lovers. So here is my full review which I would like to break down by points : 1) SOUND Quality: BASS 9/10: Excellent production of bass. After increasing bass levels in Equalizer, it just pumps right amount of bass and is very deep and punchy. MIDS 7 /10: Mids are okay, balanced. Vocals are crisp and bass does not overpower the mids. HIGHS 5 / 10: Awful. It's very bright. I had to lower down some higher frequencies in order to resolve my headache. I come from Sennheiser background where I had PX 80, PX 95, CX 175, HD 202, HD 203 and HD598 SR. I also have Sony MDR 550AP. So comparing to those, sound signature of ATH is different. If you directly plug in these headphones without configuring and tweaking equalizer as per your needs, then you would be disappointed, as I was on the first day of listening to these. I thought, maybe, I should try configuring properly. I googled frequency response and balanced equalizer as per my needs. I have uploaded my EQ settings. So below review is purely depending on my personalized EQ setting. Now, these headphone sound damn amazing, I could not believe the experience after enabling Dolby Atmos for Headphones (Windows 10 feature). It's brilliant. Even it sounds great on Windows Sonic spatial configuration. Just disable 7.1 virtual surround. Uncheck the box in sound setting. Games and movies sounds epic. High quality audio files have new dimension to it now. Especially A.R Rahman songs (Dil se and Jiya Jale recording in Berkeley University). If you love bass, these will definitely sound better than HD598. But if you love immersion and wider soundstage, no one can beat Sennheiser HD598 under 10k budget. However sound quality is very subjective, as many people prefer high bass, many prefer higher clarity. These headphones can be "ADJUSTED" according to your needs. Hence I can say, out of the box its not good, but it definitely has that capability to be the best if you give it proper attention. 2) BUILD QUALITY 10/10 : Simply excellent. It feels premium. Very strong. It looks durable, many people have been using these for years. Although not sure about ear cups, as they wear out in one year or so. 3) COMFORT 9/10 (Edited) : When I posted this review, I found it very difficult to wear these for long hours, but after 10 months of usage, the comfort level is far better now. I have used it for watching back to back movies, playing games for 4-6 hours straight without any issue. Although in warm weather, it may get a bit sticky. No issues in air conditioned room. 4) NOISE CANCELLATION 6/10: Not that good. I can hear ambient noise. It reduces up to 50 percent. Best to listen in quiet environment. 5) SOUND LEAK 10/10: Sound does not leak at all. Person sitting next to you will not be disturbed at all, even on high volume. 6) Accessories 10/10 : Good carrying pouch, 3 wires as per different needs.

Absolute powerhouse. I’ve been waiting for a reason to buy a second pair, but my original set refuses to give up—even after a full decade of daily use. That isn't a typo: 10+ years and they’re still going strong. Other than occasionally replacing the ear pads, they have required zero maintenance. Hands down the best price-to-performance ratio you can find.

This is the standard of headphones. The builf quality is high, the sound is flat, thereby givimg us the faithful representation of the song. No bluetooth fuss means there is no worry of ever charging this, neither any connection issues. The three cables given are more than expected. Didn't had a single problem with it. I expect this thing to easily last for more than a decade. Moreover, earpads for these are wisely available, which again is a plus. I struggle to find any cons of this product. I recommend this wholeheartedly.

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Very good headphones. Clear sound and good bass.

I love these audio technic headsets so good for gaming. I can hear all the directional footsteps great sound quality. I would recommend them to anybody whether you just plug them into your PC or you use it with a amp or DAC

[màj du 05/07/2017] Bon, avant de poursuivre par une longue tirade je commence tout de suite par la conclusion: ce M50X est encore meilleur que son prédécesseur M50. Comme quoi avec un X ça va tout de suite mieux (!) Tranquillement l'air de rien, sans aucune publicité les gens se le procurent et l'adorent. Sans se ruiner. Et malgré moultes gesticulations marketing coûteuses une nouvelle fois la concurrence se prend une baffe! Attention soyons clairs: c'est un modèle de connaisseur, très largement utilisé chez les pros notamment dans les studios d'enregistrement et certaines régies TV. Pour les autres, les amateurs avertis, ses très hauts niveau de technicité et de musicalité sont tout à fait recommandés pour de l'écoute dite "Hi-Res" sur des lecteurs numériques de qualité (DAP audiophiles). Ça passe aussi sur les smartphones mais dans ce cas c'est comme donner de la confiture à un cochon. Mais bon, ça sera toujours mieux dessus que vos intra blanc d'Apple ou votre Beats Pro à 400 EUR dont seulement 13 ont servi à sa fabrication... Avant de poursuivre, bref historique sur les tarifs et modèles: le mythique modèle original ATH-M50 a été produit de 2007 à fin 2014 (dernier prix que j'ai pu voir en fin de série: 109 EUR ici sur Amazon). Il s'en est vendu des palettes entières. En 7 années, plusieurs déclinaisons de ce ATH-M50 sont apparues. Les différences portaient sur deux éléments: la couleur et le type de câble. Ce nouveau modèle ATH-M50X est disponible depuis fin janvier 2014. Lui aussi se décline en versions colorées et cette fois TOUS les câbles sont livrés sur toutes les versions: droit (pour le salon), spiralé (pour le salon/studio) et court (pour le nomadisme). Mon analyse qualitative que je vous rapporte ici, semblable à celles de tant d'autres, est qu'il s'agit de l'un des meilleurs casques d'écoute / monitoring pro qu'il soit possible de trouver sur le marché. Et ça dure comme ça depuis 10 ans. Ce casque est tout particulièrement adapté aux musiques modernes, par essence massivement rythmées par une électronique aux dynamiques compressées. En revanche pour une écoute acoustique, jazz ou classique par exemple, un casque "ouvert" (type ATH-R70X) est à mon sens plus adapté que celui-ci qui est "fermé". Le niveau de cheval dont il est capable est déraisonnablement élevé mais en toute circonstance ce casque offrira à son auditeur une sensation sonore totalement inédite. Bien que nous n'arriverez jamais à le saturer sans perdre 15dB à chaque oreille, quelles que soient les fréquences à reproduire il sera d'une précision chirurgicale dans les transitoires. Sur un casque de même pas 150 euros ça parait suspect et pourtant: l'ampleur et le rendu sonore sont tout à fait sensationnels voire carrément spectaculaires! Son isolation, sans valoir des intra, est au-delà de toute attente et a même été améliorée par rapport au modèle précédent. Son confort est lui aussi plus agréable: cette fois-ci on ne le sent plus. Quant à sa construction, robuste ce casque est à l'épreuve des balles! Attention cependant, mon précédent M50 s'était usé sur le revêtement simili cuir de l'arceau. Soyons donc vigilants à l'avenir sur ce point pour son successeur M50X. Pour résumer: il conviendra tout aussi bien au DJ (niveaux de puissance/sensibilité élevés et faible impédance sans aucune saturation ni distorsion + système de pivot d'écouteurs très utile pour la pratique du DJing), au musicien dans son home-studio, au mélomane dans son salon bien sûr et quoiqu'un peu lourd (et encore ça se défend), au nomade (on en voit de plus en plus dans les transports). Mais quand même: grosse marade que de voir ces rayons "hi-tech" spécialisés toujours aussi saturés de casques scandaleusement onéreux et médiocres face à ce ténor! Il détrône haut la main et sur tous les plans les fameux cabassets au plastique brillant arborant un petit "b" fashion outrageusement tape à l’œil, affichés de partout à plusieurs centaines d'euros, markétés à l’excès par un docteur bien connu puis repris aujourd'hui par une marque tout aussi connue répondant à des critères marketing identiques. Ce docteur qui, au passage, avait lui-même adopté l'ancêtre M50 du temps de son job en studio... Je ne parle pas plus de l'autre américain, vous savez, celui avec un grand "B" suivi de 3 lettres que l'on voit partout dans les transports! Car tout comme petit "b", grand "B" a lui aussi honte de fournir les specs de ses casques tellement ils reproduisent mal la musique. Non mais on rêve, soyons sérieux tout de même! Pour ceux qui se seraient décidés à acheter cette merveille japonaise, sachez qu'un Audio-Technica a besoin de temps pour mûrir. Cela dit j'avoue que ce nouveau modèle M50X est quasi mûr out-of-the-box (belle la box à propos). Je vous conseille cependant de le faire fonctionner quelques heures à un niveau normal/soutenu d'écoute, de manière à façonner définitivement le son de ce nouvel ami (je parle ici du "headphones burn-in", le rodage quoi). Le plus simple est de passer la musique que vous écoutez. Certains conseillent même de jouer des fichiers de bruits "colorés" (blanc, rose ou marron) ou de forme sinusoïdale logarithmique de 5 à 30kHz. Bon OK, je l'ai fait moi-même sur ce M50X. Fichiers facilement trouvables sur le net ou bien à générer soi-même par des softs d'édition audionumérique (audacity est simple et gratuit). Bon OK et ensuite? et *seulement* ensuite? Et bien vous y êtes: sentez, goûtez, écoutez, et redécouvrez la musique. Car au final, c'est bien de musique dont il s'agit! Audio-Technica, premier fabricant de casques au Japon, grand spécialiste du microphone et des cellules pour platines vinyles des premiers "get down" des 70's est surtout très présent sur le marché pro, même s'il se fait désormais connaitre auprès du grand public par une gamme très large d'équipements. Comme ce fut le cas pour son grand-frère, ce M50X se classe lui aussi n°1 sur critères qualitatifs par des milliers d'utilisateurs. Jugez vous-même: sur un "review site" bien connu, dont le nom commence par "test" et fini par "freaks", les utilisateurs du M50X lui attribuent une note moyenne de +4.9/5 pour +2500 votes (M50 en 2014: +9.4/10 pour 775 votes). Aucun autre casque au monde n’obtient de note aussi élevée avec autant de votes; même pas les hauts de gamme de chez Focal, AKG, Shure, Sennheiser ou Beyer Dynamic... Aussi bien à ce prix? Réponse simple: ça n'existe pas. Musicalement

Worth of money and the sound quality is amazing