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Head to head · for music listening
Sennheiser HD 650 vs Audio-Technica ATH-M50x
More people recommend the Sennheiser HD 650 overall (152 vs 99). None of the 20 comments that name both says outright which one to buy, so read the loves and complaints and decide by taste.
- Comments naming both
- 20
- Say they own both
- 1
- Choose the HD 650
- 0
- Choose the ATH-M50x
- 0
Preference evidence:Limited0 explicit choices among 20 comments naming both.What the levels mean
Counted across 15 review videos, harvested Sep 2026. A comment counts as a choice only when it says so in plain words (prefer X over Y, upgraded from Y to X); questions never count. Quotes are whole sentences of 12 words or fewer, linked to where they were said. How we count.
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical price | $345 | $159cheaper |
| Overall rank | #1higher | #5 |
| People who recommend it | 152more | 99 |
| Say they own it | 213more | 172 |
| Mentions | 1,403more | 927 |
| Type | open-back wired | closed-back wired |
| Known for | VocalsJazzRelaxed | Closed-backPortableBass |
| Best for | The one headphone almost everyone in the hobby has owned; recommended as the safe buy for long, relaxed music sessions. | Recommended as a tough, portable closed headphone for people who want bass and will use it on the move. |
| Buy | Amazon · $345 | Amazon · $159 |
#1 overall
Sennheiser HD 650 (also sold as Drop HD 6XX)
4 of the 20 comments naming both come from people who say they own this one.
What owners love
- The single most-recommended headphone across every forum read: warm, smooth and easy to listen to for hours
- Scales with better amps; several owners run it on expensive tube amps and say it keeps up
- Female vocals and mids that owners describe as amazing
- The Drop HD 6XX version sold for $199-220 for years, which made it the default first audiophile headphone
The complaints
- Needs an amp; from a phone it sounds flat
- No real sub-bass
- Clamp is tight on big heads
- Some find the slight bass tilt less balanced than the HD 600; soundstage is small
In their words
“Been using HD6XX for years and I love them for gaming”
A commenter under What GAMING Headphones AUDIOPHILES Use: 2024 Update! (BadSeed Tech) · Jun 2024
“I have both 600 and 6xx and i love them both”
A commenter under The NEW HD600!! (Joshua Valour) · Feb 2020
“I have the HD-6XX and love them”
A commenter under Why You SHOULDN'T Buy HD 600... & What To Get Instead (The Headphone Show) · Sep 2025
#5 overall
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x
2 of the 20 comments naming both come from people who say they own this one.
What owners love
- Very durable; several owners report five-plus years of daily use
- Punchy bass and clarity; good for casual listening as well as recording
- Folds, detachable cable, easy to drive from a phone
The complaints
- Narrow, cramped soundstage compared with open-backs
- Some find it bass-heavy or overpriced for what it is
- Ear pads and the small hinge tab wear out and need replacing
In their words
“I got the M50x’s and love the sound, but they’re uncomfortable af”
A commenter under Audio-Technica ATH-M50x vs Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro | Why I Decided To Switch... (Audio University) · Dec 2021
“I've been using the M50x for awhile, and I really love them”
A commenter under Best Headphones for Music Production, Mixing, Tracking (Sanjay C) · Oct 2023
“I use the ATH-M50x headphones and simply LOVE them”
A commenter under Audio-Technica ATH-M50x vs Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro | Why I Decided To Switch... (Audio University) · Dec 2021
Questions people ask about this pair
Every answer is built from the counts on this page, not from our own listening.
- Is the Sennheiser HD 650 better than the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x?
- None of the 20 comments naming both says outright which one to buy. Overall, 152 people recommend the Sennheiser HD 650 and 99 the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. Read what owners love and complain about below and decide by taste.
- Which is cheaper, the Sennheiser HD 650 or the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x?
- The Audio-Technica ATH-M50x is cheaper: $159 against $345 when we last checked. Prices move, so the buy buttons show the live price.
- Which do more people recommend, the Sennheiser HD 650 or the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x?
- The Sennheiser HD 650: 152 people recommend it against 99. On the site-wide leaderboard the Sennheiser HD 650 is #1 and the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x is #5.
- Do people own both the Sennheiser HD 650 and the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x?
- Yes. 1 of the 20 comments that name both come from people who say they own both pairs. 4 say they own the Sennheiser HD 650 and 2 the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x.
- What do owners complain about on the Sennheiser HD 650 and the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x?
- The most repeated complaint about the Sennheiser HD 650: needs an amp; from a phone it sounds flat. About the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x: narrow, cramped soundstage compared with open-backs. The full lists are on each side below.