Best Headphones
Audio-Technica ATH-M40x

#9 overall · closed-back wired

Audio-Technica ATH-M40x

The cheapest closed-back that owners keep recommending for a first proper pair.

Closed-backBudgetFlatUnder $200
People who recommend it
74
Say they own it
92
Mentions
646
Posts read
1,506
Check price on Amazon · $109Buy direct from the maker
Own these? Vote

Typical price, checked Sep 2026. Audio-Technica US store price $109.00 (read 2026-09-26)

What owners love

  • Flatter and less bassy than the M50x; several owners prefer it for the price
  • Detachable cable, folds, easy to drive from anything
  • A common first serious headphone that people keep for years

The complaints

  • Stock pads crack and crumble; most owners swap them for velour or sheepskin
  • Older units cracked at the hinge (Audio-Technica redesigned it)
  • Can sound a little sharp and boring for music; better with pad swaps

Where owners disagree: M40x vs M50x is a permanent argument; the M40x camp says flatter and cheaper, the M50x camp says more fun.

The 12 sources

Owner = the person says they use it. Recommendation = passed on without saying so. Dates are when the thread or video was posted.

Owners name it for

Compared with

The headphones people weigh against this one most often, counted from comments that name both.

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