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Audio-Technica ATH-M50x

#5 overall · closed-back wired · counts updated Oct 2026

Audio-Technica ATH-M50x

Ranked #5 of 31: 99 people recommend it and 172 say they own it. Most repeated praise: Very durable; several owners report five-plus years of daily use. Most repeated complaint: Narrow, cramped soundstage compared with open-backs.

Recommended as a tough, portable closed headphone for people who want bass and will use it on the move.

Closed-backPortableBassUnder $200
People who recommend it
99
Say they own it
172
Mentions
927
Posts read
3,539
Check price on Amazon · $159

Price when checked (Sep 2026): $159.

What owners love

3
  • 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

3
  • 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

Where owners disagree

It was so over-recommended for years that there is now a backlash; owners still like it, purists say spend the money on an open-back.

The 19 sources

Every thread and video these notes come from.

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

Recommended for

Compared with

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

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