Got them for £64 and I must say, I wasn't expecting that much (mainly because I've never actually owned higher quality headphones before) but dear god.. when I first wore them and tried them out, I was amazed at what I heard. Sounds that I could never hear before came to life, sounds that were more faint to me before are now more clear and generally, everything just sounds so natural. No sounds are trying to battle each other, taking priority and trying to overpowered one another. It's just.. balanced as it should be. My previous headphones required me to use EQ a bit to get a better musical experience but with these, I don't need to do that at all. The first time where a flat EQ (default setting) actually sounds better than EQ'd (previous headphones didn't sound right with no EQ). While I can't compare these to any others as I've never heard them for myself. I can say that for the price I paid, they are definitely worth it. My listening experience has been greatly enhanced; I also enjoy music even more than ever before, due to the vast improvement in quality. They don't even look bad either. Not that I care about looks, looks aren't important really when it comes to headphones. You buy a better pair for better sound quality, not to look cool. Otherwise, pointless buying better headphones if you're not in it for sound improvement imo.
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I bought this headphone today and have just broken it in with Sia Cheap Thrills. And my God I was astonished at how good the sound is. For anyone who says it has a lack of bass is b.s. It has bass and the quality of the total sound is perfectly balanced. This set of cans puts the m50x to shame. It has a tight clamping force but I will stretch that over a box over night. Other than that I am extremely pleased with my purchase. I Ike I said before this is the best sounding headphone I have ever used.
Ewizee No way I had the m50x and did not like the spike in bass. For the money m40x is a good bang for your money. You can use what you save in money if you buy the m40x to order the zmf cowhide earpads. With these earpads the sound and comfort goes to a glorious level.
Opie Krumpus i need help please i just bought mine today and they sound tiny is that normal or do they have to burn in to sound like they are supposed to
I got these today from a local dealer, and OH MY GOD. These headphones are crazy good. You can really feel that they are flat in terms of frequency responses. I listened to Mark Kozelek's live album "7 Songs Belfast", everyone should give that a listen with these headphones. The first song is "Michigan" and at 3.59 into the song you can hear a cellphone disturb the audio in the performance. Cheek on the ground. Buy them if you find them :)
***** I am still loving them. I have now had them with me when I have been travelling and realized their build quality is awesome aswell and very durable! Easily worth the cash.
Many people buy these M40x over the M50 and M50x and mod them with better ear pads. Also add the extra foam layer that you can pull out of the original M40X ear pads. You end up with much better sound stage and imaging and you lose the sibilance with the extra foam. I personally like the Brainwaves Sheepskin Ear Pads on the M40x and the extra foam layer. With the mods I can't find anything without going to a planar headphone that is as good as the modded M40X.
Practical Guy hey bro i have a quick question can you please help me? i just got mine today and they sound really tiny is that normal? or do they have to burn in?
Just bought some of these today, first time I ever invested in "quality" headphones. All I gotta say is--damn. The prickliness of guitar strums in some songs were giving me shivers down my back. Never heard highs like that before, yet the bass was punchy or mellow where appropriate and voices were crystal clear. Crazy. Never knew what I was missing.
Subscribed. Yours are the best reviews I've come across. No fangirling, no excitement, and no dull moments either. All this together with perfectly honest assessments. Also, someone reviewing audio equipment should ensure the quality of audio in their presentations, and you have that down to a pat. Thanks!
Just got my pair today. Oh boy, these are simply fantastic! To all those who lack the bass in this pair, well I am a basshead and the amount of bass in them is astonishing!
I think I made my choice..A friend of mine was selling the msr7's in gun metal grey for an excellent price but just wasn't 100% on that color. Also I was turned off by how clamping the msr7's were in reviews. I want to use them for recording and want to be comfortable for long periods of time. I like the flat response of these and they sound more comfortable than the msr7's. One thing I'm not 100% sure on is that locking cable..sometimes when I'm playing my keyboard I will get up and have the ear phones rip out of my ears. I had a cheap pair I was using that had a detachable cord and when it happened it just pulled the cord out and didn't hurt my ears. It was a very short cable so I think the with the longer cable this will not be an issue. Looking forward to getting some new headphones soon. Thanks for the reviews!
Thanks man, your review put the nail to my floating pick for the M40x, after lengthily researching, comparing and navigating amongst too many options and conflicting reviews... I own SkullCandy in-ears which are great and bought $35 JVCs to try the over-ear experience, but the price matches the (acceptable) sound quality and now wish for something better under $100.
This was definitely a huge upgrade from my Coloud earbuds! The bass may not be what I've been used to, but the clarity is just superb. Managed to get a pair for $80 when I was in Japan. Not the most portable, but definitely an awesome pair!
***** It's a little odd to have a tech review site like his with polished graphics and good video quality skimp on audio. He needs a large diaphragm condenser mic or at the very least he needs to learn how to use EQ for his current audio source to put some bass frequencies in the mix. I guess you are right that the reviewer needs to be made aware of the problem.
Lance, very nice review. Based on your review and others I decided to give them a try. I am huge into home theater and audio. I have custom in-ear monitors from Westone (dual armature), and I really like flat frequency responses. The ATH-M40x are very comfortable, and sound quite well. My only concern is they seem to have more of a diagonal line from right to left on frequency response. So if you were looking at a frequency/DB chart with 0 DB centered, the treble/high frequency on the right the highs are about 5 db hot then taper to 0 db on mids then the frequency line starts to drop below 0 db through the lower frequencies. I hope that makes sense. They are very nice headphones but I'm going to connect them to my Asus Xonar ST sound card to see if the added headphone power flattens the frequency response at the mid point a little more versus allowing the db on the lower registry to continue to fall off rapidly. Example: When listening to say Blink 182's "Dogs's Eating Dog's album" the snare cymbals and snare are upfront; however, the toms and bass drum are pushed way back. Tom 1 is more present due to it's higher frequency, but the rest are really soft. I found myself guessing on the foot work on the bass drum and couldn't really hear much detail of the larger toms. Thanks again for your review and recommendation. Edit 7:04PM AZT: After further review I've determined that my initial review of the headphones from my bedside computer did these headphones a disservice. I took the headphones to work and plugged them into my Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and they came alive! The mid bass and bass was there, all of a sudden I realized that my built in sound card was terrible! I listened to them for 8 hours and was amazed how well they reproduced the sound. I immediately went on amazon and purchased an internal sound card Xonar series and can't wait for it's arrival. Currently I'm sitting in the theater with them connected to my HTPC which has the Xonar ST and I'm floored! I accept foot in mouth. One thing people and myself included have to be mindful of are initial reviews without follow-up. Check difference source material and different devices. That will give you a better overview and will help guide your decision. Lance my apologies and I'm sold! I have even talked others into these headphones. Thank you for this gem of a recommendation.
I just tried these headphones this week, and I was completely blown away. I could not stop smiling and laughing at how ridiculously high definition the sound is. The clarity seems more clear than reality. I have used Bose earbuds for several months now, but this is in another league. But ***** I need a little help... The M50x is just out of my budget, but I really do like bass. However, I technically could use EQ to give the M40x some extra bass. So I'm wondering, how much more bass does the M50x have? And also, for either the M40x or M50x, should I use an amp, and how much of a difference would an amp make? Thank you!!
no i loved the video content was great, waht im trying to do was give some critic. If he reviews decently high end products he should have decent audio. You apparently do not have the brain capacity. He gave great info that was just my input
and they are audio products so it would make sense to have good audio, if you had a brain you would understand. If MKBHD had this i bet he would not have about 3mil subs.
If have seen other headphone reviewers and its fair to say your reviews are my favourites: step in the foot of the consumer, give comparison to other well known models, and give reasonable critics, stay that way, probably try to improve a little more in graphics/sound/video editing and you are topnoch. Congratulations.
Got myself a pair of these for Christmas after I broke my M30x's a couple of months ago (my fault not the headphones) and they are as fantastic as I expected. It was a big gap between breaking the M30X and getting the M40x but I would say they're comparable audio quality, i.e they both sound amazing, but the coiled cable is worth the extra money for me personally. Good price, great quality sound and super comfy, would recommend these to anyone.
I've been going back and forth on which pair to go for. I love the price of the M40x but I hear so much praise for the M50x, do you think the M50x is worth the extra $70 over the M40x?
In my opinion, the m40x is a FAR better deal. Near exact sound quality (as he said, the m50x has more bass) and for the price I really can't see why anyone would go for the m50x over the m40x. Of course it's just opinion.
Hello there! I left a short comment on one of your other reviews about the audio technica m-series, but I want to say thanks again. I'm using the m40x for music listening, music production and some gaming as well and I love them! :) I love that wonderful clear and ballanced sound across the extended frequency range. Everything sounds so wonderful and accurate with these! No more pseudoreverbs, just pure sound. :) In the past I used headphones from Kenwood, Koss, AKG etc., but the Audio Technica M40x are simply the best so far. Thank you for your reviews, it helped me a lot to make the right decision. I wish you make more of yours really usefull rewievs in 2015 and happy New Year! :) Happy m40x owner. :)
I use a M40X and they are amazing, I pair them with a ASUS Sound card and they sound fantastic. I use them to play CSGO and other games as well as listen to 192kHz/24 bit flac music or just ordinary music on youtube or soundcloud. I'd certainly recommend them
your review led me to buy this great headphone..thanks bro. Just sharing my experience, i think the bass in the m40x is still pretty strong ( can't imagine how M50x feels like ) . Need to eq the mid high a little ( 2 - 4 db only ) just to make it a bit more balance...haven't got a chance to try it with my guitar amp though...
Ordered these for Bass Guitar practice. The Flat tuning appealed to me as other cheap non studio headphones I've used have either sounded too boomy or muddy when I play.
Great reviews! I also choose to buy the M40x after a short A/B comparison to M50x, they do have better base but not 70$ more... so i go for the M40x. my companion on long trip and used in public spaces with lots of environment noises.. the 3m cables is very useful to be used to watch movie through a TV too :)
So since it's been 7 or months now, I have to say, I enjoy this so damn much !Use them at home, but I can hear so much different things now than the typical 10-20 headphones/buds. But how many others out there are having any problems with them? When reading up on some reviews when I was looking at this, some say the hinges around the earcups broke off at around the 7 or more month mark. But if you're noob/novice and looking for something great for the home use, get these, don't get beats, you'll be spending so much more for something you can spend under 100 (Or maybe a bit more) for a great quality product.
***** Yes but after about 2 months of use they became very annoying on the top of my head so ive changed to the Sennheiser g4me zero headset much better for gaming :)
Thvec thats out of my price range. I was considering this since it's just $99 then I'd add a modmic but I've heard the soundstage is really narrow and for CS:GO I rely heavily on sounds and hearing footsteps so that'd be a problem.
***** Well you cant go wrong with these the sound is incredible BF4 CS:GO Arma 3 DayZ all sounded amazing i had mine hooked up to a Creative Sound Blaster Z 5.1 souncard mine just annoyed the top of my head but give them a try and see how you like them. :)
Are they good for using "on-the-go"? My old headphones (bose) are broken and I'm looking for something I can use at home as well as when commuting etc. I was thinking something like Beyerdynamics 501 would be more portable, but I don't know how big is the difference in sound quality going to be....
Nice review! The consensus with the 40x's is that 1) They are a bit uncomfortable over a long listening session 2) The build quality around the swivel piece/ear-cup is suspect. Other than that the sound is pretty crisp and neutral. They have less bass than the 50x, but a lot of people liked the fact that it's more controlled this time around.
EXCELLENT REVIEW man,just subscribed and liked......a question FOR YOU.......are these the best overall headphones among all the headphones in this price point?also is it possible to change the bass or the treble etc by using a computer software or realtek audio manager?I LOVE TO LISTEN MUSIC ON PORTABLE DEVICES AND ON MY COMPUTER ALONG WITH watching you tube videos(LIKE YOURS} will the m40x be a good(great) choice for a person like me?
These headphones are the best budget for home studio I've tried so far, best realistic sound. For listening to music in general, not for studio proposes, probably I would have chosen the M50X that gives more bass punch and smoother highs. Other headphones I had: Sony MDR-7509 and they were ok, a little mushy, they had more emphasis on the bass freq. too; AKG K-240 no bass response bad mids; Beyerdinamic DT-770- Pro 250 ohm too much bass, harsh highs and more expensive. Hope it helps.
Thanks for the great review. There are a lot of shills on youtube when it comes to audio who will just wildly praise any product they're handed. You, along with LinusTechTips, seem trustable. I don't get why you don't have more subs.
Hey man, great review and thanks for being so thorough. I did want to just ask you your opinion on using these with mobile devices. Primarily i'd be using it with my Galaxy s4 for music and media when im traveling or when i plug them into my PC for recreation. Again media, games and movies. Do you recon these will be suitable for use with use for that or do you recommend something else? I previously had a pair of Sennheiser PX360 that recently died which gutted me.
After your review i bought it. I really love the sound. Just one negative point, The padding, top and the earcups. After 1h it tends to be noticed on ear compression. Really happy with the purshase.
I ordered these 2 days ago after seeing yours and many others saying how great they are, however I have had a massive issue with mine. They press down on my head especially on my jaw that they are so uncomfortable. Why is everybody saying it's very comfortable?
+NortexG - Art They are comfortable for most people. Headphones will be uncomfortable for some people based on what their head size or face structure is. Earbuds would probably be a better fit for you.
+NortexG - Art sigh* that's a good thing to know....because I just bought this headphone 2 days ago...and this headphone is a bit thight and it kinda hurts my ear because I'm wearing glasses
Hi!!..Very nice video!..Great review!..I have one question..Whats the difference with the m30x..Cause m30x sound with no soundstage..You cannot mix with these headphones..How is in the m40x?..How is their soundstage?..Would you compare them with akg k-171 mk2?..Thanks!
Hello there. i wanted to buy the m50x because of the good revieww iv heard about it. when i ordered the the item, i ddnt notice that it was the m40x. then when i got the item, i was a bit disappointed. but fortunately, saw this video and gave me a heads up. so thank you! nice job for the review.
Hi Mr. Lance. Thanks for the great review. I just recently got this AT m40x. Can you recommend a music player that will be nice to pair with these headphones. Thanks.
The M40x aren't really designed for DJ use. You need headphones with a good amount of slam in the lower frequencies for that kind of environment. These headphones are more for mixing, mastering and production in the studio
Will you recommend it for drummers? I wonder of the noise isolation in the ath-m40x is enough to play drums and have a great listening of a music playback at the same time... Thank you and congrats, that's a great review!
Obviously, the $70 price difference screams at me. Also, the m40x is far more neutral, where the m50x has a bit more bass. I am going for the m40x, but that's just because I prefer a more neutral, then edit it as I please with equalizers and such. Hope this helps :)
Hi,What do you mean that, "you can listening your music louder and dont worry to damaging your hearing"? Why these headphones is "safer" from some others? The reason is the distance between ears and the drives?Thanks
got a bundle on ebay fron buydig. includes a new fiio FA1121 headphone amplifier (really does boost the volume) & also comes w/an awesome hardbody case (the black one w/the hand logo on it). The case alone seems worth about $20 - same w/the little micro portable Fiio A1 headphone amp. However, my spiral cable & gold adapter plug were both defective on arrival... i called Audio Technica & they sent out replacements at no cost & buydig credited me $15 for the hassle - bringing the total down to $85 for the entire bundle. I'm really pleased w/my 1st "nice" pair of headphones. There's a guy that allows you to compare what they sound like on soundcloud... and the 40x sounded better than the 50x IMHO. No brainer.
yes, very much... hard NOT to like it. however, i am NOT an "audiophile". these just sounded better to me when listening to them on soundcloud - being compared with others... these were the clear winner IMHO.
Good cheap headphones suitable for gaming? Superlux HD668 (~30dollars/euro). Or if you have decent sound card or even better an headphone amp then you can do even better with Superlux HD-330 + velor pads (30 +20 for beyerdynamic super comfortable velor pads but there are cheaper options) .
How would you compare these headphones to the Koss PortaPros soundwise? I love their sound and I'm considering getting the M40x as an additional pair to have.
Thanks for the awesome review! I'm planning on buying a new pair of headphones, high quality at least...not the usual 20$ headphones...Would you recommend this? I'd like an over-ear headphone however I don't know whether I should choose this or the Sennheiser 380 Pro with those giant ear pads. Any suggestion? Help? :/
A very good review..i just have a few questions about the cables.... 1. Are the straight cables that come with these that long ? Will it be uncomfortable to walk around with ? 2. Are the qualities of the cable good ? Thank You so much in advance...
Hi Lance thanks for very useful and friendly review, I wanna ask you is there any way to place a mic cable in this headphones? like the Bose sound true around-ear. If there is, please tell me what is the best choice. Sorry for my English, thanks so much and bless you Lance, from Perú
I've been contemplating getting the Noontec Zoro HD II for a while...I was getting ready to order but decided to look up some more reviews and came across your review for those and you said you recommend this better. I like the looks on the Zoros better plus they don't seem as bulky, but sound is the key factor for me. I heard excellent reviews for the Zoros in regards to sound but you seemed to disagree. Honestly, give me the best reasons why this Audio Technica set is a better choice and which ones feel more comfortable? Thanks!
Hi Lance, I'm considering buying these but do you think they are powerfull enough in the low end when used on a device like an iPod etc? I like quite bass heavy music but I do not need a headphone which sounds like a subwoofer, do you know any other good cans for less than 100$ that would qualify?
Nice review! I love this headphones,I listen to mostly heavy distorted stuff (death metal, sludge, etc) so the bass is more than enough for me and the clarity and detail is perfect. I was wondering if there's any iem with a similar sound like the ATH-M40X under $150 bucks?
Ive got the audio technica ath m50xbl and yer review of them is what really pushed me over the edge to get them over the sony mdr 1r headphones . Does it matter that the sony mdr 1r has a wider frequency range though
Are these comfortable with glasses? I'm looking for some headphones that I can edit audio with but also use for daily use at work. At work, I would use these to edit audio for videos. I'm debating between these and the Bose SoundTrue Around-Ear Headphone. Any suggestions would help greatly!
Hi Lance, I wanted to see if it is worth me getting these head phones. Because I would only use them for hearing music. Not editing videos or making music. I heard that they are big and bulky, not very good for using outdoors. So I just wanted to know if there are other headphones that are good that are not that big, or if they really aren't that big and are fine for me. Thanks:) all your videos are awesome :)
great review, just subscribed and liked... I need headphones for video editing documentary films... so recording audio and placing music on top of action shots... I currently have sony stereo headphones mdr-xb700 i am leaning for the m40x thanks to your review...would this be a good choice?
Got them for £64 and I must say, I wasn't expecting that much (mainly because I've never actually owned higher quality headphones before) but dear god.. when I first wore them and tried them out, I was amazed at what I heard. Sounds that I could never hear before came to life, sounds that were more faint to me before are now more clear and generally, everything just sounds so natural. No sounds are trying to battle each other, taking priority and trying to overpowered one another. It's just.. balanced as it should be.
My previous headphones required me to use EQ a bit to get a better musical experience but with these, I don't need to do that at all. The first time where a flat EQ (default setting) actually sounds better than EQ'd (previous headphones didn't sound right with no EQ).
While I can't compare these to any others as I've never heard them for myself. I can say that for the price I paid, they are definitely worth it.
My listening experience has been greatly enhanced; I also enjoy music even more than ever before, due to the vast improvement in quality.
They don't even look bad either. Not that I care about looks, looks aren't important really when it comes to headphones. You buy a better pair for better sound quality, not to look cool. Otherwise, pointless buying better headphones if you're not in it for sound improvement imo.
Great comment :) I'm still struggling between the m50x's and m40x's, but I think I'm gonna get the m40x's!
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I bought this headphone today and have just broken it in with Sia Cheap Thrills. And my God I was astonished at how good the sound is. For anyone who says it has a lack of bass is b.s. It has bass and the quality of the total sound is perfectly balanced. This set of cans puts the m50x to shame. It has a tight clamping force but I will stretch that over a box over night. Other than that I am extremely pleased with my purchase. I Ike I said before this is the best sounding headphone I have ever used.
would the m50x be worth the extra money? my m30x just broke so I am looking for some new ones
Ewizee No way I had the m50x and did not like the spike in bass. For the money m40x is a good bang for your money. You can use what you save in money if you buy the m40x to order the zmf cowhide earpads. With these earpads the sound and comfort goes to a glorious level.
true the low end is much better on the m40x'
Opie Krumpus ;
Opie Krumpus i need help please i just bought mine today and they sound tiny is that normal or do they have to burn in to sound like they are supposed to
I got these today from a local dealer, and OH MY GOD. These headphones are crazy good. You can really feel that they are flat in terms of frequency responses. I listened to Mark Kozelek's live album "7 Songs Belfast", everyone should give that a listen with these headphones. The first song is "Michigan" and at 3.59 into the song you can hear a cellphone disturb the audio in the performance. Cheek on the ground. Buy them if you find them :)
NP thanks for this review, was a turningpoint between the 50's and the the 40's, and the price plus flat frequencies made the deal.
***** I am still loving them. I have now had them with me when I have been travelling and realized their build quality is awesome aswell and very durable! Easily worth the cash.
Many people buy these M40x over the M50 and M50x and mod them with better ear pads. Also add the extra foam layer that you can pull out of the original M40X ear pads. You end up with much better sound stage and imaging and you lose the sibilance with the extra foam. I personally like the Brainwaves Sheepskin Ear Pads on the M40x and the extra foam layer. With the mods I can't find anything without going to a planar headphone that is as good as the modded M40X.
Practical Guy hey bro i have a quick question can you please help me? i just got mine today and they sound really tiny is that normal? or do they have to burn in?
You need better music.
Just bought some of these today, first time I ever invested in "quality" headphones. All I gotta say is--damn. The prickliness of guitar strums in some songs were giving me shivers down my back. Never heard highs like that before, yet the bass was punchy or mellow where appropriate and voices were crystal clear. Crazy. Never knew what I was missing.
Subscribed. Yours are the best reviews I've come across. No fangirling, no excitement, and no dull moments either. All this together with perfectly honest assessments. Also, someone reviewing audio equipment should ensure the quality of audio in their presentations, and you have that down to a pat.
Thanks!
Just got my pair today. Oh boy, these are simply fantastic! To all those who lack the bass in this pair, well I am a basshead and the amount of bass in them is astonishing!
I think I made my choice..A friend of mine was selling the msr7's in gun metal grey for an excellent price but just wasn't 100% on that color. Also I was turned off by how clamping the msr7's were in reviews. I want to use them for recording and want to be comfortable for long periods of time. I like the flat response of these and they sound more comfortable than the msr7's. One thing I'm not 100% sure on is that locking cable..sometimes when I'm playing my keyboard I will get up and have the ear phones rip out of my ears. I had a cheap pair I was using that had a detachable cord and when it happened it just pulled the cord out and didn't hurt my ears. It was a very short cable so I think the with the longer cable this will not be an issue. Looking forward to getting some new headphones soon. Thanks for the reviews!
Thanks man, your review put the nail to my floating pick for the M40x, after lengthily researching, comparing and navigating amongst too many options and conflicting reviews... I own SkullCandy in-ears which are great and bought $35 JVCs to try the over-ear experience, but the price matches the (acceptable) sound quality and now wish for something better under $100.
Would you recommend these over the Sony Mdr 7506 for mixing audio?
You are the man. I just bought these headphones. I cannot wait to put your review to the test.
Russian Lightning I
This was definitely a huge upgrade from my Coloud earbuds! The bass may not be what I've been used to, but the clarity is just superb. Managed to get a pair for $80 when I was in Japan. Not the most portable, but definitely an awesome pair!
DAMN GET A BETTER MIC
Why you can't hear him? Or you demand that all the FREE videos you watch have super high quality audio?
***** I agree that it's nice to have videos with properly recorded audio but for free product reviews what do people expect?
***** It's a little odd to have a tech review site like his with polished graphics and good video quality skimp on audio. He needs a large diaphragm condenser mic or at the very least he needs to learn how to use EQ for his current audio source to put some bass frequencies in the mix. I guess you are right that the reviewer needs to be made aware of the problem.
Ath-m40x + Atr2500 = Win
I think he needs to get a mic period! Sounds like he's just using the camera mic, hence the small room reverb sound you can hear.
I just bought these but haven't received them yet. This is an excellent review - thank you for such a well structured and detailed review!
Very proffesional review! Thank you so much! :-) Buying these right away
Lance, very nice review. Based on your review and others I decided to give them a try. I am huge into home theater and audio. I have custom in-ear monitors from Westone (dual armature), and I really like flat frequency responses. The ATH-M40x are very comfortable, and sound quite well. My only concern is they seem to have more of a diagonal line from right to left on frequency response. So if you were looking at a frequency/DB chart with 0 DB centered, the treble/high frequency on the right the highs are about 5 db hot then taper to 0 db on mids then the frequency line starts to drop below 0 db through the lower frequencies. I hope that makes sense. They are very nice headphones but I'm going to connect them to my Asus Xonar ST sound card to see if the added headphone power flattens the frequency response at the mid point a little more versus allowing the db on the lower registry to continue to fall off rapidly. Example: When listening to say Blink 182's "Dogs's Eating Dog's album" the snare cymbals and snare are upfront; however, the toms and bass drum are pushed way back. Tom 1 is more present due to it's higher frequency, but the rest are really soft. I found myself guessing on the foot work on the bass drum and couldn't really hear much detail of the larger toms.
Thanks again for your review and recommendation.
Edit 7:04PM AZT: After further review I've determined that my initial review of the headphones from my bedside computer did these headphones a disservice. I took the headphones to work and plugged them into my Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and they came alive! The mid bass and bass was there, all of a sudden I realized that my built in sound card was terrible! I listened to them for 8 hours and was amazed how well they reproduced the sound. I immediately went on amazon and purchased an internal sound card Xonar series and can't wait for it's arrival. Currently I'm sitting in the theater with them connected to my HTPC which has the Xonar ST and I'm floored! I accept foot in mouth.
One thing people and myself included have to be mindful of are initial reviews without follow-up. Check difference source material and different devices. That will give you a better overview and will help guide your decision.
Lance my apologies and I'm sold! I have even talked others into these headphones. Thank you for this gem of a recommendation.
I just tried these headphones this week, and I was completely blown away. I could not stop smiling and laughing at how ridiculously high definition the sound is. The clarity seems more clear than reality. I have used Bose earbuds for several months now, but this is in another league.
But ***** I need a little help... The M50x is just out of my budget, but I really do like bass. However, I technically could use EQ to give the M40x some extra bass. So I'm wondering, how much more bass does the M50x have? And also, for either the M40x or M50x, should I use an amp, and how much of a difference would an amp make? Thank you!!
Dont use your video cameras mic, use a blue mic or something
+FATAL INSIGHTZ The sound is fine on his reviews.
yeah but when you are reviewing audio products it is a little ironic
no i loved the video content was great, waht im trying to do was give some critic. If he reviews decently high end products he should have decent audio. You apparently do not have the brain capacity. He gave great info that was just my input
and they are audio products so it would make sense to have good audio, if you had a brain you would understand. If MKBHD had this i bet he would not have about 3mil subs.
to much background noise
If have seen other headphone reviewers and its fair to say your reviews are my favourites: step in the foot of the consumer, give comparison to other well known models, and give reasonable critics, stay that way, probably try to improve a little more in graphics/sound/video editing and you are topnoch. Congratulations.
Got myself a pair of these for Christmas after I broke my M30x's a couple of months ago (my fault not the headphones) and they are as fantastic as I expected. It was a big gap between breaking the M30X and getting the M40x but I would say they're comparable audio quality, i.e they both sound amazing, but the coiled cable is worth the extra money for me personally. Good price, great quality sound and super comfy, would recommend these to anyone.
Thanks man, I went through a few of your vids and jumped on these for a travel headphone.
I've been going back and forth on which pair to go for. I love the price of the M40x but I hear so much praise for the M50x, do you think the M50x is worth the extra $70 over the M40x?
In my opinion, the m40x is a FAR better deal. Near exact sound quality (as he said, the m50x has more bass) and for the price I really can't see why anyone would go for the m50x over the m40x. Of course it's just opinion.
Beadie thank you. this is an actual factor. i can just get the M40x and get an headphone amp/
Nope, get the 4x!!!
From reviews,i can feel that they actually favor m40x.
I've just ordered these because of your great presentation of them - thank you for sharing your thoughts of them :)
Hello there!
I left a short comment on one of your other reviews about the audio technica m-series, but I want to say thanks again.
I'm using the m40x for music listening, music production and some gaming as well and I love them! :)
I love that wonderful clear and ballanced sound across the extended frequency range.
Everything sounds so wonderful and accurate with these! No more pseudoreverbs, just pure sound. :)
In the past I used headphones from Kenwood, Koss, AKG etc., but the Audio Technica M40x are simply the best so far.
Thank you for your reviews, it helped me a lot to make the right decision.
I wish you make more of yours really usefull rewievs in 2015 and happy New Year! :)
Happy m40x owner. :)
nice review! but how is the bass sound on m40x compare to m50x and m30x? thanks
The creator of the video Commented saying that the M50 has slightly more emphasised bass than the M40s
I use a M40X and they are amazing, I pair them with a ASUS Sound card and they sound fantastic. I use them to play CSGO and other games as well as listen to 192kHz/24 bit flac music or just ordinary music on youtube or soundcloud. I'd certainly recommend them
your review led me to buy this great headphone..thanks bro. Just sharing my experience, i think the bass in the m40x is still pretty strong ( can't imagine how M50x feels like ) . Need to eq the mid high a little ( 2 - 4 db only ) just to make it a bit more balance...haven't got a chance to try it with my guitar amp though...
Ordered these for Bass Guitar practice. The Flat tuning appealed to me as other cheap non studio headphones I've used have either sounded too boomy or muddy when I play.
Is this still worth it 2018?
Great reviews! I also choose to buy the M40x after a short A/B comparison to M50x, they do have better base but not 70$ more... so i go for the M40x. my companion on long trip and used in public spaces with lots of environment noises.. the 3m cables is very useful to be used to watch movie through a TV too :)
So since it's been 7 or months now, I have to say, I enjoy this so damn much !Use them at home, but I can hear so much different things now than the typical 10-20 headphones/buds.
But how many others out there are having any problems with them? When reading up on some reviews when I was looking at this, some say the hinges around the earcups broke off at around the 7 or more month mark.
But if you're noob/novice and looking for something great for the home use, get these, don't get beats, you'll be spending so much more for something you can spend under 100 (Or maybe a bit more) for a great quality product.
Which one will be a better pair of headphones, the ATH M40x or Shure SRH440? Both have similar specs and price.
Are they ok if you have a small head?
Yes
Peanuthead ass nigga
lol
Great reviews! Im not sure if I should pick up the m40x or the original m50 is there a big difference in comfortability or sound?
I Use these for gaming they sound great BF4 Arma 3 sound so good and the comfort is amazing best £70 i ever spent
How's footsteps, can you easily distinguish them and the direction?
***** Yes but after about 2 months of use they became very annoying on the top of my head so ive changed to the Sennheiser g4me zero headset much better for gaming :)
Thvec thats out of my price range. I was considering this since it's just $99 then I'd add a modmic but I've heard the soundstage is really narrow and for CS:GO I rely heavily on sounds and hearing footsteps so that'd be a problem.
***** Well you cant go wrong with these the sound is incredible BF4 CS:GO Arma 3 DayZ all sounded amazing i had mine hooked up to a Creative Sound Blaster Z 5.1 souncard mine just annoyed the top of my head but give them a try and see how you like them. :)
Thvec Your talking about the m40x's or Sennheiser 's?
Are they good for using "on-the-go"? My old headphones (bose) are broken and I'm looking for something I can use at home as well as when commuting etc. I was thinking something like Beyerdynamics 501 would be more portable, but I don't know how big is the difference in sound quality going to be....
Tereza Přibáňová I think the m40's look cooler and has a better build more comfortable.. depends on you
Kyrioz haha :) thank you
Tereza Přibáňová if you want portability you should consider wireless headphones. Hehe wires can be annoying while commuting.
Lorde Kyrioz But Bluetooth wireless drain your battery life. Idk tho, that's just me.
Nice review! The consensus with the 40x's is that 1) They are a bit uncomfortable over a long listening session 2) The build quality around the swivel piece/ear-cup is suspect. Other than that the sound is pretty crisp and neutral. They have less bass than the 50x, but a lot of people liked the fact that it's more controlled this time around.
is it really uncomfortable?
In warm days they might get your head heated up a little bit but is is not of a big issue. They are so comfortable for sure.
EXCELLENT REVIEW man,just subscribed and liked......a question FOR YOU.......are these the best overall headphones among all the headphones in this price point?also is it possible to change the bass or the treble etc by using a computer software or realtek audio manager?I LOVE TO LISTEN MUSIC ON PORTABLE DEVICES AND ON MY COMPUTER ALONG WITH watching you tube videos(LIKE YOURS} will the m40x be a good(great) choice for a person like me?
Do you think that they would be good for playing along to songs while drumming because of how loud the kit is? I just ordered them
Hey Lance,
Are the cables for these phones come with proprietary?
Are they easily available? What name do they go under?
Nice review man, you are awesome! I listen to all kinds of music so i think i wiil love these headphones! Are they good for gaming too??
These headphones are the best budget for home studio I've tried so far, best realistic sound. For listening to music in general, not for studio proposes, probably I would have chosen the M50X that gives more bass punch and smoother highs.
Other headphones I had:
Sony MDR-7509 and they were ok, a little mushy, they had more emphasis on the bass freq. too;
AKG K-240 no bass response bad mids;
Beyerdinamic DT-770- Pro 250 ohm too much bass, harsh highs and more expensive.
Hope it helps.
Thanks for the great review. There are a lot of shills on youtube when it comes to audio who will just wildly praise any product they're handed. You, along with LinusTechTips, seem trustable. I don't get why you don't have more subs.
would you recommend them for gaming?
Just bought these headphones and they are fantastic; thank you for your detailed and in-depth review.
I have Bluedio F2 headphones and theyre amazing. Are these better?
Are they any good for recording vocals?
Is it good enough for music production (Studio Monitoring ) ?
Hi there, can you please let me know if i can use these with iphone and ipods? Thanks,..
Hey man, great review and thanks for being so thorough. I did want to just ask you your opinion on using these with mobile devices. Primarily i'd be using it with my Galaxy s4 for music and media when im traveling or when i plug them into my PC for recreation. Again media, games and movies. Do you recon these will be suitable for use with use for that or do you recommend something else? I previously had a pair of Sennheiser PX360 that recently died which gutted me.
are they better than the august ep650s? what do you recommend ?
for pure listening, no editing or anything, would you recommend the m40x, bose soundtrue over ear or Sennheiser momentum over ear ? Great video btw !
After your review i bought it. I really love the sound. Just one negative point, The padding, top and the earcups. After 1h it tends to be noticed on ear compression.
Really happy with the purshase.
should i get these or the monster diesel for general use?
Great review!!
I bought a ATH-M40X , it's so great!! Thank you!!
I ordered these 2 days ago after seeing yours and many others saying how great they are, however I have had a massive issue with mine. They press down on my head especially on my jaw that they are so uncomfortable. Why is everybody saying it's very comfortable?
+NortexG - Art They are comfortable for most people. Headphones will be uncomfortable for some people based on what their head size or face structure is. Earbuds would probably be a better fit for you.
Joe Abbott Actually there just fine now! It just took a couple weeks of wearing them to soften up the cup, so it no longer hurts my jaw.
+NortexG - Art sigh* that's a good thing to know....because I just bought this headphone 2 days ago...and this headphone is a bit thight and it kinda hurts my ear because I'm wearing glasses
Adam Kithman Oh that might be a issue, I find glasses are not very comfortable with them on (most headphones aren't).
Just bought these today and they do press a bit on the back of my cheekbones.
Definitely thinking of getting these. Have heard the akg y50. Are these as good? And is there less bass than the y50? Thank you.
Could you do a comparison video between ath-m40x and shure-srh440, please?
Would these be great for Metal?
Hi!!..Very nice video!..Great review!..I have one question..Whats the difference with the m30x..Cause m30x sound with no soundstage..You cannot mix with these headphones..How is in the m40x?..How is their soundstage?..Would you compare them with akg k-171 mk2?..Thanks!
Lance Gross, you said they were more comfortable than the ath-50, are they more comfortable than the ath-m50x?
Hello there. i wanted to buy the m50x because of the good revieww iv heard about it. when i ordered the the item, i ddnt notice that it was the m40x. then when i got the item, i was a bit disappointed. but fortunately, saw this video and gave me a heads up. so thank you! nice job for the review.
Hi Mr. Lance. Thanks for the great review.
I just recently got this AT m40x.
Can you recommend a music player that will be nice to pair with these headphones.
Thanks.
Hey! Good review. How does it perform with lg g7?
The M40x aren't really designed for DJ use. You need headphones with a good amount of slam in the lower frequencies for that kind of environment. These headphones are more for mixing, mastering and production in the studio
Great review
Will you recommend it for drummers? I wonder of the noise isolation in the ath-m40x is enough to play drums and have a great listening of a music playback at the same time...
Thank you and congrats, that's a great review!
Which is more worth it, M40X or the M50X? And what are the differences between the two?
Obviously, the $70 price difference screams at me. Also, the m40x is far more neutral, where the m50x has a bit more bass. I am going for the m40x, but that's just because I prefer a more neutral, then edit it as I please with equalizers and such. Hope this helps :)
from all the reviews
m50x for more bass
m40x for flat accurate sounds
Another grammar nazi, get a life.
M70x murder cans
For mixing and mastering, AKG K182 or ATH-M40X ??
Hi,What do you mean that, "you can listening your music louder and dont worry to damaging your hearing"? Why these headphones is "safer" from some others? The reason is the distance between ears and the drives?Thanks
I mainly listen to metal and hip hop. Would you recommend these or the sony mdr7506s?
Hi, I've seen that the impedance is 35 ohms, so it works well directly to my phone or I need an amplifier? Thanks
Could you please suggest some thing best in 100 - 120 with NFC , blue tooth and noise reduction. Thanks for your help. Your reviews are very helpful.
got a bundle on ebay fron buydig. includes a new fiio FA1121 headphone amplifier (really does boost the volume) & also comes w/an awesome hardbody case (the black one w/the hand logo on it). The case alone seems worth about $20 - same w/the little micro portable Fiio A1 headphone amp. However, my spiral cable & gold adapter plug were both defective on arrival...
i called Audio Technica & they sent out replacements at no cost & buydig credited me $15 for the hassle - bringing the total down to $85 for the entire bundle. I'm really pleased w/my 1st "nice" pair of headphones. There's a guy that allows you to compare what they sound like on soundcloud... and the 40x sounded better than the 50x IMHO. No brainer.
so you liked this set?
yes, very much... hard NOT to like it. however, i am NOT an "audiophile". these just sounded better to me when listening to them on soundcloud - being compared with others... these were the clear winner IMHO.
awesome... well i went and bought the hd558 instead, thanks for your input though!
Satire great choice by the way
Would these be good for a student, I plan on using them on the bus, or when jogging, would you recommed these ?
are m40x Good for gaming ? and how about the bass ? is bass a very difference than m50x ???
With the right pads, the ath-m40x are perfect for gaming.
bradley can you recommend a pair for under 100$ for gaming?
***** w r o n g
***** then you're an idiot
Good cheap headphones suitable for gaming? Superlux HD668 (~30dollars/euro). Or if you have decent sound card or even better an headphone amp then you can do even better with Superlux HD-330 + velor pads (30 +20 for beyerdynamic super comfortable velor pads but there are cheaper options) .
How would you compare these headphones to the Koss PortaPros soundwise? I love their sound and I'm considering getting the M40x as an additional pair to have.
Hi, Lance. Just wondering what your pick would be for best headphones under $500.
Thanks for the awesome review! I'm planning on buying a new pair of headphones, high quality at least...not the usual 20$ headphones...Would you recommend this? I'd like an over-ear headphone however I don't know whether I should choose this or the Sennheiser 380 Pro with those giant ear pads. Any suggestion? Help? :/
I had m50s for over a year, best headphones ive had, how would you compare to the normal m50s
A very good review..i just have a few questions about the cables....
1. Are the straight cables that come with these that long ? Will it be uncomfortable to walk around with ?
2. Are the qualities of the cable good ?
Thank You so much in advance...
good review sir.. does it leak sound?
I watching this review in December 2017 and still amazing!!
Hi Lance thanks for very useful and friendly review, I wanna ask you is there any way to place a mic cable in this headphones? like the Bose sound true around-ear. If there is, please tell me what is the best choice. Sorry for my English, thanks so much and bless you Lance, from Perú
Hey, thanks for the review! In terms of isolation and soundstage, how does these compare with the m50x? Or with the HD 280 Pros? Thanks again!
I've been contemplating getting the Noontec Zoro HD II for a while...I was getting ready to order but decided to look up some more reviews and came across your review for those and you said you recommend this better. I like the looks on the Zoros better plus they don't seem as bulky, but sound is the key factor for me. I heard excellent reviews for the Zoros in regards to sound but you seemed to disagree. Honestly, give me the best reasons why this Audio Technica set is a better choice and which ones feel more comfortable? Thanks!
How does the ath m50x compare to the RHA t20i?? Is the full size head phone better than the in ear style?? My priority is sound
Hi Lance, I'm considering buying these but do you think they are powerfull enough in the low end when used on a device like an iPod etc? I like quite bass heavy music but I do not need a headphone which sounds like a subwoofer, do you know any other good cans for less than 100$ that would qualify?
so i like gaming and listening to bright music. should i get these or the status audio ob-1s.
can I get a straight forward answer, which one of these is better for mixing hip-hop?
Nice review! I love this headphones,I listen to mostly heavy distorted stuff (death metal, sludge, etc) so the bass is more than enough for me and the clarity and detail is perfect. I was wondering if there's any iem with a similar sound like the ATH-M40X under $150 bucks?
Are they so comfortable like the Sony mdr Xb-500 or are they less comfortable?
I have a realtek 892 codec on my motherboard. Is that enough to drive these headphones or would a good/affordable external DAC be necessary?
Ive got the audio technica ath m50xbl and yer review of them is what really pushed me over the edge to get them over the sony mdr 1r headphones . Does it matter that the sony mdr 1r has a wider frequency range though
Are these comfortable with glasses? I'm looking for some headphones that I can edit audio with but also use for daily use at work. At work, I would use these to edit audio for videos. I'm debating between these and the Bose SoundTrue Around-Ear Headphone. Any suggestions would help greatly!
What can i add to my setup to help bump up some bass?
Hi Lance, I wanted to see if it is worth me getting these head phones. Because I would only use them for hearing music. Not editing videos or making music. I heard that they are big and bulky, not very good for using outdoors. So I just wanted to know if there are other headphones that are good that are not that big, or if they really aren't that big and are fine for me. Thanks:) all your videos are awesome :)
Please upgrade you mic. Like a Lavalier or something.
Thank you! Are you the only reviewer who actually shows how they look on your head??!
Just got them today and they sound phenomenal!!!
great review, just subscribed and liked... I need headphones for video editing documentary films... so recording audio and placing music on top of action shots...
I currently have sony stereo headphones mdr-xb700
i am leaning for the m40x thanks to your review...would this be a good choice?
Get m50