Audio Technica ATH- M50 S Headphone Review

(Jump to the section that says "The Design" if you are not interested in the preface and competition sections)

Preface

Let me preface this review by stating that I use headphones for many purposes. I use them to listen to various musicians that range from Miles Davis to Rage Against the Machine and everything in between, so I required headphones that could make all of that music come to life. I also use these headphones while I play PC games and I really wanted to hear where things were coming from. For example, hearing a bullet whizz past me in Counter Strike: Global Offensive, or here the police sirens and zombies in Saints Row: The Third. With all of that in mind, I wanted an upgrade from my previous headset which were the Sony MDR- XD200. They were, and still are fantastic headphones but I had few gripes with the large size of the headphone cup and the short length of the cable. I also wanted headphones that were more portable since I am a college student and move between my house and my dorm frequently.

The Competition
I did a lot of research in the headphone department and looked at a lot of my options. My Sony's had an impedance output of 70 ohms and my father told me that headphone impedance should be closer to what my laptop outputs so that I can get an even sound. My laptop outputs about 35 ohms so I was aiming for something that was in between 30 ohms and 40 ohms. At the time, I was focused on headphones that were good for recording music through various mediums. I had a few in mind, those being the Sony MDR-V6, Audio Technica ATH M50-S and the Sennheiser HD-280 Pro headphones. A little out my price range, but I also considered Beyerdynamic for a short while, but was put off by them when people said that they malfunctioned after two or so years, despite their amazing sound quality. I eventually settled on ATH due to the price I got bought it for at the time, ($110), and the reviews and comments people had about them.

The Design

The Logo on the headband

What I initially bought the headphones, the first thing I did was inspect the design. I could look at all of the pictures in the world of it, but nothing beats handling the product in person. In the past, I have purchased headsets that had very weak headbands so I inspected the headband first. It is very well padded and durable. I fully believe that I could pull both ear cups to either side and the headband won't give in and snap. I checked out the ear cups next and they are possibly the most comfortable ear cups I have ever used. They fit so snugly around my ear, which I believe is a normal ear size, and it is padded even better than the headband is. They are extremely comfortable to wear and I have worn them for eight hours without taking them off.

           

The M50-S inside the Slappa HP-01 Case. A snug fit.

The cable is super long at ten feet, which is beneficial to me since I can walk around my room with my headphone while I fold laundry or listen to music from my bed. The cable can be easily tied up though, so it is not really a BIG hassle unless you really want a short headphone cable.  The headphones also come with a 1/4 adapter that can be screwed onto to the end of the 3.5 mm jack by just twisting it on. These are the first pair of headphones that I have owned that fold within themselves. It took me a few minutes to figure out how they fold, but once that was taken care of, they became very portable. I bought a Slappa HP-01 hardbody case for them so that I could safely transport them between my home and college and anywhere else I may travel. They fit very snugly, but you have to apply just a teeny tiny amount of pressure for it to all fit in. When you place the headphones inside the pouch, I recommend you tie up the cable since it will become a huge hindrance if you have to unpack them in an airplane for example and make a mess with the cable everywhere.

Sound

The headphones with ten foot cable tied up

Now for the important part, the sound test. I am currently watching a movie as I watch this review and let me say it sounds amazing. The lows and the bass stand out very well. They are punchy, but not so punchy that you feel overwhelmed with it all. The mids are very even and not out of balance and the highs are just right. When I first purchased these headphones, I listened to various songs to listen to how good the range was. I listened to "Take the Power Back" by Rage Against the Machine, which has very good display of mids, lows, and highs, and it sounded, dare I say-- Perfect. Everything sounded amazing and so full. I then listened to some acoustic music to test out the mids and highs and they sounded beautiful as well. I have listened to full orchestral recordings, jazz, rock n roll, metal and a plethora of other genres and they all sound amazing and full. There are no open pockets of space where you feel it should be louder or softer, it is perfectly balanced, at least in my opinion.

When playing video games, everything sounds surreal. Bear in mind that these headphones have no microphone, so if you are the type to play multiplayer games where you feel you should be able to talk to your teammates or trash talk the enemy, try buying an external mic or a desktop mic if you want to use this headset. In games like Counter Strike: Global Offensive, you can hear the bullets really well and kind of know where they are coming from in terms of directions. In stealth games like Velvet Assassin or Assassin's Creed, you can hear the noises from either direction. The overall build quality of these headphones is fantastic, and the sound quality is even better. If you ever get the chance, buy these headphones, it is a purchase you will never regret.