I have owned a set of the original ATHM50 for many years. I have always enjoyed the flat response for when I can not mix on my BM5a's as I feel they sound very similar.
After a recommendation from me a friend recently brought a set of headphones but without knowing the difference brought the new 50x model.
Supposedly the only upgrades were to the cord etc but the sound was supposed to be the (almost) same.
I could not believe how aweful his set sounded! Absolutely not flat response at all. I listen to mine and my studio monitors every day and I can tell you the new 50x's are far from flat response.
I was just about to order multiple pairs for my studio for tracking but I will look for something else now.

Also I wonder if the newer and more expensive M70's now sound just like the 50's used to, but for nearly double the price?


Does any one else agree with his disappointing find?

Whilst I'd slightly dispute your characterisation of the originals as flat ( elevated bottom end), they obviously worked for you.

I have had the experience you are relating several years ago (15-20 ish) when the very original M 40s came out they were terrific yet a couple of years later the same model sounded honky and not at all similar or as good. Hard to understand why or how they'd change something that's not broken.

Try the Shure 840s in that same quality/price bracket.

Cheers, Ross

Yeah, not 100% flat, I do agree but flatter than most headphones, especially for the price. The slight bass bump is helpful for hearing kick/bass relationship for me but I do know what our are saying. The new 50x sound like beats now, extreme hifi. So disappointing.

Does anyone else have a similar experience?

Seems like the original had more treble. Sometimes I wonder if these are just unit to unit variations...

Yeah which only makes the bass boost even more over cooked.

I am sad as I had 6 pair ordered for my studio but I will be cancelling that order today.

The headphones components need to burn in and then your ears.

Yes. . Ath50 owner here when I can get them off my teenager.
Considering the X or the 70 myself.

Cheers

Wow! I am a huge ATH 50 user. I mix on a laptop while watching TV with my wife (otherwise we'd never see each other). I send my stuff out to a guy after I get it sounding good and the reason I like the phones, is the music translates well to speakers. I have Sonarworks and don't even really use it anymore since I'm used to the sound of the phones. Is this true? Are the 50x's different? I always figured they'd make a great second pair. The 70's are open back so NG for me.....

I've heard both and the difference is subtle. Certainly not as dramatic as some of the posts here would make you believe. They're both good sounding headphones.

I have 50 and 50X and 70 and like them.
The difference between 50's is so small I dont
care, the detachable cable is more important.

Matti

Anyone remember the name of the site that lest you compare those graphs?

Sorry for necro.

Wow that graph is different....... however I've replaced the plug twice thru hard use and a detachable cable would be helpful......

Not sure about the 50s but i can confirm the 50x is far from flat. Bought a pair after so many raving reviews here to find out how hyped they are. Compared to say my hd600 and monitors i found them to have a very unnatural sound like boosted highs n lows. Reminiscent of consumer grade v-shaped phones, not pro audio. And uncomfortable as well. Returned immediately. Would never use or recommend for mixing.

I worked at a music retailer for a few years. When the Audio Technica rep came in, he told me to go with the ATH-M40x if I was looking for a pair of (fairly) flat headphones to mix with, as the ATH-M50x were more hyped.

I just ordered pair of original 50's. So I'll find out. I heard they were are 'hyped' but somewhere in the region of how beyerdynamic dt770 is hyped, not how beats or those xb Sony ones are hyped. Just wanted to compare the above graph to dt770.

I just purchased a new pair of M50x's to replace an old pair of M50x's (the hinges broke on both sides - got a new pair while I'm waiting for parts for my old ones) and they sound like completely different headphones. Same model, but the bass in the new pair is huge, undefined, and totally muddy. The highs sound a bit hyped as well. It's amazing how different they sound. Sending them back.

Wait, you can buy new hinges for them? I have a set here with a broken hinge on one side and would love to know where to get a replacement.

I got them directly from AudioTechnica.
$23 for one.

I sent them a picture of my broken hinge with superglue holding it together and asked them what I could do about it. They first asked if the headphones were less than 2 years old and under warranty, (they were like, 10 years old) then they sent me a picture of the assembly and gave me an email and phone number for the parts department.

PM me if you want that info (not sure if it's cool to past that kind of thing out in the open).

Same here.

I've been happily using a set of M50X for about 4 years now, picked up a new pair yesterday as my older set was falling apart.
The lower end boost really threw me back on the new ones, so much so that I actually did a search and ended up on this thread.

I'm in no way saying my older ones were flat, but they didn't sound like this.
Also, not sure I believe in burn-in time for headphones, but this bloated bass I'm really not happy with.

Pretty bummed.

Flat response?????????????????????????????????????

That graph looks about right. That bass is not just overcooked, it's just completely unhinged. Not suitable for any kind of studio work besides tracking imo

They're hyped alright...in more ways than one

"Bloated" is a good way to describe it. Terrible sound.

I repaired my old M50x's (replaced the hinges) and they're good as new, or . . . good as old, rather.

I updated to the M70x's while waiting for my hinges and I'm very happy with them. Completely different sound than the M50x's. Quite flat for closed-back headphones and the mixes I set up with them transfer very well to studio monitors, stereo speakers, car stereo, etc... They feel like they have no bass, yet forward mids, compared to the 50's.

The M50x's are now my "fun to listen to music with" headphones. The M70x's are my new work headphones.

Thought I'd give them one more day, make sure my ears weren't just getting tricked by the 'newness' factor.
Went back and forth with the older pair and the difference is night and day.
These new ones just sound awful, I have no words to express how disappointed I am.

I may just give the M70X a listen, even the M40X which are apparently very good.

rtings.com

Well it's nearly a week later and I'm still not enjoying these newer M50X.

Your post has me seriously considering heading to the shop and at least giving the M70X a listen.
I've read a few reviews who praise them, saying they are a much better headphone to mix on than the 50X, yet somewhat ironically, one particular site, Tape Op no less, finds the 70X to be a bit to bland and slightly too bright, preferring the M50X for a more balanced sound.

That said, the article is a few years old and if the new M50X are indeed that different sounding than a pair from a few years ago, he could be referring to the older ones many of us have grown to love.

Boy that really sucks to hear. I was just thinking the other day what will I do when my AT-m50’s die? I was going to order a spare pair just as a backup. They are such good cans. I’ve compared them to so many different brands and they really do translate well. The only other cans I have that even come close are the DT880’s but the M50’s edge them out slightly. Plz report here if anyone finds another set of cans that are comparable. Anxiously watching...

Glad to hear my opinion echo'd. first headphones I basically thought sounded like speakers. FWIW have eGrado sports phones and they work well together. They have the 60's drivers in a plastic surprisingly comfortable head clip.

I too wonder if the new 50x's suck? I've replaced the plug on mine twice and all the pleather has flaked off with hard use.....!

I too would call them bland, as in they're certainly not sexy sounding. But I consider that a huge plus for mixing and critical listening. I don't want hype, I want accurate.

Yeah I looked at some of the grados since they get really good reviews but didn't want to put out that kind of cash since I cannot mix (exclusively) on cans to save my life. Just seemed like a bad expenditure being I have at least two sets of cans I can rely on for mix checks in the DT880's and AT-M50's. All my other AT cans are either super hyped or really high freq and oriented, which can be good for tracking drums and vocals.