What's all this buzz with the M50's?

It's not bad for the price.  It's also easily available.  Easily driven on your computer or your mobile setup.  It's closed and can be used for DJ.  The sound signature is different than the headphones you listed.  Just go and read some impressions and reviews, there's a lot of that here.

They are a nice solidly built pair of headphones. They were just too tight for my head for daily use, so I got rid of them. Overall I thought the sound quality was very good, but seemed to be lacking/recessed in the mids. But there are mods you can do to help the mids & soundstage.

If you are interested in buying a pair, now is a good time. The price for this item fluxuates A LOT. It was $150-$160 for a few weeks when I bought them a little while ago.

http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50s-Studio-Monitor-Headphones/dp/tags-on-product/B000ULAP4U

They're great for their respected traits and price point,  however,  they usually get recommended whether they fit the situation or not.  They're definitely not an end-all-do-all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sidel 

They're great for their respected traits and price point,  however,  they usually get recommended whether they fit the situation or not.  They're definitely not an end-all-do-all.

This. Certainly, they are great for the price point, but not it is not a panacea to be prescribed for all queries pertaining to budget cans. Ultimately, it is down to personal taste. Audition before buying. For instance, in my own case, I nearly bought the M50's before I auditioned it. Certainly, I found it the bass sloppy, the treble metallic, and the mids too recessed. While this was running it through headphones out of my phone and an iPod (dedicated ampless beggars can't be choosers, can they?), I certainly found little to like. It is not ideal to buy anything based on the impressions of people online, no matter how knowledgeable they may be. It is ultimately your own decision, based upon your own needs. We can only torment, eviscerate, disembowel, and ultimately, mourn your wallet for you.

Oh, and take everything this lurker says with a pinch of salt. Just offering some advice. Though, it must be said, that I can see why the M50's are so recommended. Fantastic build quality, possibly best in class. Utilitarian. The sound is on the warm side, and slightly fun, with an analytical edge. If you need a multi-purpose phone, that's probably the one to put on your audition list.

Oh, and they are definitely less bright, sharp and coloured than the SR225s, as I recall. Slightly less enjoyable, but less fatiguing too. I cannot speak for the others.

The amount of mindless recommendations on this pair of headphones definitely died down. Now, people are starting to know that there are different options for the same price, e.g. SRH440 for neutrality or HFI-580 for bass. The M50 fills the crack between the two.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sidel 

They're great for their respected traits and price point,  however,  they usually get recommended whether they fit the situation or not.  They're definitely not an end-all-do-all.

Actually they are. Folks who own the M50 (especially recording engineers etc) tend to believe in them and keep them. Other people buy the HD650, then go for the HD800, then go for the T1, then the HE-5, then the HE500, then the Audeze, then...well, you get the point.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beagle 

 

Actually they are. Folks who own the M50 (especially recording engineers etc) tend to believe in them and keep them. Other people buy the HD650, then go for the HD800, then go for the T1, then the HE-5, then the HE500, then the Audeze, then...well, you get the point.

 

They're constructed very solidly and get the job done.  I'm sure recording engineers and the like find something with traits like that very useful,  but as far as I can tell most here are simply audio enthusiasts,  in which case the m50s are very 'sound signature limited' like every other headphone and piece of audio equipment in existence.  I think it's important to look at what your expectations are before choosing the best tool for the job. Where you choose to draw the line on upgrades or expansions is up to each individual,  their budget,  and their own ideals.  I'm sure some people enjoy jumping boat on the flavor-of-the-month train and believe what they're getting out of it is worthwhile.

Basically:   It's up to the individual to decide what their end-game looks like.  No one headphone is going to provide the same experience for every person that uses it.  Looking at what one wants should give you a better idea of what might match those wants,  and the m50 just can't match all of them.

M50 is a good headphone but nothing spectacular that could compite with headphones over  its budget, unless you come from ibuds to the M50, then they will sound like the best headphone ever, which is basically what happened with all the buzz.

It goes like this:

• Newbie come to HF asking for headphones recommendations
• Gets the default recommendation: M50
• Try them on, get amazed.
• Start posting about the M50 being the best headphone ever
• Start recommending the M50 to more people.

and its a cycle.

The M50 is to Head-Fi like how Beats is to society.

Those who have NEVER heard anything more than $50 is bound to praise either one until he/she mellows out a little.

Quote:

Originally Posted by crinacle 

The M50 is to Head-Fi like how Beats is to society.

 

Those who have NEVER heard anything more than $50 is bound to praise either one until he/she mellows out a little.

At 50% off... I still like them after upgrading to DT880s, I think they were totally worth what I paid for them which was a lot less than that link up a few posts (I actually got them from that exact link about 1 year ago)

Quote:

Originally Posted by alv4426 

At 50% off... I still like them after upgrading to DT880s, I think they were totally worth what I paid for them which was a lot less than that link up a few posts (I actually got them from that exact link about 1 year ago)

 

Yeah I like 'em too. But they ain't the godly headphone some newbies are proclaiming them to be.

For $100 they're pretty dang good for the closed, portable variety of headphone. Definite mid recession tho, so eq for better vocals/guitars. Still a great all-around phone for the price and it has almost become the standard of introductory headphones into the "mid-fi" world.

I'm just reiterating what everyone else has said, but yea. the M50s are a good introduction to higher quality equipment for those on a budget.  And I like the clamp force of the headphones as opposed to most that just sit on the head, too uncomfortable for me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesMcProgger 

M50 is a good headphone but nothing spectacular that could compite with headphones over  its budget, unless you come from ibuds to the M50, then they will sound like the best headphone ever, which is basically what happened with all the buzz.

 

It goes like this:

• Newbie come to HF asking for headphones recommendations
• Gets the default recommendation: M50
• Try them on, get amazed.
• Start posting about the M50 being the best headphone ever
• Start recommending the M50 to more people.

 

 

and its a cycle.

Quote:

Originally Posted by crinacle 

The M50 is to Head-Fi like how Beats is to society.

 

Those who have NEVER heard anything more than $50 is bound to praise either one until he/she mellows out a little.

Glad to see some others here who feel the same way I do. Great pair of headphones... NOT the end all be all though. That first post is right on with the cycle. I see so many noobs recommending them to everyone, regardless of genres or preferences.