Audio Technica ATH-M35 Review

Audio Technica ATH-M35 Studio Monitor Headphones

This is my first review and I can't believe this will be the first review of the ATH-M35 on Head-Fi!

In this review, I mention the ATH-M30, ATH-M35, ATH-M50, and ATH-M50S as a comparison, so here are some important things to take note of first:

The ATH-M50 = ATH-M50S other than the ATH-M50 having a coiled cable and the ATH-M50S having a straight cable

The ATH-M30 = ATH-M35 other than the ATH-M35 folding.

This review is based on the listening I have done with the following rigs:

Home: Creative X-Fi HD USB

[Old] Portable: Rockboxed iPod Classic 160GB > FiiO L9 > FiiO E11

[New] Portable: Rockboxed iPod Classic 160GB > OFC 24 AWG LOD by Chris_Himself & Ted > ALO The National

Price: $80.00

Sound Quality: Very well balanced. Mids and highs are crystal-clear. Quality lows when needed, but not muddy. Warmer than the ATH-M50.

Isolation: They leak a bit of sound. I had these headphones on in a quiet classroom one day and the person in front of me heard the trumpet from a Chet Baker song I was listening to. These aren't the best headphones to wear in noisy environments. They let a lot of sound through even though they are closed back.

Comfort: Extremely comfortable for long listening sessions. I've worn these for 3+ hours at a time without discomfort.

Cable: The ATH-M35 has a very nice cable. Thick, and it definitely feels like it was built to last! It's 11' long and only comes in straight, unlike the ATH-M50. The cable is also not detachable. It terminates in a 3.5mm gold-plated connector with an excellent strain-relief and comes with a screw-on 6.35mm adapter.

Build Quality: They are durable and I often skip the carrying bag when I take them to school.

Amping: These headphones don't sound the best straight out of an iPod or on-board sound card. They sound better when paired with my Creative X-Fi HD USB, but they really shine with my portable rig. They sound amazing with the ALO The National.

I like the sound of the ATH-M35 so much that I wish I could get a version with better noise isolation and I'd be prepared to spend twice as much and still be happy with my purchase. These headphones are great for jazz because of their warmth. When I run events, I prefer the ATH-M35 over the ATH-M50 because they are quicker to put on, weigh less, cost less, and I believe they actually sound more true to life.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bee inthe Attic 

There's a review or two of the ATH M30's on here, but ya, it's odd that these aren't talked about more. I really like their sound sig. They have fantastic detail for a $40 headphone. They sound pretty balanced, but the highs are a little piercing to me with certain genres/recordings. The bass quantity is perfect, but quality is a bit loose (even when amped). But again at this price point, they are excellent. I have the M30's, and like them more than many closed cans upward of five times the cost (I prefer them to the M50's, Beyer DT 770's, AKG K550's).

 

The only reasons I moved on from them were the pads and build quality. The pads aren't uncomfortable, but they are too shallow and small for long listening session (they feel more like an on-ear than circumaural). My only problem with build quality is that after about a year they became really squeaky. I have them on right now, and every time I turn my head or move my jaw the plastic gimbal (is that waht's it's called?) that attaches the headband to the earcups is loose and squeak real loud. Nothing has broken, and they have held up real well to moderate daily use, but they seem a bit flimsy. Maybe I got a bad apple squeaky pair?

 

As a beginner or budget can, these are amazing though. The M30's don't fold, and I didn't want to shell out the extra cash at the time for the M35's since I didn't need them for portable use, but those seem like a great option as well for on the go. If I get around to it I'll try the M50 pads on these and see how they sound, but these see very limited use these days due to the squeakiness and pad size. great review - how long have you had them? any squeaking?

I don't find the highs piecing at all. I also actually like the pads because of how shallow they are, it makes them slightly more portable than the M50. I find that the very tip of my head often gets a bit sore from the M50s after a few hours of use, but not with the M35s, so I'd say the M35s are more comfortable for long listening sessions. I haven't had any sort of squeaking problems when moving (lol). I'm not sure if the M50 pads will fit on the M30/M35 since the M50 is just a bit bigger. I'd try it myself, but I don't want to take my pads off unless I have to because I'm paranoid about ripping them even though it would probably be fine. I've only had them for a week.

I recently bought the Beyerdynamic DT 1350 ($300) mainly for portable use with my National. The DT 1350 has great isolation, but I find myself missing the warmth of the ATH-M35 ($80). In short, Glenn Miller and Chet Baker sound better on the ATH-M35 than any of my other headphones and I highly recommend the ATH-M35 over the ATH-M50 and even the DT 1350 (to an extent, DT 1350 is more analytical and has better isolation). You don't necessarily need to spend a lot of money to get your favorite sound.

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