[TLDMan]

I haven't had the pleasure of hearing of a pre-2010 M50, but I've heard that this year's model has a worse (not bad, but worse) sound quality, less padding and a pressure point on the headband. Can anyone with this year's model confirm/deny this?
 
Also, I wasn't thinking Elvis Costello when I wrote this, but now I am.

 

[lie495fc]

check out the link in post #26 of that thread.
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/514471/ath-m50-burn-in-oddity/15

 

[TLDMan]

Thanks for the reply, but that article focused on burn-in more than differences in 2010 models.

 

[lie495fc]

it says new model is forward, punchier. old model is more laidback. so 2010 model is different.

 

[neato]

When it says "the newer model" it's talking about an m50 right out the box. The "older" model is fully burned in. So it seems that the article is simply analyzing burn-in, not comparing models by year.

 

[cRodz]

Wait, so there are newer 2010 models which AT seems to have screwed up?
 
What.
how am i supposed to differentiate 2009 models from 2010 models? =/
 
i knew i should have bought these cans back when i had the chance.

 

[keoni]

I think i have these new model of m50. It has a little bit distorted highs and a lot of "s" emphasis.
The Bass is ok after some hours of burn-in.

 

[lazyjae]

Quote:

I think i have these new model of m50. It has a little bit distorted highs and a lot of "s" emphasis.
The Bass is ok after some hours of burn-in.

Yep. What he said.

 

[neato]

Quote:

I think i have these new model of m50. It has a little bit distorted highs and a lot of "s" emphasis.
The Bass is ok after some hours of burn-in.

How long have you burned it in for? Man, I feel you cRodz. I should have jumped on these sooner.

 

[keoni]

Quote:

How long have you burned it in for? Man, I feel you cRodz. I should have jumped on these sooner.

 
+50 hours.

 

[soundeffect]

Quote:

I think i have these new model of m50. It has a little bit distorted highs and a lot of "s" emphasis.
The Bass is ok after some hours of burn-in.

I never heard the older one, but now that you mention about the "s" emphasis I do hear them. you just ruin my headphone

  Just kidding.  I do notice the "s" emphasis though.  Maybe burn in will help since I think I have under 50 hours.

 

[Kevin Brown]

 
Quote:

Thanks for the reply, but that article focused on burn-in more than differences in 2010 models.

 
Quote:

When it says "the newer model" it's talking about an m50 right out the box. The "older" model is fully burned in. So it seems that the article is simply analyzing burn-in, not comparing models by year.

 
Seems like we read a different article. 

 
http://www.headfonia.com/test-burn-in-and-production-variations/
 
  
Quote:

 The difference is very interesting, and me and Hadi thinks that the different production batches account for more difference between the two headphones than the burn-in did. Although the burn-in makes the new headphone smoother and improves the technicalities slightly, the different production batch literally gives us two slightly different versions of the M-50 sound. ...  And yet the difference due to the burn-in is even more marginal than the production batch difference. ... I think this explains why a lot of people consider burn-in as more of a placebo effect. Yes there is a difference due to the burn in, but it’s very slight.

 
There is a difference due to burn in, but the difference between the older and newer model is larger.  I just got a new pair, so this is bothersome.  is the newer one different because there was some manufacturing change?  Or is it just normal production variation?  So did I just throw the dice and do I get a good sounding pair or a bad sounding pair?
 

 

[casuallistener]

the important thing is how can you differentiate between the two? like if you bought from a seller who had new old stock, how  could you tell?

 

[TLDMan]

Quote:

Seems like we read a different article. 

 
http://www.headfonia.com/test-burn-in-and-production-variations/

Good point. That's disappointing.
 
Quote:

the important thing is how can you differentiate between the two? like if you bought from a seller who had new old stock, how  could you tell?

I can't, but if this batch sounds notably worse/not good, I'd rather spring for a different headphone than get a pair of these.