here's a new member opinion about ATH-M50
2 weeks ago, i tend to buy a new pair of headphone (my first hi-quality headphone, before i got ipod/sony/panasonis cheap earbuds and cheap clarion stereo headphone, better than former earbuds). my budget was $100-$140 (Rp.1.000.000-1.350.000 (indonesian rupiahs). the seller was a nice person, he let me try some phone and let me choose which one suit my ear better. here the list : (i've been searching some info and read this site before i go to a store)
1. ATH-TAD 500 (new out of the box, unburned)
2. Grado SR80i
3. Shure 440
4. Goldring DR 150
5. ATH-M50
vocal/mid
i like the vocal most on SR80i and shure440 (a bit different but liked booth), TAD-500 got similar mid to SR80i but less strong imppresion on my ears (maybe need burn-in). DR150 and M-50 maybe a bit similar in mid, but DR150 is more clear on vocal (female voice). in clearness i think DR150 is the winner, but i like SR80 character.
high
for me as long as its high doesn't hurt my ears its fine. i got less impression on M-50 and Shure440 about high, just a little.... not much.
low/bass
M-50 got full bass,impact, and its drive low freq better in quantity than the others. but it less accurate (i like accurate bass). Shure 440 got bass, its not as impact as M-50 but its better in accurate. SR80i got the best accurate in low freq, but less in quantity. TAD-500 alittle better bass than SR80i, its nice and like it. DR150,i forget about the bass/low
sound stage
SR80i=>ATH-TAD500=>Goldring DR150=>ATH-M50=>Shure 440
comfort
TAD500=>DR150=>ATH-M50=>Shure 440=>SR80i
and i bought Grado SR80i (Rp. 1.100.000) , in my opnion M-50 is a nice headphone. its have good low (but not that accurate), but the high is a little bit dissapointed (to my ears). next month i intend to buy a closed headphone with detail/clear mid and better quantity bass than my SR80i (maybe beyer,AKG,or denon.... or maybe ATH-TAD500 its not as leaked as SR80i, and love how its sound). i love my SR80i, but it leaks sound a lot!! and i only use it in my room.
note : when i tried those phone, i plugged it to my notebook and play some flac and 320kbps mp3. ( when i try to add e7, its the same no improvement. so to RAW SQ, i said my notebook DAC same as fiio e7). for next, i wanna got some amp+portable player (maybe fiio e11 and teclast product)
sorry if my english is bad, thanks