[LajostheHun]

I wouldnt even think ATH M50 is a safe choice for every genre.
Even Trinity Vyrus IEMs would blow away ATH M50.
^ that's hella cheap for what 70 USD?

I hate IEM's!!!
it's a safe choice to many people, no it's not for everyone, and not for every genre. I'm not sure why are you so apprehensive about a product that you don't own or care to recommend. Why don't you just move on?

 

[Koolpep]

Unreasonable bashing of products is the same as overhyping.

 

[oldmate]

  Back in the day I was one of the people who followed the crowd's advice with the hype of the M50. It was one of my first headphone purchases after joining head-fi and I honestly felt like being part of everyone else and agreed that it was amazing for the money.. but deep down from the moment I heard them until the moment they fell apart - I was disappointed. Not because I thought they were bad, but because they were (and still are) the default entry level headphone that everyone screams at you to buy when you join the hobby and after years later and owning many many more headphones.. I just feel like there are so much better options out there. Audio-Technica has to completely love us by now.. or maybe they're the ones behind it all along *queue conspiracy music*.
 
I don't mean to bash the headphone or anyone who owns/loves it. It is just my opinion anyway. I am sure that a lot of people really are happy with it. I just felt like it has a sound signature that many may not like and headphones like Grado can be had for much less. It really is just an example of how a hyped up headphone will be praised and bought a lot of times simply because everyone else likes it and buys it too.

I actually sold my HP50's due to lousy build quality to fund my M50X purchase. They are dedicated to PC use with Sound Blaster ZXR and I have to say I think they are a wonderful set of cans for my purposes. I would put them a little above entry level myself but that's just my opinion.
 
Build quality craps all over the NAD's.

 

[RRod]

 
Build quality craps all over the NAD's.

 
hrasing.jpg:

 

[Argyris]

I tried the HP50. I bought it mainly on Tyll's strong recommendation. My impressions of it are...complicated. I ultimately didn't keep it, and it's the first time I was ever forced to return a headphone because I found it unbearably uncomfortable. The clamp was ridiculous, and the tiny spot where the poorly padded headband made contact with the top of my skull and bore much of the weight of the headphone became supremely uncomfortable after about an hour.
 
Sound-wise, I actually feel like I didn't get an accurate impression of it because of the fit. I feel like the pads, despite the immense clamping pressure, weren't sealing properly because, despite the measurements I'd seen and pretty much all the impressions I'd read, I heard very little lower bass. It was all mid- and upper bass, and while initially in a listening session it didn't sound overblown, it kind of caught up with me over time. This, coupled with the lack of upper end extension, made it sound thick and a bit dull to me over time. There was also a bothersome peak somewhere in the mid-treble, despite the overall treble level not being elevated. Targeted parametric EQ left behind a sound that lacked extension on both ends and was, for lack of better words, dry, dull and unengaging. After a bit of experimentation, I concluded that I preferred the stock balance, despite its flaws.
 
I wanted desperately to like this headphone. I'm one of the three and a half people in the known universe who actually liked the way it looked (in bright red, no less), though the squarish headband was a questionable style choice that also contributed to the uncomfortable fit. I was also impressed with the overall technical capability, despite the tonality issues I had. The imaging was impressive, as was the detail retrieval. It also had good genre coverage in that nothing sounded obviously wrong on it. The sound was mostly smooth (apart from that odd spike in the treble), and it seemed quite well damped. No obvious ringing, no overt cup coloration. The HP50 had a lot going for it, and I feel like I might have eventually gotten used to the sound, but the comfort didn't get any better after about a week with my set, so it got sent on.

 

[Dillan]

I actually sold my HP50's due to lousy build quality to fund my M50X purchase. They are dedicated to PC use with Sound Blaster ZXR and I have to say I think they are a wonderful set of cans for my purposes. I would put them a little above entry level myself but that's just my opinion.

Build quality craps all over the NAD's.

A lot of people love them, I would imagine the sound sig is probably pretty great for gaming

 

[Argyris]

A lot of people love them, I would imagine the sound sig is probably pretty great for gaming

 
That might depend on what you value in gaming. If you like the deep rumble of explosions and gunshots, maybe. If you feel that that low end rumble gets in the way of the finer details, particularly positional cues, it might be problematic.

 

[Dillan]

That might depend on what you value in gaming. If you like the deep rumble of explosions and gunshots, maybe. If you feel that that low end rumble gets in the way of the finer details, particularly positional cues, it might be problematic.

Also very true.

 

[castleofargh]

trying to justify that something is overpriced for taste reasons is ok only at a personal level. we shouldn't try to force our taste onto others.

 

[Ancipital]

   
That might depend on what you value in gaming. If you like the deep rumble of explosions and gunshots, maybe. If you feel that that low end rumble gets in the way of the finer details, particularly positional cues, it might be problematic.

 
Hells yes. I'd wear my planars for gaming far more often if they weren't open-backed, and if I didn't need a mic so much. Combined with Dolby Atmos in Overwatch, it's eerie how clearly and quickly I can resolve directional sound cues. I have heard listening room scale 3D audio systems of a high-end and sometimes experimental/cutting-edge nature, so I don't impress easily, but I have to say that I loved the combo.
 
However, I do compromise for a warm-sounding closed-backed headset with a decent noise-cancelling mic, as throwing it on your head and being ready to go is just so handy. I did toy with picking up a lavalier mic to go into my desktop DAC/ADC, but then there's the extra hassle and cable soup- which is just a distraction when the action hots up.

 

[U-3C]

trying to justify that something is overpriced for taste reasons is ok only at a personal level. we shouldn't try to force our taste onto others.

If only I can stop doing that myself.

 

[pctazhp]

  trying to justify that something is overpriced for taste reasons is ok only at a personal level. we shouldn't try to force our taste onto others.

But it is so much fun telling other people how to think and act. 

 

[castleofargh]

 

  trying to justify that something is overpriced for taste reasons is ok only at a personal level. we shouldn't try to force our taste onto others.

But it is so much fun telling other people how to think and act. 

tell me about it, I wished to be world general since I was a kid. even watched pinky and the brain for educational purpose, but no luck so far.

 

[cel4145]

Unreasonable bashing of products is the same as overhyping.

+1

And it often is the counterpart to over hyping. People that over hype a headphone will often go out of their way to bash a headphone comparable in price/performance.

 

[Ancipital]

  tell me about it, I wished to be world general since I was a kid. even watched pinky and the brain for educational purpose, but no luck so far.

 
You can't be Pinky and The Brain at once, that's just greedy. You'd have to share..