[LowtoHigh]

  Hi, thanks for taking the time to read this.  As a newbie, I like most unaware shoppers assumed bose and dr dre beats were the way to go, trying them both on at Best buy and only having stock apple ipod earphones to compare them to obviously make them seem impressive.  But after reading tons of reviews and comments online I came to the conclusion that the m50's were some of the best reviewed closed cans for 150.  I got a new pair off ebay for 125 awhile back and am very happy with them, I just thought Id ask a few ?s with others who own these cans, thanks.
 
1) How come many non-audiophiles are even aware of audio technica or these ATH-M50's?  Every site where it's reviewed has glowing reviews, does this company not advertise or market these enough?  How did many of you discover these? If not for this site and many other audiophile specific websites, I would have never knew about these, I dont know any retailers near me that have them on display.  It's too bad more non audiophiles are not introduced to these which many feel are the best overall value for 150 and less for closed back cans that are well rounded, etc.
 
2) My only complaints are the comfort, for my rather large head it starts to clamp on me and my ears get a bit sweaty.  Ive heard of people leaving them on a tissue box to loosen them up.  Are there any other mods that people have considered for these?  These are minor complaints that only happen after many hours anyhow.
 
3) In terms of amps, I dont want to spend much, so would it even be worth it to get a cheap filo e5 or are the m50s fine the way they are unless you spend 100 or more on a decent amp?
 
4) has anyone experienced any long term durability problems? Anything I should be aware of?  Ive had them for a few months but wanted to learn of anything i need to be cautious of.
 
5) and finally, for those that have these cans, what would be your next set in terms of a noticeable sound upgrade? Id assume you would have to spend 300+ to notice any difference for closed cans?  These definately seem like a top value even at 150, and some people in the past have snagged them for 100!

 

[NewbieAudie]

Hi LowtoHigh, welcome to this forum.
 
1) For me I was introduced to the phone by this very site. I believe simple word of mouth is the factor here, though I suspect amazon's particular ranking system also "promotes" the M50s rather highly.  Whenever people start searching for the "highest rated" phone on the site, the M50 would frequently pop up (along with the Beats!)
 
2) Comfort is an issue, a huge issue in fact for a not insignificant minority of people.  I believe other than the tissue paper mod, other people simply swap out the pleather pads for those more amenable to their ears.  I've heard Beyer velour pads are a good substitute, but need some corroboration on that
 
3) They are pretty much fine the way they are. They do benefit from an amp, but only slightly, namely their bass tightens and becomes a little leaner and meaner.  But the improvement is not enough to justify a new amp if you don't have one
 
4) Durability per say is not the issue here, but rather cosmetic appearance.  The pleather pads are notorious for drying and cracking after a year or so of use.  I would say keep them well "lubricated".  Otherwise they're one of the most well built and durable headphones out there and anywhere
 
5) More like $200+ , fortunately or unfortunately. However they are a top contender at $150 and are well nigh unbeatable in priceerformance ratio at $110-120, despite some vociferous opposition to that fact. 
 
 

 

[Nepenthe]

1) How come many non-audiophiles are not even aware of audio technica or these ATH-M50's?  Every site where it's reviewed has glowing reviews, does this company not advertise or market these enough?  How did many of you discover these? If not for this site and many other audiophile specific websites, I would have never knew about these, I dont know any retailers near me that have them on display.  It's too bad more non audiophiles are not introduced to these which many feel are the best overall value for 150 and less for closed back cans that are well rounded, etc.

Same reason as for everything. Collectively, the mainstream doesn't want to think too hard or do too much work when it comes to anything. The mainstream just wants something that helps it fit in, that is "good enough" (even if it's objectively poor), that is its best guess as to what the rest of the mainstream thinks is acceptable. I see this constantly everywhere in everything. Look at what's popular on television or in cinema. Look at mainstream music. Look at craft beer vs. BMC garbage. Look at places to eat. Hell, look at kitchen building materials and design choices.
 
Name almost any area or field and you'll have the mainstream, popular crap, and then a whole world of much better, more refined, more practical, and much less known goods. Just check the "getting called out for not wearing the Beats" thread. I hired a kid (college grad) recently who did just that when he saw my M50s in the office. How dare I use something that's not pop culture-approved? Or how pitiful of me to pick some off brand nobody who's anybody has ever heard of.
 

2) My only complaints are the comfort, for my rather large head it starts to clamp on me and my ears get a bit sweaty.  Ive heard of people leaving them on a tissue box to loosen them up.  Are there any other mods that people have considered for these?  These are minor complaints that only happen after many hours anyhow.

The clamping force is fine for me -- small head, like the pressure, but what I did do is this: I got a coax cable, the kind you'd use to take video from the wall into your set-top box/DVR. I cut two 9.5 inch (24.2 cm) lengths. I tucked / looped those inside each earcup, carefully, making sure the open part of the cables met in the same place on each ear. After a bit of fidgeting with it, the ends of each length of cable meet in each ear perfectly with no overlap.
 
The result? A larger opening for my ears. More distance between my scalp and the drivers. Less / no sweating. Actually feels softer. High treble tamed just a tiny bit but overall a little better sense of depth or space in the sound.
 

3) In terms of amps, I don't want to spend much, so would it even be worth it to get a cheap filo e5 or are the m50s fine the way they are unless you spend 100 or more on a decent amp?

Depends what you're using right now I guess. I always use my little Cute Beyond which amp-wise is probably equal to the FiiO e7's amp. I listen pretty quietly though. I don't think the M50 benefits from spending a lot on an amp, but the e7 (DAC and amp in one) might not be a bad choice, especially if you could use the DAC. One thing I know about the e7 is it has extremely low output impedance, which you want with low impedance headphones. But an amp is definitely not a high priority for the M50 if you like what you hear. The headphone output on my office computer (I listen to CDs) is really terrible though, so the amp makes a very noticeable difference.
 

4) has anyone experienced any long term durability problems? Anything I should be aware of?  Ive had them for a few months but wanted to learn of anything i need to be cautious of.

Only had mine a couple months, but I tend to baby my stuff a lot. You should see the case I use for them. Anyway haven't heard of anything, most people cite their durability as a plus.
 

5) and finally, for those that have these cans, what would be your next set in terms of a noticeable sound upgrade? Id assume you would have to spend 300+ to notice any difference for closed cans?  These definitely seem like a top value even at 150, and some people in the past have snagged them for 100!

You'll get several suggestions -- Denon, Fischer, I think there's a cheap Ultrasone, maybe Beyer, maybe Fostex, Shure SRH840, Sennheiser HD-25-1 II, maybe Sennheiser HD380 Pro. I'm happy with these for the most part, but I have been considering something more isolating such as the Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7B (noise-canceling). Might be a step down in sound but a step up in privacy and quiet. I've also been considering the "Thunderpants" which are Fostex T50RPs that have been heavily modified by a Head-Fi member, but it looks like it's going to be quite a while before they're available again. I really want the HiFiMAN HE-500, but it's an open headphone, and I'm afraid for the price its practicality and uses wouldn't be broad enough.