One of Audio-Technica’s most popular products is its ATH-M50x headphones. You could say that these headphones went viral a few years back. The newest set of Beats headphones is the Beats Solo Pro. These feel sturdier than even the Solo 3 line and come with a matte finish in several colors. The Beats Solo Pro is a huge test-up in quality compared to previous Beats models.
When it comes to Audio Technica ATH-M50X vs Beats Solo Pro, you will find that both are extremely high-quality headsets. While both sound great, the ATH-M50X is best for professional studio use while the Beats Pro Studio is best for delivering studio-quality sound at home.
Audio-Technica and Beats are both companies that have earned their respect in the audio world. If you aren’t familiar with all the various terminologies when it comes to headphones, however, it can be hard to decide on the best headphones for you.
In this article, we will compare and contrast the Audio Technica ATH-M50X vs Beats Solo Pro. We will go over the features of each pair of headphones, and we will also list the pros and cons of each one.
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x
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The Audio-Technica ATH-M50x isn’t going anywhere; the style, comfort, and great sound are what make these headphones a great buy. You can often find these headphones on sale, making them an even better value.
Who should get the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x?
- Students and commuters should get these headphones. If you’re always on the bus or train, the plush padding and closed-back design of these headphones do a decent job at blocking outside noise. You’ll also benefit from the folding design as you can toss them in your bag.
- YouTubers and anyone starting to get into audio production will benefit from these budget studio headphones. Whether you’re working with audio for videos or for music production, the ATH-M50x is a great all-around pick. Sure, the Sony MDR-7506 has a more accurate frequency response (which is an industry staple for audio editing), but the slight bass emphasis in the low frequencies, makes this headset fine for work or casual mixing and editing.
What’s it like to use the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x?
When it comes to building and design, Audio-Technica hit the nail right on the head with these headphones. They’re stylish enough to stand out but not so flamboyant that they draw unwanted attention.
Since their initial release, these headphones have become available in a few different color options including subtle dark blue with tan leather and stealthy all-black. While there aren’t a plethora of color options, you shouldn’t have a problem finding one that you like.
Aesthetics aside, the ATH-M50x is a pretty sturdy pair of headphones. The entire build is plastic, so don’t expect anything premium here, but combine the lightweight plastic with the plush padding, and these are comfortable to wear for those long listening sessions.
The ear cups also rotate 90 degrees so you can have them flat around your neck when not in use, and you can adjust them ever so slightly to get the most comfortable fit. While they’re not as comfortable as something like the Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro headphones we reviewed with their velour padding, they’re certainly more versatile when it comes to finding a good fit.
On the downside, the ATH-M50x don’t breathe very well due to the padding, so if you’re in a hotter environment you might find that you need to take them off from time to time to avoid sweaty ears. While we had no issues with durability, it’s worth keeping in mind that these are still made of plastic so you might not want to throw a pile of books or a laptop on top of them.
Audio Technica Ath-M50X vs Beats Solo Pro – How Does The ATH-M50x Sound?
The Audio Technica ATH-M50 is marketed as monitor headphones, but it’s more like a Swiss Army Knife of audio if you’re going just by the sound performance. Its frequency response is relatively neutral, but there is still a slight emphasis on notes in the lower frequencies that you won’t find on higher-end studio headphones.
These headphones sound great when it comes to classical music, especially in the upper frequencies where string instruments lie. These headphones reproduce great mids and highs.
How Do You Connect These Headphones?
These came out before everyone decided that removing the headphone jack a good idea (which it wasn’t), so all three cables that are included in the box have a 3.5mm jack at the end. As we mentioned above, it does come with a quarter-inch adapter so if you have an audio interface or higher-end piece of gear you can just screw it on.
But it’s worth mentioning that Audio-Technica recently released a wireless version of these, the ATH-M50xBT. And I encourage you to go for that option over the aging ATH-M50x, not simply for the wireless upgrades, but for the removal of the cable locking mechanism.
When it comes to Audio Technica Ath-M50X vs Beats Solo Pro, connectivity is words apart. The ATH-M50X has a zero-latency wired connection where the Beats Solo Pro uses convenient but laggy Bluetooth.
By removing this, you can use any old 3.5mm to 3.5mm TRRS cable lying around should yours break. Just keep in mind that as convenient as Bluetooth is, it isn’t perfect and the quality of certain codecs is dependent on whether you’re using an Android or an iOS device.
Audio Technica Ath-M50X vs Beats Solo Pro
A Little More About Beats
Acquired by Apple back in the heady days of 2014, the Beats brand has gone from strength to strength and now encompasses a wide range of over-ear headphones and in-ear earphones.
For you, Beats deals hunters that means some fantastic cheap Beats Headphones sales on the older models, although the new ones are often for sale as well. There are Beats Headphone prices for everyone as well thankfully, as prices range from just $45/£59 all the way to $249/£249.
Beats headphones sales: choosing which to buy
If you’re shopping the latest Beats headphones sales but aren’t sure which ones to get or where to find the best Beats prices, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve compared every model still readily available – both the newest models and also the now slightly older and cheaper ones – to show you what each pair of Beats headphones does best to help you decide on a pair.
The newest Beats are an amazing addition to the series and a tempting purchase for anyone looking for a set of cans with decent noise-canceling tech.
Studier than the Solo 3 line and sporting a cool matte finish in each color, the Beats Solo Pro feel like the biggest step up in quality the series has seen in some time for its larger line of headphones. Beats work best with iPhones and pair fast thanks to modern chipsets and we’re loving the hands-free Siri integration too which is a first on the Beats Solo Pro.
Conclusion
When it comes to Audio Technica ATH-M50X vs Beats Solo Pro, both are really great headphones but the ATH-M50X is best for professional studio use.
This particular pair of Beats headphones do indeed offer studio-quality sound, but you are never going to use a wireless connection in a studio environment because of the inherent delays that come along with that.
Audio-Technica and Beats are both companies that have earned their respect in the audio world. If you aren’t familiar with all the various terminologies when it comes to headphones, however, it can be hard to decide on the best headphones for you.
Marziano is a seasoned tech expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and multiple certifications, including CompTIA A+, Network+, and Cisco’s CCNA, he has a well-rounded and robust understanding of various aspects of technology.
