Best Audio Technica Wired Headphones

Audio Technica ATH-M50x are made with poor materials and don’t last!!! – We bought these Audio Technica headphones from Headphonic (www.headphones.com.au) in late 2021, and within a little over two years of light use, the… Read more

padding on the ear cups began to noticeably deteriorate (see first two pics). We weren’t trying to skimp of cheap headphones so we opted for this well reviewed Audio Technica model. Whilst they do sound good and wear comfortably for moderate periods of time, they have not lasted well and seem to be made, in part, from substandard materials. The rest of the headphones look like brand new which confirms how lightly they’ve been used (see last pic).

We’ve kept these phones in a well protected space their entire lifespan and have used them lightly and regularly (estimate average twice/week for less than half an hour each time). They have never been used outdoors or had any exposure to sun or heat, but the quality of the materials is poor and not long lasting.

Did contact the shop (Headphonic www.headphones.com.au) we bought them from about their deterioration, but have had no response.

We suspect they receive so many good reviews here because most of the reviews are for much newer sets, but we’re very unimpressed with Audio Technica’s quality and don’t recommend them unless you’re fine with paying $200 for headphones that might not last much more than 1-2 years with more typical usage. How can these relatively expensive headphones fit the Consumer Law requirements of fit for purpose and lasting anywhere near as much as would be expected for such an item?

Audio Technica dead phones – The Audio Technica ATH M20x are in my opinion an over rated piece of junk. When I first put them on, my ears hurt from pressing on the speakers… Read more

inside the pads. I must have developed callouses on my ears which stopped hurting after a few weeks. My headphones came with a 3.5 jack input so I could plug them in (which I prefer over Bluetooth) The problem with the jack input was that it did not seat the plug properly which kept falling out at the slightest movement. The sound quality was average to say the least and it puzzles me why they got such a glowing review on product review. The only reason I bought them in the first place was that I had a cash flow problem at the time and as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for but in the case of the M20x headphones, you get a lot less than what you pay for. After a few weeks, I noticed the covering on the ear pads started peeling off. I contacted Audio Technica with a photo of the earpads and was told they would not replace them unless I supplied a receipt. Here is a company that does not live up to its reputation asking me for proof of purchase for an inferior quality product. For example another company I supplied a photo of a faulty audio cable to, promptly mailed a replacement of the defective part at their expense without asking for proof of purchase. I will now avoid buying any Audio Technica products in the future. My suggestion is to pay a bit more for headphones like JBL which are very superior quality.

I first bought a pair of Audiotechnica noise cancelling over ear headphones in 2013 and they were fantastic. Very effective noise cancelling (at the… Read more

time they were advertising over 99% and my experience was it was really effective at cancelling out traffic noise). Also the noise cancelling headphones in 2013 were made of quality materials - not the kind of plastic that comes off so you get lots of microscopic pieces of plastic all over your hair! They lasted a long time also. Then in 2023 and 2024 I bought another pair thinking the quality would be like the Audiotechnica over ear noise cancelling headphones I'd bought in 2013. How naive I was! They were far inferior to the point of not being even comparable yet the price was higher! 1. The "noise cancelling" headphones no longer provide any noise cancellation! Rendering them useless for that purpose 2. They are now made of that cheap plastic that disintegrates such that after 9 months I was getting pieces of plastic all over my hair! 3. The ear cups are not attached properly and come off, and to put them back on is extremely difficult. With my 2013 pair I never had the ear cups come off with many years of use 4. The battery compartment is very difficult to use. This is going beyond inbuilt obsolescence - Audiotechnica has decided to take an excellent product and render it useless, such poor quality in so many ways. I will certainly no longer be loyal to this brand anymore and will never buy this brand again.

Excellent value for the price – This is an older model in Audio-Technica's catalogue, something that becomes very apparent in the design. It's neither slick or immediately… Read more

comfortable. You'll need to fiddle with it to get it to seal and sit on your ears properly. The casing is large and fairly cumbersome. Thankfully, the over-the-ear design works well and ensures the unit stays put.

Let's talk sound...

Treble - Clear but not overly detailed. There's a decent amount of sparkle that gives the treble plenty of energy, despite this, sibilance is practically non-existing. Unfortunately, the treble takes a back seat to the mids and bass, as it feels almost lost at times.

Mids - Mids for days and days. Meaty and forward. The mids are very prominent in this IEM. Natural and full ranged without distortion or hollowness. However, there's a peak in the upper mids making vocals sound a bit shouty when the volume is high.

Bass - Perfect. Not too much, not too little. The bass has a decent level thump without overpowering the rest of the frequencies. Very clean and articulated. I have not noticed any bleeding into the mids.

Despite a few caveats, as far as I'm concerned, the ATH-E40 is fantastic.... for the price. Of course this is just my opinion and your mileage may vary.

Please keep in mind that obtaining a good seal is crucial for these earphones to work at their full potential, so make sure to play with the tips till you find one that fits.