ATH-M50x Headphones Unplugged
Comfortable enough for hours of voice tracking, tough enough to survive constant on-and-off use, and priced for a budget that didn't stretch to studio monitors.
Ian Gardner is a British-American broadcaster, voice artist and audio enthusiast, sharing years of experience building creative workflows from a modern home studio. He helps readers make smarter buying decisions across studio gear, production tools and home comforts for both inside and outside the workspace. Broadcasters, podcasters, voice artists, producers and digital creators will find guidance that supports high production values and efficient workflows for building a successful home studio business. Similar articles can be found in the headphones blog.
When it comes to home studio headphones, the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x has earned a cult-like following for good reason. I own two pairs, and they've been in near-daily use in my studio for years - not because they're flashy, but because they hold up to exactly the kind of abuse a working voice-over setup throws at them. If you want a quick look at them in action, check out this 1 minute demonstration here.
Comfort was the first thing that sold me, and it's still the reason I reach for these over anything else when I'm recording voice tracks for radio shows. A lot of headphones start to dig in or heat up after 30-40 minutes. The M50x's earcups fully enclose your ears for solid passive isolation, and the padded headband and plush cushions mean I can sit through a long session of reads and re-takes without needing to stop and adjust or give my ears a break. When you're tracking for hours, that's not a nice-to-have - it's the difference between a productive session and a distracted one.
The other thing I didn't fully appreciate until years of use is how tough these are. Voice-over work means constantly putting headphones on and taking them off - between takes, between clients, between mic checks. That's a lot of repeated stress on a headband and hinge that most consumer headphones aren't built for. Mine have taken that abuse daily for years and the folding hinges, earcup rotation, and headband adjustment still feel as solid as day one.
Price was a real factor for me too, and I don't think that gets said enough in gear reviews. When I bought my first pair, I didn't have the budget for high-end studio monitors, and I needed something that wouldn't force a trade-off between sound quality and what I could actually afford. The M50x hit that sweet spot - professional-grade accuracy without the price tag of the gear one tier up. That value proposition is exactly why I went back and bought a second pair rather than upgrading to something pricier.
Sound-wise, they've earned their reputation for balance. They don't hype the bass or treble the way a lot of consumer headphones do, which matters when you're trying to judge how a voice track or a mix will actually translate. What you hear is close to what you're going to get, which is exactly what you want when you're making decisions about levels, EQ, or whether a read needs another take.
If you're setting up a home studio and need headphones that can handle long tracking sessions, near-constant on-and-off wear, and a real budget - these are still an easy recommendation from me, years and two pairs in.
Comfort was the first thing that sold me, and it's still the reason I reach for these over anything else when I'm recording voice tracks for radio shows. A lot of headphones start to dig in or heat up after 30-40 minutes. The M50x's earcups fully enclose your ears for solid passive isolation, and the padded headband and plush cushions mean I can sit through a long session of reads and re-takes without needing to stop and adjust or give my ears a break. When you're tracking for hours, that's not a nice-to-have - it's the difference between a productive session and a distracted one.
The other thing I didn't fully appreciate until years of use is how tough these are. Voice-over work means constantly putting headphones on and taking them off - between takes, between clients, between mic checks. That's a lot of repeated stress on a headband and hinge that most consumer headphones aren't built for. Mine have taken that abuse daily for years and the folding hinges, earcup rotation, and headband adjustment still feel as solid as day one.
Price was a real factor for me too, and I don't think that gets said enough in gear reviews. When I bought my first pair, I didn't have the budget for high-end studio monitors, and I needed something that wouldn't force a trade-off between sound quality and what I could actually afford. The M50x hit that sweet spot - professional-grade accuracy without the price tag of the gear one tier up. That value proposition is exactly why I went back and bought a second pair rather than upgrading to something pricier.
Sound-wise, they've earned their reputation for balance. They don't hype the bass or treble the way a lot of consumer headphones do, which matters when you're trying to judge how a voice track or a mix will actually translate. What you hear is close to what you're going to get, which is exactly what you want when you're making decisions about levels, EQ, or whether a read needs another take.
If you're setting up a home studio and need headphones that can handle long tracking sessions, near-constant on-and-off wear, and a real budget - these are still an easy recommendation from me, years and two pairs in.
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