Audio Technica ATH-M50x -- One (1) Year Review

Gear Review

Audio-Technica MTH-50 Review: One Year Later

An enduring review of the Audio-Technica MTH-50 headphones after a year of use.

~1

Year Ownership

MTH-50

Model

~5-10

Years Projected Life

Reviewed

Mar 2014

Table of Contents

• ①The Long-Term Listen
• ②Durability and Wear
• ③Recommendation

Section I

The Long-Term Listen

It has been almost a year since I purchased the Audio-Technica MTH-50 headphones, and they are still going strong. I blogged about them back in March 2014, and I can confidently say they continue to sound fantastic—perhaps even better than when I first got them. While I wouldn’t necessarily attribute this improvement to "burn-in," I do think that as you become accustomed to their sound signature, you start to notice more of the subtle details that might have been blurry or drowned out in cheaper headphones.

 

Section II

Durability and Wear

In hindsight, the 'white' color looked cool initially, but it has proven to be a magnet for dirt and grime. The pleather headband, in particular, is showing some wear and tear, and I worry that it may eventually peel and crack. However, this wear doesn’t detract from the sound quality, and I believe these headphones will remain usable for a long time. That said, I do wish Audio-Technica had invested in higher-quality materials for the headband.

Section III

Recommendation

Would I still recommend the MTH-50s? Absolutely. These headphones are worth every penny.

The only other pairs I might consider in this price range are the Beyerdynamics or the Sony MDR-V6s. While I haven’t personally tried either of those models, I have read positive reviews online, and I trust the reliability of those assessments, especially given how accurate they were regarding the Audio-Technica MTH-50s.

Hopefully, in another 5 or 10 years, I can still blog about these same MTH-50s and continue to have good things to say!

Still sounding great after all this time.