ATH-M50's

[twistedtom]

I got a a set of ATH-M50 headphones in the mail today, they were a rebate for buying a AT microphone. I have a number of different headphones and these are by far the best sounding ones I have, good bass and very clear, things stand out with them.

[Tobor]

They're very nice indeed.

I have a few high end headphones, and they stack up very well. Initially I found them a tad uncomfortable, but the headband loosened up and the sound opened up and I love them now.

Nice isolation is another plus, so currently I'm using them as my travel/on-the-go phones. I'm using AKG 271's as my closed/tracking phones in the studio, but should they go down the M50's could carry on without missing a beat.

So to speak.

[mhschmieder]

They are good headphones and especially an excellent buy for the price. I wouldn't use them in critical mixing decisions though as they are a bit bass-biased. But depending on head shape, the instrument they play, and overall preferences, they are often the first choice in my small home studio during "live drums plus ghost tracking" sessions or even overdub sessions.

The Beyer DT-770, DT-880, etc., are more transparent, better balanced, with better imaging and more comfortable for long wear for MOST people (again, head sizes differ and other factors as well). More money though, but worth keeping in mind as a second pair (one is closed and the other is semi-open so they serve different purposes; tracking vs. mixing), should you ever need more than one pair or choose to upgrade.

Right now my ultimate pair for accuracy is the AKG K-702, but for comfort (especially longer sessions) it is the Beyerdynamic DT-880 (the Pro edition wasn't available when I bought mine, but unlike the preferred low-impedance version of the DT-770 PRO, isn't particularly different other than for detachable cable or something like that).

I recommend the ATM's without hesitation to most people at this point. Preferably the ones with the straight cable (they emphasize the curled "telephone cable" at most consumer sites). I think they're also now available in white or silver. They have excellent isolation and better audio quality than the Extreme Isolation cans I bought for drummers to use. The drummers I've worked with these past two years would rather use the ATM's for comfort and sound.