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ATH-M50x vs Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro
Which should you actually buy? Here's our verdict.
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Studio Headphones
★ 4.7 · 72,000 ratings
$149.00
Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 80 Ohm Headphones
★ 4.7 · 29,000 ratings
$149.00
The case for each
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Studio Headphones
Why it wins
The reference budget studio headphone — tuned honest enough to mix on, fun enough to commute with, and efficient enough to run from a phone. Twenty years of revisions refined it into the most-recommended headphone on the internet, and the consensus is earned.
Watch out for
Clamp is firm out of the box (it relaxes) and the stock pads get sweaty in summer. The treble is detailed to a fault for sensitive ears — audition sibilant tracks if you're treble-shy.
Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 80 Ohm Headphones
Why it wins
A studio reference that's also a phenomenal long-haul comfort headphone. The DT 770 Pro's velour pads and legendary clamp-that-relaxes let you wear them for eight hours, while the closed-back design and crisp, detailed sound have kept them in studios for decades.
Watch out for
The 80-ohm version benefits from an amp and the 250-ohm version requires one — buy the impedance that matches your gear or you'll be disappointed. The treble is famously crisp to the point some find it sharp; audition if you're treble-sensitive.
Our verdict
The two studio standards. The M50x folds, runs from anything, and has the more energetic tuning — it's the better all-rounder and travel can. The DT 770 Pro (80Ω) is more comfortable for marathon sessions, with a wider stage and famously crisp treble that some find sharp. With an interface or amp on your desk: DT 770. Plugging straight into a laptop: M50x, and it isn't close.
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