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Review Summary
2025-09-29T20:00:00
With an open back, I wasn't expecting a good bass response but these are rather surprising. It won't have the lasting impact from closed back monitors but these definitely deliver when needed. I find the ear pads and head pads to be comfortable but I worry that there won't be replacement head pads when these eventually wear out. I primarily use these when I don't want to power up monitor speakers when editing or mixing and they work really well. I wish it had the coiled cable as the short cable doesn't have the 1/4 adapter threads and the long cable can be a hazard if the cord isn't managed correctly. Overall I like how these sound and they are more comfortable to me than the m50x, though I do like how those sounds too.
Tsubaki

2025-09-03T20:00:00
I have been using these headphones as one of a collection that can depend on mood or what i'm trying to get out of a track. Listening to Oh Daddy by Fleetwood Mac is fantastic, reveals so much i'd not heard before, Adele's first Album 19 i'm hearing rim shots, background noises, guitar plucks not previously picked out. Listening to a very heavy bass heavy track like Live with me by Massive attack still has that moody bass but it's taught and controlled, Roads by Portishead really draws out the violins, and finally Giorgio by Moroder - Daft Punk sounds incredible, The bass is spot on.
Mikey

2025-05-01T20:00:00
These headphones are super comfortable and lightweight, reducing stress on the ears and head if you like to produce for 3+ hours. Crisp and clear audio, even on the low end frequencies. The open back design is a new and unique feature that I would highly recommend if your environment is in a studio or a more quiet area as the open back can allow outside sounds to pass through easily. Great price for the quality you can expect from Audio-Technica headphones
Ty

2025-04-26T20:00:00
Very comfortable, lightweight, and stellar sound quality for the price. A great option for open back headphones, I currently use them for playing guitar and mixing audio when I am not using my studio monitors.
showland

2025-04-13T20:00:00
By stock it's poor headphones, very weak highs , easy to test with one republic wherever I go , sound is very bad, changing cable and pads helps , they have to change it , because it has very high potential
Rado

2025-03-26T20:00:00
I got this along side of the r70xa and these fell so short of the r70xa. Now that I have the R30x its made it clear to me that I should say something. These headphones (while tuned better than most of Audio Technica's line up) arent good, the tuning is shouty and bright which drowns out any positives i have about the lower mids and bass. The pad system isnt as comfortable as the r30x head strap. If I were considering getting these headphones I would go with R30x over these if I couldn't afford the R70xa.
Capra

Black
Open-back reference
1.77" (45mm)
93.3 dB/mW
5 to 40,000 Hz
1,600 mW
50 ohms
1/8" (3.5mm) stereo headphone jack
Without cable: 7.3 oz (207g) (Approx.)
192223293311
An excellent, affordable set of headphones
By Tsubaki
With an open back, I wasn't expecting a good bass response but these are rather surprising. It won't have the lasting impact from closed back monitors but these definitely deliver when needed. I find the ear pads and head pads to be comfortable but I worry that there won't be replacement head pads when these eventually wear out. I primarily use these when I don't want to power up monitor speakers when editing or mixing and they work really well. I wish it had the coiled cable as the short cab...
View full Review
Beautiful, revealing, detailed and emotionally draws
By Mikey
I have been using these headphones as one of a collection that can depend on mood or what i'm trying to get out of a track. Listening to Oh Daddy by Fleetwood Mac is fantastic, reveals so much i'd not heard before, Adele's first Album 19 i'm hearing rim shots, background noises, guitar plucks not previously picked out. Listening to a very heavy bass heavy track like Live with me by Massive attack still has that moody bass but it's taught and controlled, Roads by Portishead really draws out th...
View full Review
The ATH-R50x professional open-back reference headphones are designed to provide a natural listening experience with an expansive soundstage that's ideal for all manner of critical-listening tasks. The headphones' drivers are modelled after those used in the original ATH-R70x, now re-engineered to deliver bass that's surprisingly powerful for an open-back model, plus an accurate upper midrange to ensure the clarity of vocals and lead instruments without sacrificing overall balance.
Key to delivering this natural, full-spectrum sound is the headphones' pure open-back design, which doesn't embellish the sound coming from the drivers. The ATH-R50x headphones are engineered to deliver dynamic, detailed audio, with powerful sub-bass and a realistic soundstage, directly from the drivers without any additional acoustic tuning. The fully open earcups also provide greater comfort than closed-back models - comfort enhanced by the newly designed headband and durable, lightweight construction.
Perfect for mixing, mastering, or creating, the ATH-R50x provides precise, reliable reference across stereo, surround, and immersive formats, making it a versatile choice for any professional or home studio.
Unrestricted Driver Performance - Pure Open-Back Design
Fully open-back sound relies solely on the performance of the driver, with each diaphragm movement directly translating into sound. The ATH-R50x open-back design allows unrestricted airflow that prevents any distortion or artificial enhancement to the sound. The headphones deliver pure sound directly from the transducer for an authentic open-back experience.
Extended Comfort - Lightweight Design
The headband on the lightweight ATH-R50x (207g) is designed to keep you comfortable for hours. The replaceable velour earpads and cooling, open-back earcups add to the comfort, allowing you to stay fully immersed in the audio even through the longest listening sessions.
https://www.audio-technica.com/en-us
800-376-5318