The Audio-Technica ATH-M50x are basically the default answer when someone asks, “What headphones should I get for my home studio?” Not because they’re perfect — but because they’re good enough, affordable, and everywhere.

They deliver a tight, punchy low end, slightly hyped highs, and a midrange that’s... fine. Not flat. Not wildly colored either. Just fine. They’re closed-back, so they isolate reasonably well, and they don’t leak much unless you're cranking them past healthy levels.

The build is rugged enough to survive backpacks and bad decisions. The ear pads could be more luxurious, but that’s fixable with third-party replacements (which are cheap and widely available). They fold up. They come with multiple cables. They do the job.

Are they reference-grade? No. But they’re consistent, familiar, and will tell you most of what you need to know about your mix before you send it off for mastering or ruin it with reverb.

Pros:

• Affordable and widely trusted

• Good isolation for closed-back cans

• Replaceable parts and cables

• Reliable sound for tracking or general use

Cons:

• Slightly hyped highs

• Pads can get uncomfortable over time

• Not fully neutral for critical mixing

Verdict:
The ATH-M50x are like studio coffee mugs: everyone’s got one, no one’s super passionate about them, but they’re always in use. There’s a reason they’ve stuck around.