Audio-Technica ATH-M50s
The straight-cable member of a monitoring headphone that quietly became the reference point a whole generation of engineers reached for.
Overview
The ATH-M50s gives almost nothing away in the hand. Audio-Technica's own advertising described the line in deliberately plain terms — "natural response throughout the entire frequency range, without hyping or diminishing sounds along the way" — and the headphone itself matches that restraint. What separates this particular version from its siblings is the cable: the ATH-M50s is the straight-cable variant, distinguished from the coiled-cable ATH-M50 and the white coiled-cable ATH-M50WH. Audio-Technica's feature sheets laid the options out plainly, and it's worth knowing which one is in the box before buying used, because the model suffix is the whole difference.
The driver is a proprietary 45 mm large-aperture design with a neodymium magnet system, loaded into closed-back cushioned earcups that Audio-Technica billed for isolation. The pads surround the ear with full coverage rather than pressing on it, and the padded headband is adjustable — the company specifically pitched both for long mixing and recording sessions, which is the honest way of saying these are built to be worn for hours without complaint. Mix (2012, p.21) put the M50 through a three-way closed-back shootout and found the weight "perfect" — not so light that the drivers feel suspect, not so heavy that the neck objects — with earpieces that pivot and collapse up into the arch and rotate 180 degrees to accommodate odd head shapes. The same review noted the earcups extend on a flat metal ribbon clicking along an interior plastic track, generous enough for large heads, though smaller heads may find the fit a touch saggy at the tightest setting.
On sound, the period verdict was consistent and worth quoting in paraphrase: Mix (2012, p.21) reported that across dance, hip-hop, rock, and metal, the bass came through punchy and full without perceived distortion, upper-midrange synths and snares kept their detail and imaging while competing with the lows, and long listening sessions produced no ear fatigue. The reviewer's one real reservation was up top — a lack of the highest highs, which showed up as missing air and room on jazz and classical material and as some midrange congestion on complicated brass arrangements. That's the honest summary of the M50s character: honest and detailed from the lows through the midrange, with a polite rather than extended top end.
The physical caveats matter as much as the sound. Mix (2012, p.21) flagged the attached cord — this straight-cable version included — as a wear point, noting the industry trend toward modular cables, and reported that the ear pads did not appear to be replaceable, effectively giving the model an expiration date. The materials were judged decent but far from unbreakable. A screw-on 1/4-inch adapter and a carrying bag that works with the phones collapsed were included. Street price at the time of that review was $159.
Where the M50s earns its reputation is as a working tool rather than an audiophile trophy. The same Mix review trusted the pair to double the monitors during editing and mixing, called it a welcome companion on field-recording gigs, and wanted "a roomful" for tracking sessions because the isolation and comfort keep a band happy with their cue mixes — while conceding that audiophiles would likely be disappointed in the top end and that it wouldn't be a first choice as a mastering cross-reference. That's a fair split: a monitoring headphone that tells the truth in the middle of the spectrum and asks you to look elsewhere for the last octave.
Collectors and used buyers should note the model's place in Audio-Technica's history. The company's 50th-anniversary campaign included an ATH-M50s/LE — a silver limited edition sharing the same basic design — alongside anniversary microphones like the AT4050URUSHI and the revived ATM25. That makes the plain black ATH-M50s the workhorse of the family and the /LE the one to watch for serial-numbered collectibility. The recurring failure points, per period reporting, are the fixed cable and the non-replaceable pads; both are worth inspecting closely on any secondhand pair, since a worn cable or flattened pad is the difference between a bargain and a project.
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