Audio-Technica ATH-M50x vs Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro (80 Ohm)
Quick take: The Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro (80 Ohm) costs $10 less.
Which one to buy
This is the most common crossroads for a first studio headphone, and the answer depends mostly on where you'll use it. Both cost about $150, both use 45mm drivers, and both have a V-shaped tuning rather than a flat one. The difference is that the M50x is built to travel and the DT 770 Pro is built to stay at a desk.
The M50x folds, swivels for one-ear monitoring, has three detachable cables, and at 38 ohms reaches full quality from a phone dongle. The 80-ohm DT 770 can't fold, comes with no case, and has a 3-meter cable fixed to the headphone. From a phone it gets loud-ish but loses bass control. With an audio interface or a small amp, owners say its sub-bass goes deeper and stays tighter than the M50x's, and its soundstage is unusually wide for a closed-back, which is why gamers like it.
Comfort strongly favors the Beyer. Its velour pads and gentle clamp are what owners compare other closed-backs to, and eight-hour tracking sessions are normal. The M50x clamps firmly at first, its pleather pads get hot, and those pads crack within one to three years, although replacements cost about $15-25. Each has a treble problem of its own. The M50x's forward treble can sound sibilant, and the Beyer has a spike around 8kHz that many owners cut with EQ permanently. For long-term repairs, the M50x's detachable cables make cable damage a quick swap, while on the DT 770 it means soldering. Owners still regularly report 15-year-old Beyers in use.
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x
If the headphone has to go between a phone, a laptop and a backpack, or you don't own an interface or amp.
Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro (80 Ohm)
Best if you work at a desk with an audio interface and wear headphones for hours at a time. Owners say nothing closed-back at this price is more comfortable for long tracking sessions or gaming.
| Spec | Audio-Technica ATH-M50x | Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro (80 Ohm) |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$159 | ~$149 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Wired & Studio | Wired & Studio |
| Noise Cancelling | None | None |
| Battery (single charge) | — | — |
| Battery (with case) | — | — |
| Quick Charge | — | — |
| Codecs | — | — |
| Bluetooth | — | — |
| Multipoint | No | No |
| Driver Size | 45 mm | 45 mm |
| Weight | 285 g | 270 g |
| Water Resistance | — | — |
| Wireless Charging | No | No |
| Transparency Mode | No | No |
| Spatial Audio | No | No |
| App EQ | No | No |
Pros & cons
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x
- ✓Runs happily from a phone dongle at 38 ohms
- ✓Legendary durability — years of backpack abuse, still working
- ✓Folds flat with three detachable cables included
- ✓Punchy tuning flatters hip-hop and electronic
- ✓Cheap replacement pads make it effectively immortal
- ✓Decade-plus default first studio headphone for a reason
- ✗Coiled cable is heavy enough to tug your head
- ✗Pleather pads run hot and flake by year two
- ✗Clamp is firm on larger heads
- ✗Mid-bass bump and forward treble aren't mixing-flat
- ✗Trails the DT 770 for long-session comfort
Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro (80 Ohm)
- ✓Velour pads set the closed-back comfort benchmark
- ✓Drummers track eight-hour days in these
- ✓Excellent isolation for tracking vocals and drums
- ✓Every part replaceable — commonly alive after 15 years
- ✓Made-in-Germany build outlasts the M50x's pleather pads
- ✓80-ohm version suits home-studio interfaces perfectly
- ✗Wants an interface or amp for real bass control
- ✗8kHz treble spike bothers treble-sensitive listeners
- ✗Hard-wired 3-meter cable feels dated at $149
- ✗Recessed mids make it V-shaped for a monitor
- ✗Bulky earcups don't fold for travel
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x vs Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro (80 Ohm): common questions
I only have a laptop headphone jack. Does that rule out the DT 770?▾
It doesn't rule it out, but it puts the Beyer at a disadvantage. The 80-ohm version gets reasonably loud from a laptop, but owners say bass grip and dynamics only show up with an interface or a small amp. The M50x needs nothing extra, so laptop-only users usually choose it, or the 32-ohm DT 770.
Is the M50x or the DT 770 easier to keep running for ten years?▾
Both have long lifespans. The M50x's pads wear out every couple of years, but pads and detachable cables are cheap and quick to replace. Every part of the DT 770 is sold as a spare, but the cable is fixed, so cable damage after six or more years means soldering.
Does the DT 770 or the M50x have better bass for production?▾
Owners say the DT 770 goes deeper and stays more controlled once it's properly powered. The M50x has a mid-bass bump that can hide detail and make mixes come out bass-light. Producers using either one learn its quirks and check mixes on other speakers or headphones.