Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Review: Why Every YouTuber Wears These Headphones

If you watch Marques Brownlee (MKBHD), Joe Rogan, or virtually any prominent Twitch streamer, you will notice a recurring piece of gear. It isn't a flashy $500 pair of AirPods Max or bass-heavy Beats.

It is the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x, a utilitarian, plasticky pair of studio monitor headphones that cost about $150.

With over 33,000 reviews on Amazon and a staggering 4.7-star rating, the M50x has achieved legendary status. But why do creators refuse to use anything else?

1. The "Flat" Truth

Consumer headphones (like Sony WH-1000XM5s or AirPods) lie to you. They use computational audio and EQ tuning to artificially boost bass and treble. This makes music sound incredible, but it is disastrous for video editing.

If you edit your YouTube video using bass-heavy consumer headphones, you will mistakenly lower the bass of your voice in the mix to compensate. When a viewer watches your video on a cheap smartphone speaker, your voice will sound thin, tinny, and weak.

The ATH-M50x are Studio Monitors. They are designed to be ruthlessly flat and accurate. If your audio sounds terrible, the M50x will make sure you hear exactly how terrible it is. They force you to fix your audio mix so it translates perfectly across TVs, laptops, and iPhones.

2. The Bleed Factor

If you record a podcast or stream a video game, you have audio playing in your ears (your co-host's voice or the game audio).

If you wear open-back headphones, that sound leaks out into the room and goes straight into your microphone. Your viewers hear an incredibly distracting echo.

The ATH-M50x uses a closed-back, over-ear design. The clamping force is tight, creating a near-perfect acoustic seal against your head. You can blast audio at maximum volume, and the microphone sitting six inches from your face will hear absolute silence.

3. Indestructibility

Content creators are brutal on gear. Headphones are thrown into backpacks, yanked off desks, and sat on.

The M50x is built like a tank. The plastics are thick and industrial. More importantly, the cable—the #1 point of failure on any headphone—is detachable. Audio-Technica includes three different cables in the box (a coiled one for the desk, a short one for the laptop, a long straight one). If your dog chews the cable, you don't buy new $150 headphones; you buy a $15 replacement cable.

The Downsides

They are not perfect.

• Comfort: The clamping force is notoriously tight out of the box. They require about a week of wear to stretch and conform to your head.
• Heat: The synthetic leather earpads trap heat. After a 4-hour editing session, your ears will sweat. Many creators swap the stock pads for aftermarket velvet "Wicked Cushions."
• No Mic: These do not have a built-in microphone for Zoom calls. They are strictly for listening.

The Verdict

Are they the best-sounding headphones in the world for listening to Spotify? No. An audiophile will point you toward an open-back Sennheiser.

But for content creation, video editing, and podcasting, the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x remains the undisputed champion of value and reliability in 2026. They are a tool, not a luxury item, and they do their job flawlessly.

• Buy the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x on Amazon