Last Updated: January 31, 2020 (Refresh Now)
Audio Technica ATH M40x Professional Studio Monitor Headphone Black
Last Updated: January 31, 2020 (Refresh Now)
8.5
SCORE
/10
Total Reviews
998
Old Reviews
369
Unverified
74
Spam Test
PASS
1.57 meters
SIZE
Review Analysis - 555 recent, verified reviews
Detailed Mode
Sound Quality
228headphones, flat, m40x, hear, technica
+96%
-4%
" ... In the end, it's still great to use for music production. ... "
" ... Good headphones, great sound quality. ... "
" ... No matter what genre' of music you're listening to, from Bach to rock, these headphones deliver. ... "
" ... I have had these headphones for about two years and they sound incredible! ... "
" ... I have never been a big audiophile. ... I do all of my music listening on a laptop. ... They sound very clear even on my laptop. ... I can only imagine the performance I would get on a good sound system. ... All sound like new music again. ... "
" ... Buy these over the M50x and enjoy smooth, balanced music. ... "
" ... I primarily use them for gaming and music listening and have been very satisfied with them. ... "
" ... Great sound quality. ... "
Comfort
214uncomfortable, headphones, earpads, m40x, head
+76%
-24%
" ... They are super comfortable and sound great. ... "
" ... But it feels perfectly comfortable to you. ... "
" ... They are super light and comfortable to wear. ... "
" ... I love how the plug twist locks into the headphones so it doesn’t get pulled. ... "
" ... I ordered the Wicked Cushions memory foam pleather replacements and the feel 100x better than the stock pads. ... So for under $130 with the new pads these are a steal. ... "
" ... These are the best headphones I ever owned. ... "
" ... Great sound but a bit uncomfortable, stiff hear pads ... "
" ... I got the Brainwavz memory foam earpads for them and they are really comfortable, although the stock earpads were pretty comfortable also. ... "
Headphones
133headphone, audio technica, m40x, ever, audio
+92%
-8%
" ... I love these headphones!!! ... "
" ... Reviewers had that as a bit bassy for a flat headset. ... "
" ... Best pair of headphones I've ever owned ... "
" ... This pair of headphones has impressed me, but is by no means perfect. ... "
" ... I've used Sennheiser HD-25's so long they've become my go to for any reference, and will say in comparison these headphones feel ever so slightly more scooped in the lows and highs, with just a slight mid-range dip. ... "
" ... The sound is very realistic and its a very nice and comfortable headphones. ... "
" ... Fantastic headphones, not just for the price, but overall. ... "
" ... I'm no audiophile to know my sounds as well as others here, but I do enjoy these headphones greatly. ... I don't have that many high-end headphones to compare to, but I have my gaming headset of the HyperX Cloud II's for a comparison. ... "
Price
83range, 100, m40x, budget, steal
+93%
-7%
" ... I think the M40x is the better deal. ... "
" ... These are really very good headphones for the money. ... "
" ... Good sound at a good price. ... "
" ... The M40x have the best sound quality at this price range. ... "
" ... Overall I think it is worth the price. ... "
" ... Overall, great sounding phones at a good price. ... "
" ... Supposedly, they are the best closed back headphones you can get at this price range. ... "
" ... • Price, I don’t know if you can find a better pair of headphones in the under $100 range. ... Excellent headphones at an unbeatable price. ... "
For Running
65ever, pair of headphones, owned, love these headphones, studio
+94%
-6%
" ... Best headphones I've ever had. ... "
" ... These are the best headphones I've ever used. ... "
" ... In terms of sound quality, these headphones are solid. ... "
" ... Love these headphones! ... "
" ... These cans are right around $100 bucks while the Mdr's run around $80 and to me this extra twenty bucks is in the detachable and interchangeable cabling. ... These are headphones to use at home (or in a studio) there are truly fantastic in ear monitors or ear buds to use away from the house. ... "
" ... For the price, these headphones are a steal. ... "
" ... These headphones rock! ... "
" ... One of the best sounding headphones I've ever heard. ... "
Cables
65cords, coiled, cable, detachable, long
+83%
-17%
" ... The detachable cable is a nice touch. ... "
" ... The big plus for these is the interchangeable cord. ... "
" ... I had to buy a new ear-pads and a new cord but headphones are working great! ... "
" ... It is also very compact for travel and the cord secures nicely so you don’t need to worry about it falling out of the headphones. ... "
" ... - Due to foldable nature/removable cable/included pouch, are easy to toss into a bag and bring with me places ... "
" ... I love these things, they're so good for just sitting and studying while listening to music, the detachable wire makes them much more transportable with a case, and their durability is surprisingly good (I've dropped them a lot). ... "
" ... The sound quality is superb and the included cords. ... "
" ... The coiled and straight cords included are gold-plated and of excellent build quality. ... It would be nice if they included a third, short cord for easy listening without having people double-take as he walk you by, but I already feel that I got more than my money's worth. ... "
Build Quality
60swivel, broke, joints, headband, break
+63%
-37%
" ... The sound quality is excellent, and while the headphones are mostly composed of plastic, the build quality appears to be durable enough. ... "
" ... not a lot of headphones really fit this well and also have really good quality of audio, also these are VERY DURABLE, instead of the sides that come out when you set the headphones to the largest size being plastic, they are metal. ... "
" ... It sounds great, but cheap material was used, the structure feels nice the metal looks n feels high quality but the plastic that the headphones are made of feels cheap and the leather feels good and high quality but it’s not cushioned enough so after awhile it’s gets a little uncomfortable other than that it’s great headphones ... "
" ... The quality is very good, although it is all plastic, it is built with very durable plastic that lasts. ... "
" ... Due to the flexible nature of the design, they are especially floppy. ... I find I have to grab both cups or both ends of the headband and then put them on. ... Other design notes: they seem durable and they've never appeared to even start breaking. ... It locks into the headphones, it's just the right length for everyday use, and it seems really durable. ... "
" ... They come with a leather drawstring bag, which is nice. ... "
" ... I have little to complain about the build quality, design, or features of the M40x. ... They feel substantial and durable, and I have no doubt they would last a very long time if treated well. ... Cymbals drop off in a brilliant shimmer. ... "
" ... It's really great I can fold them up and put them into a hard case too. ... There is a soft case included in the box that is very nice as well. ... "
Bass
58highs, balanced, treble, overpowering, m50x
+93%
-7%
" ... Great staging, nice bass, mids and highs are not fatiguing. ... The bass on The Grateful Dead's "Box of Rain" is punchy and deep without crapping out so that's a good sign. ... "
" ... Not sure if I would recommend them for studio use because of their bass enhancement. ... "
" ... Nice but not overstated highs and mids, good bass! ... But the bass is impressive. ... I assume both bass and nids highs would be better if there were a better headphone pramp on both my cheap phone and my middle of the road computer. ... "
" ... The sound is balanced from bass thru treble. ... "
" ... The frequency is mostly flat, which helps for me to mix and master for EDM genres. ... "
" ... The clamping force is just enough to get a consistent seal around the ear so that bass response will be correct. ... "
" ... I use these for recording music and the sound is nice and balanced with good bass. ... "
" ... The bass seems accurate. ... "
Fit
54head, tight, fold, ear cups, folding
+70%
-30%
" ... - Foldable and fits into a provided storing bag ... "
" ... great headphones for the price good clamp force and sturdy the only thing i switched were the ear cups and went with some wicked customs. ... "
" ... Fits like glove. ... Tighter clamp force which I enjoy. ... "
" ... First off, they are very comfortable headphones, the cushion that covers your ear is very soft and fits the headphone to your head very well. ... "
" ... I love how the plug twist locks into the headphones so it doesn’t get pulled. ... "
" ... They are very comfortable and fit tightly on the head. ... "
" ... They are engineered to swivel and allow one ear to easily be freed to hear what's going on in the room around you. ... "
" ... 3. you can fold them to fit in your bag. ... "
Frequencies
30highs, mids, eq, treble, lows
+97%
-3%
" ... Highs are noticeably clear and crisp without being shrill. ... Where these cans really shine is in the mids, which is where so many other headphone manufacturers neglect the sound. ... "
" ... If sound isolation has no value to you, an open back design may be preferable, but finding something as accurate as the M40x without EQ will be tough. ... "
" ... Great staging, nice bass, mids and highs are not fatiguing. ... "
" ... - frequency response is incredible. ... - great for people who are sensitive to treble ... Acoustic instruments never sounded so good before, or so true-to-life. ... "
" ... Highs and lows don't overpower each other. ... "
" ... Its good, the mid frequencies sometimes have this weird feedback to them, but that might be issues with my soundcard, might not be, because I didn't have this problem on a cheaper previous set. ... "
" ... Nice but not overstated highs and mids, good bass! ... Personally, I am VERY highs and mids specific in my tastes, and these are good, but not quite as "efficient" in that department as I had hoped for. ... "
" ... What this amounts to is that you get VERY CLEAR mids, to the point where I can hear even the background music very well. ... The trebles were good and not overpowering, which is nice when you're listening to strong, female vocals. ... - Good flat, clear natural sound, especially mids ... "
Gaming
28music, games, video games, music and gaming, listening to music
+96%
-4%
" ... I primarily use them for gaming and music listening and have been very satisfied with them. ... "
" ... I use these for gaming so I'm using them about 8 hours a day. ... "
" ... Great headphones I bought these for gaming and for video editing/music production. ... "
" ... I use these for gaming, FLAC audio Music, movies and my dear great anime. ... "
" ... These headphones are great for gaming. ... "
" ... I have had no issues with them at all and love them for daily use in all things such as music, videos, movies, and games. ... "
" ... Great for gaming! ... "
" ... They are great for listening to music, playing games, playing music (I play bass and synth), etc. ... "
Product Reliability
25year, 3 years, years, lasted, broke
+52%
-48%
" ... I have had a few headsets over the years. ... "
" ... I purchased this a few weeks ago, and have enjoyed them alot. ... "
" ... But I would expect something more reliable. ... "
" ... I had these headphones for 3 years. ... "
" ... I got these for my boyfriend almost 7 months ago, and they still work great after heavy daily use! ... "
" ... I've had and used these daily for close to a year. ... "
" ... I still have these many years later. ... "
" ... I've been using them non-stop for a good month and a half now. ... "
Noise Cancellation
22isolation, noise cancelling, hear, passive, noise cancellation
+100%
" ... Also, the noise cancellation is doing wonders, the headphones kind of take me out of this world. ... "
" ... Even with low volume, the noise cancellation is solid and I can't hear any sound outside. ... "
" ... Low-moderate noise canceling. ... "
" ... great sound - good noise cancel - comfortable over ear ... "
" ... They have good isolation. ... "
" ... they isolate sound well ... "
" ... The noise isolation is good and the ear pads are pretty comfortable. ... "
" ... - they isolate sound pretty well ... The sound isolation is pretty good. ... "
Microphone
18recordings, listening, audio, studio, sound like
+94%
-6%
" ... I needed a good studio headphone for my animation courses and the college recommended in buying Audio Technica. ... "
" ... They are definitely interesting to listen to and, to my ear, reproduces recordings faithfully. ... "
" ... using them in a recording studio. ... "
" ... These seem to produce clear and crisp notes, you can hear all the instruments clearly (assuming your listening to a good quality recording), and don't seem to produce a ton of bass just to impress (seems like some headphones produce way too much bass because its what people measure a good set of headphones by). ... "
" ... They sound very flat and neutral, making them perfect for mixing and editing. ... Perfect for studio monitoring and critical music listening. ... "
" ... If you're into balanced headphones that represent the closest true audio to what was recorded would definitely recommend picking these up. ... "
" ... When you record your audio, and you get it all tuned to sound its best while using these headphones, or any great headphones, the sound you get out of other headphones/speakers might not sound like you want. ... or it will sound like crap (Depends on your voice/audio you are recording as well as the quality of your Mic - I use the ... "
" ... clear sound and are very reliable, i'm a a video editor and clear sound is very important to me, ... "
Device Compatibility
17device, mobile, plan, listening, headphone
+82%
-18%
" ... Seriously I have one pair hooked to my computer and a second pair linked to the tv in my den for watching movies and playing games. ... "
" ... Great with an audio interface or headphone amp but not so much for casual listening through a device like a phone/tablet. ... "
" ... Great phones, highly recommend them ... "
" ... The quality of the sound on even un-Eqed phones and computers is great. ... "
" ... I dig the quality and I use them all over my house between the Xbox and the computer. ... "
" ... I do all of my music listening on a laptop. ... "
" ... You'll want to use an EQ on your phone or device to adjust your music to your liking. ... "
" ... I would however recommend getting a small portable amplifier if you plan on using these through your phone. ... "
Cable Length
15long, wire, shorter, cords, cables
+60%
-40%
" ... comes wuth both straight and coiled cable. ... "
" ... The cables are a bit too long for my liking, but the sound quality is great. ... "
" ... The product is amazing, but the accompanying cable is absurdly long. ... "
" ... The big plus for these is the interchangeable cord. ... "
" ... Love the detachable cable. ... "
" ... The cables included are excellent. ... "
" ... The coiled cable is nice for when you don’t need a long cable. ... "
" ... The sound quality is superb and the included cords. ... "
Volume
14loud, volumes, turn the volume, pushed, loud enough
+57%
-43%
" ... I appreciate that it lets other parts of the tracks to shine as well as doesn't disturb my coworkers even at higher volumes. ... "
" ... Also, usually, to feel like I'm listening to the best quality as I can, I used to turn the volume way up on other headphones. ... But in these headphones, you can listen to whatever you want on a medium or even low volume, and it's still awesome! ... "
" ... Comfort: While I usually prefer to listen to speakers, I now live in an apartment so I can't play the music at realistic volumes. ... "
" ... flat sound, the sound i want to hear ... "
" ... The sound quality is great and can get very loud (if that’s what you like). ... "
" ... If you are in your living room and want to close your eyes. ... "
" ... They get loud enough to use as speakers without distortion. ... "
" ... It's amazing that even if you crank it up the quality remains the same without distortion. ... "
Size
13bag, travel, compact, carrying case, taking
+100%
" ... I absolutely love that they fold up. ... This is eminently convenient for putting them in bags and taking them places. ... "
" ... It is also very compact for travel and the cord secures nicely so you don’t need to worry about it falling out of the headphones. ... "
" ... The folding capability is also great if you need to make them more compact to fit in a bag. ... "
" ... - Foldable and fits into a provided storing bag ... "
" ... - Folds up to store nicely ... "
" ... they twist and turn and fold up into a nice neat package. ... "
" ... And since these are bulky wired things, I'm not likely to be taking them anywhere they'd need to be made of tougher stuff. ... "
" ... They are light and easy to pack for travel. ... "
For Kids
11loves, got, pair, says, old
+100%
" ... Bought for my son - he says they are really great. ... Good buy for my Son ... "
" ... My 14 year old is making beats and we got a pair for him for Christmas. ... "
" ... Grandson loves this headset! ... "
" ... This is my second pair(autistic son got a hold of them :-D ) and they are great as is but you need a pair of brainwavez to take to the next level of noise cancellation. ... "
" ... got these little gems for my son. ... "
" ... she loves it, she had some beat up headphones, i got her these for Christmas, these should last her for a while :) ... "
" ... However, as a college student, I have a spending budget. ... "
" ... My son says these are amazing! ... "
Call quality
10headphones, things, wind, voice, podcasts
+80%
-20%
" ... I can't listen to podcasts because I'm either too distracted by work to pay attention or to distracted by the podcast to work. ... "
" ... I could hear the sounds of nature all around--wind, animals, people talking--etc. ... "
" ... I like how you can hear things with them that you can't hear with other headphones. ... you hear it. ... "
" ... This could be easily fixed if there was a soft lock when the phones are in listening position. ... "
" ... These sound really good, but one important note is that everyone else can hear them too. ... "
" ... Calling these headphones amazing is an understatement. ... "
" ... When combined with a subpac, it's a lot easier to hear the low end compared to the ATH-M50x where the low end is a bit too overpowered to mix on. ... "
" ... So, these are great sounding headphones for many different styles of music, and also for voice. ... "
For Travel
9travelling, traveling, carrying, accidentally, road
+100%
" ... "Apparently they were travelling along and they picked up some hitchhikers." ... "
" ... That being said the headphones themselves were in perfect condition and I love the included travel sack. ... "
" ... - Very durable, I took these on an international trip in a hard carrying case and they held up fantastically, and during normal use I've accidentally yanked on them, and while I bent the audio jack the headphones are still working as good as new ... "
" ... I assume it's configured as it is for travelling. ... "
" ... They are light and easy to pack for travel. ... While I have several open-back headphones I like to listen to at home, these will work at work or on a plane. ... "
" ... It's a minor, but still worth noting if you plan on traveling with these headphones. ... "
" ... They do come stock with a carrying bag that provides some protection, but also there are more protective carrying cases if one plans to travel frequently with the product. ... "
" ... It is also very compact for travel and the cord secures nicely so you don’t need to worry about it falling out of the headphones. ... "
Returns
9returning, returned, try, something, sent
-100%
" ... I'm going to return them and try to find something that is actually wearable. ... "
" ... Now too late to return and I strongly believe these were defective ... "
" ... I need to return it, but it's a mess out there! ... "
" ... I wasn't enjoying my time with them anyway so I gave up and returned them. ... "
" ... I'm sad I didn't try them out before the return window closed. ... "
" ... I am returning it immediately. ... "
" ... I am currently in the process of returning it and getting something else. ... "
Design
9worth, flaw, closed, waters, look
+67%
-33%
" ... The closed-back design allows you to play them anywhere. ... "
" ... Love the style of them as well, very slick looking design. ... For $100, I'd say these are worth it if you can look past some of the flaws. ... "
" ... Due to the flexible nature of the design, they are especially floppy. ... "
" ... Lastly, product design, very interesting and effective product design. ... "
" ... You cannot have a robust design like this and have it very small. ... "
Cover
8fold, nice, carrying, leather, drawstring
+100%
" ... The reason why is if you leave these in the folded position in the carrying bag for too long, the earcup will snap. ... "
" ... 3. you can fold them to fit in your bag. ... "
" ... They come with a leather drawstring bag, which is nice. ... "
" ... came with 2 detachable aux cords and carrying pouch which is nice ... "
" ... It's really great I can fold them up and put them into a hard case too. ... "
" ... They do come stock with a carrying bag that provides some protection, but also there are more protective carrying cases if one plans to travel frequently with the product. ... "
" ... And comes with a nice bag ... "
" ... - Foldable and fits into a provided storing bag ... "
Marketplace
8amazon, original, buy, bought, reviews
+75%
-25%
" ... Bought this based on Amazon reviews and love it:) ... "
" ... Also the seller, Soundprofessionals, are great. ... "
" ... I bought a used M40x from Amazon Warehouse Deals. ... Item will come in original packaging.). ... "
" ... purchased during Prime day. ... "
" ... Great product, fast ship, thanks! ... "
As Gift
7present, loves, husband, bought, birthday
+100%
" ... Bought as a gift for a friend and he loves them. ... "
" ... This was a gift for my son and was VERY appreciated, thank you!! ... "
" ... I bought this as a gift for my husband. ... My husband was surprised with his gift. ... "
" ... This was a birthday present for my boyfriend and he loves them. ... "
" ... BTW the Beats sets were a gift, and had them for a few years. ... "
Band
7fell, apart, mine, m50, large
+71%
-29%
" ... A friend of mine has these and they all but fell apart, so I was a little concerned, but mine have yet to show any wear whatsoever. ... "
" ... I use as much as +25dB at 31Hz (on a 29-band EQ) and they handle it excellently. ... "
" ... Like the band Machinae Supremacy. ... "
" ... Sound quality is excellent but if you have large ears/a large head like I do, the earpads will press your ears and the band will clamp your head. ... "
Cleaning
7mess, clean sound, clean, technica, money
+71%
-29%
" ... I bring them up because these Audio-Technica's blow them away in terms of crisp clean sound. ... "
" ... Don't know if I got a different pair but these were perfect except for dirt/dust. ... "
Bluetooth
6headphones, buy, bluetooth adapter, adaptor, jack
+100%
" ... I also tried a bt adapter i found on here but cant reccomend that usecase as you kill the sound quality. ... "
" ... I think the bluetooth attachment should have been included. ... "
" ... From the first moment I saw them I knew they were the headphones I should have, I recently did an upgrade with the bluetooth adapter, although . ... "
" ... For those interested you can buy a bluetooth adaptor as well! ... "
" ... And if you need them to be wireless for whatever reason (this are for a studio mainly), you can buy a Bluetooth adapter. ... "
" ... I have two bluetooth ones that are nice, but I have to say the clarity and imaging these provide is fantastic! ... "
Storage
6taking, nice, folding, foldable, fit
+100%
" ... The reason why is if you leave these in the folded position in the carrying bag for too long, the earcup will snap. ... "
" ... The folding capability is also great if you need to make them more compact to fit in a bag. ... "
" ... This is eminently convenient for putting them in bags and taking them places. ... "
" ... - Folds up to store nicely ... "
" ... And comes with a nice bag ... "
" ... - Foldable and fits into a provided storing bag ... "
Controls
5headphones, volume, turn the volume, play, guitar
+60%
-40%
" ... Also, usually, to feel like I'm listening to the best quality as I can, I used to turn the volume way up on other headphones. ... "
" ... play your favorite song. ... "
Capacity
4+75%
-25%
" ... Great for front of house mixing on the X32. ... "
" ... Would recommend for studio/home/office use. ... "
" ... If you are in your living room and want to close your eyes. ... "
Ports
4cords, come, adapter, cable, 5mm
+100%
" ... The special twist-in 2.5mm plug offers cable options, but limits the convenience of using customized cables or connections that are the normal 3.5mm. ... "
" ... Great value as they come with two cords and an adapter. ... "
" ... liked the way that you can plug and unplug the cords. ... "
Delivery
3+100%
" ... Just delivered today and I love them! ... "
" ... I can happily say these delivered well on that end. ... "
" ... right out of the box . ... "
Clarity
3crisp, clean
+100%
" ... I adjusted the settings on the lower end and it's still pretty clear. ... "
Review Spam Test PASS
In order to keep our review summaries as accurate as possible, we aggressively detect fake reviews. We use various signals to detect unnatural patterns and will gradually expose them here.
PASS
Unverified Review Streak
PASS
High Velocity Reviewers
PASS
Inactive Reviewers
PASS
Reviewer History Overlap
Specifications
Body
Size: 1.57 meters