Audio-Technica MX50xBT2 headphones review: Super natural sound

(Pocket-lint) - The second-generation of Audio-Technica's M50xBT headphones don't revolutionise what the bid is each about. But that's nary atrocious happening astatine all, for the M50xBT2 over-ears proceed with the classical plan and comfortableness appeals, but bolster the artillery beingness and charging capabilities.

If you're looking for headphones with each the bells and whistles, specified arsenic progressive noise-cancellation (ANC), past you'll request to look elsewhere. But with decent dependable isolation by default, and bags connected comfort, you'd beryllium doing yourself a disservice to not springiness the Mx50BT2 cans a look-in. As earthy dependable goes, Audio-Technica genuinely nails it.

Design & Features

• Weight: 307g
• Bluetooth connectivity
• Physical controls connected near earcup
• Included: USB charging cable, 1.2m 3.5mm audio cable, transportation pouch

We archetypal reviewed the M50x backmost successful 2014, truthful these over-ears are agelong established. They besides don't look dramatically antithetic aft 7 years successful this BT2 form, it's been much a subtle improvement alternatively than revolutionary plan shifts. You tin work that arsenic they look a small dated and somewhat plasticky arsenic a result.

But Audio-Technica has taken the clip to tweak and amended things. There's nary clunky on/off power arsenic connected the older headphones. There's yet a USB-C charging port, which is much more businesslike than the older Micro-USB fitting.

It's conscionable that portion different makers are pushing guardant with next-level noise-cancelling (Bose QC45), rotational dial controls (Microsoft Surface Headphones 2), and truthful forth, Audio-Technica is sticking to its guns. But that does besides mean the terms tag is considerably little than many.

Irrelevant of nary seismic displacement successful technology, however, the 2nd you enactment these headphones implicit your ears you conscionable know. They're so, truthful comfy to wear. The plush earcups are ample and deep. There's nary excessive pinch. They tin get a small lukewarm astir the ears implicit time, but for static listening sessions they're conscionable perfect.

The large woody astir the ATH-M50xBT2 is, arsenic the past 2 letters successful the sanction signify, that there's Bluetooth wireless connected board. It's activated by pressing-and-holding a fastener connected the near earcup and it's ace accelerated to punctual transportation - we had accelerated brace popping up connected our Motorola telephone earlier we could adjacent suggest connecting to our Mac.

Connectivity is strong, too, arsenic we've been capable to locomotion astir overmuch of the location distant from the root of euphony without problems.

The Bluetooth is of apical prime too, delivering assorted codecs support, including Sony's LDAC, meaning precocious prime tin beryllium broadcast without wires. Oddly aptX is absent from the specification this clip around, truthful determination mightiness person been a processor alteration down the scenes.

The near earcup besides houses carnal controls to set the measurement and track. It's a large idea, but it tin beryllium a fumble to find these successful the moment. We would similar a interaction country oregon a rotational dial, to present thing much futuristic and little fussy. 

Sound Quality

• 45mm operator diameter successful closed-back dynamic earcups
• Frequency response: 15 - 28,000Hz
• 50 hours artillery life
• USB-C charging

Just arsenic we said of the erstwhile model: the existent crushed to ever bargain a brace of headphones is for the dependable quality; and it's present that the M50xBT2 excels. From the precise infinitesimal we enactment them connected the comfortableness was instantly obvious, but past provender these 45mm drivers immoderate dependable and the impeccible earthy dependable is conscionable sublime.

Some headphones we've seen successful caller times dependable a small overly processed (Bang & Olufsen Beoplay HX) oregon conscionable don't person the earthy acceptable of comfortableness by examination (Marshall Major IV). The M50xBT2, however, conscionable person this effortless mode successful which dependable is delivered.

There's plentifulness of volume, the equilibrium is nigh-on perfect, and portion you'll get each the mids and highs pinging each the close parts of your receptor canal's interior workings, there's nary outgo to the bass - which erstwhile demanded has much than ample pomp to please.

Those large earcups springiness a bully consciousness of abstraction astir the ears, for a dynamic soundstage that adjacent conscionable with a decent stereo root person superb placement.

However, determination retired of quieter listening areas and the dynamic changes up: peculiarly noisy places tin impact the wide dependable profile. And arsenic there's nary progressive noise-cancelling (ANC) you can't truly 'hide' those ambient extras. It's not a large bother, it's conscionable however these headphones are designed. So if ANC is simply a indispensable past you'll request to look elsewhere.

In presumption of artillery beingness the BT2 lasts for an epic magnitude of time. Audio-Technica claims a 25 per cent boost implicit the erstwhile model, taking these cans to an astir absurd 50 hours of listening time. There is immoderate payment to having nary ANC aft each then, eh?

Writing by Mike Lowe. Originally published connected 22 October 2021.