Audio-Technica - ATH-M40x Monitor Headphones - Black

I purchased these to replace mine 30 year old Sony digital headphones which have now develop chain buzzing in one of the headsets. These particular were highly recommended on the musician forums I belong to. Well, they have a very rich and full sound. They deliver a very flat response with tight bass and clear highs. They fit tighter than my old sonys but than again these are new and my old sonys have been well used. If you have a large head, your ears might get fatigued after long usage. I like a tighter headphone that will not slide off my head while playing my guitars so they work for me. Having 2 included chords with sufficient length that twist and lock into the phones prevents them from pulling out accidentally. I really like these headphones and the price isn’t out of reach for most folks.

I've had these headphones for 3 years and am glad I made the purchase. I had listened to the M30x, M40x and M50x in the store but felt the M40x offered the best value. They were noticeably better than the M30x - with more clarity across all higher frequencies - but I did not think the M50x were worth the extra cost or dramatically better. I rely on the M40x when listening to music, and when tracking vocals, guitar or medium-to-super-high frequency instruments in the studio. I would not trust these exclusively when mixing tracks, but I do use them occasionally, to get a good all-round check on the balance and sound (in addition of course to checking the mix on the car stereo). They are perhaps a touch quiet in the low-end and I do not use them if I am tracking bass or drums (see below for my alternative recommendation for that). They are pretty light weight, which is great if you're in the studio doing tons of overdubs or doing the marathon podcast. One thing that I really like about this set is that the cable is detachable from the phones. In case the cable has issues, you don't have to get the whole thing repaired. That said, I've had no technical problems or obvious signs of wear and tear, despite regular use for 3 years straight. The cable also has a nice, screw-on 1/4-inch adapter. Not sure if this is the same with all packages, but mine also came with earbuds, with a built-in microphone. That has been my workhorse around the house and for working at home. Nice durable, fabric cable too. One of the headphones I was also comparing this to when deciding whether to buy was the (trusty) Sennheiser HD 280 PRO. Those are a little cheaper, and a worthwhile purchase for more focused tasks. I use those *exclusively* when tracking bass and drums - the noise cancellation alone is incredible - and they have a big warm, low-end sound. Because of the good low-end, however they don't deliver a good all-round sound, particularly if you want to hear those nice airy high frequencies. That said, I recommend them for a quick check on the low end of your mix, or when tracking bass or drums. They're a little heavy, but that's for another review ... needless to say, I bought that one as well :)

Sounded really good until they snapped in half making them unusable. This is a common problem with people who use them a lot. AT offered to fix them at my expense, though it is their problem, meaning their headphones would of cost me double. Keep looking unless you like expensive paperweights.

My husband uses this for keeping me happy when he plays guitar !!

IMO, these are the best (closed) headphones in this price range. I felt compelled to remove one star, because even though it includes multiple cables, I personally feel that they are too long, and wish a 3-4 ft cable was included. The headphones themselves, though, sound terrific and I'm glad I chose these.

Get these bad boys. I listened to so songs I’ve listened to my whole life and and heard things I didn’t hear before with this. They don’t really hole sound in well so the person next to you will be able to hear it too. So kids, keep the punk rock volume down are might end up in military school.

highly rated by other publications / Youtube; comfortable to wear, performs like it's suppose to. I'd highly recommend this product.

I purchased these after doing a lot of research online. Even at full MSRP (you can find them lower on occassion) they're fantastic headphones. Unlike the reviewer that couldn't hear any bass I find the bass to be perfectly balanced and certainly present. Some songs I would say the bass is still a little too prominent, but that is only playing through my iPhone so it may be the way the sounds is mixed by iOS. I've worn them for hours at a time with no discomfort. They seal out sound quite a bit and they're closed back so there isn't much sound leakage for the people around you. I would recommend these to any of my friends and family without hesitation.