Audio-Technica ATH-M40x Professional Studio Monitor Headphone, Black, With Cutting Edge Engineering, 90 Degree Swiveling Earcups, Pro-grade Earpads/Headband, Detachable Cables Included

I was looking for a portable headphone. But didn't want to spend a lot of money either. And they needed to be tough as I was going to put them on my backpack to use them working on the road every day. I found this model hit the $$ range I was looking for and had pretty good reviews around so I gave them a chance. I got them for around $86 in "Like New" condition from Amazon Warehouse Deals. MSRP is actually $139, but they go normally here on Amazon for $99.. so all in all.. a good deal.. they seemed new to me... just the box had some scratches, but nothing I would care about... Now on to my thoughts so farNOTE: These headphones and the Sennheiser HD600 are the only headphones I've had worthy of mentioning. I also don't have any other headphones with me to compare them to in the same price range or any other range. Not even the apple earbuds that came with my iphone5 (don't miss them at all). I also have not had experience listening to a lot of good quality headphones except for my HD600. So as unfair as it is...all my thoughts are in comparison to the HD600s which is still the superior headphone and an awesome value and my point of reference in evaluating the m40x which after all, have surprised me quite a bit!First, they sounded very promising! But they weren't very comfortable. The stock ear pads are a little small for my big ears. They sort of cover all of my ear, but its not as comfortable as my HD600s and their huge pads. So looking around I found the Brainwavz Replacement Memory Foam Earpads here on Amazon as well. These fit perfectly and were free (thank you Amazon gift card!). They didn't affect the sound signature a whole lot really...if anything since I now have a perfect seal, the bass is actually what I think should sound like for those who can achieve a good seal with the original pads... These headphones are tuned flat as per manufacturer's description and there is also this video on YouTube [ http://youtu.be/sj69-mWHV3E ] that compares the different versions of the m##x series of headphones, and indeed, the m40x sound almost identical to the source. So having a neutral headphone was appealing to me, and with the new earpads, I don't notice any frequency range dominating the rest...I think these are still pretty neutral but the pads make them WAY more comfortable....I Recommend them Highly!These headphones are definitely more forward than my HD600, but nothing gross.. I actually kind of like a bit. After a while, I kinda stop thinking about it. They have very good sound staging. They work better in portraying sort of an arc in front of me and I also notice a little better instrument separation too. The HD600 I find is more detailed still, and more natural sounding. Instruments like acoustic guitars and such sound more real/believable, but the m40x work a little better for me in presenting them a little more in front of me than in between me. The angled drivers are definitely making a difference here, because I never noticed this from a set of closed headphones before.They mate very well with the Geek Out 450 USB DAC/Amp (What doesn't?!) I do notice a big volume change when I hook them up after the HD600 but that's expected. Still, they benefit a lot from the power provided by the GO450 vs my iphone 5 or laptop headphone port... also expected...They have awesome sound isolation (especially with the new pads). The effect is very similar to wearing my 3M over the ear earmuffs from work. This is a big plus for me as they are going in my backpack with my GO450 every day for work and I'm always in noisy environments...I also travel a couple of times a year and I can see this kit working for me very well during flight time.All in all, I am very pleased with these headphones and it's an easy recommendation for someone looking for a good headphone without braking the bank!Happy camper here!! Worth every penny! Now back to my music!

First of all, I will only do a short review in regards to the sound quality, comfort, price value and design since I've only bought these 2 days ago.As soon as I can open the headphone and try it on, I opened several song I've had from a playlist I complied filled with various genre. I start the test with a simple classic music like Vivaldi to test how good the treble is. As I've read in some review, it does sound really crisp, crystal clear with all of the instrument sounds flow very smoothly. You can hear the detail of each musical note without sacrificing the grandiose of the background noise. It's truly fitting if you love classic. And just a quick comparison, this strong treble equally match my Sennheiser HD 518 series, which is a very one sided due to its treble heavy, though it's still pretty balance overall. So I go play a more bass heavy track right away to make sure that it's trebly one sided like my Sennheiser, I choose this one indie song that use plenty of bass. Surprisingly, it produced a very solid bass, equivalently of the so-called beats with their bombastic bass caliber. I can still sense the bass heavily presence without the cost of overpowering the treble. Also, it doesn't sound artificially enhanced or feel forced. A quick comparison I can make is with the now popular Sony MDRXB950BT extra bass.I tried the Sony during the the thanksgiving sale on Best Buy, while they're boosting about the discount.While the Sony certainly offer more punch to the bass, I noticed quickly that it sounds a bit too artificial despite the added richness of what it promised. And I tested the bass without the extra bass mode turn on, it's already empowering the treble, as if it's made exclusively just for bass heavy song. I just felt all bass and nothing else, a sign of unbalance sound quality. And this is without the extra bass mode, I can imagine that listening to music the mode would be like putting your ear right next to a mini boom box. Unless you're a bass head or just someone who only cares about bass, then you shouldn't choose the Sony over this audio Technica, amidst the Bluetooth, mic, and music control or heavy discount. At the time of the test, the Sony has had its price already go down from $200 to $88. Nonetheless, you buy a premium headphone for the sake of quality for which even a discount price like this is irrelevant. As far as the design goes, it looks nothing fancy or fashionably friendly like those overpriced beats can or its cheaper counterpart The skullcandy. But overall, the headphone still looks pretty slick and friendly looking enough that it won't make you look lame wearing a non-trendy headphone. Last but not least, I bought this for $74 thanks to limited thanksgiving discount. The original price is $139, which is still cheaper than the Sony with its $200 price tag due to the Bluetooth connectivity. Most importantly thought, this one is a lot more balance and sounds way more natural than the latter. So if you're an audiophile or just someone that prefer the more naturally sounded headphone, then you'll should get this Audio Technica M40x over the Sony MDRXB950BT. I recommend this to anyone that care for the full listening experience of their music in its purest form without breaking your wallet. It's a very good but worth every penny, overall.