Audio-TechnicaATH-M40x Professional Studio Monitor Headphone, Black (AUD ATHM40X)

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!

See a comparison of these ATH-M40x vs Sony MDR7506 vs Sennheiser HD598.I've owned a pair of Sony MDRCD850 headphones for over a decade. Still perfect. I've owned numerous earbuds from Apple, Klipsch, Sony, AKG, etc. Lot's of variability, but all serviceable. Also, I have really high end theater system. I like to think of myself as a serious audiophile with enough experience to be able to share some of it. I used these headphones connected to my Pioneer Elite receiver, my iPhone6, and my TV via a headphone amp!!These are exceptional headphones . . . at any price. Source material is delivered with almost perfect fidelity to the original sound. Attached to the Pioneer, listening to a broad variety of music from a high resolution source (The Best of Sessions at West 54th, Vol. 1), etc., every type of music was delivered in a way that left a smile on my face. No part of the frequency spectrum stood out, no part was missing. Female voices were accurate and natural and male voices had no annoying bass resonances. These aren't bass heavy, bright, forward, or anything else some listeners chase after. They deliver only what's there. Period. On lessor sources, you can hear the difference. If you compare what's on bandwidth restricted titles on your iPhone with the same music on the original CD you may be aware of the drop off in the upper frequencies . . . a subtle loss of detail. It is what it is. Bass is a bit sloppier connected to the iPhone, where it is tight, fast, and deep on the receiver. This isn't about the headphones, but a result of less available power from the iPhone. That said, the iPhone was EASILY able to drive the headphones far louder than you should be listening. These are efficient headphones.Comparing the ATH-M40x to the older but high quality Sony MDR850s wasn't fair. The ATHs-M40x had a deeper bass and more detail, yielding a more realistic sound stage. The Sony seemed hollow in comparison. Similar comparisons to earbuds were equally fruitless. Earbuds rarely have a normal bass, with too much dependence on "fit" into the ear, leaving the listener with unbalanced treble and thumpy, if any, bass. If you demand over-saturated bass, these won't make you happy. But, you weren't looking for these anyway.Comfort is good. I leave my phones stretched on the arm of a sofa when not using them to reduce tension in the band. I apparently have a fat head. Fully enclosed ears can get a bit warm. But the earcups are very comfortable and soft. Weight is medium for this style headphone. Build quality looks very good. There are definitely prettier headphones out there, but these are a very very good value.