I?ve ordered 3 of these to be used in my recording studio as monitoring headphones for musicians.
Inicialy i was considering the ATH-M50 (the non X version) wich i already own a pair an absolutely love the sound but i?ve decided to give the M40's a try after reading some positive reviews, keeping in mind that i could always send them back and get the M50's instead.
After sometime comparing the two and other headphones i have, (various models from AKG) I decided to keep them because i found them to be perfect for the task, this is why:
Great detailed reproduction over all frequency content with smooth clear higs and full deep lows without being overwhelming. A bass player will be very happy as all the others.
Very confortable to be used over a long periode of time, physicaly or soundwise. (wich isnt so true for the older M50's)
Good isolation , ( perhaps just not enough for loud drummers).
They also came with two cables one short coiled cable and a straight longer cable. Thats a nice touch and very handy.
Build quality is very good.
What i dont like:
they are foldable!
Although this may be a good thing for most casual users looking for portability, it's a feature you really dont miss in a pro studio and this particular folding system makes them more fragile and prone break.
(this happened to my M50's)
Also the regidity of the materials employed dont help in that regard.
Conclusion:
i'm really enjoying this headphones,
full, detailed and emersive sound that inspires you to deliver a great performance.
I'm going with 5 stars considering the price and performance!
Excelent product!
Conclusion: