Audio Technica M50xBT2 review: headphones for audiophiles

In search of headphones with unimaginable sound? This Audio Technica M50xBT2 overview is the suitable place to be. They’re the best wireless headphones for audio fanatics.
Audio Technica is again they usually’ve lastly launched their Audio Technica M50xBT2 over-ear headphones, seven years after the final pair had been first launched.
What took them so lengthy? Most likely ready for everybody else to catch up as a result of they had been, and nonetheless are, among the greatest over-ear headphones you should purchase for sound high quality.
In actual fact, the sound was so good that they’ve probably not modified it a lot when it got here to the Audio Technica M50xBT2, and I do not blame them, as a result of why would you mess with a successful components? They’ve actually simply revived them for 2021, including extra fashionable options like app help, Amazon Alexa, USB-C charging and longer battery life.
For those who’re an audiophile who needs studio-quality headphones for mixing music, producing music or simply listening to music then these are nearly pretty much as good at it will get for this value.
Audio Technica M50xBT2 overview: value and what’s new
You should buy the Audio Technica M50xBT2 now for $199.99 within the US, £179.99 within the UK and AU$308.65 in Australia.
At first look, the Audio Technica M50xBT2 headphones look virtually an identical to the Audio Technica M50xBT. However whereas the general design and 45mm drivers is perhaps the identical, you’ll discover a couple of huge upgrades elsewhere.
Spot the distinction: Audio Technica M50xBT on the left, Audio Technica M50xBT2 on the suitable
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Sound help has modified with new wi-fi transmission by way of SBC (common Bluetooth), AAC and LDAC, Sony’s model of high-res aptX streaming. There’s a brand new low latency mode as properly to minimise sound delay.
To customize the sound to your preferences, the Audio-Technica Join app helps you to modify the EQ settings and L/R steadiness as properly.
There’s been a giant enhance in battery – the Audio Technica M50xBT2 will final 50 hours of music, up from 40 on the Audio Technica M50xBT. You’ll additionally now get a USB-C port which now has a fast cost function.
New twin microphones enhance name high quality and can be used to talk to your voice assistant. You might all the time summon your voice assistant utilizing these headphones however they’ve gone a step additional this time and constructed within the Amazon Alexa assistant. You will nonetheless be capable of summon your smartphone’s assistant.
For Android telephone customers, you now get Google Quick Pairing, and multipoint pairing means now you can hook up with a couple of Bluetooth machine directly.
Audio Technica M50xBT2 overview: design and match
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Placing these on, you are feeling like you ought to be sat in a studio or behind some decks as a result of they’re so rugged and purposeful. You don’t get a alternative of colors or a clean, glossy design. As an alternative, these are largely made with a mixture of artificial leather-based and plastics. Don’t get me mistaken, they appear cool however they gained’t wow you with elegant or luxurious design options.
The Audio Technica M50xBT2 solely are available in black, there’s silver detailing surrounding the Audio Technica brand which is built-in discreetly onto the skin of the earcup. As a result of they’re principally produced from plastic, you get the sensation they’ll survive being knocked or dropped a couple of instances, they usually include a leather-based case within the field to guard them if you aren’t utilizing them.
The earcups provide you with loads of house so your ears don’t really feel too confined, there’s loads of comfortable cushioning on the pads and on the underside of the headscarf as properly. I might put on these for hours on finish, regardless that they weigh 307g which is rather a lot for headphones. Compared, the Bose QuietComfort 45 weigh about 254g. You do get the sensation these are designed with males in thoughts, they appear big on me and transfer round rather a lot once I’m strolling about.
You’ll be able to fold these as much as retailer them, rotate the ear cups to put them flat and even reverse the earcups to face outwards, options that may please anybody who needs to make use of them in a extra skilled capability as a result of it makes it rather more comfy to pay attention by means of only one ear.
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To regulate them, there are tactile switches on the left earcup. They’re small and clicky so that they work each time you press them, not like the contact controls you get on some headphones. You should utilize the buttons to energy them on or off, pause or play the music, skip by means of tracks, reply telephone calls, summon your voice assistant or modify the quantity.
By urgent the voice assistant button, you possibly can ask Alexa something, as you’d with a wise speaker – management your sensible lights, reply your questions or set a timer or alarm.
The battery lasts 50 hours of music which is tonnes, I hardly ever wanted to cost them up. After they do run out of juice, a fast 10-minute cost gives you 3 hours of music, however to completely cost them, they’ll must be plugged in for about 3.5 hours. The Audio Technica M50xBT2 additionally include an audio cable so you possibly can preserve taking part in music when the battery is lifeless.
Audio Technica M50xBT2 overview: efficiency and options
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The Audio Technica M50xBT2 have people-pleasing sound. The 45mm large-aperture drivers are backed by an AK4331 DAC (digital-to-analogue converter) with a built-in headphone amp.
What which means is the sound is highly effective, crisp and clear with out focusing an excessive amount of on the bass efficiency because the Audio Technica M50xBT did. The sound is energetic with out being unrealistic. The midrange comes by means of simply as a lot because the highs and lows. Vocals sound pure and you may very clearly hear each inch of the observe, you don’t lose a single beat or instrument. Lengthy story quick, these sound phenomenal whether or not you’re listening to music or watching movies.
You’ll be able to personalise the sound utilizing the detailed EQ settings within the app, though it’s going to imply limiting the utmost pattern price to 48kHz. It’s nice to have the ability to make these changes although.
In addition to that, you possibly can select your individual connection codec, or depart it set to Auto which matches by your telephone’s system settings. There’s additionally a low latency mode that switches the codec to AAC and reduces sound delay if you’re watching movies or taking part in cell video games. You’ll be able to flip it on within the app.
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One fairly main downfall at this value level is the shortage of any noise-cancelling, however you’re paying for distinctive sound, no more options and really, these headphones do a superb job at chopping out distracting sounds with out it.
Google Quick Pair meant that once I went to hook them as much as my Android telephone, it related to them virtually instantly, all I needed to do was flip them on. The Bluetooth connection didn’t drop out throughout use both, I might stroll into one other room leaving my telephone behind with out the music stopping.
When it got here to the decision high quality, the twin microphones had been okay. I made a few calls and the final consensus was that I sounded a bit muffled and quiet. They do not isolate your voice fully both, the particular person on the opposite finish might hear some background noise. It wasn’t so unhealthy that they could not perceive me nevertheless it was sufficient for it to be noticeable.
Audio Technica M50xBT2 overview: verdict
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Anybody who cares about audio will love the Audio Technica M50xBT2 – they don’t overcomplicate issues with a great deal of additional options, every little thing is totally and totally centered on the audio.
The options these headphones do have work to enhance your listening expertise whether or not that’s the low latency mode, the equaliser settings and even the boosted battery life. Then there’s the additional bonus of getting Amazon Alexa built-in.
These aren’t the perfect trying pair of headphones and they’re going to drown some folks as a result of they’re simply so chunky, however beauty isn’t what these are about anyway.
You’ll be able to’t deny the Audio Technica M50xBT2 are an enchancment on what got here earlier than them, but these nonetheless keep on with the very same recipe for fulfillment, letting the sound high quality do all of the speaking.
Audio Technica M50xBT2 overview: additionally take into account
For those who suppose noise-cancelling is a must have then the best noise-cancelling headphones you should purchase are the Sony WH-1000XM4. They’re costlier than the Audio Technica M50xBT2 however they provide actually every little thing you may want together with a energetic detailed sound, unimaginable noise-cancelling and a full suite of cutting-edge options. They’re not fairly studio-quality however they’re not far off both.
For those who’re wincing on the value of each of those pairs of headphones, then the JBL 660NC is perhaps extra suited to you. They’re a fraction of the value but ship strong sound and glorious noise-cancelling so you possibly can keep centered on the music. I hope you want a celebration although, as a result of these headphones are very centered on the thumping bass.
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