When we start to talk about professional studio headphones, the Audio Technica M50X immediately pops up in our minds as well as others. The M50X is one of the absolute best, it has amazing sound quality and exceptional sonic performance, furthermore, the modest price tag makes it even more attractive to invest in one. This closed-back headphone is extremely highly rated and well-received by its owners all over the world.
The Audio Technica M50X professional headphones are simply worth the effort and money to get a matching headphone amp for them so as to unlock their full potentials. In order to pick the right amp, we will first need to find out more about its sound characteristics and strengths. Once we have all the important data, we can then start preparing a list of the best amps to pair with the Audio Technica M50X, and this list will be shared with you later on.
Table of Contents
Sound Characteristics and Strengths of Audio Technica M50X
It is a stylish and modern-looking headphone that you will be proud to wear outdoors. For a closed-back headphone at this price point, the Audio Technica M50X is really comfortable and feels premium. It is well padded, the headband and earcups don’t feel too tight, enabling you to wear them for hours and don’t feel hot around your ears. The M50X is just tight enough for minor head movements though so for audio professionals will be great but it is not recommended to wear them during workouts as it won’t be stable enough. As for noise isolation, it is quite lacking so you will more likely be interrupted by the environmental noises. The sound leakage on the other hand is better, you won’t really disturb anyone around you unless you are playing at really loud volumes.
This Audio Technica headphone can be folded into a more compact size and makes it quite easy to carry them around in a bag/backpack. It is suggested to use the Audio Technica M50X in an environment that is not noisy such as your own listening room, office, and maybe cafes. The M50X has a frequency response of 15Hz-28kHz and an impedance of only 38 Ohms which makes this closed-back headphone easy to drive. This does open up a lot of headphone amp options to go for.
More Details at Amazon – Audio-Technica ATH-M50X Studio Monitor Headphone
The overall bass performance of the Audio Technica M50X is really impressive, it has just the right amount of punch and weight which makes the music delivery sound energetic without becoming overbearing. The agility and accuracy of the bass response are equally remarkable, it is detailed and delivers deep bass frequencies with confidence. Still, it may muddle the higher frequencies by a little though. The midrange reproduction is good but not as balanced as we are expecting as the timbre of the vocals is a bit off. It seems that the Audio Technica M50X is more focused on bass reproduction.
The soundstage is wider than expected of a closed-back headphone, with ample depth which easily allows us to immerse into the music. The exceptional stereo imaging makes it even more engaging and soon we were just playing song after song. Audio Technica M50X high-frequency reproduction is smooth and does not sound overly bright which is great. M50X headphones’ overall sound reproduction is neutral and is a tad warmth as well, it does not sound harsh the slightest which is cool. The bass performance of the Audio Technica M50X is probably their greatest strength and bass fanatics should definitely hear them out.
Audio Technica M50X will also be suitable for casual listeners as it is not as analytical or clinical sounding which makes it easy to enjoy listening to your favorite tunes. The M50X headphones are entertainers and it is quite easy to fall in love with their vivid music delivery. And at the price the Audio Technica M50X is going for, is really hard to find fault in them. It is time for us to share with you the list of the best headphone amplifiers which you can go for and match them with your Audio Technica M50X closed-back headphone. The price points of these headphone amps will be taken into consideration.
Audio Technica M50X Specifications
- Wearing Style: Headband (Over Ear)
- Transducer Principle: Closed-back, Dynamic
- Frequency Response: 15Hz-28kHz
- Connector: Gold-plated stereo 1/8″ (3.5mm)
- Impedance: 38 Ohms
- Weight: 285g (0.63lbs)
Best Amps to pair with Audio Technica M50X
The Audioengine D1 is one of the best amps to pair with your Audio Technica M50X closed-back headphone. It has a built-in DAC which supports up to 24-bit/192kHz resolution and will be an exceptional digital interface between your headphone and PC/Mac. The D1 headphone amp (TI OPA2134 low noise opamp) has more than enough to efficiently drive the Audio Technica M50X too. This is a highly rated headphone amplifier and is well-regarded by its users, thanks to its musical refinement and well-timed attacks. The Audioengine D1 will be worth your time to have a look and hear them out.
More Details at Amazon – Audioengine D1 24-Bit DAC Headphone Amplifier
The Schiit Audio Heresy will be one of the best amps to go for and it is very modestly priced. The overall bass performance of the Heresy amplifier complements the Audio Technica M50X really well, making it more punchy and solid. The other sound characteristics of the Schiit Audio Heresy also match well with the M50X, providing you with a full-bodied music presentation and a slightly wider soundstage. Furthermore, the Heresy amp is able to drive your headphone with ease. At this price point, we have nothing to complain about this amplifier. The low noise background and musicality of the Schiit Audio Heresy make it a worthy partner.
More Details at Amazon – Schiit Magni Heresy Headphone Amp and Preamp
The FiiO E10K is one of the best budget headphone amplifiers to check out and pair with the Audio Technica M50X. It is very affordable and will easily fit most people’s budgets, furthermore, there is a built-in DAC chip (PCM102) supporting up to 24-bit/96-kHz. The compact size of the E10K makes it very portable to carry around. The FiiO E10K sound quality is quite good too, it provides resolution and details into the overall sound reproduction. The bass performance of the Audio Technica M50X helps to support the E10K amp low-frequency delivery as it is a bit lean sounding. All in all, the sonic performance of the FiiO E10K is better than expected for a budget headphone amp.
More Details at Amazon – FiiO E10K Headphone Amplifier (Black)
This is another brilliant and portable headphone amp to go for, it is the award-winning AudioQuest DragonFly Black v1.5 which will match really well with your Audio Technica M50X headphone. It has a modest price tag and a quality ESS 9010 Sabre DAC that decodes resolution of up to 24-bit/96kHz. The AudioQuest DragonFly Black v1.5 not only drives the M50X but also provides better stereo separation and cleaner sound quality. The overall sound reproduction becomes clearer with slightly more clarity. This is certainly a headphone amp/DAC that is worth every penny invested.
More Details at Amazon – AudioQuest DragonFly Black v1.5
If you want a headphone amp with higher quality DAC then the FiiO K5 Pro will be an excellent choice for you. The K5 Pro uses AK4493 DAC chips and supports up to 32-bit/768kHz resolution and decodes native DSD files. This will make a fantastic desktop headphone amplifier with plenty of connections. The FiiO K5 Pro can efficiently drive your Audio Technica M50X headphone giving them more punch and wider staging. The overall bass performance of the amplifier will work really well with the M50X. It has a smooth music delivery and will not sound harsh no matter how high we crank the volume up.
More Details at Amazon – FiiO K5 Pro Deskstop DAC and Amplifier
The Schiit Audio Magnius will be a terrific headphone amplifier choice especially if you want a more neutral sound quality. Firstly, the Magnius has no problem driving the Audio Technica M50X to its fullest, and the stereo separation and spacing complements the headphone really well too. The neutral tonality helps provide a clearer picture and produce a more detailed music presentation with higher clarity. Each musical instruments sound more distinct and the vocals also sounded more natural. It will work together nicely with the Audio Technica M50X as the Schiit Audio Magnius does not add any audible colorations to the overall sound reproduction.
More Details at Amazon – Schiit Audio Magnius Balanced Headphone Amp
To Sum It Up
These are exemplary headphone amps that are worth your time to audition them and see if you like what you are hearing. They are some of the best headphone amps at their price range and can fit most listeners’ budgets. The Audio Technica M50X headphone is easy to drive and some soundcards with headphone amplifiers will be sufficient to drive them. Even your smartphones, laptops, etc., maybe just enough to drive the M50X. Still, we find it worthwhile to invest in at least a decent quality headphone amp for the Audio Technica M50X closed-back headphone.
