Audio-Technica ATH-M30x Professional Studio Monitor Headphones, Black

These were my second purchase of headphones, after the pair I purchased initially didn't work for me. Unlike that first pair, these were immediately comfortable on my head -- not too tight, not too heavy. I can wear them for an hour or more and not have any fatigue with them. The cord is long, which is good if you move around a lot, less so maybe if you just sit and listen to music. Still, not objectionable, just something to be aware of. Sound quality is good, maybe a bit light in the bass, but not harsh, certainly not boomy. As I said, I can wear these for a long while and not be fatigued. Nice headphones, I'm happy I moved from the other pair to these -- great selection!!

Dave M · 2026-04-13 · via amazon

Since everything has already been said about these that can be said, these are some of the nicest headphones you can get for the price. The headphones themselves are a very sleek black design and are a nice matte black finish rather than the piano black that most companies love to use. The build quality is top notch and being able to fold them makes it great for traveling if that's what you're looking for. The noise isolation is not too bad either. I only use these in my room but was looking for a pair of heapdhones that had some decent noise isolation. If my regular hearing is 100%, while wearing these and not listening to anything, I'd say it lowers what I can hear to the 50-60% range so roughly half of the normal ambient noise volume. If you're listening to something even on low volume, you cannot hear anything else outside of the headphones. I also briefly tested noise leak with other people in the room and to my surprise they could hear nothing until the volume was close to 100%. Of course this volume level is different for everyone but that's 100% with Realtek HD audio drivers on a Windows 7 machine which gets extremely loud. I normally use 20-30% for reference. The ear cups fit very close to actually laying over my ears but they fit, making them closed. As for the sound quality, it's always hard to describe exactly "how" something sounds. The easiest way to put it is these sound the way you expect audio to sound. If you aren't an extreme audiophile or know exactly what something should sound like, these headphones will be even better. One thing that may give you an issue is the tightness of these headphones. I came from using JVC HA RX700's which are an equally great pair of headphones. The main issue with those is the break in time. The ATH M30x's take nowhere near as long to break in, but it should be noted that it may take you a few days to a few weeks to get adjusted to how they feel. After you stop fidgeting with them and get them to a height that works for you, sometimes you forget you're even wearing them. Comfort, quality, and sound are all present. If there was any negative I could give to these headphones its the fact that they do sit very close to my ears. If the ear cups were slightly larger it may feel a bit better, but that of course requires a complete redesign of the headphones which were built this way for a reason. Unless you have a very large head or prefer muddier quality sounding headphones such as Beats, you cannot go wrong with these. Pros: + Amazing sound quality + Great build quality, matte black finish, intriguing design + Very comfortable feeling earpads + Good sound isolation, ~50% of sound dampened Cons: - Would prefer slightly larger ear cups

David · 2016-01-19 · via amazon

I recently purchased these headphones, which exceeded my expectations regarding sturdiness, comfort, and overall quality. From the moment I unboxed them, I could tell they were built to last. Sometimes, a simple design is the best! I have gone through at least ten other expensive headphones, including Beats, Bose, Sony, etc., but I was never satisfied with Bluetooth or the ones with a cable. The materials used here feel premium. I have accidentally dropped them a couple of times, and they showed no signs of damage. When it comes to comfort, these headphones truly shine. The ear cushions are plush and soft, perfect for long listening sessions without discomfort. I often wear them for hours while working or relaxing, and I never experience any fatigue. The adjustable headband ensures a snug fit without being too tight, which is often a struggle with other headphones. The sound quality is simply fantastic. The clarity and depth of the audio elevate my listening experience. They are effective for noise canceling. It comes with a neat pouch to store it. I removed the original adapter and attached it to an iPhone adapter I purchased from Amazon, and it works perfectly. Overall, I highly recommend these headphones to anyone searching for a sturdy, comfortable, and high-quality (with a budget) option. They represent excellent value for the price.

Kuil · 2025-01-05 · via amazon

I have a degree in Recording Arts, and prefer using headphones over speakers for monitors. I am comparing these to the Sony MDR7506, which is generally considered the hands-down best cans under $100. Source sound is Tool. These are definitely on par with the Sonys. The bass is slightly better: More bass, but artificially so. Slightly too much bass, but not overwhelming. A little better than the Sonys, but cancelled out slightly by overdoing it a little. The soundstage, separation, openness, however you want to call it, is definitely lacking as compared to the Sonys. FAR tighter, more like listening in an acoustically well-designed closet, whereas the Sonys sound incredibly natural, almost hyper-natural. This works out as a small advantage in some instances, but overall a net negative. Physical comfort is awesome. Like wearing a pair of your favorite slippers on your ears. No long-term fatigue. The cord is a little annoying in its length, but I'm mostly happy with it (better too long than too short). Sound cancellation is a fraction of a hair better than the Sonys, which is to say incredible. I can block out all but the loudest sounds, with virtually no impact on what I'm listening to. It's really nice that both of them allow flipping the ear cup 180* without the need to take the whole set off or shift them on my ears so that I can hear The Boss or The Spawn try to converse with me. All other aspects seem comparable between the two. Same airy highs. Same overall excellent sound. Same incredible comfort. If you're looking for a tight, modestly bass-accented, noise-cancelling pair of cans for a great price, you'll be incredibly happy with these. Insane bang-for-the-buck value: like a $120 pair of cans. But for $5 more, you can get a $250 pair of cans with the Sonys (just don't expect the bass bump).

Not You · 2022-05-12 · via amazon

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