Audio-Technica - ATH-M40x

I prefer the ATH-M40X as the 50's have too much bass.

From least to most favorite: Audio-Technica ATH-M50X - well-built, cohesive imaging, but some of the most unnatural-sounding headphones I've heard, having a huge hole in the lower mids, mud-fest in the bass, and harsh peaky treble Audio-Technica ATH-M60X - well-built, surprisingly spacious for how small they are, but still a hole in the lower mids and shouty ear gain, plus they're on-ear and therefore uncomfortable Audio-Technica ATH-M40X - well-built, decent all-rounder, but still lacks the lower mids and mid-bass is too boomy, plus the treble is a bit sibilant Sennheiser HD280 PRO - great isolation, large pads, cohesive imaging, but too much sub-bass giving me a headache, too dull yet grainy, plus the cable is microphonic, heavy, stiff, and non-detachable AKG K361 - the most tonally balanced overall, but not very impressive technically, having kind of a tinny timbre with metallic treble, mediocre imaging, and some of the worst build and comfort with a huge design flaw - earpads have a lot of compression with pressure affecting the FR, creating constant channel imbalance, so you have to be perfectly still while using them AKG K371 - the same but more natural timbre for the sacrifice of warmer and muddier tuning Sennheiser HD620S - nice build, comfort, and isolation, good clarity, but unpleasant, cold, harsh, focused, claustrophobic, fatiguing tuning with wonky low-end Adam H200 - nice build, comfort, and isolation, surprisingly spacious, good bass quality, but too shouty FiiO FT1 - the best all-rounder, most casual, most comfortable, solid tonal balance, spatial qualities, and bass quality, but too much bass and too peaky unrefined treble, making them sound fatiguing Beyerdynamic DT770 PRO 250Ω - the best clarity, sounding almost like an open-back, great all-rounder, great low-end and midrange, decent spatial qualities, decently comfortable, but too sibilant, making them unsuitable for a certain kind of music NOTE: I also had the 80 and 32Ω versions of the DT770 but didn't like them as much

Hello, I'm a music producer and recently my m40x's (which I've really loved) are literally falling apart, which blows because they still work, its just the headband (its beyond super glue at this point). I'm looking to upgrade, my budget is 300 or so (Cad, can go a lil higher), I need something that sounds reaaaally good, but is flat and natural as possible, i don't want any holes or boosts in the freq range. Also, what's the pros and cons of IEMs? Are they just fancy earbuds? Would they be better then over-ears?

For over ear I'd go ATH-M50x or M40x, also recently picked up a pair of Rode NTH-50's which I really like, very good isolation for on ears (better than their over ear NTH-100s) and sound decent. AIAIAI over ears with S05 speakers are alright but I can't get over the fact that there's much better headphones out there for much much less, you're paying for the brand and modularity with AIAIAI. Still love my AIAIAI's (and have enough parts for like 2.5 pairs of headphones) but I find them hard to recommend.

ATH-m40x, they aren’t bad per day but nothing that makes you go wow, or makes music fun, like you can take it or leave it when choosing between headphones and a stereo set

Ath-m40x + modmic over here. The headband PU leather is deteriorating but otherwise it's still going strong. Must be 10+ years.

I have ath m40s.. really it’s about getting your ears and head around what the profile of your headphones are and being aware of what they are

Idk Beyerdynamic are kinda over hyped. I tried few of them (990 Pro and 770) and I ended at Audio-Technica, yeah sure Beyerdynamic are more comfortable, but ATs are just more "fun" and easier to drive. I was have ATH-M40x, then ATH-R70x now I have iBasso SR3 and I still missing my ATH-R70x, top tier headphones and with warm DEC/AMP, super fun.

No one here said Hexa is endgame or flagship-tier. What I did say and still stand by is that it delivers audiophile-level sound quality (i.e., high-fidelity, neutral tuning, detailed mids) for under $100, especially when compared to the bloated, muddy tuning of most gaming headsets. And that’s objectively true unless you’re redefining “audiophile” as “$300+ only,” which is just gatekeeping and uninformed like i stated earlier. Also, mocking gear as “Chinese” as if that disqualifies performance is just lazy. You realize brands like Hifiman, SMSL, Topping, and Moondrop are all Chinese and respected across audiophile communities? Price-to-performance from Chi-Fi is why the landscape has shifted so hard the past five years. OP has a Rode mic great, so that already frees him from needing a headset mic. The question was headphones or headset under $100 with audiophile sound for gaming, and yeah, Truthear Hexa or Moondrop Aria absolutely check that box. Just because something isn’t your preferred form factor or price tier doesn’t mean it’s “trash.” If you’ve actually listened to Hexa or Zero Red with a proper DAC and still feel that way, fair enough. But if you’re just dismissing it from the spec sheet and origin country, that says more about you than the gear.

Here’s my list of recommendations Headphones Audio technica ATH M30 or M40x AKG K240 Phillips SPH9500 Sennheiser HD 599 on sale you can get these around 100$ If your open to IEMs there is a ton for under 100$ that are leagues ahead of most gaming headsets.

I use an m40x, still pretty good. I really like how balanced it is.