OUR WINNING DESIGN OF 2024

Audio For All

In January of 2007, the first ever pair of ATH-M50 launched at the NAMM trade show. They were originally designed as professional monitoring headphones, with a focus on delivering clear, natural sound via the proprietary 45mm large-aperture drivers. However, they’ve grown to become one of the go-to pair of headphones recommended for anyone looking to heighten their listening experience.

Since then, the ATH-M50 have evolved with new technologies and have adapted to suit the needs of listeners, with the introduction of the ATH-M50x in 2014 and the ATH-M50xBT in 2018.

Known for their well-balanced sound profile and a durable yet comfortable design, the ATH-M50x are our best-selling product worldwide.

Throughout their history, the M50/M50x have stayed true to our founder, Hideo Matsushita’s, original vision. Hideo-san wanted to create a quality audio experience for all, enabling people to access quality products for any application or budget.

The M50x are still known for providing a quality audio performance at a reasonable price for a variety of people, from musicians and content creators, to gamers and music listeners.

Designed in Japan

In 2006, nearing the end of his career, our chief headphone engineer decided to put everything he had, all of the decades of experience and expertise, into a new pair of studio monitor headphones.

The engineering team in Japan saw the headphones as a “professional tool”, so they needed to be robust, practical and comfortable. As one of the few manufacturers in the world that designs transducer technology, they were able to fine tune the sound profile of the M50s, giving it a meticulous, acoustic design.

Even after the success of the M50s the engineering team did not stop refining the headphone design. Product Manager, Hiroyasu Suzuki, helped manage a project seven years after the release of the M50s to enhance the headphones: “we went out and asked professionals, the people actually using these headphones daily, what features they liked and what they wanted, and we used their feedback to improve the product, creating the M50x in 2014.”

Studio, stage and silver screen

Thanks to their ability to deliver a natural, balanced sound profile that closely reflects the original recording of material, the M50s have become a staple product for audio professionals.

Once you recognise the iconic design, featuring the silver circle on the earcups, you can usually spot them in studios, music videos and movies.

Cut the cord

Over ten years after the first pair of M50s launched, the engineering team listened to feedback from fans and decided to develop a Bluetooth version.

This was a difficult task for the headphone engineering team, as they wanted to maintain the critically acclaimed sonic performance of the M50s over a Bluetooth connection.

After years of development, in 2018, the ATH-M50xBT were released and critics and users agreed that the sound experience reflected the coveted M50s.

Spectrum of sound

Since 2012, we’ve added 11 limited-edition colors to the M50 line-up. Often only available for one year, these different editions have provided fans with the opportunity to add a pop of colour to their setup, including the latest Ice Blue edition for 2023.

Did you manage to grab a pair of any of the limited-edition versions?