Audio-Technica ATH-M30X

I have tried the ATH-M20x, the ATH-M25 (an old discontinued model), the ATH-M30x, the ATH-M40x, and the ATH-M50 (the older version without the letter “x”), and I liked the ATH-M30x the most. Granted, everybody's ears and their sound preferences are slightly different, but to me, the M30x sound the best. While neither of the M-series headphones are perfectly “flat”, to my ears, the M30x sound the most balanced. My second favorite model is the M20x, which sounds very similar but cannot be folded for storage and does not come with a carrying bag. The comfort is best on the latter two models as well because they are the lightest out of the range and have a slightly softer earpad covering material when compared to the M40x and the M50, on which the imitation leather is thicker and not as pliable. Next, I am going to focus solely on the M30x. The construction of the M30x is time-tested and has proven itself durable. I did not notice any cosmetic or structural defects. The cable seems tough enough to survive daily use, but is soft and flexible enough to lay flat on the ground and be easy to coil. Since the headphones are light, and do not grip the head overly tightly, they are comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. The longest I have worn them without taking a single break was ten hours, and I did not experience any pain or discomfort. However, if the grip is still too tight for some, the headphones can be stretched around any object, be it a jar or a cardboard box, which is greater in width than the user's head, and left on it for a few days. The grip usually loosens up. The only criticism I have in terms of handling is that the size adjustment mechanism does not have any distinct size positions, nor even position markers, so you have to adjust it approximately, put the headphones on and correct the adjustment if needed, which can become especially annoying if the headphones are shared by two people with differently sized heads. To me, the Sony MDR-7506 size adjustment mechanism with numbered indentations is many times better. Happily, the sound quality of the ATH-M30x more than compensates for that shortcomming. Since neither of the frequencies stood out to me, I would say that the sound is well balanced. Even though the highs are very clear, sibilance is not a problem (for those who do not know, it is the annoying hissiness of the “s” sounds). The soundstage (or the size of the perceived space, in which the musicians appear to be playing) is quite large for closed-back-type headphones, and the imaging (or the ability to determine the position of each musician in that perceived space) is very impressive in this price range. For experiencing the clearest effect of that, Dolby Atmos is simply excellent! In short, if the lack of distinct size adjustment positions and a long, non-detachable cable is not an issue, I would highly recommend these headphones for either doing some studio work or just listening to your favorite tunes.

I use these headphones for silent guitar playing / practicing, not studio recording / mixing, so my review may be "amateurish" but for my use and needs they are great.

They're very comfortable and I don't feel any discomfort even after long use. More importantly they're "easy on the ears", compared to cheaper headphones I had, which after one hour of use felt like they're pushing your eardrums into your head.

I have them for several months, for the price build quality is OK, I would prefer if they weren't foldable at all because that part of them seems most flimsy, but so far I had no issues with them in any regard.

If stolen would I buy again? Yes!

After a long search for good headphones in a price range that I could actually afford, I decided to buy Audio-Technica ATH-M30X, and I did not regret. Package included headphones and a nice leather-y carrying bag and 3,5 - 6,3mm adapter.
I dont want to pretend I know much about headphones in general - I just play guitar and needed ones for home recording/production/listening AMATEUR purposes. For that I can only praise ATH M30x - they are comfortable, I managed to wear them for hours even in very hot summer time conditions, sound is great, you can hear details in songs you cannot hear listening on normal speakers.
Other specifics to mention:
- if you get wear/tear on earpads, there are even substitute Audio-Technica ATH-M30 EarPads for 5,40 Eur on Thomann to order
- connecting cable is also very solid, I can't imagine I would manage to ruin it in normal everyday use
- earphones can be folded for easier carrying in included bag which is nice and convinient.
Anyway, I like them, and I don't think there is anything better in this price range.