Spectacular! 6

[Upd September 2014]
This is certainly here one of the best headsets / pro monitoring it is possible (yet) to find today. It is particularly suited to modern music, in essence heavily punctuated by the highly compressed electronic dynamics. For an acoustic listening, jazz or classical for example, an open helmet is more suited to my mind that it is closed. The level of horse he is capable is unreasonably high, but in any event this headset will offer the listener a completely new sound sensation. Not even on a helmet 110 euros it sounds suspect yet: the scale and sound reproduction are quite sensational even downright spectacular. Its isolation, without intra argued, is beyond all expectations. Its comfort is very nice (although a little tight for some); in its construction, this robust headset is bulletproof (and children who want to be like mommy :). But beware: small warning on the hoop, mine was quite eroded on the part resting on the top of the skull. Well OK I wear it every day, then after 4 years for sure ...
To summarize: it works equally well DJ (power levels / high sensitivity without any saturation or distortion and pivot system very useful for DJing), the musician (acoustic or electronic), the music of course and although slightly heavy, to the nomadic ... (I saw several)

But anyway: big marade to see the rays "hi-tech" shockingly expensive specialized flooded with mediocre headphones and face this tenor! It dethrones handily on all planes and the famous cabassets in shiny plastic aborant a small "b" fashion well flashy, displayed hundreds of euros and to the excess-marketed by a well-known doctor. Doctor who, incidentally, had itself adopted the M50 time of his studio job ... I do not speak more than the other American, you know, the one with a capital "B" 4 letter that we see everywhere in transport. For as little "b" big "B" was also ashamed to supply the specs of its helmets. No, but we dream, be serious all the same!

For those who are determined to buy this Japanese wonder, know that Audio-Technica and particularly it needs time to mature. About this brand is obvious. Also, it will take up to fifty hours of operation at normal levels / sustained listening, so as to shape the sound of this new friend (I speak here of "burn-in headphones", honing what). The easiest is to pass the music you listen to. Some, without any scientific proof, even advise to play pink noise files or logarithmic sinusoidal 5 to 30kHz. Easy to find files on the net or generated by digital audio editing softwares (Audacity is simple and free). Well OK then? and * only * next? Well there you are: smell, taste, hear, and rediscover music. Because ultimately, that's music it's all about!

Audio-Technica, the first helmet manufacturer in Japan, specialist microphone and cells for turntables is especially strong presence on the pro market, even if it is now know to the general public by a very wide range of equipment .
Noted since its inception in 2007 by several hundred users worldwide, this old backpacker M50 in September 2014 is still ranked No. 1 on qualitative criteria. Judge for yourself: on a "review site" well known Swedish, whose name begins with test and eventually freaks, M50 users attribute to it an average score of + 9.4 / 10 775 votes. No other helmet nobtient world as high note with as many votes; even the high-end home Focal, AKG, Shure, Sennheiser and Beyer Dynamic ... Both at this price? Simple answer: it does not exist.

Note that the M50 is available in several versions. The differences are subtle: different finish (the original black, bluish on the 50th anniversary of the brand, rather beautiful white, red so small "b" fashion ATH-M50RD) and cable type of your choice ("ATH -M50S "= Straight therefore entitled, the" ATH-M50 "for short in the classic spiral model and the new" ATH-M50X "secure detachable cable with a bayonet released in late January 2014 but which is more expensive)
All models are available here on Amazon, but the price varies depending on the version.

[EDIT September 2014] the original ATH-M50 has never been so affordable: 109 EUR on Amazon !; At that price as a treat to your best friend or your pater :)

Musically