Audio-Technica ATH-M60x Headphones Review

July 19, 2018 5:10 pm

Ok, my little Audio-Technica fans. You love your M40x or M50x. But like any long-term relationship, you do whatever you can to keep things fresh. You buy a new cable for your sweet cans. Maybe some fancy lambskin earpads. But in bed, late at night, you long for something younger. Something cuter. Would it be terrible for you to spend a couple nights a week with the new M60x? Or maybe you can’t relate to this at all, and you just need an accurate sounding headphone to mix your tracks or record your podcast. Let’s see if these headphones are for you in this Audio-Technica ATH-M60x Headphones Review.

Audio-Technica ATH-M60x Headphones Review

IN the BOX

Detachable 1.2m cable with 3.5mm connection

Detachable 3m cable with 3.5mm connection

Detachable coiled 3m cable with 3.5mm connection

¼” adapter

Soft carrying pouch

FIT

Attention mixers and audio engineers: you can wear these cans all day and feel absolutely no pressure or fatigue. There isn’t a huge amount of sound isolation, but hey, you can’t have it all.

DESIGN

Don’t be fooled by the endearingly small size of these on-ear cans. The M60x has 45mm drivers, just like the big boys. The headphones seem solid enough, but not as sturdy and flexible as Audio-Technica’s larger pro models. It’s best not to stomp on these, kids.

SOUND

Lows

The lows sound just as advertised. That is, they’re on the conservative side. Accurate? For sure. Fun? Hmm. Actually, listening to just the bass guitar on Bruno Mars’ “That’s What I Like,” the M60x sounds very similar to the M50x. In fact, I preferred the M60x when it came to bass guitars exclusively. But in terms of this frequency range in general, the M60x doesn’t have comparatively warm, flavorful lows of Audio-Technica’s more popular models. But that might just be because of the M60x’s superior separation. Less smudge.

Mids

If you like a tight, crystal, clean sound, you’ll love the M60x. It may not be as warm and lush as other models. But what I like about them is that the mids, more so the upper mids, are way more forward, and the clarity and separation is outstanding. Indeed, these are some of the more honest headphones I’ve heard in the Audio-Technica Professional line-up. However, although the balance felt mostly right, there was still some harshness in the upper mids on certain tracks, especially with respect to male vocals. But I have to say, acoustic guitars sound fantastic, and folk music was my favorite genre to listen to on these headphones.

Highs

Neutral and decently transparent with minimal piercing in the very high registers. Perhaps, the M60x handles high strings with a tad less grace and romance compared to the more famous Audio-Technica’s I’ve heard. But it’s certainly clean and nonsense free.

Soundstage

Not an endless amount of spaciousness here. There’s some width and height, but not enough depth to call this a truly multidimensional experience. Give it a break! It’s $199.

SUMMARY

There’s no question that the M60x is a reliable sounding headphone. But does it want to be taken out for a good time? If you’re going to a Bob Dylan concert, then yes. However, deep down, it’s dying to mix a Bank of America commercial. Is it willing to hang out at Dr. Dre’s studio after for drinks? No frequen’ way. And that’s okay.

You can find these little cans for the best price at:

Use our promo code “majorhifi” to get 10% off at Audio 46.

Audio 46: Audio-Technica ATH-M60x Professional Monitor Headphones

Amazon: Audio-Technica ATH-M60X Closed-Back Dynamic Monitor Headphones

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