Audio-Technica ATH-LS50iS Review, Impressive In-Ear Headphones

Audio-Technica ATH-LS50iS Review

The ATH-LS50is is revolutionary for earbuds in the under $100 range. The frame is seriously durable, built with protective fastenings and special acoustics like a pro edition earphone while retaining small enhancements enjoyed by consumer models. Let’s get into all the details below in this Audio-Technica ATH-LS50iS review.

Audio-Technica ATH-LS50iS Review

Audio-Technica ATH-LS50iS Review – Packaging

The box is white featuring a large photo of the earphones in the respective color you’ve selected. I’m rocking bright yellow. These earphones are also available in black, navy, and red. When you open the box you’ll find your LS50is carefully nestled in a plastic casing along with spare ear tips and a leatherette pouch for safe keeping.

Audio-Technica ATH-LS50iS Review – Build

When it comes to build, I feel Audio-Technica put a lot of thought into creating a fit that is fun, comfortable, and versatile enough for various ear types. I’ve got small ears and normally steer clear of earbuds that aren’t hard because they fall out. These earphones don’t do that at all. The soft flex hooks are hard enough to stabilize around your ears, but malleable enough to conform to the shape of your ears without irritation. The ear tips are able to impressively isolate your music and seal out noise. The passive noise cancellation is also really good. I work in a somewhat noisy environment and I couldn’t hear a conversation my co-workers were having at the desk right next to me.

Audio-Technica ATH-LS50iS Review

The housings are geometrically-shaped and it looks really, really cool. This IEM gives me both consumer vibes make thanks to pause/play controls on the detachable cable. But, I’ll also give it pro cred for featuring A2DC (Audio Designed Detachable Coaxial) connectors which allow you to detach and store your housings as well as the ability to swap out for more sophisticated listening cables, if you so desire. On the inside, the LS50iS retains the contents of a more pro model. These buds hold dual symphonic drivers which translates to a main dynamic and a sub driver in each bud, if you don’t speak audiophile. Each driver is 8.8 mm. A stainless steel acoustic sound pipe is also built into the housing which provides better sound reproduction when the buds are hitting higher frequencies.

And that leads me to my next point…

Audio-Technica ATH-LS50iS Review – Sound

I was blown away by the LS50iS. But, I should’ve figured since the “LS” in ATH-LS50iS stands for “live sound.” These earphones are said to “deliver the sonic realism that will have you cheering like you’re in the front row.” Agreed, wholeheartedly. The earphones resonate across a frequency range of 5-25,000 Hertz which is above and below what humans can normally hear, which is 20-20,000 Hertz. But, those extreme frequencies can be felt. No lie, it’s like being at a live show. The bass is rich, deep, and quite frankly soul-shaking for $79. The mid-range is living the lush life seamlessly balancing it’s own full body while blending into both the lows and highs without covering either. The mids are a perfect bridge. Spacing between the layers of music are distributed evenly enough to let every element breathe without your music becoming too thin. The highs are an audible cherry on top of your tunes. High-pitched vocals and treble claps perfectly perch themselves on top of your lows and mids – neither buried nor overly bright. If you’re listening to FLAC files with these earphones, they’ll reveal elements you’ve never heard before while retaining bass reach. Consider the LS50iS an exceptional purchase for $79.

You can grab Audio-Technica LS50iS at with a percentage off using discount code “majorhifi” during checkout at Audio 46. These buds are also available on at a competitive price from authorized Amazon sellers.

Don’t worry, you can thank me later.

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Sade is a journalist talking all things tech. Contact: sade@majorhifi.com