Audio-Technica ATH-M50x vs Samsung Gear IconX

The ATH-M50x are great sounding headphones with a sound that may fall in the neutral category, but with very slight boosts to the bass and highs; a slightly V-shaped sound. The bass is full and has a lot of power. The sub bass has a hint of elevation though, which can make the bass sound a bit loose on hip-hop or EDM tracks. The mids are fairly neutral with no elevation. The highs are also slightly elevated, which does not add harshness but instead gives the sound a shimmery and detailed feel.

This sound signature of the M50x makes it versatile. It is neutral enough for monitoring use, yet also has just the right qualities to make it a great choice for enjoying music.

The bass of these headphones sound full with a slight boost. This makes the bass quite punchy without drowning the mids or highs.

You get a lot from what you pay for with these headphones. Aside from the great sound, they are also well built and come with a lot of accessories.

The ATH M50x is made from high quality matte plastics which are quite resistant to damage without being too heavy. The hinges move smoothly and do not have unnecessary creaks.

Audio-Technica finally updated the M50's built in cable to a detachable cable. The M50x even comes with three cables, a 1.2 m - 3.0 m coiled cable, a 3.0 m straight cable, and a 1.2 m straight cable. None of the cables have in-line controls though.

The ear cups and pads are able to keep the sound in and block outside noise. These are suitable for a noisy office as even low volume music is enough to drown out those noisy office mates.

The ear cups can be folded into the headband, reducing its footprint. Combined with the carrying pouch and detachable cables, you can easily chuck these headphones into your bag when going out.

The highs and mids are not amazing, but they most certainly sound good with nice clarity and warmth. The bass is very good. There is a lot of low-end presence with good thump. These will most certainly excel with bass heavy music and are great choices for working out, as the thump will definitely help you stay upbeat.

The Gear IconX has 4GB of internal memory where you can store files like music and play them from just the earbuds.

There is a built in heart rate monitor and you can set these earbuds to tell you exercise-related metrics at set intervals. Also, you can sync the IconX to Samsung's S Health app where you can view fitness metrics.

Once synced with your smart device, you can set which of the earpieces is the primary device. You can do gesture controls on it to control your playlist as well as answer or end calls.

These come with ear tips in three different sizes for you to get a nice and comfortable seal, as well as 3 wing tips in various sizes which adjust how snug these earbuds can be.

A nano-coating is applied to the ear pieces, preventing sweat and splashes of liquid from causing damage.