Correction, the analog version has 3.5mm TRS and not TRRS. Also, DO NOT contact anyone on Telegram (or other service) that is pretending to be me and claiming you won something. I am not giving anything away. They are scammers trying to steal your money and data.
I use the Sennheiser Game One for daily use, and I was staggered by the difference in mic quality. Too bad, like you, I've become spoiled by the open back comfort and soundstage.
Non related question but surely a question. First of all hey and thanks for all your videos. Secondly, questions. So I if you had to choose a mic for singing that would put your voice up front and in the mix almost with no EQ or compression, would it be the Telefunken TF51 or the Manley Reference Cardioid, or dare I say the N word U87? Also which one sounds more “radio ready” off of the press? You know what I mean? Like you just recorded this and you’re like wow ok let me post this as is. For example in social media. I’m not against EQing. I’m just really trying to figure out the best of these 3. I was really impressed with the TF51 listening to someone singing on it no eq or anything. I think the Manley may be on the same or similar tracks. And the U87 N word sounded so professional compared to other high end mics but they were all Eq’ed and processed. Still the end result I liked the U87 best. I couldn’t tell what it sounded in the mix without anything thought. I know you know the answer to this. Lol Please help me sir. Have mercy. Lastly. Is there a huge difference in sounding between the Manley and Telefunken 51? Gracias sir!
In a DAW (digital audio workstation) you would record the audio. On that track there should be an EQ plugin. You would open that and adjust the different bands that you think make the microphone sound better. If you want the exact settings that I used you can pause the video around 09:18 and look at the frequency, dB boost, and q-width of each EQ band. Hopefully that helps.
That's...........that's gotta be the best sounding headset I've heard from you to date. That legitimately sounds fine. It's (the XLR version) not super muffled, it's not tinny, it's not lispy, it's not thin-sounding. The best sounding headset I've heard from you over the years. ///Edit: ah, it's an AT2020 capsule on the end. Interesting. But yeah, a good sounding headset as far as headsets go.
You’re absolutely right. As far as headset mics go it’s one of the best I’ve heard. I still want to try the higher end headset mics that are over $500 to see how those are. But for ease of use and accessibility, if a headset is needed, it’s great. However If a full on stand alone mic can be used, I still think it should.
Definitely the best sounding headset mic. The USB version was more tinny but still great. Seems like the easiest all around plug and play setup you could have. They shouldn't ever put a permanent cable on headphones though, I've broken...too many of those.
I think it's a solid option for doing on location podcast interviews at a tradeshow or conference. Pair a couple of these with the Podtrak P4 and you got a great little mobile rig that doesn't take up a ton of space.
There is a noticeable difference with the EQ on. You must have high standards when it comes to mic quality but even with the EQ off, it sounds amazing. I have seen a ton of gaming headset reviews and this by far has one of the best, if not the best, microphone on a headset. With EQ on, it sounds so good and I would love to learn how to do that EQ setting. I have no knowledge with EQ-ing or what software you are using to do this. Great job on the editing especially when switching back and forth between having EQ on/off. Thanks for the comprehensive mic test. That's exactly what I was looking for. This is now on top of my list when buying a wfh headset. To me, with EQ on, this sounds better than Corsair Virtuoso XT or HS80 which many reviewers say has the best mic on any headset right now. Glad to have stumbled upon your channel. Awesome review. Subscribed.
you gotta be the best audio reviewer on youtube bro. My whole audio equipment is insanely accurate and good to what i needed thanks to your videos. And my music kicks ass ^_^
As someone that had ATs for 4 years they're good headphones. It would be nice if they can make custom cables for VR headsets. For the USB vesion, they should have 2 removable cables, one with A and another with C
The mic on the USB version of the M50X sounded the best to me (except for the AT2020 and U87 😆). As far as headsets go, it's about the best and I'm glad AT decided to mix their most popular headphones with their most popular microphone. Well done.
But in all seriousness, the XLR model sounds great to me - I agree that the hard wired cord is a huge disadvantage for a headset of that price, when the M50 headphones (for ~$100 less) DO have replaceable cords. Dear Audio Technica: Fix that flaw so I can hand you my money. That's my only gripe about the headset.
Danke! No. 2 This was a really high quality's review of this new headset. I'm positively surprised how good it sounds. Your EQ made it even better, though. This is one I'd use for any voice calls or video conferences for convenience. Having a fixed set-up makes it redundant, though.
Thank you very much Rainer. Yeah I think for video conference it's ideal. Apparently people think it'd be great for broadcast as well. I appreciate your continued support.
I have an AT2020USB+ and looking at the capsule, it seems like the original mic's capsule is much bigger than what the headset has, so I think saying the headset has an AT2020 capsule with that audio quality and size is an overexaggeration.
I thought the ATH-M50xSTS mics sounded too nasally. Then you compared them to the dynamic mic headset models and suddenly the ATH-M50xSTS sounded a whole lot less stuffy and congested. Then you brought in the big dog for comparison and suddenly the Audio-Technica sounded like it had a sinus infection again. Thanks for the comparison, it really helped put things into perspective.
I wish they offered just the microphone on a removable arm like the ModMic. This is the best sounding headset Mic I've heard, but I prefer headphones with suspension headstraps instead of padding, and I don't see myself ever buying headphones without detachable cables again. Sticking with my ModMic/K7XX to Audient interface for Zoom calls when I don't have sound blankets up--still puts me a league above anybody else on the calls sound-wise.
Fantastic and fantastic review. Thank you! A quick question if I may, i want to use this headset in an noisy office environment, would the microphone capture ambient noise to disturb the other video call participants? My main goal is to able to listen music properly and have a great microphone for my business calls which is third of my time... Thanks again!
Dang, that microphone sounds excellent for a tiny headset mic! From what I hear, it doesn't sound any worse than a cheap Neewer mic. Too bad I'll never buy one because it's attached to the m50x, which is pain to my ears.
Do you recommend this headset for conference simultaneous interpreting? Do I hear myself while talking, or don't? If I hear myself, then it is not useful for interpreting. Please advise.
The USB version sounded closer to the full size AT2020 to me. Was going to go XLR for obvious reasons but now I’m thinking usb? Was I the only one who thought the USB sounded better?
Not sure if you’ll see this but I do a small podcast from inside a warehouse where I need to use a headset at a work computer in collaboration with someone else at their office. It’s recorded and posted a week later and their audio is noticeably better with a non headset mic. I currently using a steelseries artic 7 gaming headset. Would this headset be an improvement and is there any better option for when a headset is required ?
FINALLY!!! A headset that sound good enough I can use it as a singing drummer without having to fiddle with awkward positioning of microphone stand, frame comfort issues from stand-alone headsets mics, and I don't have to worry about bass reproduction through those either. Not the best isolation in the world, but you can always use a pair of earbuds underneath for super loud shows, or even go fancy and wear in-ears underneath with only the bass signal coming through those! This is brilliant. Gosh was I waiting for this. Singing drummers and keyboardists, rejoice!!!
I don't undestand why they didn't make USB version with detachable USB-C cable + adapter for USB-A. The review is great, just as always, thank you Bandrew.
I hope Bandrew will see this: could you drop a "duce" on BPHS-1 vs ATH-M50xSTS with and without post processing? I'm torn between those two for casual streaming/gaming because a prospect of having AT2020 capsule on a headset seems just as good as having a dynamic mic of BPHS1
Thanks for the proper review👍 I don't think they are a good fit for broadcast, but the mic colour is perfect for my use case; I do switching for a live show, so while the audience doesn't hear me-the hosts do. I'll plug it to a wave xlr with a noise reduction vst and I'll be golden. Gràcies!
Thanks! BTW - It's a perfect tool for songwriting and sketching ideas and, in that respect, so much more flexible than a static mounted traditional mic. My five cents.
Thank you for a great and thorough review (as always). I have been waiting for you to pick these up. Does the monitoring on the USB version get loud enough? Some headsets with built in sidetone is just too low.
Thank you for your review. I thought this m50x mic sounds pretty good considering its a headsets mic and it is better than other contenders. The mids sound forward but round and highs are not overly pronounced making it easy to listen to for long hours. You are right lows are missing but it is helping to avoid plosives. I would try to place the mic just a little bit closer from side to get little more low-end. I think I will purchase this headsets. I think this is just right for zoom meeting.
Just a follow up for ya: since making this review, the USB version has been what I use for my day job calls every single day and It has worked great for me.
Good. The ATH-M50xSTS USB initial price is at the high side. I have Creative SXFI gaming headset (USB/3.5mm dual mode, 7.1 Sound) and the microphone quality (by USB type C) a bit better than ATH-M50 USB one (on-par plus+ abit).
I was about to buy the XLR version of these with an audio interface, but the USB version is impressive. I expected more of a difference, but I doubt anyone could tell the difference in a blind test.
I would happily use the XLR version in sports broadcast settings, especially for basketball, where you've got the crowd right on top of the commentators at courtside. Sports public address, however, is an entirely different story (I like to "work the mic" when I'm announcing). Studio use, definitely not. But overall, that's easily the best sounding headset on the market, even better than more expensive professional options. Even if you don't like the natural curve of it, it's ideal for the intended purposes... and I would suppose the midrange-forward sound is intended for loud environments like I described.
Studio use, surely not, but as a singing drummer, I would absolutely use this microphone for singing live while monitoring the bass better on a silent stage. I know a lot of singers who hate headset stand-alones for comfort and will love this microphone because it sounds definitely good enough for professional live singing. Besides, there is no way an actual AT2020 would survive modern stages feedback issues, so that's an even better option that most stand-alone mics I would use on a stage (and much better than an SM57 IMHO). I don't overly worry about bleed too much either, but it did pick up quite a bit of the keyboard, so the FOH will have to keep that in mind. For back vocals, finely tuned gates should be absolutely fine. I don't picture a leader singer using those but I mean why not??
Hi, how does the ATH-M50xSTS-USB headset mic compare, in your opinion, to the modmic wired version? I currentlly have the modmic and although I like it, I feel the extra cable, combined with my headphone cable, is a bit cumbersome to keep on my desk.
Comparing the Modmic USB in directional mode to this, the Mod Mic has a lot more bass and proximity effect, while this mic compensates for that. It's going to come down to your personal preference which one you like the sound of better. This mic sounds clearer and more realistic and condenser like compared to the mod mic. I can't tell you which one you will like better though. Here's the USB Omni & then Directional demo: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-w4dnBZu02dE.htmlsi=-Qxmc5QLfwdRb9ir&t=239
A thorough review -- thank you. Now I just have to decide which version to go for... The EQ makes it sound fuller -- very nice result. How could I replicate that when I get the headset, please? Also, is it possible to do just with the XLR version or USB or both?
I hear no noticeable difference between the XLR and USB versions in your test. If anything, perhaps slightly more low end on the USB one. The SQ on the mic for this price range is out of this world. I’m selling my headphones, Røde NT-USB and DAC/amp and replacing them with this just for the convenience. It’s scary how good the mic is.
I'm looking to find a USB headset with mic for a friend that does podcasting that has NO audio engineering background or audio interface. What headset would you recommend? Do you thinking using the ATH-M50xSTS would be OK? What other options might you recommend for USB only situation?
There are few things funnier to me than Bandrew pulling out the U87 Ai to absolutely body a comparatively cheap microphone. In all seriousness though, that headset mic sounds fantastic.
Very helpful video. Would it be good for recording tutorials or other training videos -- PowerPoint or Articulate Storyline for instructional design/eLearning experiences?
One thing I really hate about all these headset mics is all the breath noises and rumble from proximity effect - even when there's no plosives. I think it sounded the best by far at 6:12 when you were further away. On the head, it was tolerable at 7:06 at the furthest distance (can it be bent a little further?)
If we remove the low shelf that would likely resolve that issue while still cleaning up the mid forward sound that I’m not keen on. The way I came up with this EQ was by measuring the AT2020 and the headset mic and tried to match them pretty closely. So with the EQ, the headset mic sounds more like the AT2020.
Why a fixed cable?! WHY?! At the moment im using the m50x with their AT mod mic glued onto and because after many years causing my headband fall apart, I just stumbled on these m50x-STS and they bring everything I want... but I dont trust the cable for long term use. Even if my m50xs cable is still completly fine.
I see this as a step forward in the market to affordable broadcaster headsets, hopefully in saying that we can one day see a non droney/tinny microphone that is more comparable to MV7 or even one day the SM7B. Or even a step forward in wireless headsets too that don't come with crappy mics.
@@PodcastageThe Beyerdynamic dt297 and dt797 headsets are in Germany basically what the SM7B is in the US: the podcast mic standard to aspire to 🙂 They have the same condenser capsules but different base headphones. I use them for my podcast from time to time (was very useful when I had back problems and needed to stand a lot) but they still sound very “headsetty” - No competition imho to something like the much cheaper Røde M2 or similar stage condensers. Still: Visit a very well known German podcaster forum and everyone will refer to the Beyers like the holy podcasting grail 😅
Kinda flash but they are stunning. Biggest pull for me is they are compact and can fold flat to your neck like the ath m50’s but audiophile fun listening. Curious how well they isolate from outside noise.? For portable use I’m pretty attached to my wireless in ear phones 🤔
If this is just the BPHS1 but with a better headband / earcups / everything else.. then I'm sold. Because.. the BPHS1 feels horrible. Incredibly uncomfortable headphones / headset, feels like they could fall off at any moment.
I was hyped for it but it LITERALLY sounds like my 1st gen MMX300 and Even the Logitech Pro X. (Some would say other wise... When used with creatives AE-9 it sounds nothing like peoples crap test vids) I wanted to ditch the dynamic mic for everything but looks like I'll still be using it for everything, period.
Would be interesting to see your views on the Corsair HS80 headset. They're not known for their audio, but I think they stumbled onto something good with the mic. I say "stumble" because their follow up, the HS80 Max sounded really bad. So this particular headset seems like a fluke.
Woah, nice Lunchbox you git there, mate. On the EQ, I think it was the right settings, just too much. Tad muddy afterwards. Still can't compete with the 2020, it's missing all the air and detail imho. PS: I think headset mics still have their application in untreated rooms. I ssuggest comparing to a dpa 4066 or 6066 as gold standard instead of the U87.
Why did they butcher the at2020 ?!?! Not the best mics, by any stretch; but it didn't deserve THIS ಥ_ಥ IDK why I had better expectations for the M50x + mic combo...
Still sounds better then 90% gaming livestreams (with BlueYeti, 2020, Razer headsets). With Elgato Wave XLR (sound guard) can be a good combo for Streamers.
This Native EQing of headset mics goes back all the way back to the 1960's to 1970's they started doing this for the purpose of not eliminating the proximity effect but to reduce engine noise, exterior noise, and poor reception noise for pilots on their radios. they've just been to lazy to or haven't wanted to change this since this EQing circuit was created for headset microphones. It's like how even though it's 2023 airlines still use the same software they've been using to book flights since 1985, they've just been slapping a gui overlay to hide the command line prompts you're interfacing with when you book your flight. Also this isn't the First time this headset has been on the market. This is just the newest iteration of the headset. And possibly the first USB headset they've released.
The mic just sounds _bad_ to me. :^( Even the EQ curve can't make it sound good. I've heard far better Lavelier mics; why can't they attach one of those to a headset??
I used ath-m50 headphones but sell it cause didnt like its toxic and synthetic highs (im sensitive to highs). And default earpads were too thin and made my ears hurt (easy fixable by thick earpads from aliexpress though)? But i like the mic sound of this model and i can recommend it to someone looking for a good sounding headset
I work from home and use a headset all day. The lack of having a inline volume and mic cut switch is a nah brah. Also not being able to replace the cable very uncool. Same with those new antlion iems. Guess I'll stick with my Phillips headset vmoda boompro.
I already know people who’ve been wanting this. I’m spoiled by Audio-Technica’s R70X and other open-backs, so the m50x don’t appeal to me. But with an at2020 attached, the closed-back design is a necessity.
Monster, the best in game in your niche, legend... One note, could be nice if: because companies making version II of their products, could be nice to have some more minutes(or begin with the comparison) between the version I x version II of the mic. Like 1 minute more in detail about V1 x V2 than other mics. (not the case of this video, i am coming from RODE NT+ video, but maybe you can read this comment in this video)
lol microphone is really good, better then most of usb, frequency response of your voice is preety full, maybe some lows can be better, good product if we talk about micro.
yep overall this type of microphone paired with headphones is most comfortable to use, oh its usb so dont need waste money for good amp, noise is very low for usb headphones, good product@@Podcastage
