Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) vs Audio-Technica ATH-M50xEnso

Apple AirPods Max (USB-C)

Apple

8.2

Recommended

Audio-Technica ATH-M50xEnso

Audio-Technica

8.1

The studio-monitor icon, in a 10th-anniversary suit

Apple AirPods Max (USB-C)

What Reviewers Agree On

Premium build quality — aluminum and stainless steel feel luxurious
Excellent spatial audio and Dolby Atmos support
ANC is among the best available
USB-C finally replaces Lightning

Deal Breakers

$549 price is hard to justify vs Sony or Bose at $350-400
Smart case still does not fully protect headphones

Pros & Cons

Apple AirPods Max (USB-C)

Pros

Premium build quality — aluminum and stainless steel feel luxurious
Excellent spatial audio and Dolby Atmos support
ANC is among the best available
USB-C finally replaces Lightning

Cons

Detailed Comparison

Sound Quality

Apple AirPods Max (USB-C)

Rich, detailed sound with exceptional spatial audio for movies and music.

Computational audio and spatial audio with head tracking are genuinely immersive
Warm, rich sound signature excels with vocals and acoustic music
No aptX or LDAC — limited to AAC Bluetooth which caps lossless potential

Audio-Technica ATH-M50xEnso

The Enso inherits the M50x's signature sound completely — a punchy, detailed, slightly V-shaped tuning that is fun and engaging for everyday listening but not perfectly neutral for critical mixing. The 45mm driver is unchanged from the standard model.

The Enso still delivers the punchy, detailed sound that made the M50x famous — its signature has not been retuned for the anniversary edition.

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Audio-Technica ATH-M50xEnso

What Reviewers Agree On

The Enso is a 10th-anniversary special edition built on the unchanged ATH-M50x platform — same 45mm driver, same closed-back design, returning to a classic all-black look with a white circular 'Enso' brushstroke
Delivers the M50x's signature punchy, detailed, fun sound that made the line famous — engaging for music, content creation and casual gaming
Fully passive wired headphone: no battery, no Bluetooth and no ANC, so it never needs charging and works with virtually any source
Comfortable for multi-hour sessions thanks to memory-foam pads, a secure-not-tight clamp and 90-degree swivelling ear cups for one-ear monitoring
Solid, proven build with detachable cables — a damaged cable can be swapped rather than replacing the whole headphone
Easy to drive at 38 ohms — reaches full, satisfying volume straight from a phone or laptop with no separate amp required

Deal Breakers

Nothing about the sound, drivers or build has actually changed from the standard M50x — the Enso is a cosmetic anniversary edition, not an upgrade
The punchy V-shaped tuning is not perfectly neutral, so it can misrepresent elements for critical mixing and mastering
The closed-back pads trap heat and the vinyl wrap can feel tight, so ears get warm over long sessions and glasses-wearers may find the clamp uncomfortable
The bundled drawstring pouch only guards against scrapes — there's no proper protective hard case for travel

$549 price is hard to justify vs Sony or Bose at $350-400

Smart case still does not fully protect headphones

Audio-Technica ATH-M50xEnso

Pros

The Enso is a 10th-anniversary special edition built on the unchanged ATH-M50x platform — same 45mm driver, same closed-back design, returning to a classic all-black look with a white circular 'Enso' brushstroke
Delivers the M50x's signature punchy, detailed, fun sound that made the line famous — engaging for music, content creation and casual gaming
Fully passive wired headphone: no battery, no Bluetooth and no ANC, so it never needs charging and works with virtually any source
Comfortable for multi-hour sessions thanks to memory-foam pads, a secure-not-tight clamp and 90-degree swivelling ear cups for one-ear monitoring
Solid, proven build with detachable cables — a damaged cable can be swapped rather than replacing the whole headphone
Easy to drive at 38 ohms — reaches full, satisfying volume straight from a phone or laptop with no separate amp required

Cons

Nothing about the sound, drivers or build has actually changed from the standard M50x — the Enso is a cosmetic anniversary edition, not an upgrade
The punchy V-shaped tuning is not perfectly neutral, so it can misrepresent elements for critical mixing and mastering
The closed-back pads trap heat and the vinyl wrap can feel tight, so ears get warm over long sessions and glasses-wearers may find the clamp uncomfortable
The bundled drawstring pouch only guards against scrapes — there's no proper protective hard case for travel

It delivers an impactful and fun sound that many people love for listening, but that same punchy tuning can compromise neutrality when you need accuracy.

The tuning is mildly V-shaped — fairly accurate bass with a slightly 'fun' lift and a treble emphasis that spices up female vocals, which is actually useful for catching flaws in audio engineering.

RTINGS measures decent reproduction accuracy with a generally balanced response — clear, natural vocals and instruments and low enough harmonic distortion that even trained listeners won't notice timbral coloration.

The frequency response runs slightly conservative below 100Hz and rolls off more than ideal below 40Hz, giving a flatter, studio-leaning curve rather than a deep sub-bass.

If you're after completely faithful reproduction for mixing, mastering or critical listening, the M50x's big bass plus crisp treble flavour can misrepresent certain elements of a recording.

Audio Science Review notes it takes a little modding — aftermarket velour pads and EQ — to get the full potential out of the M50x, but the result is worth the effort.