Audio-Technica ATH-M30x Studio Monitor Headphones

Overview

Audio-Technica's ATH-M30x is a closed-back studio monitor headphone built around 40mm drivers with rare-earth magnets, for home recording, tracking and mixing rather than casual listening. It succeeds the M30 and borrows its look from the M50x, with a single-side cable and folding hinge.

This sits at the budget end of Audio-Technica's monitoring range, priced below the M40x and M50x but built on the same closed-back, circumaural design. One reviewer with a recording-arts background found the low end pushed slightly harder than a reference pair like the Sony MDR7506, with less separation between instruments, a fair trade at this price. The plastic shell keeps weight down but does not feel as dense as the pricier M-series models.

• 40mm drivers with rare-earth magnets
• Closed-back circumaural design for isolation
• Single-side cable exit
• Collapsible for storage and travel

Who it's for

Good for anyone tracking vocals or instruments at home, mixing on a budget, or wanting a closed-back pair for movies and games with real sound isolation. Less suited to anyone chasing the widest possible soundstage or a premium metal build.

Pros and cons

Performance notes

The 40mm drivers use copper-clad aluminum wire voice coils tuned for a detailed midrange, and the circumaural cups seal around the ear for isolation in loud rooms rather than open-back airiness. A single-side cable exit and collapsible hinge favor a stationary tracking setup over a portable one.

Specifications

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