Headphones · Model guide · Maker specs
Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT
Keep the ATH-M50xBT if you have one, but new buyers should get the ATH-M50xBT2: the same $199 launch price, plus LDAC, multipoint and USB-C.
Product images
Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT, from its Amazon listing.
Credit: Amazon.com (Associates Program). Amazon listing
Product image from the Amazon listing.
In short
Keep the ATH-M50xBT if you have one, but new buyers should get the ATH-M50xBT2: the same $199 launch price, plus LDAC, multipoint and USB-C. The 2018 original has the same 45 mm drivers, plus aptX, about 40 hours per charge, micro-USB and a fold-flat design, at 310 grams. Isolation comes from closed-back earcups alone; there's no noise cancelling.
Who it is for
- People who already own an ATH-M50xBT. The ATH-M50xBT2 keeps the 45 mm drivers and 38-ohm impedance, so upgrading buys LDAC, multipoint, USB-C and about 10 more hours per charge.
- Used buyers whose phone does aptX and who want the wireless M50x for less than a new ATH-M50xBT2.
Who should skip it
- New buyers. Audio-Technica has moved on to the ATH-M50xBT2, launched at the same $199.00, and its US page for this model points there.
- Commuters who need noise cancelling. The ATH-M50xBT has none; Audio-Technica's ATH-SR50BT has noise reduction, weighs 262 grams and is rated for 28 to 33 hours.
- Anyone who tops up at the last minute. Audio-Technica gives no quick-charge figure for the ATH-M50xBT, while the ATH-M50xBT2 gets about 3 hours from 10 minutes.
What sets it apart
- aptX, AAC and SBC over Bluetooth 5.0; the ATH-M50xBT2 swaps aptX for LDAC.
- 45 mm large-aperture drivers with rare-earth magnets, rated 15–28,000 Hz and 38 ohms.
- About 40 hours of continuous use per charge.
- Earcups that fold flat and swivel 90 degrees, with a pouch in the box.
Caveats
- Micro-USB, not USB-C: the included 30 cm cable takes about 7 hours to charge it from 0 to 100%.
- Audio-Technica lists no transparency mode and no water or sweat rating.
Key specs
In the same order on every headphones page, so you can compare pairs.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Closed-back, dynamic, wireless over-ear | Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT specs; English user manual |
| Drivers | 45 mm large-aperture drivers with rare-earth magnets and copper-clad aluminum wire (CCAW) voice coils | Audio-Technica US press; ATH-M50xBT specs |
| Frequency response | 15–28,000 Hz; Bluetooth transmission band 20–20,000 Hz | Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT specs; English user manual |
| Impedance | 38 ohms | Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT specs |
| Sensitivity | 99 dB (99 dB/mW in the English manual) | Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT specs; English user manual |
| Noise cancelling | None; closed-back earcups and professional-grade earpads isolate passively | Audio-Technica US press; ATH-M50xBT specs |
| Ambient sound | None listed | Audio-Technica US press; ATH-M50xBT specs |
| Bluetooth codecs | Qualcomm aptX, AAC, SBC; no LDAC | English user manual; Audio-Technica US press |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.0; A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP; about 10 m line of sight | Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT specs; English user manual |
| Multipoint | Not listed; the ATH-M50xBT2 adds it | Audio-Technica US press, 2018; ATH-M50xBT2 press, 2021-08-18 |
| Battery life | About 40 hours of continuous use; 3.7 V lithium-polymer battery | Audio-Technica US press; ATH-M50xBT specs |
| Charging | Micro-USB (30 cm USB-A to micro-USB Type-B cable); about 7 hours from 0 to 100%; no 10-minute quick-charge figure | English user manual; ATH-M50xBT specs |
| Wired listening | Detachable 1.2 m cable with a gold-plated, L-shaped 3.5 mm 4-pole plug and a mic for phones | English user manual; ATH-M50xBT specs |
| Weight | About 310 g (10.9 oz) without the cable | Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT specs; English user manual |
| Folding and case | Folds flat; earcups swivel 90 degrees; pouch in the box | Audio-Technica US press; ATH-M50xBT specs |
| App | Audio-Technica Connect for iOS and Android; the on-headphone EQ, low-latency mode and codec choice arrived with the BT2 | Audio-Technica US press |
| Microphones and calls | Omnidirectional condenser mic: −42 dB (1 V/Pa at 1 kHz), 80–10,000 Hz; the wired cable has a mic too | Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT specs |
| Voice assistant | Touch control on the left earcup calls your phone's voice assistant; built-in Alexa came with the BT2 | Audio-Technica US press; Audio-Technica blog, 2018-10-30 |
| Compatibility | Bluetooth 5.0 devices (aptX needs a phone or player that supports it); 3.5 mm wired | Audio-Technica US press; ATH-M50xBT specs |
| US launch price | $199.00 | Audio-Technica US press |
| Price band | About $200 at launch | Audio-Technica US press |
| Announced | 30 October 2018, available at $199.00 | Audio-Technica blog, 2018-10-30; US press |
| Availability | Discontinued as of 19 September 2026; Audio-Technica's US page points to the updated ATH-M50xBT2 | Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT page, accessed 2026-09-19 |
Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT extras
Specs only this model has.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth profiles | A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP; SCMS-T content protection | English user manual |
| In the box | 30 cm USB-A to micro-USB charge cable; 1.2 m 3.5 mm cable with mic for phones; pouch | English user manual; ATH-M50xBT specs |
ATH-M50xBT or ATH-M50xBT2?
The ATH-M50xBT, announced 30 October 2018, was Audio-Technica’s first Bluetooth version of the M50x. Its successor kept the 45 mm drivers and changed nearly everything you plug in or pair with: codecs, battery, charging port and multipoint.
| Spec | ATH-M50xBT | ATH-M50xBT2 |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 30 October 2018 | 18 August 2021 |
| US launch price | $199.00 | $199.00 |
| Codecs | aptX, AAC, SBC | LDAC, AAC, SBC |
| Two-device multipoint | Not listed | Yes |
| Battery | About 40 hours | About 50 hours |
| Charging | Micro-USB, about 7 hours to full | USB-C, about 3.5 hours to full; 10 minutes for about 3 hours |
| Weight | About 310 g | About 307 g |
| Drivers | 45 mm | 45 mm |
The 3-gram weight gap won’t matter; the codecs and the charging port are the real split. Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT vs ATH-M50xBT2 goes through the rest.
Sound and build
The drivers pair their rare-earth magnets with copper-clad aluminum wire (CCAW) voice coils. Audio-Technica rates sensitivity at 99 dB (99 dB/mW in the English manual), and over Bluetooth the manual gives a transmission band of 20–20,000 Hz.
It’s a closed-back design with professional-grade earpads, so isolation is passive. The headphones weigh about 310 grams (10.9 ounces) without the cable.
Battery and charging
| Mode | ATH-M50xBT |
|---|---|
| Continuous use | About 40 hours |
| Full charge, 0 to 100% | About 7 hours |
| Quick charge | No figure given |
Power comes from a 3.7 V lithium-polymer battery, charged through the micro-USB port.
Bluetooth, app and calls
It runs Bluetooth 5.0 with the A2DP, AVRCP, HFP and HSP profiles and SCMS-T content protection, and Audio-Technica quotes about 10 m of range in line of sight. You only get aptX with a phone or player that supports it.
The Audio-Technica Connect app, for iOS and Android, adds what Audio-Technica calls convenient tools and features. The on-headphone EQ, low-latency mode and codec choice came later, with the BT2.
A touch control on the left earcup brings up your phone’s voice assistant. The omnidirectional condenser mic is rated −42 dB (1 V/Pa at 1 kHz) over 80–10,000 Hz, and the wired cable has a mic of its own.
Price
Audio-Technica launched the ATH-M50xBT at $199.00 in the US. It’s discontinued, so you’re buying used; compare the asking price with a new BT2 before you commit.
Sources
- Amazon product listing — accessed 2026-09-20
- Audio-Technica US — ATH-M50xBT product page and specifications — accessed 2026-09-19
- Audio-Technica — ATH-M50xBT English user manual — accessed 2026-09-19
- Audio-Technica US press — ATH-M50xBT ($199.00) — accessed 2026-09-19
- Audio-Technica blog — Introducing the ATH-M50xBT, 30 October 2018 — accessed 2026-09-19
Frequently asked questions
Should I buy the ATH-M50xBT or the ATH-M50xBT2?
The ATH-M50xBT2 if you're buying new: it launched at the same $199.00 and adds LDAC, multipoint, USB-C and about 50 hours per charge. The original makes sense used, if your phone does aptX and the price is right.
Does the ATH-M50xBT have noise cancelling?
No. It blocks sound passively, with closed-back earcups and professional-grade earpads.
Does the ATH-M50xBT support LDAC or multipoint?
Neither is listed. It supports aptX, AAC and SBC over Bluetooth 5.0, and Audio-Technica added LDAC and two-device multipoint with the ATH-M50xBT2, announced 18 August 2021.
Can I use the ATH-M50xBT with a cable?
Yes. The detachable 1.2 m cable in the box has a gold-plated 3.5 mm plug and a mic for phone calls.
Is the ATH-M50xBT still sold?
Not new from Audio-Technica. It's discontinued, and its US page points buyers to the ATH-M50xBT2, so expect to buy the original used.
Official product page: Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT. Tech specs: Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT specs.