A comparison rather than an independent review.
When used in BT mode the M50XBTmkii sound very similar to their wired mode. In wired mode the sound is perhaps a tiny bit ‘smoother’ to my ears. The M50XBTmkii only comes with one short cable as opposed to the three cables that come with the M50X which is disappointing. The cable is a noticably thinner (lower durability) as well as having a fixed right angle connector at the ‘music player end’ which lots of people will find annoying (myself included). The M50XBTmkii no longer share the proprietary twist lock mini-jack conector as the M50X which is annoying for owners of both models.
It’s worth noting that there’s always a faint clicking noise in the right earcup when the headphones are connected via Bluetooth. Audio Technicha have confirmed that this is normal and it’s due to the way their bluetooth audio connection works. I find it very annoying indeed, especially when the track your listening to comes to a fade out revealing the clicking noise underneath. The headband on my M50XBTmkii is slightly tighter fitting than on my M50X at the shortest setting, which I personally prefer.
When comparing the M50XBTmkii to two different pairs of wired M50X (my very old pair and a reasonably new pair) the most noticable difference was the stereo width. The 50XBTmkii have a fairly noticeably smaller soundstage which is disappointing. This will be particualrly evident in games like Battlefield 5 which has a terrific soundstage. This was also a problem with the original version of the M50XBT, I gave this feedback to AT years ago but it still hasn’t been adressed fully. The bass on the M50XBTmkii is slightly punchier, a little bit more prominent. The detail in the high frequencies are not as great as the M50X, but still good. The slight difference in bass output combined with the less detailed high frequencies and smaller soundstage makes a noticable difference to the overall listening experience… but it’s not a dealbreaker. I’m being quite critical because I am a sound recordist by trade and I’ve spent a long time with my M50X, the average person might not notice such a difference between the two models but it is definitely there.
SUMMARY:
The M50XBTmkii sound good, but they’re around 30% less enjoyable than the M50X overall (which often retail cheaper and come with two additional cables). The biggest difference between the two models is the narrower soundstage on the M50XBTmkii. I’ll be keeping my wireless pair for convenience, but for advanced/critical listening I’ll always use my wired M50X.
In 2022 I don’t think I’d personally pay over £140 for a pair of the M50XBTmkii when you can pick up a pair of wired (better sounding) M50x for under £115.
M50XBTmkii – 3.5/5
M50X – 5/5
James Clark 