Headphones — Audio-Technica ATH-M30x

The Audio-Technica ATH-M30x is a closed-back dynamic monitor headphone in the Japanese company's professional M-series, placed below the ATH-M40x in that range. It is a circumaural design, so the pads enclose the ears rather than resting on them, and the earcups are contoured to isolate the listener from outside noise. Audio-Technica aims the model at studio tracking and mixing, field recording and other professional monitoring tasks. The retail colour shown for it is black.

Key specs that matter

Audio-Technica fits a 40 mm driver in each earcup, and each driver pairs a rare earth neodymium magnet with a copper-clad aluminium wire voice coil. The published frequency range runs from 15 Hz to 22,000 Hz. Impedance is 47 ohms and sensitivity is 96 dB, and the drivers accept a maximum input power of 1,300 mW at 1 kHz. Without its cable and plug the headphone weighs 220 g. The supplied lead is 3.0 m long and is a straight cable rather than a coiled one.

Engineering and use context

The cable leaves the headphone from the left earcup only and ends in a 3.5 mm stereo plug. A 6.35 mm screw-on adapter is packed in the box, so the same plug also fits full-size sockets. The earcups swivel by 15 degrees in both directions. A protective carrying pouch is supplied for storage and transport, and Audio-Technica backs the model with a two-year limited warranty. The step up in the series, the ATH-M40x, is rated at 35 ohms, 98 dB sensitivity and 1,600 mW maximum input, extends its upper frequency limit to 24,000 Hz and weighs 240 g. The M40x also ships with two detachable cables, one straight and one coiled, and its earcups turn through 90 degrees for one-ear monitoring. Against that model, the M30x is the lighter of the two and keeps a simpler single-cable package, with the lead attached at a single point and a narrower 15 degree swivel instead of the 90 degree movement of the M40x.

Pairing

The mini plug connects directly to phones, laptops and portable players, while the supplied adapter handles the full-size headphone outputs on audio interfaces, mixers and field recorders used in tracking and location recording. Hi-fi amplifiers take the headphone through that same adapter.

Alternatives

The Audio-Technica ATH-M40x is the next closed-back monitor in the M-series, adding detachable cables and 90 degree swiveling earcups.