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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a wireless-free, noise-cancelling over-ear headphone with a rechargeable battery and a bold, bass-forward sound, choose Amazon Renewed Beats Studio 2.0; if you need studio-grade clarity, deep accurate bass and a rugged build for monitoring and mixing, choose Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. These two look similar on a spec sheet — both over-ear, both wired — but they are built for completely different people. Here's how I'd decide.
• Amazon Renewed Beats Studio 2.0 — biggest strength: Active Noise Cancellation plus a rechargeable battery with a visible fuel gauge, in a lighter, more comfortable redesign of the Studio.
• Amazon Renewed Beats Studio 2.0 — biggest trade-off: It's a renewed unit, so packaging, wall plug and cable may be generic, and it carries a 90-day limited warranty rather than a full new-product one.
• Audio-Technica ATH-M50x — biggest strength: Proprietary 45 mm large-aperture drivers tuned for exceptional clarity across an extended frequency range, with a circumcural design that isolates sound in loud rooms.
• Audio-Technica ATH-M50x — biggest trade-off: No active noise cancelling and no battery — it's a straight wired headphone that relies on passive isolation and a 3.5 mm connection.
• Who the Beats is for: commuters, travelers and casual listeners who want quiet and a long battery, and who are comfortable buying renewed.
• Who the M50x is for: producers, musicians, podcasters and detail-focused listeners who want an accurate, durable monitoring tool.
The Beats Studio 2.0 in this renewed listing is the wired model — worth saying clearly, because the Studio line has both wired and wireless versions and this one is the wired one. What it does best is block the world out. Dual-mode Adaptive Noise Canceling automatically strikes a balance between your music and your surroundings, which is exactly the feature you want on a train, a plane, or in a noisy open office. The Beats Acoustic Engine and signature DSP are tuned to make listening feel intimate and emotional rather than clinical — this is a headphone that flatters your music instead of dissecting it.
The second thing it does well is comfort. Beats streamlined the Studio and shaved about 13 percent off the original weight, added a lighter, stronger headband, softer ear cups and an ergonomic bellow that flexes to fit your head. And despite the "no batteries" phrasing in the marketing copy, the real story is the opposite: this model runs on a 20-hour rechargeable battery, charges over micro USB, and shows a visible Battery Fuel Gauge so you know where you stand. Auto On/Off turns the headphone off when you unplug it, which saves charge. Media controls sit on the headband.
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x: Who It's For
The ATH-M50x is the other kind of headphone entirely. Its reputation rests on sonic performance that audio engineers and pro-audio reviewers have praised for years, and the hardware behind that is specific: proprietary 45 mm large-aperture drivers with rare-earth magnets and copper-clad aluminum wire voice coils. In plain terms, that combination is what gives the M50x its exceptional clarity across an extended frequency range and its deep, accurate bass — bass that's present and tight rather than boosted and boomy.
The design is built for work. The circumaural ear cups contour around your ears, sealing them in for excellent sound isolation in loud environments — which is why these turn up in studios, DJ booths and editing suites. The ear cups swivel 90 degrees, so you can flip one aside for single-ear monitoring while you track or cue. And the professional-grade ear pad and headband materials are chosen for durability and comfort over long sessions, with a fabric, plastic and foam build in a black-and-bronze finish. Impedance is 38 ohm, the driver type is dynamic, and the connection is a standard 3.5 mm jack. Controls are handled remotely, and the noise control here is passive sound isolation — there is no ANC and no battery to charge.
Who should buy it: producers, mixing engineers, musicians, podcasters and serious listeners who want one honest, durable headphone that tells them the truth about a mix. Who should skip it: travelers who want active noise cancelling, anyone who wants a rechargeable battery or wireless convenience, and casual listeners who prefer a colored, bass-forward sound over accuracy.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for battery life → Amazon Renewed Beats Studio 2.0. A 20-hour rechargeable battery with a visible fuel gauge and auto on/off.
• Best for sound accuracy and studio work → Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. 45 mm drivers with rare-earth magnets and copper-clad aluminum voice coils, tuned for clarity and accurate bass.
• Best for loud environments without electronics → Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. The circumaural seal is designed for excellent isolation with nothing to charge.
• Best for single-ear monitoring → Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. 90-degree swiveling ear cups.
• Best for long listening comfort with a lighter frame → Amazon Renewed Beats Studio 2.0. Roughly 13 percent lighter than the original Studio, with softer cups and a flexible bellow.
• Best for warranty certainty and sealed retail packaging → Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. The Beats is renewed with a 90-day limited warranty and may ship with generic accessories.
• Best for casual, bass-forward everyday listening → Amazon Renewed Beats Studio 2.0. The Beats Acoustic Engine and DSP are tuned for an emotional, intimate sound rather than a flat reference curve.
In my opinion, the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x is the safer buy for most people reading this. It's a purpose-built monitoring headphone with a durable design, swiveling cups, strong passive isolation and a driver package that's genuinely respected in audio work — and you get it as a normal retail product rather than a renewed one. I'd only steer you to the Amazon Renewed Beats Studio 2.0 if active noise cancelling and a 20-hour battery matter more to you than accuracy and warranty certainty; for commuting and casual listening, that ANC and comfort package is genuinely appealing. Decide which of those two needs is bigger, and the choice makes itself.
FAQ
Not active noise cancelling. It uses a circumaural design that seals around your ears for passive sound isolation, which works well in loud rooms but doesn't generate anti-noise the way ANC does.
For mixing I'd pick the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. Its 45 mm drivers and flat-leaning tuning are built for hearing detail accurately, while the Beats is voiced for a warmer, bass-forward listening experience.
It can be. Renewed units are inspected and tested, cleaned, and covered by a 90-day limited warranty, with batteries tested to at least 80 percent capacity on wireless devices. Just expect that packaging and accessories may be generic.
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