We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-20 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want maximum battery life, adaptive noise cancelling and wireless freedom, choose Anker Soundcore; if you need accurate, wired, studio-grade monitoring sound that will outlast your phone, choose Audio-Technica ATH-M50x.
• Anker Soundcore (Space Q45) biggest strength: Adaptive active noise cancelling that cuts up to 98% of noise, plus up to 50 hours of playtime with ANC on and 65 hours in standard mode.
• Anker Soundcore biggest trade-off: It is a wireless Bluetooth headphone first — the sound is tuned for enjoyment and bass impact rather than flat, critical reference accuracy, and it relies on its battery and app to unlock most of its smart features.
• Audio-Technica ATH-M50x biggest strength: A wired, closed-back monitor design with 45mm large-aperture drivers, a 15–28,000 Hz frequency response and three interchangeable cables for serious listening and studio work.
• Audio-Technica ATH-M50x biggest trade-off: Wired-only, no active noise cancelling, no app-driven EQ presets, and it needs a source with a headphone jack or adapter to work.
• Choose Anker Soundcore if you want one pair of travel-friendly, wireless, noise-cancelling headphones for commuting, flights and everyday listening.
• Choose Audio-Technica ATH-M50x if you want a durable wired workhorse for mixing, monitoring, recording or accurate music listening at a desk.
The Soundcore Space Q45 is built around one idea: making the noise around you disappear. Its adaptive active noise cancelling system reads your environment and picks a suitable level automatically, and you can override it with five levels inside the app. Anker rates the system as reducing noise by up to 98%, which is the kind of spec that matters on a plane, on a train, or in a shared office. If your day involves engines, chatter or traffic, this is the headphone designed for that problem.
Battery is the other headline. You get up to 50 hours of playtime with noise cancelling switched on and up to 65 hours in normal mode. Anker also lists a quick top-up of five minutes for four hours of playback, which is genuinely useful when you realise your battery is low on the way out the door. Add Bluetooth 5.3, LDAC support for Hi-Res Audio Wireless, and a 3.5mm jack plus a 1-metre AUX cable for wired listening, and you have a headphone that adapts to how you actually move through a day.
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x: Who It's For
The ATH-M50x is a different animal entirely. It is a closed-back, wired professional monitor headphone with 45mm large-aperture drivers, a 15–28,000 Hz frequency response and 38-ohm impedance. That frequency range extends higher than the Soundcore's 20,000 Hz ceiling, which tells you where Audio-Technica's priorities sit: detail and accurate reproduction rather than a bass-forward consumer curve. The contoured earcups seal tightly for passive sound isolation with minimal bleed, so what you hear stays in and the outside world stays out — without any electronics involved.
The practical kit is unusually generous for studio work. You get three interchangeable cables — a 3.9–9.8 ft coiled option, a 9.8 ft straight cable and a 3.9 ft straight cable — plus a 6.3mm screw-on adapter and a protective pouch. The headphones also collapse for space-saving storage. The aluminium enclosure material and pro-grade construction are aimed at people who treat headphones as a tool, and the package includes a desktop headphone stand, which fits neatly into a fixed desk setup.
Buy this if you record, monitor, mix, practise an instrument or simply want wired, dependable sound from a laptop, interface or hi-fi. It suits long sessions thanks to the soft earcups and closed-back comfort. Skip it if you want wireless freedom, active noise cancelling for flights, or app-based sound control — the M50x has none of those, and it is wired-only by design. It also carries a 1-year limited warranty, versus Anker's 18-month coverage, so factor that into how hard you plan to use it.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for noise cancelling → Anker Soundcore. Active ANC rated to reduce noise by up to 98%, with adaptive and five app-selectable levels. The ATH-M50x only offers passive isolation.
• Best for wireless convenience → Anker Soundcore. Bluetooth 5.3 with LDAC Hi-Res Audio Wireless, app control and multipurpose portability.
• Best for accurate, critical listening → Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. 45mm large-aperture drivers, a 15–28,000 Hz range and a closed-back monitor design built for reference work.
• Best for studio and recording use → Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. Three interchangeable cables including a coiled option, a 6.3mm adapter and a collapsible frame make it a proper desk tool.
• Best for travel and commuting → Anker Soundcore. Adaptive ANC, a 10.4-ounce build, a protective case and a 1-metre AUX cable for in-flight entertainment systems.
• Best for long listening sessions at a desk → Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. Soft, contoured earcups and a closed-back seal designed for extended wear with minimal bleed.
• Best for someone who wants one headphone for everything → Anker Soundcore. It covers wireless, wired, ANC and calls, while the M50x is a specialist wired monitor.
In my opinion, the Anker Soundcore Space Q45 is the better buy for most people. It gives you adaptive noise cancelling rated to cut up to 98% of noise, up to 65 hours of playback, Bluetooth 5.3 and LDAC in one pair — and it still accepts a 3.5mm cable when you want to go wired. The ATH-M50x is the more honest audio tool, and if you record, mix or monitor for a living, its 15–28,000 Hz response and interchangeable cables make it the professional choice. But for commuting, flying, working and everyday listening, I would reach for the Soundcore. Check the current price on Amazon before you decide, since that is the one thing specs cannot tell you.
The Anker Soundcore is the only one of the two with active noise cancelling, rated to reduce noise by up to 98%, and it adapts to your surroundings automatically. The ATH-M50x relies purely on its closed-back seal for passive isolation. For planes, trains and offices, the Soundcore wins clearly.
No. The ATH-M50x is a wired headphone with a 3.5mm jack and a 6.3mm screw-on adapter, and it ships with three interchangeable cables. If wireless Bluetooth is a requirement for you, the Anker Soundcore is the one to pick.
The ATH-M50x. Its 45mm large-aperture drivers, 15–28,000 Hz frequency response and closed-back monitor design are built for accurate, critical listening with minimal bleed. The Soundcore is tuned for bass impact and everyday enjoyment rather than flat reference accuracy.
The Soundcore runs up to 50 hours with noise cancelling on and up to 65 hours in standard mode, with a five-minute charge giving four hours of playback. The ATH-M50x has no battery because it is wired, so it never needs charging.
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