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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-01 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• Audio Technica ATH-PRO5XBK — biggest strength: 40 mm dynamic drivers rated for up to 1,500 mW of input power, so the design targets loud, distortion-free monitoring without the sound falling apart.
• Audio Technica ATH-PRO5XBK — biggest trade-off: It is a full-size over-ear with a 250 g body and a metal enclosure. That is real weight and bulk on your head, and there is no microphone or headset cable in the box.
• MEE audio Professional MX2 — biggest strength: A hybrid dual-driver setup (10 mm moving-coil subwoofer plus a balanced-armature tweeter) with two detachable cables included, one of them a headset cable with mic and remote.
• MEE audio Professional MX2 — biggest trade-off: It is an in-ear, so isolation depends on getting a good seal, and the cable is a thin, replaceable part you will handle carefully rather than a fixed heavy-duty run.
• Pick the Audio Technica if you monitor over the ears, work at high volume, and want one rugged pair for the desk or the booth.
• Pick the MEE audio if you want a compact, customizable in-ear that can take calls and be upgraded over time.
The ATH-PRO5XBK is a closed-back, over-ear DJ monitor, and the spec sheet tells you exactly what that means in practice. The newly developed 40 mm dynamic drivers are paired with a maximum input power of 1,500 mW. That headroom number matters: it is the reason this headphone is described as reproducing wide-range audio without distortion even at loud volumes. If you cue tracks in a loud room or push your monitoring level up, this is the kind of design that holds together instead of compressing into mush.
The cable situation is the other half of the story, and it is clearly aimed at working use. You get two detachable, locking cables: a coiled 1.2 m to 3.0 m run and a straight 1.2 m run, plus a 6.3 mm screw-on adapter. Locking connectors mean a cable yank during an active set does not unplug your monitoring. A coiled cable that stretches to roughly three meters is the practical choice when you are standing between gear rather than sitting still.
Comfort and isolation come from the over-ear fit: soft, durable earpads that sit around the ear, which the sheet says are comfortable for hours and provide excellent sound isolation. The enclosure is metal, which supports the "sturdy construction" angle, and the whole thing weighs 250 g. Impedance is 34 ohm, so it is not a hard load to drive.
Who should skip it: Anyone who needs a built-in mic for calls, wants something pocketable, or dislikes the weight and heat of a full over-ear. There is no Bluetooth here, no call control, and no headset cable.
MEE audio Professional MX2: Who It's For
The MX2 is a different animal entirely: a musician's in-ear monitor built around a hybrid driver array. A 10 mm moving-coil subwoofer handles the low end while a balanced-armature tweeter covers mids and highs. The stated goal is an accentuated bass response with crisp mids and highs — a solid, extended low end that still leaves the mix clear. Frequency range is listed at 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. If you play bass, drums, or anything where you need to feel the low end without losing vocal detail, that driver split is the reason to look here.
The modular design is the real selling point. Everything in the MX PRO series — the MX1 PRO, MX2 PRO, MX3 PRO and MX4 PRO — shares parts, accessories and customizations, so the earpieces you buy now can be reconfigured later. Two detachable, replaceable cables come in the box: a standard audio-only cable and a spare headset cable with a built-in microphone and remote for phones and tablets. That single inclusion is the cleanest difference between these two products.
Fit is handled with flexible memory-wire earhooks that mold to your ear shape and hold the monitors in place, plus five sets of eartips including Comply memory foam. The sheet describes all-day comfort and a secure fit that does not require constant re-adjustment. There is also an optional upgrade path: custom-fit eartips 3D-printed to your ears for better isolation, and engraved metal faceplates you can personalize.
Who should buy it: Musicians and performers who want in-ear monitoring, people who want one pair that works for stage and for phone calls, and anyone who values a replaceable cable and a future customization route.
Who should skip it: Anyone who prefers over-ear isolation, dislikes in-ear fit, or wants a fixed heavy-duty cable. The earpieces weigh just 22.68 g, which is wonderfully light — but light means you handle the cable and connectors with a bit of care. Warranty is 1 year.
• Best for loud, high-power monitoring → Audio Technica ATH-PRO5XBK. 1,500 mW max input power and 40 mm dynamic drivers are built for exactly that.
• Best for in-ear stage use → MEE audio Professional MX2. The hybrid subwoofer-plus-tweeter design and memory-wire earhooks are made for performers who move.
• Best for hands-free calls and voice work → MEE audio Professional MX2. It is the only one of the two that ships with a headset cable with mic and remote.
• Best for cable security during a set → Audio Technica ATH-PRO5XBK. Locking, detachable cables in both coiled and straight lengths.
• Best for long-session over-ear comfort → Audio Technica ATH-PRO5XBK. Soft over-ear pads described as comfortable for hours, with strong sound isolation.
• Best for upgradability → MEE audio Professional MX2. Custom eartips, engraved faceplates, and full parts interchangeability across the MX PRO series.
• Best for portability → MEE audio Professional MX2. At 22.68 g for the earpieces and a carrying case with carabiner included, it travels far more easily than a 250 g metal over-ear.
• Best for bass-forward listening with clear mids → MEE audio Professional MX2. The dedicated subwoofer is the whole point of the design.
In my opinion, the right pick depends entirely on where you monitor, and that makes the choice unusually clean. If your work happens in a loud room, at the desk, or behind a booth — and you want a rugged over-ear with locking cables and serious power handling — I would buy the Audio Technica ATH-PRO5XBK. Its 1,500 mW ceiling, metal enclosure and dual locking cables are aimed squarely at that job.
If instead you perform, move around, and want an in-ear that can also take a call, I would buy the MEE audio Professional MX2. The dedicated subwoofer, the two included cables with a headset option, and the modular upgrade path give it more flexibility than anything the Audio Technica offers. Two different tools. Match the tool to the room.
how to check headphones battery
Both of these are wired headphones, so there is no battery to check on either one. The Audio Technica ATH-PRO5XBK connects via a 3.5 mm jack with a 6.3 mm screw-on adapter, and the MEE audio Professional MX2 ships with an audio cable and a headset cable, both wired. If you need a battery indicator, you are looking for a wireless model, not these.
how to check headphones mic
Check the mic by looking at which cable is attached. The MEE audio Professional MX2 includes a spare headset cable with a built-in microphone and remote, so you can plug that in and use call control. The Audio Technica ATH-PRO5XBK does not include a microphone or a headset cable at all, so there is nothing to test on that model.
how to check headphones
Start with the connection: the Audio Technica uses a 3.5 mm jack and includes a 6.3 mm adapter, while the MEE audio is listed with a 6.35 mm jack and also includes a ¼" adapter. Then confirm the drivers are working by playing something with real low end — the MX2's 10 mm subwoofer and the ATH-PRO5XBK's 40 mm drivers should both be audible and clean.
how to check headphones battery on iphone
There is no battery to check, because neither of these is a wireless headphone. The MEE audio Professional MX2 does list Bluetooth among its connectivity details, but its included cables are wired, and the Audio Technica ATH-PRO5XBK is wired only via its 3.5 mm jack. For battery status on an iPhone you would need a true wireless model.
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