How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want studio-grade sound accuracy and a cable for every situation, choose Audio Technica ATH-M60X; if you need an affordable on-ear gaming headset built for a console setup, choose AOC Gaming Headset.
• Audio Technica ATH-M60X — biggest strength: the same 45 mm large-aperture drivers used in the ATH-M50x line, paired with a wide 15–28,000 Hz frequency response. That is a serious monitoring tool, not a toy.
• Audio Technica ATH-M60X — biggest trade-off: it is wired, on-ear, and aimed at studio and broadcast work. There is no microphone and no gaming-specific tuning.
• AOC Gaming Headset — biggest strength: 40 mm drivers tuned for deep bass and clear highs, in a lightweight on-ear build made for Nintendo Switch and casual gaming sessions.
• AOC Gaming Headset — biggest trade-off: far less detail is published about it. No frequency response, no impedance, no cable spec. What you see is roughly what you get.
• Pick the Audio Technica ATH-M60X if you record, mix, monitor or just want the most accurate sound of the two.
• Pick the AOC Gaming Headset if you want a simple, console-friendly on-ear headset for play, without spending on pro-audio hardware.
The ATH-M60X is a professional monitor headphone first and everything else second. Audio-Technica built it around 45 mm large-aperture dynamic drivers — the same family of drivers found in the well-known ATH-M50x — and rates the frequency response at 15–28,000 Hz. In practice that means extended treble, controlled and accurate bass rather than boomy bass, and enough clarity to hear small details in a mix. The 38 ohm impedance is low enough that a phone or laptop can drive it without a dedicated amp, even though the headphone is clearly designed for studio and broadcast desks.
The physical design backs that up. It is a low-profile, closed-back, on-ear model, with key metal components for durability and a stainless steel enclosure. Closed-back plus on-ear means solid sound isolation, which is exactly what you want when tracking vocals near a microphone or monitoring in a noisy room. Memory foam pads on both the earcups and the headband keep long sessions comfortable. At roughly 0.22 kg it stays light on the head.
What really separates it, in my opinion, is the accessory loadout. You get three interchangeable cables — a 1.2 m straight, a 3.0 m straight, and a 1.2 m–3.0 m coiled — each ending in a 3.5 mm mini-plug. Add a 6.3 mm screw-on adapter for proper audio interfaces and a protective carrying pouch, and the ATH-M60X covers desk work, mobile listening and travel without you buying anything extra.
Who should buy it: home recordists, podcasters, editors, DJs, and anyone who wants one wired headphone that sounds accurate and survives daily handling. It also carries a two-year limited end-user warranty, which tells you Audio-Technica expects it to last.
Who should skip it: gamers who need a built-in mic, anyone who wants wireless freedom, and buyers who prefer over-ear cups that fully surround the ear. This is an on-ear monitor, and it behaves like one.
The AOC Gaming Headset (model CM7004) is a different animal entirely. It is a wired, on-ear stereo headset sold in a red-and-blue colorway, and the headline feature is its 40 mm audio drivers tuned for deep bass and clear highs. The product is explicitly positioned for the Nintendo Switch, which tells you the design brief: plug in, hear your game, enjoy punchy low-end, don't fuss with settings. For a handheld or docked Switch player, that is a clean, no-nonsense pairing.
The on-ear fit keeps things light and simple, which suits shorter and medium-length play sessions. The red-blue finish gives it a playful look that matches Nintendo's own hardware aesthetic far better than a matte-black studio can would. And because it is wired, there is no battery to charge and no pairing to fiddle with — you plug in and play. For a kid's setup, a spare headset for a second player, or a cheap travel pair for the Switch, that simplicity is the whole point.
Here is where I have to be straight with you, though. The published information on this headset is thin. There is no frequency response figure, no impedance rating, no cable length, no mention of a microphone, and no noise-control spec. The warranty description is listed simply as "1." So unlike the Audio-Technica, I cannot tell you how flat or colored it sounds, how loud it gets, or how well it isolates. AOC is a well-known monitor brand, and this is clearly a budget accessory in their lineup rather than a flagship audio product — that is the honest read.
Who should buy it: Switch owners and casual gamers who want an inexpensive wired on-ear headset with strong bass, a fun color scheme, and zero setup. Great as a secondary pair.
Who should skip it: anyone doing audio work, anyone who needs confirmed isolation or a documented frequency range, and anyone who wants a mic they can verify from the spec sheet. If accuracy matters to you, this is not the tool.
• Best sound accuracy and detail → Audio Technica ATH-M60X. The published 15–28,000 Hz range and 45 mm drivers are the only real audio specs in this comparison.
• Best for gaming on Nintendo Switch → AOC Gaming Headset. It is built and marketed for exactly that.
• Best for recording, mixing, podcasting or broadcast → Audio Technica ATH-M60X. Studio and broadcast use is its stated purpose.
• Best cable flexibility → Audio Technica ATH-M60X. Three interchangeable cables plus a 6.3 mm adapter and a pouch, out of the box.
• Best for long sessions → Audio Technica ATH-M60X. Memory foam pads on the earcups and headband, and a stainless steel build at about 0.22 kg.
• Best for a simple, playful, low-fuss setup → AOC Gaming Headset. Wired, on-ear, red and blue, no charging required.
• Best documented sound isolation → Audio Technica ATH-M60X. It is a closed-back design and its sound isolation is listed as a control feature; the AOC sheet lists none.
• Best for kids or a spare pair → AOC Gaming Headset, purely on the basis that it is the simpler, console-first product of the two.
I would buy the Audio Technica ATH-M60X. In my opinion it is the only one of these two where the spec sheet actually tells you what you are getting — proven 45 mm drivers, a 15–28,000 Hz range, 38 ohm impedance that works with phones and laptops, memory foam comfort, metal components, three cables, an adapter, a pouch and a two-year limited warranty. That is a headphone you can use for work and for listening, and it will not feel like a compromise in either role.
The AOC Gaming Headset is not a bad product. It is just a much narrower one: a wired, on-ear, bass-forward headset aimed at Switch players who want something cheap and easy. If that is literally all you need, it fits. But if you are spending money once and want the better piece of hardware, the ATH-M60X wins on everything the data actually documents. Check the current price on Amazon before you decide, then go with the Audio-Technica.
FAQ
The published details for the AOC CM7004 do not list a microphone, so I would not assume it has one. If voice chat matters to you, verify that on the product page before buying. The ATH-M60X is a dedicated headphone with no mic either.
Yes, technically. It is wired with a 3.5 mm plug, so it connects to a controller or PC, and its closed-back design isolates sound. But it has no mic and no gaming tuning — it is a monitoring headphone, so you would need a separate microphone.
The ATH-M60X, based on the specs. Memory foam ear pads and headband, a stainless steel build and about 0.22 kg of weight point to comfort over long stretches. The AOC headset is on-ear too, but no comfort materials are documented.
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