If you want a closed-back, foldable wired headset with a useful cable bundle for Xbox, choose Liquid Audio Audio-Technica ATH-M50X; if you need a semi-open planar design with a solid black walnut housing, choose Fostex T60RPmk2. For most Xbox players choosing between these two, I’d pick the ATH-M50X: its closed-back design and multiple cable options make it the more practical fit for gaming at home or on the go.
Liquid Audio Audio-Technica ATH-M50X vs Fostex T60RPmk2 at a Glance
• Liquid Audio Audio-Technica ATH-M50X: Closed-back design, foldable construction, and three detachable cables plus a 10-foot extension; the trade-off is that it is a wired, over-ear headset rather than a wireless Xbox option.
• Fostex T60RPmk2: Semi-open housing made from solid black walnut and a planar magnetic driver; the trade-off is its open-style housing, which offers no noise control according to the listed specifications.
• Choose the ATH-M50X if you want a versatile wired headset for Xbox, listening, or monitoring, with several cable lengths to work with.
• Choose the T60RPmk2 if the planar driver, wood construction, and left-right cable connections matter more to you than a closed-back design.
• Neither is a fit for shoppers specifically seeking in ear headphones for xbox, bluetooth headphones for xbox, or rotatable ear cups sleep headphones for xbox: both are wired over-ear models, and the ATH-M50X’s swiveling cups are intended for one-ear monitoring.
The Liquid Audio bundle pairs Audio-Technica ATH-M50X headphones with a 10-foot extension cable, three detachable headphone cables, a screw-on quarter-inch adapter, a carrying pouch, and a polishing cloth. The headphones themselves use 45 mm dynamic drivers, a closed-back, over-ear design, and a wired 3.5 mm connection. For an Xbox setup, the useful point is flexibility: the different cable options can suit different listening arrangements, while the extension can add reach when the console or controller is farther away.
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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
The foldable design is handy if you move between a gaming space and a bag, and the 90-degree swiveling ear cups allow one-ear monitoring. Those cups are not a sleep feature, though; this is still a full-size over-ear headphone. The listed sound-isolation control and closed-back construction make the ATH-M50X the more sensible of these two for someone who wants a more enclosed listening setup.
I’d skip it if your priority is wireless play, an in-ear fit, or a semi-open planar design. It is also worth being clear about what the bundle does not make it: a Bluetooth headset. Its listed connection is wired, so check that your intended Xbox setup accepts the 3.5 mm connection you plan to use.
The Fostex T60RPmk2 takes a different route. It is an over-ear, semi-open wired headphone with a planar magnetic driver and a solid black walnut housing. Its magnetic circuit and diaphragm design are described as being revised to improve the distribution of magnetic flux and the diaphragm’s vibration. Those are design details, not a promise that every listener will prefer its sound.
Its left and right housings each have a connector, and the supplied Y-cable arrangement is designed to make recabling straightforward. That could appeal to someone who values a two-sided cable connection and is considering future cable changes. For Xbox use, however, the supplied information identifies a wired 3.5 mm connection and does not list a microphone or wireless function.
The semi-open construction is the central trade-off. The listed noise control is “None,” unlike the ATH-M50X’s sound-isolation control, so I would favor the Fostex in a quieter room rather than a shared space where keeping outside sound out is important. Choose it for the planar driver and walnut housing; skip it if your first requirement is a closed-back gaming headset.
• Best fit for a more enclosed Xbox listening setup → Liquid Audio Audio-Technica ATH-M50X. It has a closed-back design and listed sound-isolation control; the Fostex is semi-open and lists no noise control.
• Best for cable flexibility in the box → Liquid Audio Audio-Technica ATH-M50X. It includes three detachable cables and a 10-foot extension, alongside a carrying pouch and adapter.
• Best for a planar magnetic driver → Fostex T60RPmk2. Its planar design is the defining driver difference; the ATH-M50X uses dynamic drivers.
• Best for solid black walnut construction → Fostex T60RPmk2. The housing is carved from black walnut, giving it a different material character from the ATH-M50X.
• Best for one-ear monitoring → Liquid Audio Audio-Technica ATH-M50X. Its ear cups swivel 90 degrees for that use.
• Best for recabling from either earcup → Fostex T60RPmk2. Connectors are provided on both the left and right housings, with a Y-cable connection.
• Best for portability between listening spots → Liquid Audio Audio-Technica ATH-M50X. Its foldable construction and included carrying pouch suit packing it away.
• Best for wireless Xbox play → Neither. Both are wired models in the supplied specifications; neither lists Bluetooth connectivity.
I’d buy the Liquid Audio Audio-Technica ATH-M50X for Xbox because its closed-back design, foldable construction, swiveling cups, and cable bundle make it the more adaptable choice for everyday use. The Fostex T60RPmk2 has a more distinctive material and driver design, but its semi-open housing is a less practical match if I want a more enclosed gaming setup. For a wired Xbox headset, I’d choose the ATH-M50X; I’d choose the Fostex if the planar driver and walnut housing were my main priorities.
FAQ
For a more enclosed wired gaming setup, I’d choose the ATH-M50X because it is closed-back and includes sound-isolation control. The Fostex is semi-open and lists no noise control, though it may appeal more to someone who prioritizes its planar driver and walnut housing.
No. Both are over-ear headphones. The ATH-M50X’s 90-degree swiveling ear cups support one-ear monitoring, but that does not make it an in-ear or sleep headphone.
The ATH-M50X is a closed-back headphone with 45 mm dynamic drivers, while the Fostex T60RPmk2 has a semi-open black walnut housing and a planar magnetic driver. The ATH-M50X also comes in a bundle with multiple cables and an extension; the Fostex has connectors on both earcups for its Y-cable arrangement.
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