We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-20 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want to give several musicians their own loud, independent headphone mixes from one rack unit, choose PreSonus HP60; if you need one pair of closed-back monitor headphones for tracking, mixing and everyday listening, choose Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. These two products share a keyword but almost nothing else. One is a 1U rackmount headphone distribution system for a studio or stage setup. The other is a pair of over-ear wired monitor headphones in a bundle. If you landed here expecting a head-to-head, the honest answer is that they solve different problems — and knowing which problem is yours settles the decision fast.
• PreSonus HP60 — biggest strength: six separate headphone amps at 150 mW per channel, each with its own level control, stereo line input and mono switch, all in a rugged 1U steel chassis. It's built to run a whole room of players from one box.
• PreSonus HP60 — biggest trade-off: it's a rack unit, not a listening device. It makes no sound on its own, needs headphones plugged into it, and only earns its place if you actually have multiple performers to serve.
• Audio-Technica ATH-M50x — biggest strength: closed-back over-ear design with 45mm dynamic drivers, a 15 Hz–28 kHz range, swiveling earcups and a foldable frame — plus a bundle that covers stand, case, cleaner, cable and cloth.
• Audio-Technica ATH-M50x — biggest trade-off: it's one pair of wired headphones for one listener. Nothing about it distributes audio to other people, and there's no wireless mode.
• Who each pick is for: PreSonus HP60 → engineers, band leaders and studio owners who need multiple independent headphone mixes. Audio-Technica ATH-M50x → a single player, producer, DJ or listener who needs one reliable monitoring pair.
The HP60 is a headphone amplifier and mixer, and the spec sheet makes its purpose plain. Six headphone amplifiers, each rated at 150 mW per channel, each with its own level control. Two stereo input channels, A and B, with a Mix control and Mute switch so you can blend sources or cut them entirely. Six stereo ¼" external analog line inputs — one per channel — with a level control and a Mono switch, which is the classic "more me" setup: a performer gets their own instrument pushed into their mix without disturbing anyone else's.
Then there's the talkback side. A balanced XLR input for an external dynamic talkback microphone, a talkback level control, a Talk button and a footswitch jack. If you've ever tried to give direction to a drummer wearing closed-back headphones, you already understand why that matters. The engineer talks, the player hears, nobody takes their headphones off. Six stereo ¼" line outputs carry a copy of each channel's mix, so you can route those mixes onward to a recorder or another destination.
Physically it's a 1U 19" rack-mountable unit in a rugged steel chassis, weighing 7.4 pounds and measuring 19 x 1.75 x 5.5 inches. It's corded, so it lives where the power and the rack are.
I'd point this at home studio owners tracking a full band, small project studios, rehearsal rooms, and anyone running live sound who needs several performers on headphones. The Mono switch and per-channel line inputs are exactly the kind of detail that tells you this was designed by people who've dealt with real sessions. Who should skip it? Anyone working alone. If you record by yourself, six headphone amps is five more than you need, and you'd be paying for rack space and talkback routing you'll never touch.
The ATH-M50x ENSO is a closed-back, over-ear monitor headphone built around proprietary 45mm dynamic drivers with neodymium magnets and CCAW voice coils. Audio-Technica rates the frequency range at 15 Hz to 28 kHz, and the tuning is described as controlled low end with detailed mids — the kind of balance you want when you need to hear how a mix actually sits rather than how flattering it sounds.
The design is the other half of the story. Over-ear, circumaural earcups contour around your ears, which cuts outside noise and limits how much audio bleeds out into a live microphone. That combination — isolation in, low bleed out — is why this style of headphone shows up so often in tracking rooms. The earcups swivel, so you can slip one ear off for single-ear monitoring, which DJs, vocalists and engineers working in loud spaces tend to appreciate.
Comfort and transport get real attention too. The headband is reinforced, the ear pads are cushioned for long sessions, and the frame folds for storage and travel. Connectivity is wired: a 3.5mm jack with a screw-on ¼" adapter, plus three detachable single-sided cables in the box for different setups. The bundle also throws in a headphone stand, a case, a bottle of headphone cleaner, a balanced ¼" TRS interconnect, touch fastener straps and a microfiber cloth. Weight is 14.56 ounces.
Who should buy it? Producers, engineers, DJs, vocalists and content creators who need one dependable pair of wired monitor headphones that travels well and isolates. Who should skip it? Anyone who wants wireless listening, and anyone expecting it to feed audio to a second person. It's a personal monitoring tool, not a distribution system.
• Best for multiple performers at once → PreSonus HP60. Six independent 150 mW headphone amps with individual level controls. The ATH-M50x serves exactly one pair of ears.
• Best for a solo recordist → Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. One pair of closed-back headphones is the correct amount of gear for one person. The HP60 would be wasted rack space.
• Best for independent "more me" mixes → PreSonus HP60. Six stereo ¼" line inputs, one per channel, each with level and Mono switch. This is the feature that carries the whole product.
• Best for communication between engineer and players → PreSonus HP60. Balanced XLR talkback input with level control, Talk button and footswitch jack.
• Best for sound isolation while recording → Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. Closed-back over-ear design reduces outside noise and limits bleed into microphones.
• Best for portability → Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. Foldable frame, swiveling earcups and a 14.56-ounce build. The HP60 is a 7.4-pound rack unit that stays put.
• Best for single-ear monitoring → Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. Swiveling earcups let you work with one ear free.
• Best for a studio that already has headphones → PreSonus HP60. It's the distribution layer. Pair it with whatever headphones your players already own.
In my opinion, the right buy depends entirely on what you're missing — and the two products aren't interchangeable. If you record or rehearse with other people and you're tired of everyone sharing one headphone output, I'd buy the PreSonus HP60. Six amps, per-channel line inputs, mono switching and talkback in a 1U steel chassis is a genuinely complete answer to that problem. If you work alone, or you simply need a trustworthy closed-back monitoring pair that folds up and travels, I'd buy the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. For most individual readers searching this comparison, that's the one that actually fits the desk.
No. It's a 6-channel headphone amplifier and mixer. It has no drivers and makes no sound by itself — you plug headphones into its six outputs. The Audio-Technica ATH-M50x is the actual headphone in this comparison.
Yes, and that's a sensible pairing. The M50x is wired with a 3.5mm jack and a screw-on ¼" adapter, and the HP60 provides stereo ¼" line outputs per channel. In a studio, the HP60 handles distribution while the M50x handles listening.
They aren't competing for the same budget. The HP60 is a rackmount investment in multi-performer monitoring; the M50x is a single-user purchase that arrives with a stand, case, cleaner, cable and cloth. Judge value against your own setup — and check the current price on Amazon for each before deciding.
No, but it's designed for one. It's a 1U 19" rack-mountable unit in a rugged steel chassis. If you have no rack, it can sit on a shelf, but you'll be giving up the tidy installation the form factor was built for.
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