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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-29 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• Rockville PRO-M50 biggest strength: It's a bundle, not just a headphone — four PRO-M50 SR headphones plus a 4-channel RHPA4 amp, so a whole band, class, or podcast panel can track at once with independent volume per person.
• Rockville PRO-M50 biggest trade-off: You're committing to a system. If you only need one pair, you're paying for three extra headphones and an amp you may never plug in.
• Audio-Technica ATH-M50x biggest strength: The 45 mm large-aperture drivers with rare-earth magnets and copper-clad aluminum voice coils, plus 90-degree swiveling earcups for one-ear monitoring — a flexible single-pair tool for mixing, tracking, and casual listening.
• Audio-Technica ATH-M50x biggest trade-off: It's one headphone with one set of accessories. Nothing in the box lets you run several listeners at once, and the enclosure is ABS/polycarbonate rather than metal.
• Rockville PRO-M50 is for: bands, classrooms, podcast teams, and rehearsal rooms that need matched headphones and shared cue mixes.
• Audio-Technica ATH-M50x is for: a single engineer, producer, DJ, or listener who wants one durable pair with cable options and a stand.
The PRO-M50 SR is a closed-back, circumaural headphone with 40 mm neodymium dynamic drivers. Rockville rates it at 10 Hz–25 kHz, with 97 ±3 dB sensitivity, 32-ohm impedance, 260 mW rated power, and 600 mW max power. Net weight is 290 g with the cable. What that tells me as a buyer: it's easy to drive from interfaces, mixers, and portable devices, and the sealed cups are designed to keep bleed out of live rooms and VO booths.
The real story here is the package. You get four PRO-M50 SR headphones, each with a detachable 51-inch coiled OFC cable that extends to 158 inches, a gold-plated 3.5 mm plug with a 1/4-inch adapter, a hard leather case, and an extra ear pad set. Then the RHPA4 amp adds four channels of independent volume, each with parallel 1/4-inch and 3.5 mm outputs — enough to run up to eight headphones, two per channel, in stereo or mono. Noise floor is spec'd at S/N above 98 dB with THD under 0.01%, and it runs on 5 V DC USB power. The amp is small, at 4.6 x 3 x 2.36 inches and 0.85 lb.
Buy it if you're outfitting a group. A four-piece band tracking together, a classroom, a podcast with multiple hosts, a rehearsal space — this is the scenario where four matched headphones plus a powered distribution amp saves you from buying everything separately. The swivel ear cups, soft leather headband, and swappable leather/suede cushions are aimed at long sessions, and the steel headband and arms suggest it can take daily handling.
Skip it if you're a solo listener. If you mix alone at a desk, you'll use one headphone out of the four, and the amp will sit unused. There's also no swiveling single-ear monitor trick described here, so for one-ear DJ or live monitoring, the design is less flexible.
The ATH-M50x is the classic closed-back studio monitor in this comparison. It uses proprietary 45 mm large-aperture drivers with rare-earth magnets and copper-clad aluminum wire voice coils, covering a 15 Hz–28 kHz range. The circumaural cups contour around the ears for isolation in loud rooms, and the 90-degree swiveling earcups let you flip one side off for single-ear monitoring — the move you make when you're cueing a track or checking a mic against a live mix.
The build is ABS and polycarbonate, which keeps weight down and makes it portable. Audio-Technica rates the earpad and headband material as professional grade for durability and comfort, and it backs the headphone with a limited two-year manufacturer warranty. The cable is detachable, and this bundle ships with three of them: a coiled 3.9–9.8 ft, a straight 9.8 ft, and a straight 3.9 ft, plus a 1/4-inch screw-on adapter and a carrying pouch. On top of that you get a headphone stand, a USB-C headphone adapter with a built-in DAC, and a microfiber cleaning cloth.
Buy it if you want one pair that does a lot. Studio production and mixing, on-location recording, DJing, podcasting, and plain everyday listening are all listed use cases, and the compatible-device list runs from laptops and desktops to music production gear, gaming consoles, tablets, phones, smart speakers, and TVs. The three included cables mean you can leave one coiled at the desk, one straight in a bag, and one short for a phone.
Skip it if you need to monitor several people at once. There's no amplifier, no second headphone, and no multi-channel cue system in this box. It's a personal monitoring tool, not a group setup.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for monitoring a whole band or class → Rockville PRO-M50. Four headphones plus the RHPA4's four independent volume channels, up to eight headphones total.
• Best for one-ear DJ and live cueing → Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. The 90-degree swiveling earcups are made for it.
• Best for group cue mixing with independent levels → Rockville PRO-M50. Each artist gets their own volume knob on the RHPA4.
• Best for cable flexibility out of the box → Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. Three detachable cables — coiled and two straight — versus one coiled cable per Rockville headphone.
• Best for travel and storage → Rockville PRO-M50. Each headphone gets a hard leather case; the ATH-M50x bundle includes a carrying pouch and a stand.
• Best for low-impedance, easy-to-drive spec → Rockville PRO-M50. 32-ohm impedance and 97 dB sensitivity pair well with interfaces, mixers, and portable gear.
• Best for driver size and frequency span → Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. 45 mm drivers and a 15 Hz–28 kHz range versus 40 mm and 10 Hz–25 kHz on the Rockville.
• Best for team sync in podcasting or rehearsal → Rockville PRO-M50. Four matching headphones keep everyone hearing the same cue.
One thing to keep in mind: neither set of numbers here tells you which sounds better to your ears. Sensitivity, impedance, driver size, and frequency range are specifications, not a verdict. Check the current price on Amazon for both and weigh the bundle against the single pair.
If I were buying for myself as a solo mixer, I'd take the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. The 45 mm drivers, the 90-degree swivel for one-ear checks, the three detachable cables, and the portable ABS/polycarbonate build make it the more flexible single-pair tool — and the two-year limited manufacturer warranty is a meaningful detail for something I'd use daily.
If I were outfitting a room — a band, a class, a podcast — I'd take the Rockville PRO-M50 bundle without hesitating. Four headphones, an amp with four independent volume channels, hard cases, and spare ear pads is a complete system, and buying those pieces separately would be a project. In my opinion, the right answer depends entirely on whether you're monitoring alone or monitoring a group.
what are closed back studio headphones
Closed-back studio headphones have sealed, solid earcups that block sound from escaping and keep outside noise from getting in. Both headphones here use that design — the Rockville PRO-M50 SR with 40 mm drivers and the ATH-M50x with 45 mm drivers — which is why they're suited to recording, tracking, and monitoring in loud rooms.
what is closed back studio headphones
The term describes the enclosure, not the brand. A closed-back model like either headphone in this comparison isolates the listener, reduces bleed into microphones, and generally delivers stronger low-end than an open design. That isolation is exactly what you want when a mic is live in the same room.
what are the best closed back studio headphones
There's no single answer — it depends on whether you monitor alone or in a group. For one person, the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x stands out for its 45 mm drivers and swiveling earcups. For a team, the Rockville PRO-M50 bundle wins on practicality with four headphones and a 4-channel amp.
what is open back studio headphones
Open-back headphones have vented earcups that let air and sound pass through, trading isolation for a wider, more natural sense of space. They're common for critical mixing in a quiet room but bleed heavily into microphones, which is why both products compared here are closed-back instead.
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