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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-07 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• SAMSON S-phone Headphone Mixer/Amplifier — biggest strength: four channels, each with three headphone outputs, its own volume, 2-band EQ, and an auxiliary input for "More Me" mixing. It's a hub, not a headphone.
• SAMSON S-phone Headphone Mixer/Amplifier — biggest trade-off: it makes no sound on its own. You still need headphones plugged into it, and it's a 7.3-pound rack-style box, not something you carry around.
• Audio-Technica ATH-M50x — biggest strength: 45mm large-aperture dynamic drivers, a closed-back isolating design, and three interchangeable cables — a self-contained mixing headphone.
• Audio-Technica ATH-M50x — biggest trade-off: it serves one listener at a time, and it's wired only, with a 6.35mm jack as the listed connection.
• Who each pick is for: SAMSON is for a studio, rehearsal room, or family setup where multiple people — including elderly listeners who want their own loud, balanced feed — need separate headphone mixes; the ATH-M50x is for one person doing the actual mixing, tracking, or critical listening.
Think of the S-phone as the traffic controller, not the car. It gives you two master stereo inputs plus a stereo link output, so you can chain it into a larger setup. Then each of its four channels carries three headphone outputs — one on the front panel and two on the rear — for a total of a lot of ears on one box. Every channel gets its own volume control and its own 8-segment LED metering, plus metering on the master, so you can see at a glance who's getting signal and how hot.
The feature that matters most for mixed-ability listening is the auxiliary input on each channel with a balance control. That lets you blend an individual line signal — say a direct or buss output — with the main stereo feed, then tilt the ratio between the two sources or between left and right using the ST/2CH switch. That's the classic "More Me" workflow: the vocalist wants more of themselves, the drummer wants more click, and someone hard of hearing wants the whole mix pushed up and balanced to their good ear. Each channel also has mute, stereo/2-channel mode switching, and a 2-band EQ, so every listener can be tuned individually rather than everyone sharing one compromise.
Buy it if you're the person running the session — a small studio, a church or school A/V room, a band rehearsal space, or a household where several people listen together and one of them is elderly and needs a louder, separately balanced feed. Skip it if you just want to put on headphones and mix. The S-phone produces no audio by itself, needs headphones for every listener, and at roughly 7.3 pounds it lives on a desk or in a rack. It also lists RCA as its audio input, so plan your cabling around that. It carries a 1-year parts and labor warranty.
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x: Who It's For
Comfort and durability are clearly part of the design brief here. The earpads and headband use professional-grade materials intended for long sessions, and the frame is built from robust materials with aluminum in the enclosure. The bundle ships with three interchangeable cables — coiled and straight among them — plus a carrying pouch, a 6.3mm adapter, and a spare set of HP-EP earpads. The earcups swivel 90 degrees and the whole thing collapses for transport.
Buy it if you're doing the mixing, editing, tracking, or DJ work yourself and want one dependable headphone that isolates well and travels easily. It's wired, with a 6.35mm jack listed, and it's a one-listener product — there's no way to hand three people separate mixes from it. It also isn't a communications headset and it isn't a Bluetooth earbud, so if you arrived here searching for the best headset for elderly users or the best extra bass bluetooth earbuds for elderly, this isn't that product; it's a studio tool. Audio-Technica backs it with a 1-year limited warranty.
• Best for multiple listeners at once → SAMSON S-phone. Four channels, three headphone outputs each, individual volume and EQ per channel.
• Best for one person mixing or tracking → Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. Closed-back isolation plus 45mm drivers built for critical listening.
• Best for "More Me" custom mixes → SAMSON S-phone. Per-channel auxiliary input with balance control lets each listener blend their own signal against the main feed.
• Best for a listener who needs it louder and separately balanced (elderly parents, bandmates, guests) → SAMSON S-phone. Independent volume, 2-band EQ, and metering on every channel.
• Best for portability → Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. Collapsible, swiveling earcups and a carrying pouch; the S-phone is a 7.3-pound stationary unit.
• Best for noise isolation → Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. The closed-back design is the whole point of this headphone.
• Best for cable flexibility → Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. Three interchangeable cables and a 6.3mm adapter included.
• Best for a rack or desk setup with RCA sources → SAMSON S-phone. Two master stereo inputs, stereo link output, and RCA connectivity.
• Best pick if you own neither yet → Audio-Technica ATH-M50x first, then add the S-phone later if you start mixing with other people.
My Verdict
In my opinion, most people searching this comparison are really asking one question: should I buy a headphone or a headphone system? If you're mixing alone, I'd buy the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x — the closed-back isolation, the 45mm drivers, and the interchangeable cables make it the more self-sufficient tool, and you can start working the moment it arrives. I'd choose the SAMSON S-phone instead if your real problem is people, not sound: a rehearsal room, a family listening session, or an elderly parent who needs their own louder, separately balanced feed. Honestly, they're complementary — the M50x is the pair you mix on, and the S-phone is what you plug several pairs into when more than one person needs a turn. Check the current price on Amazon for whichever fits your setup before you commit.
With the ATH-M50x, you plug one of the included interchangeable cables into the earcup and the other end into your interface or mixer, using the supplied 6.3mm adapter for a larger jack. With the SAMSON S-phone, the headphones go into any of the three per-channel outputs — one front panel, two rear panel — and the source feeds the S-phone through its RCA inputs.
Play material you know well and listen for balance and isolation. The ATH-M50x is closed-back with 45mm dynamic drivers and a 20Hz–20,000Hz range, so you can judge bass accuracy and how much outside noise it blocks. On the S-phone side, the practical test is per-channel: use the 8-segment LED metering and the volume, EQ, and balance controls to confirm each listener's mix is clean before you hand over the headphones.
You can't, with either of these. The ATH-M50x is wired, listed with a 6.35mm jack, and the SAMSON S-phone is a wired mixer/amplifier with RCA inputs. If wireless listening is the goal, a Bluetooth transmitter paired to Bluetooth headphones is a separate purchase — neither product here has built-in wireless. If you were searching for the best open ear earbuds for elderly or the best extra bass bluetooth earbuds for elderly, this pairing is the wrong aisle.
Yes — the ATH-M50x is explicitly designed for mixing and monitoring, with closed-back isolation and accurate drivers. What headphones can't do is give several people separate mixes on their own; that's where the SAMSON S-phone comes in, splitting one source into four individually controlled channels. Many small setups use the M50x for the engineer and the S-phone to feed everyone else.
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