Audio-Technica ATH-M40fs Professional Studio Monitor Headphones
The ATH-M40fs stereo headphones from Audio-Technica provide pro-quality audio in a lightweight and comfortable design. The headphones feature 40mm neodymium drivers with copper-clad aluminum wire voice coils to produce an extra-wide frequency response that's ideal for mixing and monitoring. High-quality components give the headphones very high SPL capabilities.
The closed-back design and around-ear cushions provide a snug and comfortable fit that also blocks out unwanted environmental noise. The earcups also have a swivel mechanism for convenient single-ear monitoring. The padded, adjustable headband provides a secure fit that will keep you listening for hours. The single-sided OFC cable has built-in strain relief and is 11' long to provide plenty of slack. The standard 1/4" stereo plug lets you connect to virtually any professional audio device. These headphones are also field-serviceable, letting you easily replace the drivers, cable, and ear cushions when needed.
- 40mm neodymium drivers with copper-clad aluminum wire voice coils to produce an extra-wide frequency response that's ideal for mixing and monitoring
- High-quality components give the headphones very high SPL capabilities
- Closed-back design and around-ear cushions provide a snug and comfortable fit that also blocks out unwanted environmental noise
- Swivel earcup mechanism for convenient single-ear monitoring
- Padded, adjustable headband provides a secure fit for virtually any head size
- Single-sided OFC cable has built-in strain relief and is 11' long to provide plenty of slack
- Standard 1/4" stereo plug lets you connect to virtually any professional audio device
- Field-serviceable design lets you easily replace the drivers, cable, and ear cushions when needed
| Type | Around-Ear, Closed-Back, Dynamic |
| Frequency Range | 5Hz - 28kHz |
| Impedance | 60 Ohms |
| Sensitivity | 100dB |
| Maximum Input Power | 1600mW |
| Connectors | Standard 1/4" Stereo Plug |
| Cable Length | 11' (3.4 m) |
| Weight | 8.8 oz (250g) (Without Cable) |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviews(based on 68 reviews)
Ratings Distribution
95%
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Pros
- Easy to use (39)
- Excellent sound (22)
- Good audio (22)
- Lightweight (20)
- Versatile (20)
Cons
Best Uses
- Home studio (39)
- Amateur recording (34)
- Professional recording (22)
- Music (12)
- Outdoor events / games (12)
- Reviewer Profile:
- Experienced (29), Novice (13), Professional musician (8), Audiophile (5), Gear head (4)
- Primary use:
- Personal (12), Business (3)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (11)
Most Liked Positive Review
I Rediscovered Good quality Audio for cheap.
Best headphones I have owned in my life. The Bose Quietcomfort II sound like cheap buds compared to these. 5-28khz response is out of this world. Now don't go plugthese into your lame...Read complete review
Best headphones I have owned in my life. The Bose Quietcomfort II sound like cheap buds compared to these. 5-28khz response is out of this world. Now don't go plugthese into your lame ipod player and think quality will justpop out, plug them into a dolby digital computer soundcardwith 24bit or better audio and you will be blown away. Pros: Hear even the friction of strings on violin chords onclassical tracks, these are that good!Very comfortable with no ear pressing, ear goes fully in thechambers.Not as heavy as they look, they are still not going to beyour walk around HPhones for ipod. These are true studioquality sets.Concert hall experience on your home, no kidding!Cable is quite large and robust. 11' (3.4 m)Ears are sealed well from outside noise, convenient in airtravel and noisy office.Cons: Doesn't include a 1/4th to 1/8th stereo adapter so you willneed to buy one if you want it plugged on a computer withsmall mini-jacks or portable players.No volume knob in cable, you need to adjust your player oramp to raise or lower volume.I'm buying another set for studio work. 4 stars in featuresbecause miniplug converter is not included.
Expertise: Video Professional
Previous Equivalent Item Owned: Bose Quiet Comfort II, Labtec, Sony Studio HPhones.
Items I Recommend: 1/4 to 1/8 converter plug.
VS
Most Liked Negative Review
Don't pay over $50!
We figured these to be good for Med transcription, and Audio recording monitors on both computer and DAW. I prefer the 3 pair I've been using. Although the ATH-40fs boast flat response and...Read complete review
We figured these to be good for Med transcription, and Audio recording monitors on both computer and DAW. I prefer the 3 pair I've been using. Although the ATH-40fs boast flat response and are indeed a step up from low level hdphns, they left me wanting for low end and had a hollow hiss and mid range bias. Spend $150- and get more!
REVIEWS
Reviewed by 68 customers
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Displaying reviews 1-20
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Pros
- Easy To Use
- Excellent Sound
Cons
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
- Home Studio
- Professional Recording
Comments about Audio-Technica ATH-M40fs Professional Studio Monitor Headphones:
I've only been using these headphones for a little while, but I'm extremely pleased with them. The sound quality is great, they're comfortable, and they have a nice long cord. I was very surprised that I could get high-quality headphones relatively inexpensively.
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Low Distortion
- Powerful
Cons
- Poor Quality Construction
- Poor Sound Quality
Best Uses
- Professional Recording
Comments about Audio-Technica ATH-M40fs Professional Studio Monitor Headphones:
These arrived out of the box, brand new(!), with an intermittent connection where the cable enters the left earpiece. AT needs to seriously step up their QC. Also no bag for the 'phones, and the cord end is 1/4" TRS, no provision made for 1/8" connections. Also, I hate the way these things sound -- very midrangey. Like a pair of NS10s with more limited range. On the bright side, a working pair would get very loud cleanly if needed for tracking, and they seem to be physically fairly robust (my problem excepted).
- Similar:
- MDR V6
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Excellent Sound
- Low Distortion
- Powerful
Cons
Best Uses
- Home Studio
- Mobile DJ
- Performances
Comments about Audio-Technica ATH-M40fs Professional Studio Monitor Headphones:
So far these headphones are exactly what I wanted. Then feel great on my head although they could be a little tighter. They sound awesome and can handle everything I give them.
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Excellent Sound
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
- Home Studio
- Professional Recording
Comments about Audio-Technica ATH-M40fs Professional Studio Monitor Headphones:
Got these headphones for my boyfriend for Christmas to use in his studio recording and he loves them. They are comfortable and work great. Plus the price was great!!
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Excellent Sound
- Low Distortion
- Powerful
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
- Home Studio
- Professional Recording
Comments about Audio-Technica ATH-M40fs Professional Studio Monitor Headphones:
These are, hands down, the very best headphones-for-the-money that an amateur (or professional for that matter) will find. The sound is rich and even, and is only limited by the format you're playing- whether that be MP3 or what have you. True there are more expensive headphones on the market, but if you're looking for the best "bang for your buck" then stop, you've found it.
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Excellent Sound
- Low Distortion
- Powerful
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
- Great with hearing aids
- Home Studio
Comments about Audio-Technica ATH-M40fs Professional Studio Monitor Headphones:
Long cord, around the ear, good fit, works great with my hearing aids.
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Excellent Sound
- Low Distortion
Cons
- Unnecessary Functions
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
- Home Studio
Comments about Audio-Technica ATH-M40fs Professional Studio Monitor Headphones:
Great sound. These head phone give a clear and true reproduction on the music. I could do without the swivel on the ear pieces and a slightly tighter headband but you can't beat the sound.
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Excellent Sound
- Low Distortion
Cons
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
- Home Studio
Comments about Audio-Technica ATH-M40fs Professional Studio Monitor Headphones:
B&H got my ATH-M40fs to me when UPS said it would get here in Eugene/Springfield Oregon ,so far I am very happy with my Headphones and B&H often has the best price for what I am looking for ,I will be back be cause of their customer service any problems there phone number is right there ,these Headphones are better than I had hoped for but they are flat ,so I did need to use my EQ a bit it sounds clear as a bell ,I really bel;ieve in breaking them in I used Pink Noise but there are others but the longer I have these Headphones the better they sound
Ty RSDno
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Good Sound
- Versatile
Cons
- Not isolating
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
- Home Studio
- Mobile DJ
Comments about Audio-Technica ATH-M40fs Professional Studio Monitor Headphones:
I bought to practice drumming
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Excellent Sound
Cons
Best Uses
- Video editing
Comments about Audio-Technica ATH-M40fs Professional Studio Monitor Headphones:
Great sounding headphones for the price. I use them while editing video and they give a good neutral sound for accurate reproduction.
Comfy to wear for long periods.
Didn't realise they only came with a full size audio jack, so had to buy an adaptor for computer use, but that was my own fault.
Great buy.
Pros
- Cheap
- Excellent Sound
- Low Distortion
- Powerful
Cons
- Requires a Plug Adapter
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
- Home Studio
- Personal listening
- Professional Recording
Comments about Audio-Technica ATH-M40fs Professional Studio Monitor Headphones:
I've never owned a pair of headphones more expensive than 15 bucks and decided to finally try and hear what I was missing. I've read a lot about quality headphones and wasn't looking to get the most expensive and renowned pair that money could buy, but a real and tangible, QUALITY sounding pair for a reasonable price. I was also bent on finding a pair that sounded great without needing an expensive headphone amp. My criteria based on everything I read, was a pair that provided great sound isolation, were comfortable to wear, had detailed sound that was true to the recording, and all this for a price that wouldnt break the bank.
After owning these headphones for 3 weeks, I can honestly say that when it comes to the above criteria, these things are the TOTAL package! Out of the box they sounded better than anything I've previously owned... as many will testify, I also believe that the headphones got better even after 30 minutes of play. I broke them in playing a variety of treble/bass tracks at slightly higher than comfortable volume and all I can say is things sound AMAZING, even when sourced from a PC with integrated sound. What makes this pair really special is how flat the response is. As others have noted, there is a great balance between bass, treble and mids. The highs are crystal clear but never grating or harsh(and I listen to lots of electronic music). Although I'm not a DJ or producer, I love knowing that I'm listening to music as close to the way the original producers intended when using these headphones. That being said, some may be dissapointed by the bass on these and all I can say is its there and its very clear and captures some deep lows, but never captures the "oomph" of a subwoofer on bass heavy tracks.
To sum this up, if you like your music and simply wanna hear good quality sound at an affordable price, don't be scared off by the "Studio Monitor" title of these. Trust me, its a good thing! The only thing is you will need a 1/4th inch to 1/8 inch Stereo jack adapter for most everyday uses. As a few reviews here already noted, the sound quality on these headphones is at least 2-3 tiers above its price. I've personally compared them to my audiophile friend's EXPENSIVE pairs and they either sound as good or better. You DON'T need to spend a fortune for good sounding headphones... the nature of audio manufacturing is that the listening process is very subjective. I truly believe that there are companies out there selling headphones at 3 times the price of the kind of sound they actually deliver. Do yourself a favor and BUY these!
Pros
- Excellent Sound
- Powerful
Cons
Best Uses
- Home Studio
Comments about Audio-Technica ATH-M40fs Professional Studio Monitor Headphones:
Great for recording
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Excellent Sound
- Low Distortion
Cons
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
- Home Studio
Comments about Audio-Technica ATH-M40fs Professional Studio Monitor Headphones:
Great all round headphones. Excellent sound reproduction. Comfortable design that fits well over the ears.Requires 3.5mm mini plug adapter for use with mobile devices (tablets, iPod touch)
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Excellent Sound
- Low Distortion
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
- Home Studio
Comments about Audio-Technica ATH-M40fs Professional Studio Monitor Headphones:
I use these to for monitoring in my home studio.
Clean sound and solid low end. Especially for this price tag.
If you plan to use these for music listening, be aware that they have a flat characteristic - they do not colorize the sound like common hifi phones.
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Excellent Sound
- Low Distortion
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
- Events
- Home Studio
- Mobile DJ
- Performances
- Professional Recording
Comments about Audio-Technica ATH-M40fs Professional Studio Monitor Headphones:
Great buy, sound is clear and it muffles a good bit of the outside distractions
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Excellent Sound
- Low Distortion
- Powerful
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
- Events
- Mobile DJ
- Performances
- Professional Recording
Comments about Audio-Technica ATH-M40fs Professional Studio Monitor Headphones:
A great set of headphones! Also double as speakers if you turn the volume up enough. Great sound balance; no distortion; sound in headphones is the sound that comes out of the monitors. Anyone with a passion for music should own a pair of these; and fortunately, it's at a great price!
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Excellent Sound
Cons
Best Uses
- Events
- Professional Recording
Comments about Audio-Technica ATH-M40fs Professional Studio Monitor Headphones:
These are very comfortable headphones. The fit nicely on your head and have a soft cup that goes around the ear to help block outside noise. The sound is very good for the price, too. My only problem is this set did NOT come with an adapter for 1/8" sockets. Other than that, I really like these.
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Low Distortion
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
- Home Studio
Comments about Audio-Technica ATH-M40fs Professional Studio Monitor Headphones:
I bought these headphones to use on my school's campus. For the price they are comfortable and the sound quality is good.
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Excellent Sound
Cons
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
- Home Studio
Comments about Audio-Technica ATH-M40fs Professional Studio Monitor Headphones:
Comfortable (awesome for extended studio sessions), great sounds, and great value for the money. Will be getting 2 more for the home studio.
Pros
- Comfortable
- Easy To Use
- Excellent Sound
Cons
Best Uses
- Amateur Recording
- Home Studio
Comments about Audio-Technica ATH-M40fs Professional Studio Monitor Headphones:
I recently purchased this headphone to use for recording. For only [$] these headphones do justice when recording tracks. Best use for home studio.
Displaying reviews 1-20
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Cables
- Price: $6.35
Headphone Amps
- Price: $46.93
Stands & Support
- Price: $22.99
Earpads & Comfort
- Price: $17.05
What's in the Box
- 1-Year Limited Warranty
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