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Etymotic ER2XR vs Audio-Technica ATH-M50x

Side-by-side comparison — scores, specs and which one fits your setup.

HIGHER SCORE
Etymotic ER2XR
7.8
/ 10
IEMMid range
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x
7.2
/ 10
Over-earMid range

Specs comparison

7.8/10
SCORE
7.2/10
45Ω
IMPEDANCE
38Ω
96dB
SENSITIVITY
99dB
No
NEEDS AMP
No

Analysis

The Etymotic ER2XR scores 7.8/10 with 45Ω impedance and 96dB sensitivity. At 45Ω, it drives well from most phones without an external amp.

The Audio-Technica ATH-M50x scores 7.2/10 with 38Ω impedance and 99dB sensitivity. At 38Ω, it can be driven directly without extra hardware.

Based on our scoring, the Etymotic ER2XR scores higher overall. However, the right choice depends on your full audio chain — use our analyzer to see which fits your actual setup.

Own one of these headphones?

A high headphone score doesn't mean your audio sounds great. Your DAC, amp or source might be the real bottleneck.

Analyze my setup →Etymotic ER2XR details →Audio-Technica ATH-M50x details →

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