The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Audio Technica ATH M20X provides better overall sound quality for a budget price, making it a good choice for pure music listening, especially if cost is a concern. Both are wired, over-ear models with closed enclosures, meaning they have similar noise isolation and do not have wireless capabilities. Consider your primary activities—listening to music versus gaming and communication—to guide your decision. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Audio Technica ATH M20X
The Audio Technica ATH M20X has no clear advantages over the Razer Kraken.
Advantages of the Razer Kraken
Very good for gaming
Key differences
Gaming
6.2/10
8.3/10
The Razer Kraken is very good for gaming, while the Audio Technica ATH M20X is only fair.
Phone Calls
4.3/10
5.5/10
The Razer Kraken and Audio Technica ATH M20X are both poor for phone calls, though the Razer Kraken is somewhat better.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
6.7/10
4.7/10
The Audio Technica ATH M20X is only fair for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Razer Kraken is poor.
Noise Reduction
6.0/10
6.5/10
The Razer Kraken and Audio Technica ATH M20X are both only fair for noise reduction, though the Razer Kraken is somewhat better.
Build Quality
6.9/10
8.5/10
The Razer Kraken has very good build quality, while the Audio Technica ATH M20X has only fair build quality.
"Audio-Technica positively defies what you can expect for around $50. Ultimately, Audio-Technica did not design the ATH-M20x to go on the subway with you. It’s for the budget-conscious, do-it-yourself producer, podcaster, or studio that needs to buy tracking cans in bulk. If you don’t need the most deluxe, comfortable headphones, maybe you’ll like the ATH-M20x for its spartan functionality. The headphones are aimed at giving you the minimum requirements without it feeling like a sacrifice."
"Generally the Kraken is a very comfortable headset and there’s nothing that really identifies it as anything else. All in, the Kraken performed exactly as I’d expect a premium, designated gaming headset to perform: performing well in game audio, though not quite with the same quality of those headsets further up the price scale."
Get a great deal on the Audio Technica ATH M20X or the Razer Kraken
About Audio Technica
Audio Technica is a 60-year-old, Japan-based, professional audio equipment manufacturer. They started off making phonograph cartridges and have expanded their scope of products ever since to include extremely popular models of microphones and headphones. They have been the official audio equipment supplier of several editions of the Summer and Winter Olympics and every edition of the Grammy Awards since 1998.
About Razer
Razer is an American-Singaporean hardware manufacturer aimed specifically toward the gaming market. They manufacture a very wide array of gaming laptops, tablets, phones, peripherals and, of course, headphones and earbuds both wired and wireless. Since 2016, Razer has owned the THX suite, aimed at quality assurance of audiovisual systems such as speaker sets, video game consoles and even movie theaters.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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