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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
If you prioritize affordability and prefer over-ear headphones for longer listening sessions at home or in a studio, the Audio Technica ATH M40X would be a suitable choice, featuring very good overall sound quality, a wider soundstage, and a durable build, albeit with poor mic quality and no wireless capability. Conversely, the Moondrop Blessing 3 earbuds have excellent sound quality with a more balanced capability when using additional cables, and are great for portable use due to their smaller size, but they come at a premium price and are not ideal for exercise or environments requiring noise isolation or active noise canceling. Both lack modern features like app customization, low latency, and wireless options, so if these are crucial for your use, you might want to consider other models. 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 M40X
- Very good for music
- Good for gaming
- Good for air travel
Advantages of the Moondrop Blessing 3
- Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Gaming
7.0
6.3
The Audio Technica ATH M40X is good for gaming, while the Moondrop Blessing 3 is only fair.
Phone Calls
3.3
5.0
The Moondrop Blessing 3 and Audio Technica ATH M40X are both poor for phone calls, though the Moondrop Blessing 3 is somewhat better.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.1
7.8
The Moondrop Blessing 3 is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Audio Technica ATH M40X is poor.
TV and Video
8.7
8.0
The Audio Technica ATH M40X and Moondrop Blessing 3 are both very good for TV and video, though the Audio Technica ATH M40X is somewhat better.
Noise Reduction
5.3
6.5
The Moondrop Blessing 3 is only fair for noise reduction, while the Audio Technica ATH M40X is poor.
Cost
$99
$320
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Audio Technica ATH M40X has a price of $99 and the Moondrop Blessing 3 costs $320.
Build Quality
8.2
9.0
The Moondrop Blessing 3 has excellent build quality, while the Audio Technica ATH M40X has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Music
8.1
7.6
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Audio Technica ATH M40X to be very good for music, while the Moondrop Blessing 3 is good.
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How the Audio Technica ATH M40X and the Moondrop Blessing 3 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Audio Technica ATH M40X | Moondrop Blessing 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$99 | $320 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Audio Technica | Moondrop | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2014 | April 1, 2023 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.1/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 3.3/10 | 5/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 7.1/10 | 6.4/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 8.8/10 | 8.1/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.3/10 | 4.5/10 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 5.3/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | No | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | N/A | 2.5/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.2/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7.6/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 245 Grams | 18.1 Grams | |
Waterproof Rating | |||
Waterproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Audio Technica ATH M40X
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Dig into reviews and images
Soundguys
Lily Katz | August 2023
"If you were to pick one headset to fill all of your needs, the ATH-M40x is a great buy with its sub-$100 price tag, pleasant sound quality, and accessories. Whether you need to use it for live monitoring, a midnight editing session, or to underscore a campus walk, the Audio-Technica ATH-M40x is a great companion."
Moondrop Blessing 3
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Dig into reviews and images
Headfonics
Meldrick | June 2023
"The Moondrop Blessing 3 has excellent imaging performance, especially for the price. Pair that with its neutral tonality with slight elevations towards both ends of the frequency response, and the Blessing 3 technically proficient set of IEMs that are also enjoyable to listen to every day."
Get a great deal on the Audio Technica ATH M40X or the Moondrop Blessing 3
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 Moondrop
Moondrop is a Chinese brand of smart audio equipment, portable audio players, earbuds and headphones started in 2015. During the last few years they have become one of the major players in what is lovingly referred to as the Chi-fi market, the bulk of Chinese companies that have managed to actually compete with the western manufacturers in both prices and superior quality. Products such as the Blessing II, Chu and Kato are among the most popular offerings of the brand, more popular among those users that wish for good quality audio that won't break the bank. Besides audio, the brand also works in what they call the ACGN field (Animation, Comics, Games and Short Novels).
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Why trust us
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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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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