A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
Advantages of the Audio Technica ATH M40X
- Good for air travel
Advantages of the Philips SHP9500
- Excellent for music
- Excellent for TV and video
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
8.1
9.2
The Philips SHP9500 is excellent for music, while the Audio Technica ATH M40X is very good.
Phone Calls
3.3
4.9
The Philips SHP9500 and Audio Technica ATH M40X are both poor for phone calls, though the Philips SHP9500 is somewhat better.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.1
8.0
The Philips SHP9500 is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Audio Technica ATH M40X is poor.
Noise Reduction
5.3
2.5
The Audio Technica ATH M40X and Philips SHP9500 are both poor for noise reduction, though the Audio Technica ATH M40X is somewhat better.
Cost
$99
$48
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
The Audio Technica ATH M40X has a price of $99 and the Philips SHP9500 costs $48.
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Key similarities
Gaming
7.0
7.2
The Philips SHP9500 and Audio Technica ATH M40X are both good for gaming.
TV and Video
8.7
9.0
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Philips SHP9500 to be excellent for TV and video, while the Audio Technica ATH M40X is very good.
Build Quality
8.2
8.5
The Philips SHP9500 and Audio Technica ATH M40X both have very good build quality.
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How the Audio Technica ATH M40X and the Philips SHP9500 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Audio Technica ATH M40X | Philips SHP9500 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$99 | $48 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Audio Technica | Philips | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2014 | August 1, 2013 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.1/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 3.3/10 | 5/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 7.1/10 | 7.3/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 8.8/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.3/10 | 4.4/10 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 5.3/10 | 2.5/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | N/A | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.2/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7.6/10 | 10/10 | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 245 Grams | 294.8 Grams | |
Waterproof Rating | |||
Waterproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
Dustproof Rating | |||
Dustproof 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."
Philips SHP9500
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Dig into reviews and images
Headphones Lab
Brian Stone | April 2020
"You can’t go wrong with the Philips SHP9500 for their price. Their audio quality is superb, and the fact that you can use them for just about anything you can think of makes them well worth your money"
Get a great deal on the Audio Technica ATH M40X or the Philips SHP9500
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 Philips
Philips is a Dutch conglomerate and electronics manufacturer with over 130 years of history. Philips makes the Fidelio audio line which includes several models of full-sized wired and wireless headphones, true wireless earbuds. soundbars and wireless speakers.
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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.
By the numbers
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Recommendations made
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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.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.
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