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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Audio Technica ATH M40X is praised for its overall sound quality, making it an excellent choice for music enthusiasts. It has a robust design and offers a wired connection, making it reliable for in-studio use but not ideal for on-the-go scenarios due to the lack of wireless capabilities. On the other hand, the Sennheiser 450BT is versatile with both wired and wireless options, including Bluetooth and active noise cancelling, which makes them better suited for travel and noisy environments. The 450BT also has a built-in microphone, making them more convenient for calls and meetings. While both offer good sound stages, the Sennheiser 450BT offers low latency features, especially beneficial for TV and gaming. If you're considering price, the ATH M40X is often less expensive but without some of the convenience features that the 450BT provides. 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
Advantages of the Sennheiser 450BT
- Very good for gaming
- Excellent for air travel
- Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
8.1
6.2
The Audio Technica ATH M40X is very good for music, while the Sennheiser 450BT is only fair.
Gaming
7.0
8.8
The Sennheiser 450BT is very good for gaming, while the Audio Technica ATH M40X is good.
Phone Calls
3.3
6.9
The Sennheiser 450BT is only fair for phone calls, while the Audio Technica ATH M40X is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.1
7.9
The Sennheiser 450BT is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Audio Technica ATH M40X is poor.
TV and Video
8.7
8.1
The Audio Technica ATH M40X and Sennheiser 450BT are both very good for TV and video, though the Audio Technica ATH M40X is somewhat better.
Noise Reduction
5.3
9.1
The Sennheiser 450BT is excellent for noise reduction, while the Audio Technica ATH M40X is poor.
Battery
N/A
27.5 Hours
The Audio Technica ATH M40X does not have a battery. The Sennheiser 450BT has 27.5 hours of battery life.
Cost
$99
$90
$40
$60
$80
$100
$120
$140
$160
The Audio Technica ATH M40X has a price of $99 and the Sennheiser 450BT costs $90.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
8.2
8.0
The Audio Technica ATH M40X and Sennheiser 450BT both have very good build quality.
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How the Audio Technica ATH M40X and the Sennheiser 450BT compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Audio Technica ATH M40X | Sennheiser 450BT |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$99 | $90 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Audio Technica | Sennheiser | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2014 | February 1, 2020 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wired + Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.1/10 | 6.2/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 3.3/10 | 7/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 7.1/10 | 8.9/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 8.8/10 | 8.1/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.3/10 | 6.1/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | N/A | 27.5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | N/A | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | N/A | 2.3 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | N/A | 5 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 5.3/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | N/A | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | N/A | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | N/A | 8.5/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.2/10 | 8/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7.6/10 | 7/10 | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 245 Grams | 240.4 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | N/A | Integrated | |
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."
Sennheiser 450BT
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Lily Katz | March 2022
"The Sennheiser HD 450BT is a very good pair of headphones for the price, noise canceling is good and sound quality is great—quite rare at this price point. Like any product, this headset isn’t without its faults."
Get a great deal on the Audio Technica ATH M40X or the Sennheiser 450BT
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 Sennheiser
A family-owned company, Sennheiser is a German, high fidelity, audio equipment manufacturer founded in 1945. Their consumer audio division is now owned by the Swiss hearing aid and cochlear implant manufacturer Sonova. Sennheiser offers a wide variety of, very high quality, audio equipment solutions, from headphones to earbuds, full sets of monitoring speakers, amplifiers and microphones. They also make what is widely regarded as the best, and most expensive, headphones in existence, the HE-1 Orpheus, costing a whopping $59,000 dollars.
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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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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