Philips SHP9500 vs Audio-Technica ATH-M50x

Short answer: the Philips SHP9500. It ranks #53 of 134 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.9/5, at $94.99; the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x ranks #57, rated 3.8/5, and costs $158, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.

What the Philips SHP9500 does well: A preference score of 80 and a deviation of only 2.2 dB make the open back response smooth for the money, with bass from 60 to 200 Hz and the lower mids within half a dB of target. Watch for: Sub-bass is about 9 dB below target under 60 Hz, so electronic and cinematic bass lacks rumble and slam.

Why pick the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x: This closed back has a very smooth response, with a deviation of 2.0 dB and the largest peak only 1.2 dB near 4.3 kHz, so it avoids harshness. The catch: Treble from 6 to 10 kHz is about 1.7 dB low and a 3.5 dB dip near 6.8 kHz softens cymbals and sibilance, while the top octave runs about 2 dB hot, a slightly uneven treble.

Buy the Philips SHP9500. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.

Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.

Specifications Side By Side

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Prices on this page were last checked October 10, 2026 at 5:37 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

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The Two Headphones In Full

Philips SHP9500: $94.99 Amazon eBay

Pros: A preference score of 80 and a deviation of only 2.2 dB make the open back response smooth for the money, with bass from 60 to 200 Hz and the lower mids within half a dB of target. It is very easy to drive at 32 ohms and 101 dB sensitivity, so a phone runs it fine, and it weighs just 320 g. It costs far less than most headphones with a comparable score.

Cons: Sub-bass is about 9 dB below target under 60 Hz, so electronic and cinematic bass lacks rumble and slam. Presence is lifted about 2.3 dB, and a 6.7 dB peak near 6.2 kHz followed by a 4 dB dip near 7.7 kHz adds some edge to vocals and cymbals. The open back leaks sound and gives no isolation.

Full Philips SHP9500 review and specifications →

Back	Open
Connection	Wired
Deviation From Target	2.17 dB standard deviation
Driver Type	Dynamic
Drivers	1 x 50mm dynamic
Form Factor	Over-ear
Frequency Response	12Hz - 35kHz (Manufacturer specified)
Harman Preference Score	80 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ)
Impedance	32 ohms
Sensitivity	101 dB
Tonal Tilt	+0.47 (negative is warmer, positive brighter)
Weight	0.7 lbs (320 g)

EQ preset to match the Harman target

Set a preamp of -6.4 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.

Filter	Frequency	Gain	Q
Low shelf	105 Hz	+6.5 dB	0.70
Peak	5,734 Hz	-5.7 dB	2.84
Peak	110 Hz	-3.0 dB	0.81
Peak	2,130 Hz	+3.7 dB	2.76
Peak	412 Hz	+1.0 dB	1.39
High shelf	10,000 Hz	-2.4 dB	0.70
Peak	1,113 Hz	-0.6 dB	2.07
Peak	7,370 Hz	+2.1 dB	5.98
Peak	4,477 Hz	-1.7 dB	6.00
Peak	3,566 Hz	+1.3 dB	6.00

• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
  • AutoEQ results for the Philips SHP9500 (oratory1990 measurement)
• Head-to-Head Comparisons
  • Philips SHP9500 vs Audio-Technica ATH-M40x

Audio-Technica ATH-M50x: $158.00 Amazon eBay

Pros: This closed back has a very smooth response, with a deviation of 2.0 dB and the largest peak only 1.2 dB near 4.3 kHz, so it avoids harshness. Sub-bass is on target and bass from 60 to 200 Hz is about 3 dB above, which gives clean, punchy bass, and the preference score is 78. At 38 ohms and 99 dB/mW it is easy to drive from a phone, it weighs 285 g and it isolates from noise.

Cons: Treble from 6 to 10 kHz is about 1.7 dB low and a 3.5 dB dip near 6.8 kHz softens cymbals and sibilance, while the top octave runs about 2 dB hot, a slightly uneven treble. The warm, bass lifted balance is not neutral enough for critical listening. It is a closed back, so bass has less airiness than the open backs in this class.

Full Audio-Technica ATH-M50x review and specifications →

Back	Closed
Connection	Wired
Deviation From Target	2.01 dB standard deviation
Driver Type	Dynamic
Drivers	1 x 45mm dynamic
Form Factor	Over-ear
Frequency Response	15Hz - 28kHz (Manufacturer specified)
Harman Preference Score	78 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ)
Impedance	38 ohms
Sensitivity	99 dB/mW
Tonal Tilt	-0.75 (negative is warmer, positive brighter)
Weight	0.6 lbs (285 g)

EQ preset to match the Harman target

Set a preamp of -3.1 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.

Filter	Frequency	Gain	Q
Low shelf	105 Hz	+0.6 dB	0.70
Peak	156 Hz	-5.2 dB	0.73
Peak	326 Hz	+5.3 dB	1.59
Peak	7,077 Hz	+2.8 dB	2.22
Peak	3,483 Hz	+2.1 dB	5.82
High shelf	10,000 Hz	-4.1 dB	0.70
Peak	45 Hz	-1.1 dB	1.90
Peak	66 Hz	+1.4 dB	3.59
Peak	787 Hz	-0.5 dB	1.79
Peak	1,640 Hz	+0.9 dB	3.41

• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
  • AutoEQ results for the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x (oratory1990 measurement)
• Head-to-Head Comparisons
  • Audio-Technica ATH-M50x vs Audio-Technica ATH-M40x
  • Audio-Technica ATH-M50x vs Shure SRH440