Short answer: the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro. It ranks #110 of 134 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.0/5, at $109.99; the Audio-Technica ATH-AD500X ranks #122, rated 2.6/5, and costs $119, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
The Razer BlackShark V2 Pro is the better-sounding choice. A wireless gaming headset with a built-in microphone, Bluetooth 5.2 and a rated 70 hours of battery, so it rarely needs charging. The catch: The response is uneven, with a standard deviation near 3.5 dB, so tonal balance drifts from the target in music.
Why pick the Audio-Technica ATH-AD500X: The open-back design gives a spacious, airy presentation, and the 48 ohm impedance with 100 dB sensitivity works directly from a phone or laptop. The catch: Treble from 6 to 10 kHz is about 9 dB below target and a 16 dB dip near 7.2 kHz removes cymbal and sibilance detail, so the sound is dark and veiled.
Buy the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Audio-Technica ATH-AD500X and costs less, which makes it the one to get unless you need something the other one does better.
Want more options? Browse the full Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Razer BlackShark V2 Pro | Audio-Technica ATH-AD500X | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $109.99 | $119.00 |
| Ranked | #110 of 134 in Over-Ear Headphones | #122 of 134 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 60 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) | 50 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 3.47 dB standard deviation | 3.75 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.69 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -1.10 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Back | Closed | Open |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 50mm dynamic | 1 x 53mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 32 ohms | 48 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 100 dB SPL/mW | 100 dB/mW |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (320 g) | 0.5 lbs (235 g) |
| Frequency Response | 12Hz - 28kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 5Hz - 25kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Active Noise Cancelling | No | - |
| Battery Life | 70 hours (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | - |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | - |
| IP Rating | None | - |
| Connection | Wireless | Wired |
Related Headphone Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Razer BlackShark V2 Pro:
- Anker Soundcore Space One vs Razer BlackShark V2 Pro
- Razer BlackShark V2 Pro vs Shure SRH440A
- Audio-Technica ATH-AD500X vs Jabra Evolve 40
- Jabra Evolve 40 vs AKG K271 MKII
- Jabra Evolve 40 vs Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless
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
Razer BlackShark V2 Pro: $109.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: A wireless gaming headset with a built-in microphone, Bluetooth 5.2 and a rated 70 hours of battery, so it rarely needs charging. Its Harman preference score of 60 in crinacle’s measurement is fairly close to the target for a gaming headset. The 50mm driver at 32 ohms and 100 dB SPL/mW is easy to drive, and the price is low.
Cons: The response is uneven, with a standard deviation near 3.5 dB, so tonal balance drifts from the target in music. It has no active noise cancelling, and at 320 g it is on the heavy side. The Anker Soundcore Space One has a higher rating and offers ANC and LDAC for a lower price.
Full Razer BlackShark V2 Pro review and specifications →
| Released | Jun 2023 (3 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Active Noise Cancelling | No |
| Back | Closed |
| Battery Life | 70 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Connection | Wireless |
| Deviation From Target | 3.47 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 50mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 12Hz - 28kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 60 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| IP Rating | None |
| Impedance | 32 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 100 dB SPL/mW |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.69 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (320 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -5.4 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 | +1.9 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 153 Hz | -7.6 dB | 0.72 |
| Peak | 625 Hz | +5.9 dB | 0.85 |
| Peak | 3,612 Hz | -4.0 dB | 4.82 |
| Peak | 398 Hz | +2.5 dB | 2.18 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -1.5 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 2,525 Hz | +2.7 dB | 3.01 |
| Peak | 1,373 Hz | -1.5 dB | 2.52 |
| Peak | 1,953 Hz | +1.0 dB | 3.23 |
| Peak | 3,166 Hz | -1.8 dB | 5.42 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Audio-Technica ATH-AD500X: $119.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: The open-back design gives a spacious, airy presentation, and the 48 ohm impedance with 100 dB sensitivity works directly from a phone or laptop. At 235 g it is light for a full-size headphone. The lower midrange is within half a dB of target, so the body of voices and guitars sounds natural.
Cons: Treble from 6 to 10 kHz is about 9 dB below target and a 16 dB dip near 7.2 kHz removes cymbal and sibilance detail, so the sound is dark and veiled. Sub-bass is about 9 dB low under 60 Hz, so deep bass lacks rumble. Open backs leak sound and give no isolation. The Anker Soundcore Space One has a higher rating at a lower price.
Full Audio-Technica ATH-AD500X review and specifications →
| Released | 2012 (14 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Open |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 3.75 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 53mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 25kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 50 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 48 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 100 dB/mW |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.10 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.5 lbs (235 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.5 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 | +7.0 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 132 Hz | -4.4 dB | 0.44 |
| Peak | 8,349 Hz | +6.5 dB | 1.37 |
| Peak | 1,295 Hz | -3.9 dB | 1.00 |
| Peak | 2,506 Hz | +4.7 dB | 1.39 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -2.0 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 4,177 Hz | -3.9 dB | 5.95 |
| Peak | 3,282 Hz | +3.3 dB | 5.84 |
| Peak | 2,773 Hz | -1.6 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 4,931 Hz | +1.7 dB | 6.00 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons