Circling Back to Black: Audio-Technica ATH-M50x ENSO Edition

Introduced in 2014, the M50x is a benchmark in professional and personal audio and has seen its fair share of iterations and special colourways. Today, in celebration of the model’s milestone birthday, the ENSO edition revives the all-black design, enhanced with detailing that honours Japanese artistry.

The ENSO naming is inspired by Japanese paintings, where a single brushstroke forms a circle symbolising life’s cycles. We’re told this symbolism echoes both the return to the original black colourway and the ATH-M50x’s iconic circular earcup design.

The limited edition headphones feature custom engravings on the earcup rings and headband sliders, inspired by sumi ink brush strokes and audio frequency waves. Each pair also carries its own unique serial number, engraved into the matte black finish. The ENSO edition arrives in bespoke packaging specially created for this limited edition.

The ATH-M50xENSO retain their acclaimed 45 mm drivers, rare-earth magnets, and copper-clad aluminium wire voice coils, plus signature swivelling earcups for one-ear monitoring.

The special packaging contains three cables (1.2 m-3.0 m coiled, 3.0 m and 1.2 m straight), a custom headphone case, and a handcrafted furoshiki cloth. Audio-Technica collaborated with Kyoto-based Bamba, a family-run dyeing factory with more than 110 years of expertise, to create the cloths. Each one is hand-dyed with rich, unique patterns. In Japan, furoshiki are traditionally used to wrap gifts or carry belongings, making each cloth beautiful and versatile.

Moreover, 200 randomly selected boxes will feature a postcard indicating whether you have won an accessories kit.

Only 5,000 pairs of Audio-Technica ATH-M50xENSO headphones will be available worldwide and retail at £169 | €199.

For more information visit Audio-Technica