Audio-Technica - ATH-M50xBT2 vs Sennheiser - HD 800 S
Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Audio-Technica - ATH-M50xBT2 | Sennheiser - HD 800 S |
|---|---|---|
| Driver size | 45 mm | 56 mm |
| Weight | 307 g | 330 g |
| Multipoint | true | false |
| LDAC | true | false |
| Battery life | 50 h | 0 h |
Between the ATH-M50xBT2 and HD 800 S, the ATH-M50xBT2 comes out ahead in weight / multipoint, while the HD 800 S wins on driver size. Overall, the ATH-M50xBT2 scores 59.8 and the HD 800 S scores 55.3 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The ATH-M50xBT2 edges ahead on the Mars Score (59.8 vs 55.3), but the 4.5-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the ATH-M50xBT2 if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. The biggest gaps in its favor are weight, multipoint, ldac, among others. The single most decisive one: Weight — 23.00 g less. 307 vs 330.
Pick the HD 800 S if you care most about driver size. Its strongest claims are driver size. The single most decisive one: Driver size — 24.44% more. 56 mm vs 45 mm.
Both ship with comparable active noise cancellation, spatial audio, water resistance, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity says both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Which should you buy: Audio-Technica - ATH-M50xBT2 or Sennheiser - HD 800 S?
Audio-Technica - ATH-M50xBT2 leads the current Mars Score by 4.5 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare driver size, battery life, weight against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Audio-Technica - ATH-M50xBT2 if…
Audio-Technica - ATH-M50xBT2 has the measurable edge on weight g, has multipoint, supports ldac.
Choose Sennheiser - HD 800 S if…
Sennheiser - HD 800 S has the measurable edge on driver size mm.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Audio-Technica - ATH-M50xBT2 wins
- ▲Weight — 23.00 g less. 307 vs 330.
- ▲Has Multipoint.
- ▲Has LDAC.
- ▲Battery life: 50 h vs 0 h.
Why Sennheiser - HD 800 S wins
- ▲Driver size — 24.44% more. 56 mm vs 45 mm.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Audio-Technica - ATH-M50xBT2 | Sennheiser - HD 800 S |
|---|---|---|
| Type | over-ear | over-ear |
| Weight | 307 glead | 330 g |
| Water resistance | none | none |
Audio
| Spec | Audio-Technica - ATH-M50xBT2 | Sennheiser - HD 800 S |
|---|---|---|
| Driver sizeⓘ | 45 mm | 56 mmlead |
| Impedanceⓘ | 38 Ω | 300 Ωlead |
| Sensitivityⓘ | 99 dB | 102 dBlead |
| Active noise cancellationⓘ | false | false |
| Transparency mode | false | false |
| Spatial audioⓘ | false | false |
Battery
| Spec | Audio-Technica - ATH-M50xBT2 | Sennheiser - HD 800 S |
|---|---|---|
| Battery lifeⓘ | 50 hlead | 0 h |
| Fast chargeⓘ | truelead | false |
Connectivity
| Spec | Audio-Technica - ATH-M50xBT2 | Sennheiser - HD 800 S |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetoothⓘ | 5.0lead | 0 |
| Multipointⓘ | truelead | false |
| 3.5mm jack | true | true |
| LDACⓘ | truelead | false |
| aptX HDⓘ | truelead | false |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery life, ATH-M50xBT2 or HD 800 S?+
ATH-M50xBT2 lasts 50 hours vs 0 hours.
Do ATH-M50xBT2 or HD 800 S have active noise cancellation?+
Neither model has active noise cancellation.
Which supports LDAC, ATH-M50xBT2 or HD 800 S?+
ATH-M50xBT2 supports LDAC; HD 800 S does not.