Skip to main content

CES 2023: Audio-Technica adds a mic to its iconic M50x headphones to target creators

The CES 2025 logo.
Read and watch our complete CES coverage here

Audio-Technica showed live streamers and content creators that it’s been thinking about them at CES 2023, today unveiling StreamSet, two new models of wired streaming headsets based on the iconic M50x professional monitor headphones that come with the added bonus of a built-in condenser microphone.

A streamer wearing the Audio-Technica M50xSTS headset.
Audio-Technica

Dubbed by Audio-Technica as the “world’s first streaming headsets,” two models are available, and unlike the M50x, they’re both hard-wired. The analog ATH-M50xSTS comes with a two-meter cable with a 3.5mm headphone input (and a 1/4-inch adapter, too), plus a 3-pin XLR for connecting the mic to a mixer or compatible audio interface. The digital ATH-M50xSTS-USB, as its name implies, has a USB-A cable (also two-meters in length) with a USB-C adapter for direct connectivity to computers. The STS-USB model has a built-in digital-to-analog converter (DAC) with a sampling rate of up to 24-bit/96 kHz, and a feature that lets you hear your vocals in the headset and control the volume with a dial that sits on the earcup. Otherwise, both models are pretty much the same.

Recommended Videos

The M50x lineage comes in the form of the critically acclaimed 45mm large-aperture drivers that can be found in both headsets, which are widely known for their accurate sound reproduction, deep bass, and wide frequency response. Both StreamSet headsets also come with two pairs of changeable earpads for different uses — the M50x-style fabric earpads that focus on sound isolation and audio quality, and a second mesh/leatherette pair that favor breathability and comfort for longer use.

Of course, the main tweak to the M50x comes in the form of the added cardioid condenser mic that sits at the end of a bendable boom arm. Incorporating tech from Audio-Technica’s own 20 Series microphones, condenser mics are known for their ability to accurately capture vocals and acoustic instruments with minimal background noise. The boom allows for easy positioning and can be muted when flipped to the up position.

Both headsets are available for preorder now, with the ATH-M50xSTS priced at $199 and the ATH-M50xSTS-USB at $229.

Derek Malcolm
Derek Malcolm is a contributing editor and evergreen lead for the A/V and Home Theater section of Digital Trends. Derek…
Hurry: The JBL Xtreme 4 won’t be $300 for much longer
The JBL Xtreme 4 Bluetooth speaker on its shoulder strap.

Now that the ice is finally thawing, it’s time to saddle up the steed and venture into the great outdoors! But what wilderness excursion is complete without a proper soundtrack? A Bluetooth speaker is a great way to entertain friends and family with tunes and podcasts while you’re on the move, mainly if you invest in a model with a high IP rating. One speaker that is perfect for the job is the JBL Xtreme 4, which is on sale this week: 

For a limited time, the JBL Xtreme 4 is marked down to $300 at retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and Crutchfield, saving you $80. This is actually part of a larger JBL sale that looks to be affecting most of the brand’s devices (so it might be a good time to look for headphone deals, too). 

Read more
Sony’s ULT Power Sound range gets three new big-bass Bluetooth speakers
Post Malone with the Sony ULT Field 3 Bluetooth speaker.

Sony is breathing new life into its Bluetooth speaker lineup, today announcing that it's giving three of its portable models the ULT Power Sound series branding and treatment that it launched last year. With upgrades including a fresh new look, dedicated bass-boost buttons, new LED lighting effects, and improved battery power, the new speakers range in price from $200 to $900, as well as in size, from compact all the way up to party speaker. And if that wasn't enough fanfare, Sony has partnered with Post Malone for the launch.

At the smallest and least expensive end of the spectrum is the Sony ULT Field 3, a $200 cylindrical speaker that can be used standing up, laying on its side, and can be taken anywhere you go with an included shoulder strap. A replacement from the older Sony SRS-XE300 and a step up from the ULT Field 1, the Field 3 features a single woofer, a single tweeter, and two passive bass radiators on either end. Sony is putting a focus on big low-end sound, and the Field 3 includes a bass boost button that Sony is calling ULT1, "for deeper, lower frequency bass," it says.

Read more
Samsung’s The Frame Pro ditches the cables to disguise your TV as art
The Frame Pro

Some people love having the newest and biggest TV they can find proudly displayed in their home, whilst others would prefer a TV that is less noticeable and blends in with their decor. TV makers have been paying more attention to that latter group in recent years, a move which was started by Samsung's introduction of its The Frame TVs which are designed to look like an art piece when not in use.

The original Frame came out in 2017 and has been updated with new models each year, but now Samsung is debuting an overhauled version named The Frame Pro. It looks amazing, but it's not cheap.

Read more