Audio-Technica Cuts the Cord on Its StreamSet Headset With the $299 ATH-M50xSTS-WL

The first wireless model in the streaming line pairs the drivers from the ATH-M50x studio headphones with a condenser microphone, uses a 2.4GHz dongle instead of Bluetooth and runs up to 24 hours per charge.

TOKYO - Audio-Technica has released the ATH-M50xSTS-WL, the first wireless headset in its StreamSet line for streamers, gamers and podcasters. The company announced it on Wednesday, and it is on sale in the United States for $299, according to Audio-Technica’s U.S. product page and Engadget. In Japan, Audio-Technica said it goes on sale on Friday, Oct. 30.

The StreamSet series has until now come in two wired versions, one with XLR and one with USB. The new model keeps the same formula, a pair of studio monitor headphones with a broadcast-style microphone on a boom, and removes the cable.

The ATH-M50xSTS-WL with its flexible boom microphone. Image: Audio-Technica

The headphone half comes from the ATH-M50x, the closed-back studio monitors that have been a fixture in recording rooms for years and have sold more than 2.5 million units, Audio-Technica said in its announcement. The headset uses the same 45-millimeter drivers with rare-earth magnets and copper-clad aluminum wire voice coils, with a listed frequency response of 20 to 22,000 hertz.

The microphone is where it parts ways with most gaming headsets. Instead of the usual dynamic capsule, it uses a cardioid condenser based on Audio-Technica’s 20 Series microphones, the line that includes the widely used AT2020. An adaptive noise reduction feature, with two levels selectable from the earcup, is meant to keep air conditioners and PC fans out of the stream. Flipping the boom arm up mutes the microphone, and a sidetone function feeds the wearer’s own voice back into the headphones.

Controls on the earcup handle volume and noise reduction. Image: Audio-Technica

Audio-Technica chose 2.4GHz wireless over Bluetooth to keep latency low, so sound stays in step with the picture during live streams and games. A small USB-A transceiver plugs into a PC or game console, and the company includes an adapter for USB-C ports. Engadget reported that the headset works with consoles including the PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2. Audio-Technica lists Windows 11 and recent versions of macOS as supported, and a line-of-sight range of about 10 meters.

Screenshot: @AudioTechnicaJP on X

Battery life is rated at up to 24 hours, and a full charge takes about three and a half hours. The included USB cable lets the headset keep working over a wired connection while it charges, which matters for long streams.

The headset with its USB transceiver and charging cable. Image: Audio-Technica

Two sets of earpads come in the box: the standard ATH-M50x pads for isolation and sound quality, and breathable mesh pads for long sessions. The headset folds for travel and weighs about 365 grams without the cable. In the United States it carries a two-year limited warranty.

The ATH-M50xSTS-WL folds flat for carrying. Image: Audio-Technica

Video: Audio-Technica EMEA / YouTube