Image one bluetooth vs M40-Looking for opinions for Christmas present

[Jim]

Looking for opinions on these headphones for a Christmas present for my sons. My older one has beats and they were

 

broken on him, so I am contemplating a new set. Sound wise and durability wise, which would be recommended?

 

I have the older image ones and like them, so I thought one of thesew would be a good fit for them. The Image One

 

bluetooths are on Newegg for $100.00 on the bay,and I can get a 2 year extended warranty for $23.00, and the M40's are

 

$89.00 with no additional warranty available. Money wise, the Image Ones make better sense with the additional warranty,

 

but what about sound wise?

[Krispy Kirk]

I just bought a pair of Audio Technica ATH-M40x to use with my new FiiO X1 PMP and I like them...a lot.

 

While I can't compare them to the bluetooth model* you mention, I can compare them to what was for years the King of $100 monitor headphones and my own personal reference headphones for the past 25 years: the legendary Sony MDR-V7506.  The M40x are 1) more efficient; 2) more detailed; and 3) have a more realistic treble.  They are every bit as comfortable, slightly less expensive, and come with two different length cables that can be removed/replaced using a socket at the bottom of the left earcup.  I also compared my new M40x with an older pair of Sony MDR-V6 (a "consumer grade" model very similar to the "studio grade" 7506).  The V6 was known for its big plush ear pieces and a slightly boosted bass.  The M40x crushed the V6 as well.

 

*to my ears, bluetooth is not an audiophile-grade technology.  I've never heard a bluetooth (or wireless) device that didn't sacrifice some noticeable bit of dynamics and frequency response.  Bluetooth headphones sound as bland and boring to me as those ridiculously overpriced Bose noise cancelling headphones.  You can do better!

Edited December 23, 2015 by Krispy Kirk