First and foremost, the sound quality is superb. I had a chance to audition these cans before purchase. They are excellent! I've been listening to planar headphones for a while (HifiMan Sundara) and didn't know if I wanted to go back to dynamic. Now I find myself switching back and forth between the two. If I had to choose just one pair, it would probably be these. Why? The sonic quality is full, rich, and robust. Bass is solid, but not boosted. Mids are clean and earthy. Highs are a bit weak compared to planars, but I expected that. So why only 4 stars. As others have mentioned, the headband is wimpy and delicate. I have to be extra careful how I handle them. Plus, I think a premium set of headphones should include a 4.4mm cable in the box along with the standard 3.5mm.
C
choma12
★★★★★
Awesome sound! But with an impedance catch!
Incredible sound! Really flat and with more bass than what I expected for an open back headphones. Yet, the difference in the bass area is pretty noticeable if you don’t use the correct DAC: they state is a 470 ohms headphones, that is already a lot but doable with a Macbook (has 3 vrms), but the 100hz area actually can go up to a whopping 1300 ohms!! So look for a DAC with at least 6 vrms, like the Fosi Audio KS02 (the cheapest and most portable I could find with that power), or the Fiio K11 (even better but no USB-C). If you use it with something like the Scarlett 4i4, you will notice a rolloff in the bass.
If you have the power to drive them, totally worth it for the price! I was close to review them with 4 starts for advertising them as 470 ohms, but whatever, they are also so comfortable and lightweight I just couldn’t do it.
Also: be careful with the magnetic strap. If you put them on without some care, the magnets can loose up, but is really easy to put it back.
B
Beege
★★★★★
Incredible!
These headphones deliver incredible sound! This is my first set of headphones from Audio-Technica and they do not disappoint. I’ve heard good things about this brand for awhile now and was really excited to finally try them out. The comfort level on these is on a whole nother level, they weigh almost nothing. I can easily wear these for hours with no discomfort and sometimes can forget I’m wearing them. I also think that the ear cups are a good sizeNow, I’m not an audiophile, but these have got to be the best sounding headphones I have ever owned. The sound is crisp, clear and full. These are also my first pair of open-back headphones and they definitely let some ambient sound through, which took a little getting used to. If you plan on using these in a pretty noisy environment, these probably won’t work the best for you. The cables can be removed from the headphones and twist to lock into place. These also come with a screw on ¼” adaptor, which is really nice. I’m using these to edit YouTube videos which mostly have vocals in them, but also some music and these are working wonderfully. These definitely aren’t cheap by any means, but you really do get what you pay for with these as I think you’d struggle to find better sounding headphones.
Tim Five
★★★★★
Incredible Sound and Comfort
The Audio-Technica R70xa is hands down one of the best open-back headphones I’ve ever used. The sound is balanced, detailed, and natural, with a wide soundstage that makes music feel immersive. The bass is tight and controlled, the mids are clear and rich, and the treble is smooth yet detailed.
Comfort is another big plus—these are super lightweight (199g) and the ear pads are soft, making them great for long listening sessions
Pros: Amazing clarity, lightweight, very comfortable
Cons: Needs an amp, head strap could be better
D
dragonballT
★★★★★
Excellent Sound and Quality
These open back headphones give you the ultimate sound stage and these audio-technica open back headphones give you that and more. The build quality of these headphones is excellent. The weight of these headphones is super lightweight and have very comfortable removable earcups. The clamping force of the headset is light but firm so the earpads stay on without moving around. The padding on the crown is a little thin but not uncomfortable at all and I can wear these headphones for many hours in a day or night. On the side of sound these headphones give you a neutral and very balanced sound. The headphones create a nice soundstage where you can really hear the separation of the instruments. I use these headphones with my digital audio player (Dap) and play primarily uncompressed music files and the result of whatever kind of music that I listen to with these headphones is very solid and clear. The cable that comes with the case is super long and well built. I have a pair of open back headphones that are three times more expensive then these openback headphones but for value that you are getting build quality to sound I feel you cannot go wrong. with these lightweight amazing sounding headphones in my opinion these are a must buy.
Customer
★★★★★
The Misunderstood Reference Samurai.
The consensus is clear, the sound quality of the Audio Technica's R70XA is AWESOME, and even when "sound quality" can be tilted as "subjective to the ears" i'd be hard pressed to find somebody, either non-initiated on the world of "audio fidelity" or, or, or... the legendary AUDIOPHILE who can't agree that these just sound just amazing at the whole spectrum: It goes LOW, although Sub-Bass isn't "physical" it is there and it's full yet fast, not boomy at all. MIDS are absolutely beautiful without being shouty or overwhelming, people only attribute the "shoutiness" to sibilance on the HIGHS, which are very present and are magically tuned to be very much there without being overly sharp, the best thing? The R70XA responds to EQ beautifully, not every headphone does that well.
Having said that, I want to mention that i've owned all kinds of mid-range sound equipment over the years, including a small collection of Headphones, DACs and Amplifiers for Both Speakers and Headphones, within a wide range of prices, including some references in the Industry such as the Sennheiser HD600s which are probably the direct competitor to these as a "Reference" headphone, i also own the Meze AER 105s, the HIFIMAN Edition XS, and used to own the Audio Technica's R70X (lost along a bunch of other stuff during family separation process) which are very much within the same bracket as the R70XA when it comes to target audience and price point.
If i could describe The R70XA in simple terms it that they sound great and i reckon that doesn't mean much by itself. These have a pretty flat response, which means that they don't add a lot of "color" or "excitement" to the sound signature aside from what the original mix was intended to sound like, HOWEVER, it does that in a very "soft yet lively" way, without noticeable roll off between frequencies, and with an outstanding amount of "air" or "soundstage" for a Dynamic Driver in this price range.
A forewarning: These are High Impedance Headphones, what that means is that for these to shine across the frequency range, you'll need a DAC/AMP, an entry level DAC will do, you'll find a bunch of those under $100, but these won't run well from a Smartphone or a basic, not amplified 3.5mm jack. I run them on my APOS Gremlin Amp and a FiiO K11 Amp and they drive these super easily, there are plenty of sub $100 amps that would drive them.
As a reference, i will compare the R70XA to a few (open back) Headphones i own and i'll do my best to remember how a couple i do NOT own anymore, but owned in the past compared based on the reason why i replaced them, all of these are within the same price range/tier:
vs. Audio Technica R70X | I "lost" these during family separation so it wasn't a full on-purpose replacement, and it wasn't until i got these R70XA that i realized how much i missed these. The R70XAs are a completely different set of drivers but have a lot in common with its predecessors, yet improved if you will. The Tonality and frequency response on the high end has improved, also improving spacing and detail marginally, but that's what we are chasing here, marginal, yet noticeable gains in overall experience and quality. The "Wing" design was phased out in favor for the floating strap on the R70XA and the change has its fan and detractors.
vs. Sennheiser HD600 | These were my first open-back headphones and were definitely a gateway to the rest. Tonality, separation and frequency response wise compared to the R70XA feels outdated, don't get me wrong, the HD600 is a very respectable set of cans, but in my opinion the R70XAs does everything else better, separation, imaging, tonality and response is just more polished on the R70XAs, i'd say they were level with the R70X although different characteristics and tonality, but definitely lose compared to the R70XA.
vs. Meze AER 105 | I sold my Sennheiser HD600s just a few months ago, right after i got the AER 105s because i thought they sounded overall better. A little bit of coloration, sure. The HD600s were a little more spacious, but something on the frequency spectrum was "boring" and while it the AER 105s didn't have the same imaging as the HD600s the downfalls of some of frequency response on the HD600s were fine at first but the more i went back and forth, i ended up liking the AER 105s better when compared to the HD600s. NOW, compared to the R70XAs, they are just too different experiences, if i had to pick ONE i'd say that for more critical listening i'll go for the R70XAs, and for some Rock and EDM, i'll go with the AER 105s, they have different areas where they shine, and let's be honest, the AER 105s are gorgeous.
vs. HIFIMAN Edition XS | Who said that you can't compare Planars vs Dynamic Drivers? Truth is that While they are a difference experience, especially when it comes to imaging and the higher range, where Planars are pretty difficult to beat, as an overall experience, i'd take the R70XA. The Edition XS are an AMAZING experience for critical listening, and don't get me wrong, the R70XAs (without any EQ) are as well. Where the Edition XS beat the R70XA in spacing, the R70XA beat in overall experience, i'd get the R70XA everytime i am about to listen to something new compared to the Edition XS when i was absolute critical listening.
So why did i title this review "The Misunderstood Samurai"? Well, where most people have found setbacks is on the "build design/quality" of the R70XA, and there's no debate that Audio Technica went extra minimalistic with these, especially at this price point, but what some people are missing is that The Japanese design is minimalistic by essence, and once you add industrial/tech to that, and your target is to make one of the lightest full sized, reference headphones in the market you'd end up with this. It is NOT perfect, for instance, i didn't like the magnets holding the strap, they come undone with the minimum amount of pressure when you pull the headphones down for adjustment and it's pretty annoying, however it is very comfortable and weightless once they are on they are on.
Don't get me wrong, they are pretty well built, they are just weightless and have this delicate look and feel. Even the packaging looks and feels very cheap, which isn't very impressive at its $349 asking price, the storage/carrying bag also looks and feels cheap and the audio cable could have been a little bit better, for instance the MEZE AER 105 comes for just $50 more and there is NO DENYING that the presentation of those is better by a hundred miles, but everything kind of disappears when you listen to the R70XAs, these are a beautiful listen that i come back to on a daily basis, and are my new reference cans, everything comes through here first, i'd recommend these to anyone looking for a pair of reference headphones that while not entirely cheap, would satisfy you without breaking the bank.
Robert Strecker
★★★★★
this is the headphone design I have been looking for-
I can remember the first time I used a pair of quality headphones. It was back in the early nineties, when my father suggested I listen to a certain Beatles album, because I could hear all sorts of things in better detail. That was a memorable experience, which also introduced quality headphones into my life, to then become a permanent fixture. Now that I am in my forties and have been a constant music maker as well as fan; I have been through several generations of them leading to a good deal of validity when I speak about them.
I am proud to say that this pair of Audio Technica ATH-R70xA style headphones has perfected a classic design which ends up fitting my personal audio preferences perfectly.
These are not meant to be a visual wonder, with the style being a sort of stripped back or minimal look with it having a reverse or skeletal appearance. What I mean by that is; there is a thin metal bowed strip that connects the two sides. Then under it, is a thin yet effective leather strip. Visually, that may seem a bit reduced, however that's the genius of the design. The head strap piece is actually a big part in the comfort level because it makes it very lightweight. If you are using this in a home studio setting like myself; that often calls for wearing them for hours at a time. This light head strap makes those long hours easy and does not irritate my head like the thicker padded styles do.
I am a big fan of this brand and their record needles, so I was expecting these headphones to have phenomenal sound. I was 100 percent right in that assumption, with the little audio details having a crystal-clear quality.
When I am playing a synthesizer, whether digital or analog, these headphones capture that meditative sound amazingly.
I like how the cord used removable 3.5 connectors with an included quarter inch adapter. This even comes with a velvet protective bag. If you have a cat that likes to chew on the puffy earpieces, like I do, then I recommend using the storage bag.
I am not a big fan of low bass however, I did play a bass guitar with this, and it sounded great. For jazz music and progressive rock music this is the ticket because you can hear all of those instruments clearly.
This is definitely a five-star pair of headphones.
Shane Cutting
★★★★★
Excellence in Sound
The R70x has been a staple in the audiophile community for longer than I have been involved. The updated R70xa makes small, but notable improvements that will ensure it remains a staple for years to come.
In the box, you are provided everything you will need. At the price, this presents a good value as you are provided the headphones, a carry bag for travel, and both long and short cables to suit your preference. The long cable comes with a detachable 1/4 inch termination for plugging in to your at home amplifiers. Overall, I am quite satisfied with the accessories as the r70xa offers more than many brands provide at this price point. While I will personally buy an aftermarket cable, this is not a requirement as it is with many other headphones is this price range which is great. That being said, there are a wide variety of accessories available for purchase as the R70xa uses the same platform as the previous generation. So your cables and aftermarket accessories should transition over nicely.
Build quality of the R70xa is also excellent! I have no concern regarding durability under normal daily use. The rear mesh provides good protection while not creating unwanted acoustic impedance, and the connectors are designed for rigorous use. One notable exception to this in my opinion is the newly designed head strap. While it is incredibly comfortable to wear, the use of magnets as a securing mechanism is baffling to me. On more than a number of occasions, the magnet would break free making the headband virtually useless. After over a dozen times of this happening, I secured the headband with Velcro ties to prevent the issue which has mostly worked. While I appreciate the ease of adjusting the strap, a snap-button clasp, or something similar would have been a far more effective solution in my opinion. Even the nuggets that come on the R50 would be more preferred in my opinion. If the nuggets become parts available for purchase, I will likely switch as it would make these headphones almost perfect for me. Outside of the strap and some slight creakiness, I can find little fault with the build of these headphones. I have no doubts that they will last for decades if reasonably maintained.
Comfort on the R70xa is another highlight. These headphones are made for longer listening sessions. These headphones are incredibly light, and practically disappear on your head after a few minutes. There is a small amount of swivel on the cups this generation as well. This both increased comfort and provided a better fit on my head than the previous generation. The Alcantara type pads feel plush and don't get too hot after hours of wear. The only complaint I have, albeit minor, is that I wish they would increase the inner diameter of the ear pads. This will not be an issue for many people, but for those with larger ears, your ears will touch/rest on the pads slightly. Fortunately for me, the lightweight nature, and ear pad material, makes this much less of an issue for me (even less than the R50). Overall, I would rate the comfort at 8.5 out of 10. It is easily, the most comfortable headphones I have tried in a long while.
Sound quality of the R70xa is nothing short of excellent. It is easily suitable for mixed use as a reference headphone in addition to being fantastic for music enjoyment. The sound profile is well balanced with a better than average amount of detail. These headphones really shine when it comes to female vocals and instrumental music. Kick drums are punchy without bleeding into the mid-range, and bass guitar notes are clean and easy to follow. The treble is well presented. It is relatively smooth, while not being dull. Cymbals are crisp and trail off naturally. In general, I cannot find any significant fault in the default tuning. It should be well received by a large segment of people with little to no EQ needed.
Technicalities are also well implemented on the R70xa. The sound stage has good depth and width without sounding artificial or disconnected, and instrument placement comes off as accurate and well-defined. These traits are carried over into instrument separation which is equally well done with small exceptions. Overall, the R70xa not only maintains is reputation as a mainstay in the audiophile community, but improves upon its legacy in a number of ways. For all these reasons and more, I can easily recommend this headphone.
L
Lindsey Stiasny
★★★★★
Best headphones money can buy.
I have been blessed to own or hear pretty much every good set of headphones ever made in the under or around 1000 dollar category. As well as the best balanced dacs and balanced amps made over the last 15 years to now. from lcd-2 to hd650, 600, 660s2, ath-900, beyer 770s, 880s, meze 99's , audio quest nighthawks, focal, you name it i probably have it or have at least had listening sessions with them. That being said these are my favorite cans I own by far now. Only had them for a few weeks but its long enough to see how light, comfortable and absolutely killer sounding these are. best balance of everything in a set of cans I have ever seen. they sound big, super accurate, insane micro detail, bass extension is awesome, imaging is the best ever. If you get the best attributes from every brands top tier headphones and combined them this is what you would get. Best of all they are made in japan and built extremely well despite them being the lightest headphones ever. I have nothing bad to say about these, they scale wonderfully with better gear and with some good balanced analog EQ they can be bass canons for open headphones.
