If natural tonality is an important sound quality for you, then the R70x definitely deserves a listen. I don't mean natural as in neutral, they have more warmth than that. Not the last say in detail, but they make up for it by being easy to enjoy.
I just bought these and the HD6XX's as my first foray into nicer headphones, with the plan being to keep just one. I've been A/B testing them with my also new S.M.S.L M500 and I agree with some of this review however I don't think I value the same things in a headphone so have come to a somewhat different conclusion. I can't say if the detail is slightly better on the 6XX because it's very close and the build of the 6XX feels much more robust, I can say that for me the R70X wins out on all other fronts. Comfort, dynamics, overall accurate tonality, sound stage and "air" are all much better on the R70X. I admit to enjoying and having a much better speaker set up and the R70Xs have enough soundstage width and air, while also being ultra light, to imagine instrument placement in a room not unlike listening to speakers. The 6XX just sound like good headphones. It's actually a fantastic and unique experience with the R70X. With the vocals and the midbass boosted on the 6XX they are very pleasant to listen too and I actually prefer them when listening to this UA-cam video or a podcast but for music hands down the R70X. The R70X has a more natural, bigger more lively and more engaging sound while the 6XX has some nice midrange detail but the overall sound is dull and closed in in comparison. Definitely an exceptional addition to my music enjoyment and worth every penny.
completely agree. i feel like the Senn 6__ range has become more myth than reality. great midrange and... that's it. that's also why i chose the R70X (and i listen mainly to speakers as well :)). 90% of the mids quality, but 200%+ quality everything else
Spot on review of a forgotten headphone, one of the best headphone purchases I've ever made and one of my most reached for, its not leaving my collection, its so easy to listen to and so well balanced it makes any music enjoyable and one of the few i can listen to for hours. You can always tell when a reviewer likes a headphone when his smiling when reviewing it, glad you reviewed this headphone now the cats out of the bag !!!!!
I've bought the R70x on ebay more or less "by accident". I bid on a "open box" unit and paid $240 for it. Best headphone purchase I've done in a while.
I absolutely love the R70x, had em for a few years now, great workhorse. I found the instruments are well layered, and with some small eq adjustments it can definitely add a better sense of detail retrieval.
Hey there, I'm also loving my pair, and would really enjoy having a better sense of detail on my pair aswell. Could you be so kind as to share how you eq'ed yours?
@@Hmklseah for real.r70x is one of the most disappointing headphone for detail retrieval I heard for the MSRP price it goes. Spot on tonality but piss poor resolution
r70x one of the most underrated headphones ever. The 3D wing system works so well in my head. By far the most comfortable headphones i own.. AD2000x is also one of the best headphones i've ever listened too (but change the pad to a brainwavz XL hyrid or XL velour, if you do buy one). Audio technica are just so bad at promoting their high end products. For the same price my AD2000x > my Ananda any day.
I own a few AT's, currently running Focal Clear Mg as daily and looking for Ananda or maybe even Arya mostly for the soundstage/scale for certain music. Why do you like the AD2000x more than Ananda?
Yeah, it's definitely underrated and overshadowed by hd600 and sundara. it's maybe not better but in some countries R70x is 70$ cheaper than those both, making this an easy value for money
Wow, I'm hearing things very differently. I have both the HD650 and the R70x. I don't hear any significant difference in soundstage width between the two. I hear the R70x as having better extended bass and slightly better dynamic punch than the HD650. Detail I'm not too confident in assessing (I think it needs a more trained ear than mine), but I can see how some give the edge to the HD650.
Owned them for almost 2 years now. I do notice the slight lack of detail as well, but what's interesting to me is that while the resulting "muddiness" is usually unpleasant with most other headphones, it's not the case with the R70x. The details are definitely there, but just not overly sharp/pronounced. They're a great pair for everyday tasks and casual music enjoyment, and I can listen to them for a whole day without feeling any ear fatigue (which I get very quickly on the WP900 that I absolutely love). Side note, the headphone output on the new MacBook Pro 14 and 16, though definitely not ideal, seems to have plenty of power to drive my pair of R70x. Pleasant surprise :3
I changed the default earpads with BRAINWAVZ Hybrid memory foam, and they became way more confortable to use. The 2 main things i love about these cans, is the airness and the bass; is awesome punchy, precise and with a good extension.
@@mensrea1251 It was pretty easy, just need to tuck them in the "earpad rail" and they hold on really good. To the date i haven't had an issue. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZGGG3KY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_image?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Edited to add photo link facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10159704212066660&set=a.10150735049886660
@@marioflores280 Did you really order the oval ones for these? I'm having trouble with the stock earpads myself and wonder which might fit best (round, XL, oval).
r70x is a lot more popular in Asian audiophile community (Audio Technica is a Japan company so "big surprise") After weeks of struggle, I pull the plug and bought it over HD600 And tbh, I love it very much. To the point I don't really look forward for any new update, it just might be my end game. It is a very "FLAT" sounding headphone, which might not be for everyone but the sound is easy to listen, the big sound stage and the lightness creating an immersion, and the vocal feels very "real" not pleasant, but "real" Music sounds like what the musician was aiming for, and I really love this kind of rawness. Its not an expensive headphone afterall, so I don't think anyone buying it will "regret" it It might not be your favorite like I do, but it is an objectively "good headphone" like a slight upgraded version of Hd560s, or an alternative of HD600 in my mind
I know that r70x's sound stage actually is "bigger" than what a realistic soundstage should be like, but it is not as ridiculously big as i was expecting when I'm doing the research. Also, it really can run without an amp just blow my mind. like, I need to turn the volume all the way up, but its not to max yet. which is what you can't say to its main competitor Hd650 or Hd 6XX
Bought these, they turned out deffective replaced them with hd650's and they were so uncomfortable I had to change the headphone position every 30 min because it was hurting the top of my head, returned them and got a new pair of the r70x's because they are so damn comfortable, good review tho :)
I use these to compose and mix my music on and the mixes translate very well onto other systems. You have me wanting to try the Sundara for the same purpose now.
If you go by Crinacle’s headphone ranking, these score the exact same A- with two stars as the HD600. The fact that the Sundara, for me a more pleasing sounding headphone scores B+ with two stars, is proof of how subjective rankings can be.
Crin's list seems to weight soundstage a lot more than Resolve does and Resolve said if you value soundstage and tonality this is competitive in its price range, so I don't see a whole lot of discrepancies between their evaluations. Also the hd600 gets S- for its tonality which is a tier higher than the r70x's as well.
@@islaymmm Hard agree. Crin indexes MUCH harder for sound stage. That's why this and the HD800 have such relatively high technical scores and why the Sony CD900st has an abysmal technical score yet has UNBELIEVABLE mid range resolution and detail for the price.
I was waiting for this review from you for the longest time! As an auteur fan, this might be a great more cost saving alternative so I've been dying for this review.
I got it for 170 USD used with a custom cable to boot and it has been quite the experience using it everyday; it was really the headphone for me! I am a tad sensitive to treble and I do appreciate how well balanced this headphone is that I am willing to sacrifice some detail I would have otherwise gotten from stuff like the Sundara (I did not jive with those headphones unfortunately) or the Senny's offerings (some feel spicier than others to my ears). What really sold me was the comfort of the headphone, as it feels really light to wear and is really nice to use if you have a smaller head (much less clamp than other headphones thanks to its design). Thanks for the video!
I found that replacing the factory pads with some large ones greatly improves the bass while also adding a little more soundstage and made them even more comfortable. This change made the headphones perfect for me. I used the BRAINWAVZ XL Micro Suede Memory Foam Earpads. For the amp I'm using Schitt's Asgard in high gain mode.
I have these pads and they make the r70x sound awful to me. They make the sound cupped and boomy, scoop the mids, and make the headphones sound like closed backs. I'm glad you enjoy this sound profile but to me they made the r70x sound like a worse version of Beyer DT770s. The r70x default pads work fine for me and sound great. I love my r70x's.
@@MrPassiontea Thanks for sharing! Fascinating, I guess the ear size makes a significant difference. I guess mine are huge because they won't fit the original and would start hurting after a while.
Great review. I absolutely love these but your subjective criticisms were well rationalized and fair. I might have to finally check out the Sundara now though =)
All my Audio Technicas built like tank! And considering that being a reference headphone, I’d go for that over anything considering lightweight as for mixing mastering one may need to put on longer!
It all depends on your ears if you have no sensitive ears than any headphones will not suite you I am just bought ath m50 x bt2 and they are good for mixing I can even use blu tooth for mixing and walk around and they are accurate when I compared to speakers.
used these for years. build could be a little more solid and the 'wall of sound' quality is something I agree with but I love the soundstage and natural tonal response, and they're sensitive enough to be driven by a phone, iPod and some laptops with decent DACs if necessary. subjectively they're the least fatiguing headphone I've used so I always gravitate towards them
I found these good unpicky easy listening headphones when I owned them, I dedicated them to VR duty at one point because they sounded the same off the dangling AUX as the big boy gear and the wings system let them easily fit over the VR headband without creating a pressure point.
I’m so torn between the Hifiman Sundara and the R70x. The Sundara definitely has an FR that I would prefer, but I’ve heard the R70x has slightly wider sound staging and imaging.
@@edmundsiadari6234 Go to an audio store and have a listen. I was torn between the R70X and Sundara based on reviews. But when I actually listened to them, I picked the R70X right away. Turned out I'm very treble sensitive and the Sundara was not for me. The R70x sounded like heaven, smooth and warm, no nasty peaks. So, if you already know what kind of sound you like ,then there's no problem. If you don't, then you need to demo these headphones first because they don't have the same sound signature.
@@soulfulfool yeah agreed, planar sound just isn’t for me. I find the R70x very natural, like the HD600 & 650. Only downside is there’s no clear upgrade from these headphones until you have enough money for ZMF stuff.
Can confirm these are extremely comfortable to wear, but I do have a smaller head size with a finger in between the top and the wings. I wonder if anyone thinks I made a mistake for buying the r70x for mixing and audio production work (vs the Sennheiser HD 650 or 600).
Used these with yamaha pc2002 power amp through selector. Sounds good. Compared to 1990 and 1770 it has same qantity in bass as those, so Ive sold them in the end. Also I would not say they are not detailed. Also compared to modded hd800 they have same tonality, but hd 800 got more stage. So the downsides of r70x for me is trebble a bit sharp and soundstage is "medium". They are close to hd 650, but without "veiled" sound and it it plays music straight into head, without some "space" like hd 650 and hd800 have.
@@alexp2082 Overall r70x maybe with fresh stock pads. Bass. 1770 is bassiest, 1990 got same but with sharp roll or 10%cut of at the lower end of the notes. Wich is annoying. r70x with fresh stock pads got almost same quantity of bass as 1770. But without "3d effect caused by closed cup shape. Difference is minimal in bass. R70x maybe not as sharp detailed as 1990, but calrity of each better or more organic/neutral in a good way. Where 1990 sound "cold" overall/boosted details. Detail quality - hard to say here, seems like r70x and 1990 close, but 1990 got more curvy FR to my ears, so some details seems bloated (very rarely, so there is dip in FR region that not commonly used) or go away, some boosted. Soundstage, well 1770 narrow, 1990 medium, r70x medium+. Difference is not big, something like 10%. I dont do mixing or mastering. So, if you need detail reveal with some boost, not pure neutrality pick 1990 pro. If you need balance of all r70x. If bass and sharp highs but at more "extreme" level than 1990 pro than 1770 pro. Also check how well headphones can be tweaked with equlizer, maybe you can get both scenarios with dt1990. Also with some physical mods sharp highs on 1700 can be smoothed to okay level. With foam or pads. Read on DIY audioheaven.
Crinacle describes the r70x with "excellent imaging", and that the hd650 are "pretty terrible at imaging", which is completely contradictory to what you've mentioned... help me out here please
Thanks for the forecast! I have a quick question: I have a SafePal wallet with USDT, and I have the seed phrase. (alarm fetch churn bridge exercise tape speak race clerk couch crater letter). What's the best way to send them to Binance?
Wouldn't the harmonic dyne zeus be a better option if you were looking for the soundstage the R70X has, but without compromising imaging and detail? The FR on it is much more fun-oriented but with EQ i think that would be a better value than this
A few years ago I made a few tracks using these headphones, not knowing about headphone impedance, needing an amplifier. In spite of just producing them just via Macbook headphone jack, I made some really good music. Now I'm rebuying them, and I'm getting a Mojo 2. I wanna know what they can really do. Cause they were good just through a headphone jack, I can't even imagine what they would be like properly amplified.
This vs DT900 pro x, which would be the best for competitive pc gaming? I need the best footstep monitoring in games and low gunshot volume which doesnt hurt my ears (because almost all the headsets i have used have very loud gunshots and footsteps gets overshadowed by gunshots)
Hello and thanks for all your great work, I thoroughly enjoy wathing your reviews and value your opinion greatly and so I have a question, purches reccomandation if you will. I’m looking for an open sounding, wide, relaxing, a tad warm but not bassy headphone that is comfortable to wear. Not being comfortable would be a deal breaker since I want this headphone to serves as therapy after a long day of work :) I have mojo and I’m not willing to change that part of my setup. I’m not obsessed with details, too many times “too good headphone” revealed to me what I didn’t want to hear in a song I liked and made my exprience worse… I don’t want to judge recording, I want to enjoy music. I listen to electronic music, orchestral, enjoy chansones and some jazz and blues, but modern music also… I can find something in any genre that I like… one thing I noticed is I like vocals in general but prefer male opera and I have a special place in my heart for songs that have piano in them. This review of 70x sounded like a move to a right direction but I wanted to know if there is something that fits my description better, price not being a limiting factor before we start approachinh 1000$. As a reference point, and although its IEM, I enjoy FR of etymotic er2sr but would enjoy just a touch more low end, althoug etymotic er2xr is too much low end for me and gives me headaches… I would appreciate your help and sorry for a long post 🤗
Looking at it, seems the main reason you'd buy this over HD600/50/xx is a different fit. HD600 has this annoying habit of not quite sealing at the back of my jaw.
Nice review, I'm a practicing guitar player who practice with headphones. Is the ATH-R70X "better" than the Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro 250 ohm Open-back Studio Headphones, for guitar practice.
Your impressions on these are exactly what I found too! They just sounded a bit undefined and not dynamic compared to many other headphones. I prefer the HD58X.
Hey a bit unrelated to the video but wondering if you have more updated thoughts on adx5000 vs 800s? Thoughts on the whole fiasco of low sn 800/high sn 800/800 sdrs/800s?
i like superlux hd668b but its very fragile n broken now after 4 years used.. the R70x is similliar sound signature? or any option to change my 668b.. thx for help🙏
I've never understood why some people don't like the sound of planar magnetics? The Sundara is so beautiful to listen to. I have it and I don't find the timbre that different from DD headphones.
I don't necessary differentiate that way either. Tonal balance is most important imo. With that said, each technology presents things a little differently, so that does play a part.
Hard to get planars with nice timbre, most of them lack that natural vibration in vocals, they sound clearer but yet not natural. Anyways if you prefer planars thats your thing and stick with that. I prefer dynamics with tube amp, thats my thing
@Gamma I know. I have owned them. The point of the question is to get an idea of how these do in soundstage VS the best soundstage headphone, the HD800.
Why it's seems so hard to make a headphone with a frequency response that matches as close as possible the Fletcher and Munson curve? I'm no expert in audio engineering to this levels but Considered that each of us actually hears the sound in a unique way i would analyze a reasonable sample of people's hearing frequency response, calculate an average and then build an headphone that matches that average, adapted to the fletcher and munson curve. Is it possible? Why even 6000 bucks headphones lack in something?
I tried them and had to return them right away because they don't fit my huge head, unfortunately. The bottom of the earpads always end up not touching my head completely or equally as the other part of the earpads.
All I have is Asus Tuf 5790 plus onboard sound and an old Asus Xonar U3 USB card....what should I get for my ATH-R70x? It will mainly be used for gaming.
Did he just say they don't feel premium? Bro they're an all metal construction with velour pads and yet still just 210g. What are you talking about?????
How is this compared to the HarmonicDyne Zeus? From what I heard that headphone is also wide and detailed and quite punchy, though it is mid bass focused.
Yeah you heard right. I wouldn't say 'punchy', but it's definitely bass boosted. But for detail, yeah it's definitely ahead of the R70x. R70x is better for tonal balance though.
The two are not really comparable given how differently tuned they are. HD Zeus is darker and bass boosted, more fun sound, while the R70x is closer to neutral sounding and suitable for monitoring.
I can get this new for around 200$ here. Do you think it has better value than around 300$ used hd650? Have you tried running both from portable amps like Topping NX7?
Those guys never used the studio equipment, what they say is really not accurate. it is like a musician talking with the musicians and sometimes their idea about music so narrow. those sound targets are very relevant. R70x is a great studio headphone, many ways better than hd600
I'm looking for something with wide soundstage, which none of my current headphones really have. Which would be the better option, the R70x or the AKG K712? Any suggestion is highly appreciated.
Haven't tried r70x, but I had the k712 and returned it. It is very wide, but in a very unnatural sounding way imo, and there seemed to be gaps in the center image, which considering I bought them primarily for competitive gaming, made them a no go for me
I think most people purchasing headphones in the sub $350 range for regular listening (music amateurs) can not discern fine differences in detail retrieval and instrument separation. So that's not important to them. What's more important is looks, tonality, comfort, and soundstage. But i agree that after eqing a larger bass shelf then Sundara > r70x
@@jmilesfox They can't. If they could then that would contradict them being amateurs. I had countless people try my headphones (I have many) and the most expensive ones were not the best sounding ones (not even once). Rule: if a general statement is right >95% of the time then it's right in general.
@@ulisesmartinez6432 That went over my head. Dude this is youtube. You have to dumb things down so that they can be understandable to most people here. So rewrite what you said in simpler language please.
better source = better sound, as headphones can sound like your amp/dac combo not giving their own sound signature just embrace the source sound characteristics
Would these be a viable upgrade from my ATH900X? I love these things had em for years and struggle to find good replacements this doesn't seem that different.
It may be, but I think you'll miss some midbass punch, the R70Xs are more neutral. And they are open back, the A900Xs are closed, so if you don't like outside noises coming in than I would not recommend them.
@@feeblemind Ok, you have the ATH-AD-900Xs? I thought you meant the ATH-A900Xs. I own the latter, they are closed. I am not familiair with the AD-900Xs, so I cannot comment on them.
Guess the honeymoon period is off for me. Initially i loved the r70x. Better bass and treble extension than my 6xx. But as i listened to it more and more it wasnt just on the same field as 6xx fidelity wise. Bass is honeslty flabby. Midrange is ok. Less warm than 6xx. But the treble is just rough, untextured and grainy as hell. Tonality is spot on but ultimately for me its a dissapointing set of cans. I also have tge dt 880 600 ohm which is absolutely fabulous as far as grain free, clean sound goes. But its tonality is just too sharp for some, me included.
I can't get my head around this notion that dynamic drivers sound more natural than planars. Completely the opposite of my experience. With planars and a good recording voices sound like real voices. Even the best dynamic headphones only ever sound like a recording of a voice.
Don't know about the bossa nova stuff but I liked the HD600 with classic rock & the R70x with acoustic. Both were enjoyable. If you have more money you can also try Aeolus for classic rock
Great breakdown, love separating objective from objective. The EV RE20 mic kind of clues me in on your opinion of what makes a “balanced sound” as well. Thank you
I own a pair of Samsung Galaxy Buds Pros. I know these 2 are almost completely different products, but how much better would these sound listening to J-pop and Rock?
For anyone wondering, the R70x is a HIGH IMPEDANCE headphone and it is something you'll need a headphone amplifier to run.
Pfft not even 1 kOhms
@@metal571 lol
@@metal571 You. Out of retirement. NOW!
sensitivity matters more not impedance impedance is just how well it will take to the amplifier
@@MRFUTURETECHNOLOGYGAMING well... they both matter.
If natural tonality is an important sound quality for you, then the R70x definitely deserves a listen.
I don't mean natural as in neutral, they have more warmth than that. Not the last say in detail, but they make up for it by being easy to enjoy.
definitely in for the tonality, timbre and naturalness first. planars are detailed and neutral but ain't natural for me.
@@barbasour it is spot on for those criteria.
I just bought these and the HD6XX's as my first foray into nicer headphones, with the plan being to keep just one. I've been A/B testing them with my also new S.M.S.L M500 and I agree with some of this review however I don't think I value the same things in a headphone so have come to a somewhat different conclusion. I can't say if the detail is slightly better on the 6XX because it's very close and the build of the 6XX feels much more robust, I can say that for me the R70X wins out on all other fronts. Comfort, dynamics, overall accurate tonality, sound stage and "air" are all much better on the R70X. I admit to enjoying and having a much better speaker set up and the R70Xs have enough soundstage width and air, while also being ultra light, to imagine instrument placement in a room not unlike listening to speakers. The 6XX just sound like good headphones. It's actually a fantastic and unique experience with the R70X. With the vocals and the midbass boosted on the 6XX they are very pleasant to listen too and I actually prefer them when listening to this UA-cam video or a podcast but for music hands down the R70X. The R70X has a more natural, bigger more lively and more engaging sound while the 6XX has some nice midrange detail but the overall sound is dull and closed in in comparison. Definitely an exceptional addition to my music enjoyment and worth every penny.
completely agree. i feel like the Senn 6__ range has become more myth than reality. great midrange and... that's it. that's also why i chose the R70X (and i listen mainly to speakers as well :)). 90% of the mids quality, but 200%+ quality everything else
Spot on review of a forgotten headphone, one of the best headphone purchases I've ever made and one of my most reached for, its not leaving my collection, its so easy to listen to and so well balanced it makes any music enjoyable and one of the few i can listen to for hours. You can always tell when a reviewer likes a headphone when his smiling when reviewing it, glad you reviewed this headphone now the cats out of the bag !!!!!
I've bought the R70x on ebay more or less "by accident". I bid on a "open box" unit and paid $240 for it. Best headphone purchase I've done in a while.
How many headphones do you own?
I’m torn between these and dt 900 pro x
@@TreSwayy what you got?
@@EnormeEkoH I got them both, I think the 900 pro x are better overall
I absolutely love the R70x, had em for a few years now, great workhorse.
I found the instruments are well layered, and with some small eq adjustments it can definitely add a better sense of detail retrieval.
If you think R70x is "well layered" then you most likely haven't heard headphones that are actually good at layering and instrument separation.
@@Hmkls please mention those headphones, i wanna know
@@Hmkls pretentious
Hey there, I'm also loving my pair, and would really enjoy having a better sense of detail on my pair aswell. Could you be so kind as to share how you eq'ed yours?
@@Hmklseah for real.r70x is one of the most disappointing headphone for detail retrieval I heard for the MSRP price it goes. Spot on tonality but piss poor resolution
r70x one of the most underrated headphones ever. The 3D wing system works so well in my head. By far the most comfortable headphones i own.. AD2000x is also one of the best headphones i've ever listened too (but change the pad to a brainwavz XL hyrid or XL velour, if you do buy one). Audio technica are just so bad at promoting their high end products.
For the same price my AD2000x > my Ananda any day.
I own a few AT's, currently running Focal Clear Mg as daily and looking for Ananda or maybe even Arya mostly for the soundstage/scale for certain music. Why do you like the AD2000x more than Ananda?
Thank you for this long awaited review, Resolve
The R70x and the Hifiman Sundara are the two headphone bargains in the world today.....they can compete with big boys for a fraction of the cost.
I was looking into this headphone just yesterday, great timing! :D
If Sennheiser made the R70x as a new headphones in the HD600 series, people would have no problem saying they're an improvement and a true successor.
Yeah, it's definitely underrated and overshadowed by hd600 and sundara.
it's maybe not better but in some countries R70x is 70$ cheaper than those both, making this an easy value for money
I pulled the plug and ordered it yesterday @2024. Currently using HD58x. Looks like a good upgrade.
How does it feel?
Man this reviewer has become the king of reviewers. Everything is perfect: tone of voice, speed, content…
Wow, I'm hearing things very differently. I have both the HD650 and the R70x. I don't hear any significant difference in soundstage width between the two. I hear the R70x as having better extended bass and slightly better dynamic punch than the HD650. Detail I'm not too confident in assessing (I think it needs a more trained ear than mine), but I can see how some give the edge to the HD650.
Some people find r70x more detailed than hd600/650
Owned them for almost 2 years now. I do notice the slight lack of detail as well, but what's interesting to me is that while the resulting "muddiness" is usually unpleasant with most other headphones, it's not the case with the R70x. The details are definitely there, but just not overly sharp/pronounced. They're a great pair for everyday tasks and casual music enjoyment, and I can listen to them for a whole day without feeling any ear fatigue (which I get very quickly on the WP900 that I absolutely love).
Side note, the headphone output on the new MacBook Pro 14 and 16, though definitely not ideal, seems to have plenty of power to drive my pair of R70x. Pleasant surprise :3
Then ifi zen dac would be enough for these 🤔?
I changed the default earpads with BRAINWAVZ Hybrid memory foam, and they became way more confortable to use. The 2 main things i love about these cans, is the airness and the bass; is awesome punchy, precise and with a good extension.
Which brainwavz pads did you use specifically? Also, what size? I’m looking to switch out the pads as well. Was it difficult to change?
@@mensrea1251 It was pretty easy, just need to tuck them in the "earpad rail" and they hold on really good. To the date i haven't had an issue. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZGGG3KY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_image?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Edited to add photo link
facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10159704212066660&set=a.10150735049886660
@@marioflores280 Did you really order the oval ones for these? I'm having trouble with the stock earpads myself and wonder which might fit best (round, XL, oval).
@@osnad I got the Oval hybrid for my arctis pros and switched them to my r70xs. They fit perfectly.
@@notjhoan too late for that, I switched to a beyer DT1990 ^^ but thanks anyway!
this review gives me hope for k712 pro review one day
Yess
r70x is a lot more popular in Asian audiophile community
(Audio Technica is a Japan company so "big surprise")
After weeks of struggle, I pull the plug and bought it over HD600
And tbh, I love it very much. To the point I don't really look forward for any new update, it just might be my end game.
It is a very "FLAT" sounding headphone, which might not be for everyone
but the sound is easy to listen, the big sound stage and the lightness creating an immersion, and the vocal feels very "real"
not pleasant, but "real"
Music sounds like what the musician was aiming for, and I really love this kind of rawness.
Its not an expensive headphone afterall, so I don't think anyone buying it will "regret" it
It might not be your favorite like I do, but it is an objectively "good headphone"
like a slight upgraded version of Hd560s, or an alternative of HD600 in my mind
I know that r70x's sound stage actually is "bigger" than what a realistic soundstage should be like, but it is not as ridiculously big as i was expecting when I'm doing the research.
Also, it really can run without an amp just blow my mind.
like, I need to turn the volume all the way up, but its not to max yet.
which is what you can't say to its main competitor Hd650 or Hd 6XX
Bought these, they turned out deffective replaced them with hd650's and they were so uncomfortable I had to change the headphone position every 30 min because it was hurting the top of my head, returned them and got a new pair of the r70x's because they are so damn comfortable, good review tho :)
Same, once you use the R70X, you can never go back. They're weightless, there's no need to adjust anything, they fit perfectly just like that.
I use these to compose and mix my music on and the mixes translate very well onto other systems. You have me wanting to try the Sundara for the same purpose now.
man, everyone misses this, i need to know the earcup depth. nobody covers this.
If you go by Crinacle’s headphone ranking, these score the exact same A- with two stars as the HD600. The fact that the Sundara, for me a more pleasing sounding headphone scores B+ with two stars, is proof of how subjective rankings can be.
Well, A) that was an older Sundara (the old pads), and B) yeah I disagree with him about this headphone haha. But we agree on many things!
Crin's list seems to weight soundstage a lot more than Resolve does and Resolve said if you value soundstage and tonality this is competitive in its price range, so I don't see a whole lot of discrepancies between their evaluations. Also the hd600 gets S- for its tonality which is a tier higher than the r70x's as well.
@@islaymmm Hard agree. Crin indexes MUCH harder for sound stage. That's why this and the HD800 have such relatively high technical scores and why the Sony CD900st has an abysmal technical score yet has UNBELIEVABLE mid range resolution and detail for the price.
Planar is not natural sounding
I was waiting for this review from you for the longest time! As an auteur fan, this might be a great more cost saving alternative so I've been dying for this review.
Oh the Auteur is on a completely different level haha.
You know it's probably a little more analogous to an Aeolus most likely
I have always thought of the R70x as a ZMF lite.
Yup. But, Auteur price is ridiculous.
I got it for 170 USD used with a custom cable to boot and it has been quite the experience using it everyday; it was really the headphone for me! I am a tad sensitive to treble and I do appreciate how well balanced this headphone is that I am willing to sacrifice some detail I would have otherwise gotten from stuff like the Sundara (I did not jive with those headphones unfortunately) or the Senny's offerings (some feel spicier than others to my ears). What really sold me was the comfort of the headphone, as it feels really light to wear and is really nice to use if you have a smaller head (much less clamp than other headphones thanks to its design). Thanks for the video!
That sounds great. I ordered them open box and am sensitive to treble too, hopefully I'll like them
A "wall of sound" is what I get when I go to a concert and it's a really, really good night.
I found that replacing the factory pads with some large ones greatly improves the bass while also adding a little more soundstage and made them even more comfortable. This change made the headphones perfect for me.
I used the BRAINWAVZ XL Micro Suede Memory Foam Earpads. For the amp I'm using Schitt's Asgard in high gain mode.
I have these pads and they make the r70x sound awful to me. They make the sound cupped and boomy, scoop the mids, and make the headphones sound like closed backs. I'm glad you enjoy this sound profile but to me they made the r70x sound like a worse version of Beyer DT770s. The r70x default pads work fine for me and sound great. I love my r70x's.
@@MrPassiontea Thanks for sharing!
Fascinating, I guess the ear size makes a significant difference. I guess mine are huge because they won't fit the original and would start hurting after a while.
Great review. I absolutely love these but your subjective criticisms were well rationalized and fair. I might have to finally check out the Sundara now though =)
Good luck with sundara's QC issue
I don't like its tonality/timbre. it's sharppp
All my Audio Technicas built like tank! And considering that being a reference headphone, I’d go for that over anything considering lightweight as for mixing mastering one may need to put on longer!
It all depends on your ears if you have no sensitive ears than any headphones will not suite you I am just bought ath m50 x bt2 and they are good for mixing I can even use blu tooth for mixing and walk around and they are accurate when I compared to speakers.
Great, detailed review.
used these for years. build could be a little more solid and the 'wall of sound' quality is something I agree with but I love the soundstage and natural tonal response, and they're sensitive enough to be driven by a phone, iPod and some laptops with decent DACs if necessary. subjectively they're the least fatiguing headphone I've used so I always gravitate towards them
I found these good unpicky easy listening headphones when I owned them, I dedicated them to VR duty at one point because they sounded the same off the dangling AUX as the big boy gear and the wings system let them easily fit over the VR headband without creating a pressure point.
Amazing headphones but no way to find replacement earpads directly from ATH. 🙃Anything else changes how they sound...
I’m so torn between the Hifiman Sundara and the R70x. The Sundara definitely has an FR that I would prefer, but I’ve heard the R70x has slightly wider sound staging and imaging.
SAME. What'd you pick in the end? I'm in the same dilemma
@@edmundsiadari6234 Go to an audio store and have a listen. I was torn between the R70X and Sundara based on reviews. But when I actually listened to them, I picked the R70X right away. Turned out I'm very treble sensitive and the Sundara was not for me. The R70x sounded like heaven, smooth and warm, no nasty peaks. So, if you already know what kind of sound you like ,then there's no problem. If you don't, then you need to demo these headphones first because they don't have the same sound signature.
@@ROCKSTAR3291 yea I jus demo'd them 2 weeks ago and found the Sundara to be better for my music taste. Finally found a store that has one lmao
@@ROCKSTAR3291 yep just like me you are dynamic driver person, most of planars got nasty timbre and can be too much at treble region
@@soulfulfool yeah agreed, planar sound just isn’t for me. I find the R70x very natural, like the HD600 & 650. Only downside is there’s no clear upgrade from these headphones until you have enough money for ZMF stuff.
Anyone considering buying this headphone should run it balanced and in high gain. Doing this will yield significant improvements
more like single ended thru decent tube amp
A match made in heaven with my Schiit Valhalla
same here, i'm in love. i have the sundara as well, but this on is just better...
Can confirm these are extremely comfortable to wear, but I do have a smaller head size with a finger in between the top and the wings.
I wonder if anyone thinks I made a mistake for buying the r70x for mixing and audio production work (vs the Sennheiser HD 650 or 600).
with this rate of beard growth you'll be santa by christmas
Won't have to dress-up for halloween too.
Used these with yamaha pc2002 power amp through selector. Sounds good. Compared to 1990 and 1770 it has same qantity in bass as those, so Ive sold them in the end. Also I would not say they are not detailed. Also compared to modded hd800 they have same tonality, but hd 800 got more stage. So the downsides of r70x for me is trebble a bit sharp and soundstage is "medium". They are close to hd 650, but without "veiled" sound and it it plays music straight into head, without some "space" like hd 650 and hd800 have.
@@alexp2082 Overall r70x maybe with fresh stock pads.
Bass. 1770 is bassiest, 1990 got same but with sharp roll or 10%cut of at the lower end of the notes. Wich is annoying.
r70x with fresh stock pads got almost same quantity of bass as 1770. But without "3d effect caused by closed cup shape. Difference is minimal in bass.
R70x maybe not as sharp detailed as 1990, but calrity of each better or more organic/neutral in a good way. Where 1990 sound "cold" overall/boosted details.
Detail quality - hard to say here, seems like r70x and 1990 close, but 1990 got more curvy FR to my ears, so some details seems bloated (very rarely, so there is dip in FR region that not commonly used) or go away, some boosted.
Soundstage, well 1770 narrow, 1990 medium, r70x medium+. Difference is not big, something like 10%.
I dont do mixing or mastering. So, if you need detail reveal with some boost, not pure neutrality pick 1990 pro. If you need balance of all r70x. If bass and sharp highs but at more "extreme" level than 1990 pro than 1770 pro.
Also check how well headphones can be tweaked with equlizer, maybe you can get both scenarios with dt1990.
Also with some physical mods sharp highs on 1700 can be smoothed to okay level. With foam or pads. Read on DIY audioheaven.
Lower the bass by -2 and add treble with Q as a slope by +4, perfect for me
Crinacle describes the r70x with "excellent imaging", and that the hd650 are "pretty terrible at imaging", which is completely contradictory to what you've mentioned... help me out here please
No, the R70x is much wider, it's just grainy and not very detailed.
@@TheHEADPHONEShow in my country it cost 220$ is it worth it?
@@TheHEADPHONEShow imaging at soundstage is not the same.. useless response
Thanks for the forecast! I have a quick question: I have a SafePal wallet with USDT, and I have the seed phrase. (alarm fetch churn bridge exercise tape speak race clerk couch crater letter). What's the best way to send them to Binance?
Wouldn't the harmonic dyne zeus be a better option if you were looking for the soundstage the R70X has, but without compromising imaging and detail? The FR on it is much more fun-oriented but with EQ i think that would be a better value than this
A few years ago I made a few tracks using these headphones, not knowing about headphone impedance, needing an amplifier. In spite of just producing them just via Macbook headphone jack, I made some really good music. Now I'm rebuying them, and I'm getting a Mojo 2. I wanna know what they can really do. Cause they were good just through a headphone jack, I can't even imagine what they would be like properly amplified.
You got them yet? I have them and I'm hearing mixed responses on if amps make any difference with them
did you get to try it out? curious on your thoughts!
Great review !!! Under 500 $ the Ollo s4x and Shure srh1840 are also good competitors.
This vs DT900 pro x, which would be the best for competitive pc gaming?
I need the best footstep monitoring in games and low gunshot volume which doesnt hurt my ears (because almost all the headsets i have used have very loud gunshots and footsteps gets overshadowed by gunshots)
This.
What did you get in the end and how was your experience for competitive FPS gaming like CS?
Hello and thanks for all your great work, I thoroughly enjoy wathing your reviews and value your opinion greatly and so I have a question, purches reccomandation if you will.
I’m looking for an open sounding, wide, relaxing, a tad warm but not bassy headphone that is comfortable to wear. Not being comfortable would be a deal breaker since I want this headphone to serves as therapy after a long day of work :)
I have mojo and I’m not willing to change that part of my setup. I’m not obsessed with details, too many times “too good headphone” revealed to me what I didn’t want to hear in a song I liked and made my exprience worse… I don’t want to judge recording, I want to enjoy music.
I listen to electronic music, orchestral, enjoy chansones and some jazz and blues, but modern music also… I can find something in any genre that I like… one thing I noticed is I like vocals in general but prefer male opera and I have a special place in my heart for songs that have piano in them.
This review of 70x sounded like a move to a right direction but I wanted to know if there is something that fits my description better, price not being a limiting factor before we start approachinh 1000$.
As a reference point, and although its IEM, I enjoy FR of etymotic er2sr but would enjoy just a touch more low end, althoug etymotic er2xr is too much low end for me and gives me headaches…
I would appreciate your help and sorry for a long post 🤗
Looking at it, seems the main reason you'd buy this over HD600/50/xx is a different fit. HD600 has this annoying habit of not quite sealing at the back of my jaw.
Nice review, I'm a practicing guitar player who practice with headphones. Is the ATH-R70X "better" than the Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro 250 ohm Open-back Studio Headphones, for guitar practice.
Your impressions on these are exactly what I found too! They just sounded a bit undefined and not dynamic compared to many other headphones. I prefer the HD58X.
THANK YOU LORD CRINACLE
Sivga 023 has better imaging , separation, detailing?.. maybe not as wide?.. Maybe so 023 might be better if you want that.. ?
00:35 Totally unexpected from you...and totally hilarious! 😄
Hey a bit unrelated to the video but wondering if you have more updated thoughts on adx5000 vs 800s?
Thoughts on the whole fiasco of low sn 800/high sn 800/800 sdrs/800s?
Hi Andrew, I want the chest hair 😍
Was wondering how come no one mentioned the chest hair up until this point lol
I would appreciate a review of the Philips Fidelio X2. If you even go to that budget range.
i like superlux hd668b but its very fragile n broken now after 4 years used.. the R70x is similliar sound signature? or any option to change my 668b.. thx for help🙏
I've never understood why some people don't like the sound of planar magnetics? The Sundara is so beautiful to listen to. I have it and I don't find the timbre that different from DD headphones.
I don't necessary differentiate that way either. Tonal balance is most important imo. With that said, each technology presents things a little differently, so that does play a part.
Hard to get planars with nice timbre, most of them lack that natural vibration in vocals, they sound clearer but yet not natural. Anyways if you prefer planars thats your thing and stick with that. I prefer dynamics with tube amp, thats my thing
@@soulfulfool I actually like both
Has anyone found earpads that don't change the sound character for these? Can't find official Audio Technica replacements earpads for them anywhere!
Based on what I've seen searching around forums and threads, it's usually the brainwavz micro suede xl or the hybrid memory foam,
Criminally underrated headphone in my opinion.
Hey @Resolve great review. If the HD800 are a 10 out of 10 in soundstage (they are), what score would you give these?
7
@@TheHEADPHONEShow Thank you. This helps with my triangulation algorithm dramatically.
@Gamma I know. I have owned them. The point of the question is to get an idea of how these do in soundstage VS the best soundstage headphone, the HD800.
Why it's seems so hard to make a headphone with a frequency response that matches as close as possible the Fletcher and Munson curve? I'm no expert in audio engineering to this levels but Considered that each of us actually hears the sound in a unique way i would analyze a reasonable sample of people's hearing frequency response, calculate an average and then build an headphone that matches that average, adapted to the fletcher and munson curve. Is it possible? Why even 6000 bucks headphones lack in something?
Is this headphone a good choice if you have a large head. 7 3/4 hat size fyi. If not this one what about some other suggestions
really enjoyed this one 👍
I tried them and had to return them right away because they don't fit my huge head, unfortunately. The bottom of the earpads always end up not touching my head completely or equally as the other part of the earpads.
All I have is Asus Tuf 5790 plus onboard sound and an old Asus Xonar U3 USB card....what should I get for my ATH-R70x? It will mainly be used for gaming.
Fiio K7
Did he just say they don't feel premium? Bro they're an all metal construction with velour pads and yet still just 210g. What are you talking about?????
How is this compared to the HarmonicDyne Zeus? From what I heard that headphone is also wide and detailed and quite punchy, though it is mid bass focused.
Yeah you heard right. I wouldn't say 'punchy', but it's definitely bass boosted. But for detail, yeah it's definitely ahead of the R70x. R70x is better for tonal balance though.
The two are not really comparable given how differently tuned they are. HD Zeus is darker and bass boosted, more fun sound, while the R70x is closer to neutral sounding and suitable for monitoring.
Just asking: will this support any 3.5mm to 4.4mm balanced replacement cable?
so are audio interfaces good enough AMPS for these headphones? I have the Zoom UAC-2
I can get this new for around 200$ here. Do you think it has better value than around 300$ used hd650? Have you tried running both from portable amps like Topping NX7?
Yes, these sound just as good as the HD650, just less warm.
I just realised the ananda was removed from the recommended list, what were the reasons? Is it bad/worse than the Sundara? Thank you
There's a character limit, and it's similar enough to the Sundara that I figured it could go. But I still recommend it.
Those guys never used the studio equipment, what they say is really not accurate. it is like a musician talking with the musicians and sometimes their idea about music so narrow. those sound targets are very relevant. R70x is a great studio headphone, many ways better than hd600
I'm looking for something with wide soundstage, which none of my current headphones really have. Which would be the better option, the R70x or the AKG K712? Any suggestion is highly appreciated.
Haven't tried r70x, but I had the k712 and returned it. It is very wide, but in a very unnatural sounding way imo, and there seemed to be gaps in the center image, which considering I bought them primarily for competitive gaming, made them a no go for me
if you got amp for r70x it looks like better option, k712 got nice sound stage but all the rest is meh nothing special
Just curious why you'd wear a hat under the phones? Good info/vid
Great review
I only wish R70x had better earpads, it's so close to greatness.
I think most people purchasing headphones in the sub $350 range for regular listening (music amateurs) can not discern fine differences in detail retrieval and instrument separation.
So that's not important to them. What's more important is looks, tonality, comfort, and soundstage.
But i agree that after eqing a larger bass shelf then Sundara > r70x
They “cannot discern fine differences” is fairly pretentious. Maybe they can, but it isn’t a top priority…
@@jmilesfox
They can't. If they could then that would contradict them being amateurs. I had countless people try my headphones (I have many) and the most expensive ones were not the best sounding ones (not even once).
Rule: if a general statement is right >95% of the time then it's right in general.
@@h1a8 sounds like another emperors new clothes argument. this is the same mentality wine snobs have
@@ulisesmartinez6432 That went over my head. Dude this is youtube. You have to dumb things down so that they can be understandable to most people here.
So rewrite what you said in simpler language please.
The r70x definitely sounds more natural than planar
Use these every day while working.
Andrew please share your Arya Eq profile
Can you please review the Shure 1540 and Neumann NDH20? Why? Because your reviews are trusted, informative and enjoyable to comprehend.
birds fighting and chest hair? sign me up! I love the sense of humor!
What does it mean by scales ? And is it a good thing ?
better source = better sound, as headphones can sound like your amp/dac combo not giving their own sound signature just embrace the source sound characteristics
Hey resolve please review the k702
Would these be a viable upgrade from my ATH900X? I love these things had em for years and struggle to find good replacements this doesn't seem that different.
It may be, but I think you'll miss some midbass punch, the R70Xs are more neutral. And they are open back, the A900Xs are closed, so if you don't like outside noises coming in than I would not recommend them.
@@nout1972 900X Are open back lol and yeah the r70s are a direct upgrade.
@@feeblemind Ok, you have the ATH-AD-900Xs? I thought you meant the ATH-A900Xs. I own the latter, they are closed. I am not familiair with the AD-900Xs, so I cannot comment on them.
The wings are in their history.
Does it have a removable cord?
Does it have Bluetooth?
Thanks
Yes and no
Guess the honeymoon period is off for me. Initially i loved the r70x. Better bass and treble extension than my 6xx. But as i listened to it more and more it wasnt just on the same field as 6xx fidelity wise. Bass is honeslty flabby. Midrange is ok. Less warm than 6xx. But the treble is just rough, untextured and grainy as hell. Tonality is spot on but ultimately for me its a dissapointing set of cans. I also have tge dt 880 600 ohm which is absolutely fabulous as far as grain free, clean sound goes. But its tonality is just too sharp for some, me included.
I was wondering if I should give a try to 880 600ohm with tube amp
I can't get my head around this notion that dynamic drivers sound more natural than planars. Completely the opposite of my experience. With planars and a good recording voices sound like real voices. Even the best dynamic headphones only ever sound like a recording of a voice.
What would be a good pick for blues(-rock), classic rock, acoustic, bossa nova, and some jazzy tunes? r70x, 650, or... ?
Don't know about the bossa nova stuff but I liked the HD600 with classic rock & the R70x with acoustic. Both were enjoyable. If you have more money you can also try Aeolus for classic rock
grado hemp :D
I tune in for the chest hair!
Great breakdown, love separating objective from objective. The EV RE20 mic kind of clues me in on your opinion of what makes a “balanced sound” as well. Thank you
I’m here for the chest hair
I think its a better can than the HD6 series tbh
R70 vs dt 900 pro x?
Please Review new Apos caspian ❤️
it's cost around $200 here in indonesia, no brainer!
Lmao I didn't expect your silly joke after the intro
Really chest hair joke LOL andrew !!!
can this be run balanced?
Yes
Try surf cables for a cable. Happy with mine
I own a pair of Samsung Galaxy Buds Pros. I know these 2 are almost completely different products, but how much better would these sound listening to J-pop and Rock?
haha :D much better but you need amp not your phone