Audio Technica ATH-R70xa

The Audio Technica ATH-R70xa is an open reference headphone for studio use that the Japanese manufacturer is launching as its new top-of-the-range model. The headphones are a revised version of the ATH-R70x, which has been popular for many years.
The sound is supposed to be just as natural and balanced. Audio Technica promises a particularly accurate and detailed sound reproduction, which should benefit stereo imaging and depth of field. Read our review to find out how well the new edition of this classic succeeds.

What you get

The Audio Technica ATH-R70xa comes in a simple box with a complicated opening mechanism. Once you get past it, you will find a 3 metre cable with a 3.5mm jack plug and a screw adapter for large jacks, as well as the headphones themselves. The plugs and adapter are gold-plated to prevent corrosion. A velvet drawstring pouch is also included. A multi-lingual user manual completes the package. It’s not the sum of the parts that makes the ATH-R70xa so impressive, but the quality of the components.

Elegant design

The design of the Audio Technica ATH-R70xa has been significantly revised. The manufacturer’s logo and product name have been moved from the grilles on the open back of the headphones to the headband adjustment grill. This gives the headphones a more elegant look. In addition, the earcups can now be swivelled.

The most noticeable change is to the headband. The two pressure pads of the previous model have been replaced by a single continuous headband cushion. The new headband design is intended to make the headphones more comfortable to wear for longer periods of time. It also makes the headphones look simpler and contributes to a clearer design language than its predecessor.

Technical specifications of a fine storyteller

The ATH-R70xa’s frequency response extends down to an ultra-low 5Hz. And even in the treble range, it exceeds the typical human hearing range. It can produce audio up to a limit of 40kHz. The maximum sound pressure level we measured was 94.22 dBSPL, which makes it clear that this is less a ‘screamer’ than a finely articulated narrator.

However, the average impedance of 448.85 ohms that we also measured means that users will need a headphone preamplifier that can deliver a correspondingly high output voltage. This is another reason why these headphones are suitable for professional users.

Comfortable handling

In practice, the Audio Technica ATH-R70xa are easy to use and light as a feather. When you consider that the ATH-R70xa weighs less than 200g without the cable, you can see how hard the designers worked to create a lightweight headphone. As a result, despite the 45mm dynamic drivers, the headphones have a wonderfully low contact pressure and still fit snugly. The headphones’ soft, circumaural cushions are covered in soft velour, allowing your ears to breathe. All of which makes them comfortable to wear for hours on end.

Secure double-sided cable connection

The headband size adjustment is memorised. This allows the headphones to remember the last setting and be ready for use as soon as you take them off. The 3m cable is ideal for home use in a hi-fi environment, as well as for use at the listening position in a recording studio. The headphone cable is plugged in at both ends. In this respect, I think the ATH-R70xa is more suitable for hi-fi applications than for professional environments.

However, you will have to experiment to find out which plug is responsible for the left and which for the right audio signal. There is no labelling on the cable ends. Although the ATH-R70xa is symmetrical, so that the left and right earcups can be connected in reverse, the earcup holders are printed with the left and right earcup designations. On a positive note, the cable is secured with a bayonet lock when plugged in to prevent accidental disconnection by pulling on the cable.

Fine tuning the frequency response

The Audio Technica ATH-R70xa’s high-resolution treble and differentiated upper midrange ensure high speech intelligibility. However, depending on the audio production, the area where the mids and highs intersect is very much in the foreground. As a result, the ear tires relatively quickly. For this reason, the headphones are more suitable for monitoring audio at low to medium volumes. In the super-high range, there is so much space that the sound is always wide and open. This makes it all the more surprising that the headphones are capable of producing very rich bass and are convincing right down to the low end.

Detailed dynamics and depth

Thanks to its open design and light weight, the ATH-R70xa gives the impression of being in the middle of the music, rather than wearing headphones, especially at low volumes. Its excellent dynamics come into their own with both orchestral tutti and drum signals, as it handles transients quickly and powerfully. The stereo image is equally convincing. The richness of detail in the frequencies it reproduces also contributes to this. The interplay between dynamics and detail is worthy of a reference headphone.

The bottom line

The open, circumaural Audio Technica ATH-R70xa is ultra-light, comfortable to wear and, as the manufacturer’s top-of-the-range model, delivers first-class sound. Although the sound is not as balanced and natural as promised, the ATH-R70xa still delivers in every respect. In particular, its open sound, excellent dynamics and wide frequency range make it a valuable tool in the recording studio.

The headband, which has been redesigned from its predecessor, should make these headphones even more attractive for long-term use in mixing and mastering studios. The thoroughly analytical nature of its sound also makes the Audio Technica ATH-R70xa a suitable candidate for making detailed decisions during editing tasks.