Audio Technica ATH-A700X Headphones

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List Price: $299.95
Sale Price: $122.33
Today's Bonus: 59% Off

• Audiophile-quality headphones with metallic finish
• Closed-back Double Air Damping System for deep bass reproduction
• Large 53mm drivers with neodymium magnet systems and CCAW voice coils for superior sound reproduction
• Self-adjusting 3D Wing Support Housing provides comfortable support for a more enjoyable listening experience
• OFC (oxygen-free copper) cloth-wrapped cable
• Proprietary large-aperture 53 mm drivers with neodymium magnet systems and CCAW voice coils for superior sound reproduction

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SUMMARY

With excellent sound fidelity and a wide sound stage these are a great pair of headphones for the price (current street around $120 US). My only quibbles come from the mechanical design of the headset which leads to unwanted sounds when listening at low volume levels. If subtle extraneous sounds don't bother you, then they may be perfect for you.

PROS

Excellent sound quality Extremely wide soundstage, clear instrument separation and strong, but clean bass.

Extremely comfortable Very little pressure around the ear and the headband system doesn't have any hot spots.

Great cord Long cord allows for some mobility and the woven fabric sheath doesn't transmit sound when bumped.

CONS

Mid-range lacking May sound like equalizer is on "U" shape. Not as "smooth" as the Sennheiser HD-280.

Noisy headband Creaking sound transmits through headband system into the ear cups. Fine if you keep still, but when you move around you may hear creaking sounds.

Poor insulating pads Foam ear pads with thin covering don't insulate outside sounds well and actually create sound when you move.

FULL REPORT

I wanted a pair of headphones to use while at the office to help block out outside sound while listening to music. At first I considered noise cancelling headsets but after trying the highly rated Bose QuietComfort 3, I decided I didn't want to sacrifice sound quality that much. While the noise cancellation was phenomenal (I couldn't believe how much they filtered out standard office noises), their actual music reproduction was disappointing. At over $300 US for the Bose QC3, their sound quality was equal to a pair of $40 headphones. But if you're really looking to block out outside noise, the sound isolation may be worth the loss of fidelity.

After removing noise cancelling headsets from my list I then focused on closed-back headphones. Through much research I narrowed my choices down to the Audio Technica ATH-A700 and the Sennheiser HD-280. I was able to try the HD-280 but not the ATH-A700. But after reading so many positive reviews I decided to go with the ATH-700, even though I hadn't listened to a pair.

Being my first pair of high-end headphones, I was immediately impressed with their sound quality. The sound stage is incredible! While some headphones make it sound like the music is "in your head", the ATH-A700s mimic a more realistic listening experience, like you're in the midst of the music. On some pieces the effect was so great that a song that previously sounded like it was recorded in a sound-proof studio, now sounded like it was in a small concert hall. Amazing!

With classical music, I can't believe how much detail I can now hear. I can hear the separation of all the instruments as well as performance-related sounds that I never heard before. Like the sound of the keys clicking on the harpsichord or the valves on a French horn. I can now even hear the musicians turning their pages and shifting in their chairs!

Without comparing to even higher-end headphones it's hard to say how "accurate" these are. But my best description is that they're very efficient, with good base and a clear high-end. With my previous, cheaper headphones, I'd always adjust the equalizer to increase treble and bass and de-emphasize mid-range (U shape curve). But with these headphones, there's no need for that; I now listen to all my music with the equalizer off or "flat".

The biggest and really only problem with these headphones has to do with their construction; in particular, the ear pads and head band. The earpads have a very thin covering and the foam is noisy--when you hold it near your ear and press the pad, you can hear a scrunching sound. This coupled with the thin covering allows more outside noise to seep in than other closed-back headphones I've tried. It also causes noise when I move slightly causing the hair around my ear (I have short hair) to bristle against the pad and then transmits that sound.

At this price point I would have expected real leather and better sound insulating foam. I contacted Audio-Technica to see if the replacement ear pads from their higher-end ATH-W1000 would fit the ATH-A700 and the answer was that they would not. I was disappointed because the ATH-W1000 seems to have better pads with thicker covering (possibly real leather) and better foam.

The second "mechanical" issue is the headband design. While the "3D Wing Support Housing vibration-proof mechanism" looks cool and is probably the reason why the headset is so comfortable, all those hinges tend to creak when you move, and those creaking sounds are transmitted through the frame into the plastic ear cups which seem to amplify the sounds. Now I'm not talking about rocking out and jumping all around, but rather subtle movements like turning my head, will be enough to cause the hinges of the floating pads to creak.

Both of these problems are alleviated by turning the volume up, but since I like keeping my volume level as low as possible for my given environment, it's a problem for me. BTW, I did try lubricating the hinges with oil but it didn't help. I may still try a graphite lubricant. I do have to admit I'm a very distractible person and move around a lot while I work. So while the noisy ear pads and creaky headband really bug me, they may not be an issue for you. As always, your mileage may vary, so I highly recommend trying a pair in person before making your final decision.

HD-280 COMPARISON

In case you're in deciding between these and the Sennheiser HD -280, here's my take on the differences (I did a comparison with my coworker's after my ATH-700s were broken in):

1) ATH-700 has a wider soundstage, sharper high-end and more bass than the HD-280.

2) ATH-700 is more comfortable and thus can be worn longer.

3) HD-280 has a stronger mid-range and just sounds "smoother" (I don't know how else to describe it).

4) HD-280 ear cups insulates outside sounds much better, though at the expense of comfort. They're kind of tight and uncomfortable for more than an hour at a time.

5) HD-280 cord is standard coiled type, which isn't necessarily a bad thing but it does transmit sound when it bump against things (like the desk).

CONCLUSION

As with everything in life, the choice of what headphones to buy is a series of trade-offs. You need to think about your listening environment, the type of music you listen to and how much you want to spend. The ATH-700 is a great sounding headphone and if you can live with some extraneous noises, you'll love them.

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The Sound: For me, these headphones took quite a while to break in and warm up. At first, I had the bass cranked up and the treble turned down. The sound was very clean and sometimes to sharp/bright. After about 40 hours, I have the bass/treble both centered and a virtually flat equalizer. These headphones are exceptionally versatile. I listen to a wide range of music and game. They can handle to dirty grunge of metal guitar, the ultra distortion of NIN, and be very light and acute with symphonies. With as much as I listen to music with headphones (can't blast music with roommates all the time), I should have bought these earlier. After breaking in, I don't have to adjust my equalizer between genres, these headphones always sound good. The crystalizer from my x-fi sound card also helps liven things up--especially when gaming too.

The look: From the pictures, the headphones look really round, that is not the case. The blue flake paint on the sides is also much darker, almost black, compared to the pictures.

Comfort: These headphones feel very light when wearing them. Each cup forms to your head independently. Only the two upper wires connect them, a 90 degree rotated picture would do this product some good.

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How do I start this great review:

I should probably say that when I first received theses headphones I almost returned them. That was because I'm a part time DJ of West Coast Swing and Hustle Music. I needed a pair of cans that allowed me to hear the music even when the dance floor was flooded with sound. Noise canceling head phones don't do a thing for drowning out other loud music, but these over-the-ear head phones would. So I ordered a pair of ATHA8700.

When they arrived, I was a little surprised. They weren't good for DJing at all. They were enormous (the cans / ear-cups wrap entirely around the ear) and there was no way to fold them up and transport them. I immediately ordered a pair of Pioneer HDJ1000.

As I awaited for my new Pioneer headphones, I started using the ATHA700s with my computer and for my home stereo and portable MP3 player to listen to music. I was overwhelmed by the quality of sound, the comfort and overall fullness of everything I listened to. It felt that I wasn't just listening to the band/orchestra, I was surrounded by the music.

Don't get me wrong, these aren't surround-sound headphones....they're just so good that they capture all the nuances of the music as if you were playing in the band or the conductor of the orchestra.

The fact is that these headphones impressed me so much that I couldn't bare to part with them. At the end of the day, I use my Pioneers for the DJ booth and parties, and I use my ATHA700s for everything else.

Sound Quality: 10/10

Comfort: 10:10

Portability: 3/10

Pioneers-

Sound Quality: 8/10

Comfort: 7/10

Portability: 9/10

Enjoy,

Erik

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It is said that to get the equal quality sound from speakers you have to spend 10 times what you would on headphones. This set retails for $299 and I believe you would have to spend about $3000 to get a speaker system that sounds as good. I owned the Airtight Dynamic Monitor Stereo Headphones and Sennheiser PX 100 Collapsible Headphones before upgrading to the ATHA700s. I have the ATHA700s for about a year. What a joy they are to use! The fit is wonderful, although they do get hot. The earcup covers your ear and drowns out most outside noise. They are very comfortable and I have a large head. The earcup cushions are very soft. The linen covered cord is classy. The blue paint looks lighter in the photos here, mine are like midnight blue with metallic flecks. I listen to both movies on my laptop and VBR mp3s with them and hear things that I never did before. The bass is there, crip, and not overbearing. High notes are clear without distortion. You will hear details in songs you have been listening all your life that you didn't know existed. I use it with the TURTLE BEACH Audio Advantage Micro which seems to bring out even more detail. I have never heard better sound anywhere. Buy a set, you won't regret it!

EDIT 8/2013 I am revising my recommendation. In this price range I recommend the Onkyo ES-FC300(R) On-Ear Headphones, Red. They sound as good as my $299 Sony MDR-1R Premium Over The Head Headphone, Black

I've read pretty much every review here on Amazon about these headphones as well as ones that they were contrasted with. After all that reading, I finally pulled the trigger on the ATH-A700's. They arrived about an hour ago, and I've been listening non-stop to music while I work. I have just a few things to say:

1) These headphones are perfect. I actually expected less from them than what I got.

2) There are some *really* good reviews here on Amazon about this product, but keep this in mind while reading them: they are written by very detail-minded audiophiles with exquisite audio sensitivity and very high standards. As you read, be sure to calibrate according to your own standards and expectations :-)

3) The bass and midrange are much better than I had expected; for the price, they are in fact extraordinary.

4) Due to work and travel, I had strongly considered getting noise-canceling headphones. Reviewers from a year or two ago commented how they could easily hear what was going on around them; I cannot. I can't hear the lawn mowers outside, can't hear my partner talking to me, can't hear her movies, etc.

5) The cord is fantastic (long, weave-wrapped) and I barely notice any noise when moving about (e.g., no loud scraping sounds where the cord meets the headphone base).

I used to use the AT mics and monitors (and loved them) when I did home recording about 15 years ago, but never had an opportunity to try their headphones. I'm very glad I decided to give them a shot.

Again, I highly recommend these phones. Enjoy!