Audio Technica ATH-M70x Headphones Review

A little bit about me:

I’ve gone through many headphones throughout my life, from ATH-AD700’s to LCD-2’s. It’s safe to say that I’ve had my fill of headphone variations! So with that in mind, on to the review!

Manufacture Specification:

• Type: Over Ear (Circumaural) closed back
• Drivers Size: 45 mm
• Drivers Type: large-aperture Dynamic
• Frequency Response:  5-40,000Hz
• Sensitivity: 97dB @1mW
• Impedance: 38 Ω
• Microphone sensitivity: NA
• Maximum Input: NA
• Weight with cable:
• Connecter: 3.5mm connector,screw on 3.5 to 6.4mm adapter
• MSRP:1299 AED
• Warranty:1 year

Design:

Unboxing:

Unlike their previous headphone lineups (Barring the previous MXX lineup), Audio Technica chose to forgo the “AIR” packaging with the see through front end that I personally loved. Personal preference aside, it does make for a solid impression.

The first time I saw the M70x in the flesh, I honestly thought it was completely made of plastic! I was wrong. It was aluminum. High quality aluminum at that, though it was coated in such a way that it’s “Sheen” made it appear as if it was plastic. It felt solid in my hands and gave me the impression that it was going to last for quite a long time.

Accessories were the usual affair of Detachable cables (Coiled, Straight, Straight with TRS plug) and a carry case. The carry case is of the hard shell type, with a dedicated pouch within for storing the included cables.

I was saddened to see that there were no extra Earpads, considering they are leather (or Pleather), and will wear out quite fast. It is not an industry norm to include them, but seeing as it’s Audio Technica, and how they go the extra mile to please its customers, it’s a glaring omission.

Comfort:

Full disclosure, I disliked the design of the first generation MXX lineup due to how uncomfortable they felt on MY head, and this was no different. Although I do have to say it was an improvement, I could still wear them for 1-2 hours before I felt the urge to rip them off my head and hurl them at my soft bed.

The padded headband and angled Earpads were the driving force in the improved comfort levels. I’m glad Audio Technica decided to listen to their customers feedback (as they usually tend to do).

Supplied accessories:

• Hard Carry zippered carry case
• 1.2 m – 3.0 m coiled cable
• 3.0 m straight cable
• 1.2 m straight cable
• Screw on 3.5 to 6.3mm adapter

The sound:

The M70x, quite frankly, is not a musical headphone. The M40-50x have a great, dynamic and fun musicality to them, which is what made them so popular in the first place. No, the M70x has a neutral, flat, yet dynamic sound signature… Which is PERFECT! At least for me! This is a sound engineers dream come true. I edit my fair share of audio, and neutrality is key to my finished work sounding good on a variety of sound sources, and the M70x is “THE” go to choice for any editing needs. I cannot stress how much detail they produced from all the recordings I listened to, literally ripping a track apart, exposing all the mistakes and nuances that sound engineers try to hide. It’s safe to say that the detail retrieval, assuming your source is up to par, is extremely close to the HD800, but only the detail part.

Treble: The reason why I would not recommend the M70x for musical listening, is due to the fact that they have a harsh top end, akin to the Sennheiser HD700, which even after being given an offer that has to seen to be believed, I refused to take, due to how harsh and unforgiving the treble was, no matter the source.

Now I wouldn’t call it deal breaker, but it’s a good idea to keep the treble in mind, especially for people who are quite sensitive to it (like me).

Midrange: Neutral.  Oh, and detailed. That’s pretty much it, And it sounds absolutely fantastic! No coloring what so ever. If you dislike headphones that tend to “EQ” its sound signature, specifically the Mids and Lows, the M70x’s Mid-range will absolutely blow your mind! Alright I may be pushing it a little but frankly it deserves the praise. It avoid sounds anemic whilst avoiding sounding too “lush”. It’s smack dab in the middle of both spectrums.

Bass: Ah the bass, let’s see… It’s… well, It’s punchy, I’ll give it that, but very laid back. Again, in Audio Technica’s pursuit for neutrality, the Bass had to be reined in to audio mastering levels, with no overemphasis whatsoever, delivering the bass as it was recorded. Although I did feel that it may have been reigned in a tad too much.

Still, I will go on to say that it was enjoyable. While its presence was diminished, it was detailed and fast, keeping up with most of the tracks I tested it on, ranging from acoustic to 100+ BP electronic tracks.

Conclusion:

The ATH-M70x, is a specialized headphone. While it may be marketed to a wide audience, which I feel is a mistake on Audio Technica’s part, it is exceptional at its job so to speak.

I’ll make this quite short.

The ATH-M70x is an Audio Engineers/Musical artists wet dream. Neutral (despise the piercing highs), Detailed (to a fault, which is good! Oh the contradictions!) and well built, my comfort issues aside.

I want it in my life.

My thanks to www.Samma3a.com  for giving me the opportunity to audition the Audio Technica ATH-M70x for a week, and for his seemingly unending patience =D!