Audio-Technica ATH-A700 Headphone Review

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FrgMstr

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Audio-Technica ATH-A700 Headphone Review - Audio-Technica states that this set of closed-back dynamic headphones deliver audiophile-quality acoustic performance. With 53mm drivers and a neodymium magnet system this looks good but at $112 street, are these "audiophile-quality?"
 
A good read and I'm happy to see more steps taken towards helping more people enjoy better audio in games, movies and music :)
 
I've had these headphones for about 6 months or so. I love them. They look great, they sound great, and it doesn't matter that my wife is watching the real housewives of Atlanta while I play games because I can't hear her. I just hear the sound of my enemies dying!

The best part is that they are comfortable over long periods of time. 3 or 4 hours can pass and it doesn't irritate my head/ears at all. Even better, it doesn't make my ears/head sweat.

I recommend them highly.
 
I've had these headphones for a good long time, (possibly a year, not entirely sure) and I really love them. The only issue I have is that the material that surrounds the foam has recently started to fall/wear off, leaving just the foam. I'm not too sure why but if I never actually saw it, I wouldn't know, they still sound and feel great and I really enjoying using them.
 
I've been using the open equivilent to these for nigh on two years now. They are a brand that I would recommend for comfort and sound quality.
 
Small technical issue with the article. The response from the Audio Technica support rep is incorrect; headphones with identical sensitivity (db/mW) will require the SAME amount of power regardless of impedance (assuming the amplifier can provide it) because power is the product of voltage and current. Lower impedance headphones require more current to drive but need less voltage swing to produce the same output as higher impedance headphones.

Higher impedance loads are considered easier to drive. You can think of the two extremes: an open circuit representing the highest impedance load, and a short circuit representing the lowest impedance load.

On the headphone, I'm not a big fan of closed headphones and I have owned the ATH-W2002, which was nice, but I did not feel it was better than Sennheiser HD650 which was $600 cheaper. I've heard the open series (AD series) sound pretty good though.
 
Ive had the ATH-A900 cans for a couple years now. Ordered mine from japan.

Best cans ever.
 
I have a set of these cans and I must admit, when I first got them, wow, the differences right out of the box compared to my old cans was startling, but after a week or so, I noticed the sound changed, this was due to the burn in, it was something I wasnt prepared for.

But overall, I love my ATH-700's, great sound that comes out of them, I just need to find out where in the UK i can grab some replacement pads.

Great Review fella's ;)
 
While I really enjoy your reviews on items like graphics cards and power supplies, I found the reviews ya'll are doing on headphones to be worthless.

It's completely subjective. For example:
We ran a washer and dryer 30 feet from us and could not hear it running while listening to music or watching movies. Overall, the A700 headphones have a good, although not perfect, level of isolation.
Click to expand...

I have no information on how loud the washing machine is nor how loud you were playing your music. Both of which will vary widely based on the person's washing machine and taste in music.

I am confused why this site writes completely subjective articles and then will right extremely non-subjective articles like your PSU reviews. If you can review ripple, why can't you review isolation in terms of dB instead of "can't hear my washing machine"?
 
vengence said:
While I really enjoy your reviews on items like graphics cards and power supplies, I found the reviews ya'll are doing on headphones to be worthless.

It's completely subjective. For example:


I have no information on how loud the washing machine is nor how loud you were playing your music. Both of which will vary widely based on the person's washing machine and taste in music.

I am confused why this site writes completely subjective articles and then will right extremely non-subjective articles like your PSU reviews. If you can review ripple, why can't you review isolation in terms of dB instead of "can't hear my washing machine"?
Click to expand...

How would you suggest they measure dB isolation of a dryer 30 feet away while wearing headphones?

The difference between headphone reviews and PSU reviews is simple: Audio is ALWAYS subjective. Virtually no two people in any given place will like the exact same thing the exact same way. PSUs, however, have set standards and guidelines that they must meet.

I would have thought this would be obvious, to be honest.
 
vengence said:
While I really enjoy your reviews on items like graphics cards and power supplies, I found the reviews ya'll are doing on headphones to be worthless.

It's completely subjective. For example:


I have no information on how loud the washing machine is nor how loud you were playing your music. Both of which will vary widely based on the person's washing machine and taste in music.

I am confused why this site writes completely subjective articles and then will right extremely non-subjective articles like your PSU reviews. If you can review ripple, why can't you review isolation in terms of dB instead of "can't hear my washing machine"?
Click to expand...


TBH, I have to agree, but I liked this review simply cuz it gave my headphones a good write up :)

But deep down, I do agree with what you said, some parts of their headphone reviews is just someones opinion saying, these are great etc, but showing us no proof to back it up.

But, it must be very difficult to do so due to the medium, i.e the thing they are reviewing.

As I dont think that reviewing headphones is an easy job, simply because in the end it all boils down to the hearing of person who is reviewing them and also their background in that particular field.

Graphic cards have dedicated benchmarks and games that can be played to test, sound cards have RMAA and other tools which can show you a graph, but headphones have nothing but the persons eyes and ears, so it must be very hard to come out with a technical review.

And because I know it must be hard, I always like Earls reviews, because he seems to have a good grasp of the subject at hand, which does help in helping prospective buyers make up their mind abotu whether to buy or not to buy.
 
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Cobalt35 said:
How would you suggest they measure dB isolation of a dryer 30 feet away while wearing headphones?

The difference between headphone reviews and PSU reviews is simple: Audio is ALWAYS subjective. Virtually no two people in any given place will like the exact same thing the exact same way. PSUs, however, have set standards and guidelines that they must meet.

I would have thought this would be obvious, to be honest.
Click to expand...

How do you measure voltage ripple? With the proper tools. Same with audio, there are proper tools to measure these things. Ranging from 20$ sound meters to thousands of dollars of equipment.

For a "cheap" test, you can simply measure the ambient noise level, turn on some background noise and raise the volume until the subject can detect it. Measure the noise in the room with your 20$ sound meter. Then put on the headphones. These are not active noise canceling headphones, so don't put any music through the headphones. Then raise the level of the background noise until again, the subject can detect it. Measure the noise in the room again. Subtract the two numbers and you've got the isolation of the headphones.
 
"Movie playback was absolutely excellent and was only surpassed by the Corsair HS1"

You guys should get a sound card that does Dolby headphone natively to compare (Xonar, etc). I got the impression from your HS1 review that the headphones where average, but you really liked the Dolby headphone effect.
 
For what it's worth, I have the ATH-M50s headphones which are generally a little more expensive, but if you buy from some of the ebay stores can be had for $100 and I have to say they are *fantastic*. I was originally torn between the A700 that was reviewed here and the M50s, but after some digging went with the M50s for just a little more accurate sound quality. I don't have that recessed mids problem for instance. Either should be a great by at around 100 bucks.
 
EVIL-SCOTSMAN said:
TBH, I have to agree, but I liked this review simply cuz it gave my headphones a good write up :)

But deep down, I do agree with what you said, some parts of their headphone reviews is just someones opinion saying, these are great etc, but showing us no proof to back it up.

But, it must be very difficult to do so due to the medium, i.e the thing they are reviewing.

As I dont think that reviewing headphones is an easy job, simply because in the end it all boils down to the hering of person who is reviewing them.

Graphic cards have dedicated benchmarks and games that can be played to test, sound cards have RMAA and other tools which can show you a graph, but headphones have nothing but the persons eyes and ears, so it must be very hard to come out with a technical review.
Click to expand...

Well, there are expensive tools to do a lot of the measurements with. I can completely understand if they can't afford the tools. However if they aren't going to produce reviews with any quantifiable substance to them, I wish they would put their efforts towards the reviews that they give more than just gobbly gook. I can get gobbly gook from any number of sites, the reason I come to [H]ard for reviews is for hard scientific numbers.
 
I have loved my Sennheiser EH2270 headphones, but I keep hearing about these fancy gaming models. Guess I need to try one out.
 
vengence said:
Well, there are expensive tools to do a lot of the measurements with. I can completely understand if they can't afford the tools. However if they aren't going to produce reviews with any quantifiable substance to them, I wish they would put their efforts towards the reviews that they give more than just gobbly gook. I can get gobbly gook from any number of sites, the reason I come to [H]ard for reviews is for hard scientific numbers.
Click to expand...

You make some valid points, but in the end it's still going to come down to "I think this sounds good." Then again, while I enjoy great sound, I'm not exactly an audiophile.

Without wanting to sound like a fanboi or anything, I've been around here long enough and read enough reviews that when Kyle says something is good, I trust that it is good.
 
vengence said:
Well, there are expensive tools to do a lot of the measurements with. I can completely understand if they can't afford the tools. However if they aren't going to produce reviews with any quantifiable substance to them, I wish they would put their efforts towards the reviews that they give more than just gobbly gook. I can get gobbly gook from any number of sites, the reason I come to [H]ard for reviews is for hard scientific numbers.
Click to expand...

In the end audio is 100% subjective no matter how many numbers and graphs and charts you throw at it due to the nature of human ears.
 
The A700/AD700 are amazing headphones for the price and is a common recommendation as a first step into the audiophile side of headphones. Of course as listening is subjective people might not like the particular sound qualities of this headphone though.
 
If anyone has had experience with the Sennheiser HD 280 Pros, how would you compare them to the A700? I've been sort of looking for an upgrade since I don't like the clamping on the head the HD 280 Pros exhibit.

My friend has the AD700s, but like the [H] review, I found the high end really bright and the low end fairly lacking. It almost turns me off to open-back designs.
 
I'd like to see some reviews of some Denon phones. I use the AH-D2000 since middle of 09. I love them so much. And they are heavenly comfortable. Great with strong clear bass. They sound amazing for big games like Bad Company 2
 
vengence said:
How do you measure voltage ripple? With the proper tools. Same with audio, there are proper tools to measure these things. Ranging from 20$ sound meters to thousands of dollars of equipment.

For a "cheap" test, you can simply measure the ambient noise level, turn on some background noise and raise the volume until the subject can detect it. Measure the noise in the room with your 20$ sound meter. Then put on the headphones. These are not active noise canceling headphones, so don't put any music through the headphones. Then raise the level of the background noise until again, the subject can detect it. Measure the noise in the room again. Subtract the two numbers and you've got the isolation of the headphones.
Click to expand...

But even that ends up being subjective, since each user will have a different level of sensitivity.
And that sensitivity will vary with pitch as well.
I don't disagree at all that the review is subjective, but it's nearly impossible to be objective when dealing with the quality of sound.


I'm not trying to be combative; I simply can't recall ever reading an article/review of sound gear that wasn't subjective.
Do you have any examples of audio review sites that you consider to be informative in that regard?
 
I wish I could afford a set of Cans. Im stuck with 2 shitty desktop speakers. oh well someday lol Great write up
 
Crest said:
I'd like to see some reviews of some Denon phones. I use the AH-D2000 since middle of 09. I love them so much. And they are heavenly comfortable. Great with strong clear bass. They sound amazing for big games like Bad Company 2
Click to expand...

+1

i would also like to see some reviews on denon phones. im looking at the D2000's right now.
 
gathagan said:
But even that ends up being subjective, since each user will have a different level of sensitivity.
And that sensitivity will vary with pitch as well.
I don't disagree at all that the review is subjective, but it's nearly impossible to be objective when dealing with the quality of sound.


I'm not trying to be combative; I simply can't recall ever reading an article/review of sound gear that wasn't subjective.
Do you have any examples of audio review sites that you consider to be informative in that regard?
Click to expand...

If you look at what I did, the sensitivity of the person is taken out of the equation. And yes the isolation provided will vary with frequency.

Really you only find it on high end audio (recording/studio quality) and then only on a few sites. If I remember I'll toss some links up when I get home.
 
I think there's a glaring omission from your recent headphone reviews to be honest. I think you should be testing with both CMSS-3D Headphone and Dolby Headphone.

You've heard what Dolby Headphone can do on the Corsair HS1. It only achieves that level of realism with headphones that have good synergy with it.

I use an X-Fi Prelude and an external Dolby Headphone amp - the Victor (Japanese version JVC) SU-DH1. Before that I used a Xonar D2.

It's somewhat down to the individual (because of the nature of HRTF systems) but for me Dolby Headphone at its best consistenly surpasses CMSS-3D Headphone. Having said that, some headphones do much better with Dolby Headphone than others. Likewise, others do much better with CMSS-3D than others.

Angled drivers and a large soundstage seems to help CMSS-3D Headphone a lot. With Dolby Headphone angled drivers messes with the positioning. Large soundstage is really rather Dolby Headphone neutral.

Of headphones I've tried - ATH-A900s (the A700s big brother) did rather well with CMSS-3D. Likewise, the JVC HA-RX700 did pretty well with CMSS-3D. Neither was particularly convincing for Dolby Headphone. My Goldring NS1000s (made by Phitek - the same OEM that makes the Audio-Technica ANC7b and a very similar design) are just awesome with Dolby Headphone, some of the best gaming headphones I've tried.

Goldring DR150s, Sennheiser HD600s and HD580s all do better with Dolby Headphone too.

As a result - I tend to recommend soundcards and headphones together. For a Xonar with a Dolby Headphone - Goldring NS1000s, DR150s or the Senn HD600s. For an X-Fi with CMSS-3D Headphone, ATH-A*** or ATH AD*** or Senn HD5*5 or HD5*8.
 
I love these headphones and they are very comfortable.
 
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I love Earl's reviews because I get the impression he is a lot like me.

A non audiophile who knows what does or doesn't sound good.

How the hell would it help me if I knew that the washer/dryer was making 35db of noise? Just give me the bottom line Earl, thanks.

Great review. These are on my short list. Problem is, I need a USB solution. And I also need a mic.
 
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The main problem I have with the A700 and A900 is that the mid is recessed and that it gets fairly hot with use. I use it to listen to jpop since I found the sound signature to be well suited for it. I won't be surprised if this was designed for jpop.
 
Thanks for the critical feedback guys, we take all of it to heart. I will say that audio is a new category for us and Rome was not built in a day......or a week, or a year. So bear with us as we get better.

For you guys that want to see a bunch of high end testing equipment used, it is just not going to happen, so take that for what it is. We may very well not be your cup of tea on audio, and I can appreciate the fact that we are not going to satisfy all our readers in this realm.
 
jebo_4jc said:
I love Earl's reviews because I get the impression he is a lot like me.

A non audiophile who knows what does or doesn't sound good.

How the hell would it help me if I knew that the washer/dryer was making 35db of noise? Just give me the bottom line Earl, thanks.

Great review. These are on my short list. Problem is, I need a USB solution. And I also need a mic.
Click to expand...
I was hoping to let our users know what kind of experience they would have at home using the headphones......:)
 
EarlKeim said:
I was hoping to let our users know what kind of experience they would have at home using the headphones......:)
Click to expand...
yeah that was perfect.

I said that quote in response to those above who claimed they wanted you to measure your ambient noise with expensive equipment.

My point, if it didn't come across clearly, was that db measurements of ambient noise mean very little to me in a headphone review.

So, when you said, basically, these headphones blocked out your washer, that was all I needed to know.

So, keep up the good work. :)
 
[+Duracell-];1036507459 said:
If anyone has had experience with the Sennheiser HD 280 Pros, how would you compare them to the A700? I've been sort of looking for an upgrade since I don't like the clamping on the head the HD 280 Pros exhibit.

My friend has the AD700s, but like the [H] review, I found the high end really bright and the low end fairly lacking. It almost turns me off to open-back designs.
Click to expand...
In keeping with the theme throughout this thread, keep in mind this is all pretty subjective, but...

A co-worker friend here has the 280 Pros and I have the ATH-M50s. Like I mentioned before the M50s can be found for $100 so they are definitely worth comparing. Anyway, what my friend and I both decided is that the 280 Pros are good, but the M50s are just a little better in pretty much every aspect. Better construction, better sound, etc. Granted he got the 280 Pros for a really good/cheap deal.

You mentioned the clamping on the head problem and that's a real issue to be careful of. All closed headphones are meant to fit tight so they seal around your ears and it definitely takes some getting used to. With that in mind I have a big head and the 280 Pros were a bit like a vice. I don't think they would ever be comfortable without a little modding. The M50s instead felt just about right from the first time I put them on and I think they've relaxed their grip slightly after having had them for a few months. Still tight on the head, but not painfully so. I wear them for hours each day. Another thing to remember is that these kinds of headphones can get a little hot since they are sealed tight - no ventilation for your ears. You just have to air out your head once in a while. :)
 
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Good review!

I've had these headphones for a while now (probably a year-ish?) and I love them. Not only are they comfortable to wear for hours on end, but the isolation is amazing. They sound really good too! I've been using an Azunetech X-FI Forte with these and you do hear quite a difference from the on-board due to the headphone amplifier.
 
I can't see the review, the center of the page appears black.

but i have this headphones, and for me are the best i had, superb confortable and sound are the best.
needs amplification to my think but sounds good without them as well.
i recommend this strongly.
 
I actually like all the new Audio reviews.... I personally would just like to see more words spent on how it performs in games. I don't have high-end Audio equipment on my PC and I rarely watch movies on my computer (that's what a plasma and home theater system are for.)

How these Audio reviews affect game play experience is what I'm most interested in. Regardless, I appreciate all the work that goes into these articles; especially since they are are new to the forums. Great job!
 
Nice review, although I take some exception to your statement about the reasoning behind Oxygen Free Copper. OFC wire does not degrade or flake less over time than regular copper wiring does. That is not the reasoning behind using OFC copper. The idea is instead that the reduced oxygen content helps produce a purer copper with less resistance and impurities that may or may not cause signal issues. The science behind this, like a lot of audiophile stuff, is rather murky. If you actually measure the resistance of an equal length of OFC and regular copper - at least in the lengths commonly used for audio purposes - the resistance is identical. Mind you, for certain industrial applications, like heat-exchangers and such, OFC copper is used because it is more resistant to what is known as "steam embrittling".That has ZERO effect on it's use in audio equipment.
 
If you need headphones to review, I can probably get them from friends on Head-Fi.

Btw: Beyerdynamics 880 is the next headphone that is better than the Denons for gaming and the most comfortable with it's blue velor cushions. It also comes in 32, 250, 600 ohm versions.

Maybe check out the MMX 2 headset at beyer. It is around the same price as the A700 and has a boom mic. The Headzone setup would be a great item to review. They might send ya'll one to check out.
 
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