If the Audio-Technica ATH-R70xs aren’t too large for your head size, then there’s a good chance that they will be more comfortable than Sennheiser HD 650, Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro, and any of the AKG offerings.
While it’s true that the ear pads aren’t as roomy as say Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro, but they could accommodate even the largest pinnas of our testers, without exerting pressure on the outer ear. In regards to the earpad size, some reviews online go as far as describing these headphones as being something in between over-ear and on-ear design. Maybe it can be remedied by bending the headband bow, but we didn’t try to do that. If your head size is on the smaller side, this can be an issue. One of our testers though had a problem with headphones sagging over time – the headphones failed to deliver strong enough clamping force and the 3D wings alone couldn’t support the weight of headphones. Combine that with the lightweight build and you have headphones that can be worn for hours on end. The earpads are plush and conform to the shape of the head nicely. The “3D wing support system” – the two parts that rest against the top of the user’s head does a great job at evening out the pressure. Most of our testers were impressed with how comfy ATH-R70xs are. It’s a neat feature but it will limit aftermarket cable options, and the only one that’s in the box is a 3-meter straight cable that may not be the best option for every setup. This is achieved by sending a stereo signal to each earcup and separating the channels in the headphones.
The potential for user error is eliminated, as either way you connect them to the headphones, the left channel will always be fed to the left earcup and the right one to the right. The untraditional headband isn’t the only unique feature of ATH-R70x – the cable has no designated left and right channel. Quite a disappointment is how susceptible to scratches are the metal sheets on the ear cup grilles that bear the Audio-Technica logo and ATH-R70x model name. Additionally, the premium and nice feeling material that’s used to cover ear pads attract hair and dust similarly as Alcantara does so they’ll require some maintenance to keep them looking fresh. Maybe it’s deceptive, but these don’t feel like headphones you can just throw in a backpack along with other stuff and expect them to be in the same condition afterward. This does come at an expense though – the build feels far from robust and seems to require some care when handling. This can be attributed to the use of the materials, apart from the aluminium ear cup grilles and the slender headband bow, the rest of the visible parts are plastic. More on the comfort later, but they really are very light at 210 grams. ATH-R70x certainly has a unique look with its “3D wing support system” instead of the conventional headband, but it’s a no-nonsense design that pursues low weight and comfort for extended sessions in the studio.