The Audio-Technica ATH M70x: A Comprehensive Review

As we take a closer look at the Audio-Technica ATH M70x, it's clear that there's been a lot of curiosity surrounding these brand new headphones. Especially with the popularity of their previous model, the ATH M50s, which have received widespread acclaim for their incredible sound quality and affordable price tag. The M70x, on the other hand, boasts an upgraded name and a significantly higher price point, with an MSRP over $400. However, as we'll explore in this article, it's worth taking a closer look at how these headphones compare to their predecessors.

One of the most common questions surrounding the M70x is how they stack up against the ATH M50s. As the number one question I get asked about these headphones, it's only natural that I'd want to dive into this comparison. When it comes to build quality, the M70x are very similar to the M50s. While I was expecting a more premium feel with such a significant price increase, it turns out that they're still built primarily from hardened plastic, albeit with a matte finish instead of glossy plastic. This gives them a soft touch and a classic styling that's reminiscent of traditional headphones.

The design of the M70x is also worth noting, as it deviates slightly from their predecessors. Gone is the big, bold Technica branding on top of the headband, replaced by a more subdued look that still manages to evoke a sense of sophistication. The ear cups are still flexible and will accommodate a wide range of head sizes, although they're only padded in the middle where it actually makes contact with your head. Overall, the M70x are a lot lighter than their predecessors, making them more comfortable to wear for extended periods.

One notable difference between the M70x and the M50s is that they no longer fold up like their predecessors did. This means that they'll take up more space in their cases, which come with a high-quality hard shell with padding on the inside and a soft matte finish on the outside. The case itself is quite large, but it's a nice touch that comes with the headphones as standard equipment.

In terms of accessories, the M70x come with three cables: a two-meter long short straight cable, a three-meter long long straight cable, and a three-meter long coiled cable. While I didn't use the additional cable bag on the inside too much, it's nice to know that it's there for those who need it. The twist and lock mechanism that connects the cables to the headphones is secure and high-quality, although it does limit your options when it comes to using third-party cables.

So what about the sound quality of the M70x? As we all know, this is where things get really interesting. In my opinion, there's nothing spectacular about the build quality of these headphones, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. After all, they're designed to be used for monitoring and mixing audio, rather than just everyday listening.

When it comes to sound quality, the M70x are incredibly flat, with a frequency response that's perfect for editing. While this means that they might sound less rich or bass-heavy than their predecessors, like the M50s, it also makes them perfectly suited for producing and mixing music. The lightweight comfort of these headphones is also a major selling point, as they're designed to make your listening experience more enjoyable without putting too much strain on your ears.

So what's the difference between the closed-back production headphones and the new open-back reference headphones, the ATH R70x? In short, if you're looking for the absolute best in closed-back production headphones, there's no need to upgrade from the M50s or M50x. However, if you want to take your listening experience to the next level, the M70x are starting to compete with some of the highest-end open-back headphones on the market.

In conclusion, the Audio-Technica ATH M70x is a comprehensive review of these incredible headphones. Whether you're looking for a new pair to upgrade from your existing setup or simply want to experience the best that closed-back production headphones have to offer, the M70x are definitely worth considering. With their flat frequency response, lightweight comfort, and high-quality build, they're sure to please even the most discerning audiophiles.

That's all for now, folks! Thank you for watching, and I'll talk to you guys in the next video.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enwhat hey what is up guys mkbhd here and these are the audio technica ath m70x yes there's been a lot of curiosity about these brand new headphones coming out especially since the ath m50s have been so damn popular and these seem to have an upgraded name and a bigger price tag with an msrp up over 400 bucks although you can get them on amazon for 300 bucks linked below so with the m70x the number one question i get and actually the easiest way to talk about them is how do they compare to the m50s the m50s get all this praise all the time for being some of the most incredible sounding headphones for a very low price so now that the m70s come along for a much higher price naturally we're all curious about if they're that much better so with headphones my comparisons can be very simple i don't have to worry about battery life or display tech or anything crazy like that it's just how they're built and how they sound so with the build quality the m70x are very simple and pretty similar to the m50s i'll be honest i was looking for a bunch more metal or other premium materials because i honestly expected that with such a price increase but nope it's all still hardened plastic again this time with a matte coat instead of glossy plastic so it's a soft touch and they have a pretty traditional styling a pretty sharp tuxedo look here in black i think they'd be much more interesting if they offered it in some other colors like the m50s but that might come later so they ditched the big bold technica branding on the top of the m50s for a much simpler subdued look on the m70s but this band here is still very flexible it will suit all sorts of head sizes although now it is actually only padded in the middle where it actually touches your head and overall the headphones are just actually a lot lighter this makes them more comfortable to wear for longer periods of time i actually know that was a pretty big complaint about the m50s that they were a little bit too tight the m70s still have a fantastic seal with even softer earcups and cushions all around them but they sit a little bit lighter on your head now the only one notable difference here with the m70s is that they don't fold anymore so if you remember the m50s those could fold up right on and just fit in like a little travel bag with about half the footprint of being fully expanded and the m70s are lacking that hinge that it needs to do that so you can still swivel the ear cups 90 degrees to lie flat but that means you need a larger case here that actually comes with it to store them and travel and i guess that's a pro and a con it's a con because they are a bit bigger and it requires more space they don't fit into quite as small of a bag but it is a really nice case that it comes with it's a high quality hard shell with padding on the inside and this soft matte finish on the outside that's pretty pleasant to hold so it's free and it comes with it and everything so that's great now you also get an additional cable bag on the inside too i didn't use it that much since i really only use the one coiled cable but the m70s do come with three cables so it has the two meter long short straight cable a three meter long long straight cable and a three meter long coiled cable so i use the coiled one most often like i said and they all connect to the headphones via that same new twist and lock mechanism that we saw on the m50x so again it does mean you can't really use any third-party cables if you wanted something colorful or something braided or something like that but the twist and lock is a pretty secure fit and a high quality way to connect your cable so overall yeah these things are built pretty well but there's obviously nothing spectacular about them which i guess it isn't really meant to be you'll see why in a second but of course the most interesting part is how they sound so i did a lot of listening i don't know if i believe in the whole burning in headphones or anything but i've had these for about a week now and i've been doing plenty of listening mostly to music lots of it on spotify on my phone but then also plugged into the dac on my computer and how to listen to some higher quality audio files there including actually mixing the last video i did which was the dell tablet review and the bottom line about the sound is this these are studio monitors like for real so that means they have a very neutral sound signature which is what you want if you're monitoring or mixing audio to the untrained ear that may sound like it's lacking bass or even might be a little bit tinny but you got to understand that this flat frequency response is exactly what you want when editing so the m50s will sound very rich because they do have more bass than the m70s they all sound way more colored and they will continue to sound better for everyday listening and music and movies and gaming and all sorts of stuff like that but for monitoring and mixing and producing the even more flat sound and lightweight comfort of the m70s is really what you want now if we back up for a second the m in m70x stands for monitors right so closed back headphones but audio technica actually newly introduced something called the athr70x and the r is for open back reference headphones and a lot of times when you step up in price for audio quality like this you're going to want to move to open back headphones it's kind of like moving to speakers in your room that are right next to your ears it's something i can explain in a later video but for now i think the m70x is really the upper limit when it comes to closed back production headphones that you want to get in this price if you've bought the m50s or the m50x already no need to worry i'm gonna continue using and recommending them in their ridiculously awesome price bracket for their rich clear sound i use them all the time for traveling and listening but for production headphones i say for the price the m70s are starting to compete with some open back headphones but if you absolutely must have closed back monitors can't go wrong with these so there you go that's the audio technica ath m70x and a recap of the m50x thank you for watching and i'll talk to you guys in the next one peace\n"