Customer Reviews

Audio Technica ATH-A700 Headphones

5 star:		(77)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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.

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!

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.

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

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!

Yes, these are great headphones. But not perfect. The key difference between the ATH-A700 and ATH-A900 are that these (the ATH-A700) have plastic enclosures, while the ATH-A900 have aluminum enclosures. The result is the plastic is a bit resonant in a narrow area of the midrange to the music, and to the outside sounds.

These do not isolate much from extraneous sound because they resonate, though they do cut the higher frequencies. So they are not suitable for use in a noisy environment. The ATH-A900 probably would have a more neutral sound due to the aluminum cups. But there is a big price difference.

(The ATH-AD700 have a mostly aluminum enclosure, but are open, i.e., there are lots of small holes in the outer shell. So they sound more neutral than the ATH-A700, but it is a different sound from the closed headphones.)

I don't want to overstate the midrange resonance. You get used to most minor headphone colaration with time, as you do these. If you listen to pop music, you probably won't hear it at all; it is more evident with orchestral music.

As others have noted, these headphones require a long break in. Some of what appeared to be midrange coloration disappeared with break in. They also require some first rate electronics to appreciate their quality. I am using a Sansa MP3 primarily, and a Marantz amp. With mediocre electronics you are going to get mediocre sound.

I own several Audio Technica headphones, and they have figured out how to make drivers that produce an unusual amount of precise detail, in both the high frequencies and low -- bass is detailed and tight.

Some reviewers have claimed there is an undue amount of bass and treble in the ATH-A700 vs. the ATH-A900. I disagree. I do not find the bass unnaturally strong. The treble may be a bit bright compared to other brands of headphones -- that seems to be the Audio Technica style. But look at the specs: they claim to have a lot of treble, and they deliver.

For anyone who has not heard a first-rate closed headphone before, these will come as quite a revelation. Good closed headphones create a remarkable sonic experience. Chances are you won't want to take them off.

These are great headphones for the street price.

Let me first say I am not an audiophile. I originally purchased the Audio Technica noise cancelling headphones. I liked them and their sound, but the sound leakage was way too much for what I was going to use them for.

These are used primarily for xbox 360 and I also use them at work for casual listening. We have an open office and my co-workers would have been able to hear the noise cancelling pair. These have very little sound leakage. The have a great sound to them, and produce pretty good bass for a headphone. They're extremely light and very comfortable to wear for long periods of time. The do make my ears kind of warm after awhile, but they're closed, so I expected that.

The only knock I have on them is they're HUGE. I didn't expect them to be as big as they are. Not really that big of a deal for me since I'm not wearing them out in public, but don't get these thinking they'll be nicely sized. They're quite a bit bigger than the noise cancelling pair I first bought.

Overall I'm extremely happy with them. COD4 is amazing through my yamaha receiver...there is so much more detail to the sound (of course, I usually had the sound turned pretty low at night so as not to wake my wife).

The quality and workmanship of these headphones shine right from the moment they are taken out of the box. Although ~ 20 hours burn-in is good, it's not required. Burn-in refers to running different kinds of music (pop, rock, classical, hip hop etc) through the headphones to let the drivers settle in. Just know that if you are impressed with them out of the box, they will blow your socks off after 20+ hours!

As a point of reference, I also own the ATH-M50s, the AKG K271 MK2 and the Westone UM1 in-ear headphones. The ATH-A700 sound much better to me than the ATH-M50s (*subjective*). The AKG-K271 costs a lot more and also require a headphone amplifier, so it is not a fair comparison. The ATH-A700 can be plugged right into an IPod / IPhone (it has a compatible jack) and they don't require an amplifier to sound good.

Summary of Pros:

Superb sound quality
Solid build (cable is wrapped in cloth)
Really really comfortable
Do not require amplifier to sound great
Ipod Iphone compatible

Cons:

Big. Takes up some space if you are trying to take them on a plane.
Cannot be folded like the M50s.

The pros far outweigh the cons as far as I am concerned. YMMV.

It's been about 3 weeks since I bought my ATHA 700's, and I have to say that these are without a doubt the BADDEST headphones that I've ever had, period!!
And the wonderful thing about it, they are sounding better and better as time goes on!
Every single person that listen to them, were blown away by the clean and crisp sound.

Now I know that music appreciation is very subjective. What I consider nice may be repulsive to you. I guess you have to use you're judgment.
I listen to Jazz, R&B, Reggae, Rock and a little Hip Hop. And the cool thing is that these bad boys can handle them all with no problem! My home theater consists of Onkyo components with Klipchs speakers. I can honestly say that these headphones can hold their own against them!

With all that said. I also have to let you know that out the box, I found that the highs were a little harsh, to the point that they almost drowned out the midrange (Vocals). Don't let this disappoint you, because once you give then time to burn in, you'll be agreeing with me. I let mine burn for 40 hours (continual playing with the base up high as it could go and the treble down low as possible). I like to think of them as a diamond in the rough because the longer you have them, the better they will sound. Right now my set produces a wonderfully clean, crisp, clear, distinct sound with a natural bass that would blow you away.

They are very comfortable to wear. However, because they are closed headphones in design, they tend to get warm to the ears. This took a little while for me to get used to.
These are my first closed design headphones. And there is a different experience when listening to these compared to an open design pair. You feel as if you are in a soundproof room and all you hear is the music. You will also hear all of the distinct elements of a song as never before, from the individual instruments to the vocals. The experience is very close to a live performance. One of many things that I like about these headphones is their ability to produce very sharp, clean and distinct highs. This is without a doubt, why these are perfect for Jazz!! If there are any Jazz lovers out their, please buy these headphones, give them at least 40 hours to burn-in, Sit and then LISTEN! (I almost cried!!) :)
And if you don't agree with me, I'll buy them from you.

I should also add that I only use the headphones with my computer. I also recommend that you use a good sound card. I use Sound Blaster X-Fi Extreme gamer.
I find that The Crystalizer feature really brings out the midranges within the headphones.

One last thing, I read that allot of people use these with their I Pod? These headphones will block approx 98% of external noise. I can't imagine anyone using these outside, especially within New York City! A place where sometimes crossing the street with perfect hearing can be a daunting task.
Good luck with your decision.

These headphones are making me cry right now; Anakin's Theme by John Williams sounds BETTER than sitting in the front row of a classical music concert. With the "Powerful" setting on my Realtek HD controller and SRS on 5.1 this sounds greater than anything I've ever heard, and even without hardware enhancements the sound is much better than my Logitech speakers, my Sony ear buds and my (when they weren't broken) Steel Series 5H V2's combined. The music surrounds you, it has an excellent soundstage, perfect pinpointing for surround sound applications. The best part about them is that any IEM or even ear bud i've tried is painful when the volume it turned up, but with these, there is perfect audio and its painless. I've tried Bose triport over ears, on ears and inner ears, and they have nothing on these. I have already recommended them to 5 friends and I opened the package 15 minutes ago! I searched for literally weeks for a great pair of "cans" under $150 and these are by far the best. I tried ultimate ears super.fi 3's and after trying all the tips (ended up using my old Sony tips) they had ZERO bass. These have an amazing balance; crisp highs, dependent mids, and just enough low with hardware acceleration to be the perfect pair of audiophile headphones. I am going to listen to my whole 9 gigs of music again, even the songs I don't care for because these make them sound so amazing.

Bottom line:
Pros: Better than Bose in nearly every aspect ( I've extensively tried everything they offer) for a third of the price. Enveloping beautiful music, almost no bleeding, comfortable (I have a big head)

Cons: If you have no hardware acceleration ( built in EQ exempt such as PSP) they lack bass. I noticed this when I first put them on. But literally after less than a minute of tweaking, these sound better than anything I've ever heard. My music has layers that I never heard before, they don't hurt like earbuds when they blast your eardrums directly

Sound quality: (10)
Portability:(4)
Surround sound quality: (9.5)
Build : (8.9) great looking, their not blue spheres, their flat black (with glittery blue specs in them), comfortable for larger heads and no adjustments ( can be a con)
Noise Canceling: 8 (almost as good as earplugs to outside noise; with music I can't hear anything else)

Music types:
Classical music (10)
Rock (9.5)
Techno (9.2)

Gaming:
FPS (10): deep enough bass for excellent explosions and pinpointing footsteps.

overall 11/10

Buy a pair, you will not be disappointed unless your deaf!