As Audio-Technica states in the announcement distributed at NAMM 2025, the ATH-R70xa is the company's new flagship pair of professional open-back reference headphones. A new "perfect production tool" for mixing, mastering, or creating, delivering accurate and dependable reference across stereo, surround, and immersive formats. The original Audio-Technica ATH-R70x, launched in 2015, was praised for being extremely neutral and providing great imaging and detail as "professional" headphones should. But what triggered the crossover to the "enthusiasts" market was the favorable similarities with the Sennheiser HD 800 and inevitably the HD 650, which cost almost $200 USD more than the ATH-R70x.
Of course, not everything in the Audio-Technica ATH-R70x was perfect, and over time, the criticism about earpads, the single stock cable, and the headband fit mounted and was noticed by the Japanese company. The enhanced version of the ATH-R70x, Audio-Technica explains, delivers "the same natural and balanced sound of its predecessor but with refined accuracy and detail, providing a heightened listening experience with precise imaging and depth for realistic sound staging." This is because while the ATH-R70x utilized damping and its acoustic design for added low-frequency emphasis, the fully open-back sound of the ATH-R70xa relies solely on the performance of the driver – "each diaphragm movement translates directly into sound without reliance on acoustic cavities or resonance for frequency enhancement and minimizing distortion," the company says.
Otherwise, the intent for the ATH-R70xa professional headphones is the same: Made for critical listening, allowing engineers to make the right decision at every step of the production process. With an extended frequency range (5 – 40,000Hz), the unrestricted airflow and absence of internal resonance allow for an extremely quick transient response, ensuring the clarity and separation needed to handle complex contemporary mixes.
The most important changes are in the mechanical design. The featherlight ATH-R70xa headphones (199g/7.0 ounces without the cable) feature a more streamlined construction, a new headband design, and replaceable velour earpads, allowing for longer working sessions. A unique, dual-sided 3.0m (9.8-inch) detachable locking cable is L/R signal independent to ensure proper stereo orientation.
Audio-Technica also adds that each ATH-R70xa is handcrafted in its own facility in Machida, Tokyo, meticulously assembled from components built in-house, then rigorously tested before leaving the factory. And yet the price is now US $349, which is in line with other professional headphones, but is considered a bargain for enthusiasts. And yes, the ATH-R70xa launches at a lower price than the original ATH-R70x did 10 years ago ($489 MSRP).
And Then There's Another
If the original ATH-R70x headphones were so successful and the new ATH-R70xa improves the original in so many ways, why dilute the impact of the launch with a second and more affordable model?
Well, because Audio-Technica thinks that it is time to create a new R-Series line of professional open-back models. And the ATH-R50x headphones are designed exactly for the same critical-listening tasks but modeled after those used in the original ATH-R70x. That is, the ATH-R50x headphones are a re-engineered version of the 2015 ATH-R70x with a slight accentuation on the midrange to ensure the clarity of vocals and lead instruments without sacrificing overall balance.
Otherwise, the ATH-R50x are the same open-back design, adding also requested improvements, such as new earcups that provide greater comfort, a newly designed headband, and a more durable, lightweight construction (207g/7.3 ounces).
So, while the new ATH-R70xa are the new open-back professional flagship from Audio-Technica, the ATH-R50x is now "the versatile choice for any professional or home studio." Also, the ATH-R50x comes with two detachable cables (3.0m and 1.2m), each with a 2.5mm twist-lock connector at the left earcup and a 3.5mm gold-plated stereo mini-plug. And even with all these improvements, they retail for just USD $159, which makes it one of the best value open-back headphones in the market. Obviously, they are probably not handcrafted and meticulously assembled in Machida, Tokyo, but hey...
www.audio-technica.com
