Introduction
For the average consumer, when shopping for a new pair of earphones or IEMs, many factors comes into place. The Price-to-Performance ratio must be just right, the usability and comfort must be adequate, and the sound, oh dear God, the sound has to suit you. Very rarely do we find one that fits all of the above, and the ATH IM-70 is an IEM that could have been that one, but falls short on several factors. This is a review where we examine what the IM-70 could have done right, and whether or not this is the IEM for you.Background Information
When you look towards the industry of popular consumer audio, a few big names pop into your head. You think of what I would like to call the dark area: Beats, Bose, and SkullCandy, yet somehow you think of Audio-Technica as well, but they don't belong there. Audio-Technica belongs in a grey area, where their high-end products struggle to get into Summit-fi, and their low-end products are too good to be considered "crap". Since 1962 Audio-Technica has provided us with a whole selection of audio products, and in recent years, they released the IM-Series line of BA driver earphones. Now, this IM-Series line of earphones has extended to provide room for two additions in 2013, the IM-50 and the IM-70, both featuring "Dual Symphonic Drivers", a sudden change from the higher-end Balanced Armatures. These two IEMs took to the market extremely fast, and within months they became popular among the average consumer, some even hailing it as a the best earphone they've ever used.
Packaging and Accessories
Although I do not have any pictures to display, the packaging of the IM-70 is fairly simple and does not have much to talk about. The packaging is mainly made of cardboard and is one that you might easily find yourself throwing away after unboxing the product. Inside the box contains the earphone(cable connected), with 3 sets of small, medium and large stock eartips and a set of medium Comply foam eartips. Along with those comes the manual, warranty information and a small carry pouch. The manual also includes a diagram on how to insert the IEMs correctly, as they are over-the-ears. Build and Comfort
This is where the IEM both shines and dies. The build quality of the IM-70 is not "premium" but it is a sensible build that is made to last. The outer case is made of a hybrid between hard resin and aluminium and feels good to the touch. When knocking against each other or laid to rest on a hard surface, the IEMs make a sound similar to that of marble, giving you further assurance that it is made indestructable. The cable itself is nice and thick and doesn't look like it would break at the slightest tug. Storage into the small carry pouch doesn't cause the cable to "memorise" the way it was kept in, but you do need to wound the cable tightly around your hand to compact it small enough to fit in the pouch. Overall the build quality of the IM-70s is highly rated and I personally feel that no matter the abuse, the IEM will always be in working condition. (Please do not test it, however, by hammering it with all your might 
)Without any prior experience to over-the-ear IEMs, you are probably going to get it wrong the first time you put it on, but when you get it right, it feels snuggly and comfortable. However, as the day progresses and the longer you put the IM-70 on, the more your outer ear starts to ache. The strange, un-ergonomic design of the IM-70 makes it difficult for long duration usage, as it slowly cuts into your outer ears and present fatigue only a good ear massage can subside. Unfortunately, this is prevalent in the entire IM-Series, be it the cheaper IM-50 or the amazing sounding IM-04. This is easily solved by a mod, proudly presented by the Head-Fi community, over at this page. In-case the link does not work, the mod works by cutting off the base of any used eartip, leaving a ring-shape silicone to act as a stopper for whatever eartips you are planning to insert on the IM-70. This helps by letting you insert the IEM deeper and relieving your outer ear of pain and fatigue.
Soundstage and Sound
Soundstaging and Imaging:Most IEMs of this price range struggle to get out of the head. The sound usually feels two dimensional and lacking in width and layering. The IM-70 and IM-50, however, has almost no trouble in this category. While you will never feel that the music is as wide as an open set of headphones, the spatial imaging and frequency layering of this IEM is fantastic at this price. It's almost as if they have a specific driver for the bass. When listening to a variety of genres, it feels like the bass is playing closest to you, followed by the warm, smooth sounding mids, and then you hear the forgiving highs tagging behind everything. Do note that changing the eartips on the IM-70 impacts the soundstaging very heavily. Stock eartips are slightly narrower and more focused in bringing out the mids, whereas wide-bored eartips like SpinFits or the UE-100 eartips expand the soundstage and give it a better picture.
The Lows
The bass is where the IM-70 excels in performance. It is nice and punchy, yet not too controlled, allowing a little boominess to leak into the midrange. However, that boominess is not a bad point in the overall sound. Instead, it adds to the smoothness of this IEM, making it never fatiguing to listen to. Personally, I have used the IEM to travel to my institute and I find myself enjoying the rich warmness and smoothness of this IEM, sometimes falling asleep with no difficulty in my long journey. This is not to say that the bass is overexaggerated or over-powering, just a little north of neutral.
The Mids
As the boominess of the bass leaks into the midrange, you might wonder if the vocals are too "honky" or overpowered by the bass. Good news, as the IEM does a good job of separation and the boominess only adds to the warmth and dark sound signature of this pair of earphones. Mids sound intimate and filled with a large body, never too sterile or too bright. The mids hardly disappoint, but are not the best in this price range and in the IM-Series. In more complex music like metal and rock, the mids began to get slightly buried, and this is where you wish you could have just a notch up for the mids, maybe a dB or two.
The Highs
When looking at frequency response graphs of this IEM, it looks to be a standard "fun sounding", V-shaped sound signature, but the highs tell a different story. They are slightly recessed and are not pushed at all. Highs are never fatiguing and dare I say that it is a little rolled off? Not the most resolving IEM around, especially at this price, but subtle details do get revealed. It feels like there is nothing wrong with the highs, but your inner treble-head cannot help but ask for more.
Comparisons and Closure
Comparisons drawn between IEMs in this price range, brings the Shure se215 to mind. Although I do not own one of these, I have, at times, auditioned them at conventions and events in my country. The se215 triumphs in comfort, but when it comes to sound, the IM-70 takes the cup. Compared to the se215, the IM-70 has a much more natural and engaging sound signature which the se215 shies away from. Comparing to my past IEM purchase, also from Audio-Technica, the CKN-70s, the CKN-70s fails to fight the IM-70 in soundstaging and naturalness, but makes up for it with bright treble that brings out good detail. Since my old CKN-70s broke due to a light tug on the cables, the IM-70's build quality absolutely destroys the build quality of the CKN-Series of earphones.
If I were asked "How do these sound like?", I would reply with "Dark, Natural, Smooth and Spacious." I use the IM-70 as my daily drivers and these do not disappoint, but it often leaves me wanting for more. To recommend, if you are looking for an IEM that does not destroy your wallet and you love a smooth, dark sound, then this is the IEM for you.
Did you know the same Chinese's knock off, KZ-ATE, follows the same IM50/70 design? (and for 1/8 fraction of price)