[Mink]

I've not heard the R70X, but have the ADX5000, which I think is terrific. I understand the R70X was the top of the line when it was released - and I see it seems to share some features with the ADX5000 (including a high impedance of 470ohms). Have you heard the ADX5000?

No I haven't heard the ADX5000, they are well above my budget LOL. But from what I have read is that the ADX5000s are extremely detailed and brightly tuned pair of headphones, similar to SennheiserHD800s.

 

[Lindholdt]

I have a question for you guys. If you really dislike the look of a headphone….how much do you think that will apply to the overall perception of that headphone.

WHat I mean is …. I hate the look of several headphone….which some I owned for a short time. My 1266 Phi TC I couldnt get to fit to my liking….my HD800 felt so loose on my head I was afraid it would fall off….just a couple. I wonder if the look affected my psychology just a bit to make the fit a little worse than it really was. LOL. I think the Austrian Audio Composer is super cheap looking and ugly for a top tier headphone. I wonder if the fit will be off for me on those as well. LOL

I know it is shallow …. But I just wonder if I was looking for an excuse not to like them.

I think it differs a lot from person to person. I don't like the look of my HiFiMAN's, and where drooling over the Denon 9200's when I compared the two. But for me, sound is a lot more important, so I stayed with the HiFiMAN without any doubt.
But I also just sit inside my living room where only my GF can see me, so no real reason for me to care about the looks

 

[kman1211]

I think I have found my final pair of headphones. Yes, I have had this thought many times over the years and then still ending up buying another pair out of sheer curiosity. But this time it is real.
I have been using the Audio Technica R70Xs exclusively, non-stop for over half a year already and I think they are just perfect. The only reason I will listen to my other pairs is because I don't wont to let them unused. Selling them is a hassle, not worth the time and effort.
I thought the R70Xs would be just another flavor, but they have become my reference in almost every sense: tonal balance, imaging, timbre and just sheer pleasure.

I like my R70x more than my HD 660S2, HD 660S, and HD 650. Yes the HD 660S2 has a fuller richer sound, but it doesn't sound as correct as the R70x and doesn't have more bass extension than the R70x (just more presence). The HD 660S2 like the HD 660S has a slight lack of effortlessness to their sound which can be a bit bothersome with longer sessions, this is the main drawback of the HD 660S/S2 for me. Honestly since spending time with the R70x on my Lake People G111 MKII (first SS amp I had that truly properly drove the R70x) the HD 6xx line has mostly been ruined for me.

The only headphone I like more than the R70x is my Beyerdynamic T1 Gen 3, which while I may get some flak for this opinion considering it's unique tuning, it's the most organic and natural sounding headphone I've ever owned to my ears, it just sounds right to me. I've owned the T1.3 for over 3 years now, the R70x was the only headphone that truly took a lot of time from the T1. With the HD 6xx line while I like them with the HD 660S2 being my favorite, they're lacking that little bit of something that prevents them from being truly great for me like the T1.3 and R70x are.

 

[kman1211]

Some differences just picked up - the ADX5000 is actually 420ohms (not 470 as I suggested above), and the ADX5000 driver is specified 58mm (the R70X is 45). I see the R70X was the first set of open back phones made by AT - and very open at that. A glance at some reviews around release suggest the R70X might share some tonal characteristics with the ADX5000, but might be a little more 'forgiving'? I'd be very interested in impressions from anyone who has heard both.

It's not their first open headphones by a long shot, AT has decades experience with fully open headphones and are actually well known for their open backs, their Air lineup of headphones (AD700, AD900, AD1000, etc.) was popular on Head-fi during the 2000's and early 2010's; they've been making open backs since at least the 1970's (one model from the 70's is the AT-703), of all the Japanese headphone manufacturers AT probably has the most experience with fully open headphones. I don't know what AT's first headphone is or what exactly their first open back is though, don't know much about their history.

 

[jamesjames]

It's not their first open headphones by a long shot, AT has decades experience with fully open headphones and are actually well known for their open backs, their Air lineup of headphones (AD700, AD900, AD1000, etc.) was popular on Head-fi during the 2000's and early 2010's; they've been making open backs since at least the 1970's (one model from the 70's is the AT-703), of all the Japanese headphone manufacturers AT probably has the most experience with fully open headphones. I don't know what AT's first headphone is or what exactly their first open back is though, don't know much about their history.

Many thanks. I see now where I went wrong - the AT blurb on the R70X says: 'The R70X ... is Audio Technica's first pair of open back reference professional headphones'. I should have paid more attention to all the qualifiers!

 

[jamesjames]

No I haven't heard the ADX5000, they are well above my budget LOL. But from what I have read is that the ADX5000s are extremely detailed and brightly tuned pair of headphones, similar to SennheiserHD800s.

Thanks. I think they are very detailed, and to my ear more like a development of the early HD800 than of the HD800S (I like both, but for different reasons). But I find them less bright than the T1 (or the HD800). They don't image in the way 800 series does - but they are convincing, and I find them very engaging - as I've outlined above.

 

[kman1211]

Many thanks. I see now where I went wrong - the AT blurb on the R70X says: 'The R70X ... is Audio Technica's first pair of open back reference professional headphones'. I should have paid more attention to all the qualifiers!

It is their first open-back reference headphone, everything else was basically audiophile focused and not aimed for the pro market. I gather most were more treble focused and lacked bass, never had the chance to listen to many of the Air line. The ADX5000 is a headphone I would love to spend time with sometime. Probably the best way to think of the R70x is that it's basically AT's take on the HD 6xx line.

 

[jamesjames]

It's not their first open headphones by a long shot, AT has decades experience with fully open headphones and are actually well known for their open backs, their Air lineup of headphones (AD700, AD900, AD1000, etc.) was popular on Head-fi during the 2000's and early 2010's; they've been making open backs since at least the 1970's (one model from the 70's is the AT-703), of all the Japanese headphone manufacturers AT probably has the most experience with fully open headphones. I don't know what AT's first headphone is or what exactly their first open back is though, don't know much about their history.

Have you heard the ADX5000?

 

[jamesjames]

It is their first open-back reference headphone, everything else was basically audiophile focused and not aimed for the pro market. I gather most were more treble focused and lacked bass, never had the chance to listen to many of the Air line. The ADX5000 is a headphone I would love to spend time with sometime. Probably the best way to think of the R70x is that it's basically AT's take on the HD 6xx line.

I think our posts crossed.

 

[jamesjames]

It is their first open-back reference headphone, everything else was basically audiophile focused and not aimed for the pro market. I gather most were more treble focused and lacked bass, never had the chance to listen to many of the Air line. The ADX5000 is a headphone I would love to spend time with sometime. Probably the best way to think of the R70x is that it's basically AT's take on the HD 6xx line.

I see - that's the impression I gained from some earlier reviews.

 

[jamesjames]

I see - that's the impression I gained from some earlier reviews.

Actually, I should have said as I've outlined on the ADX5000 thread - I've been moving between the two theads today, and lost track of what I've said where ... so I should add here I guess that I feel the ADX is among the best out at any price for acoustic music.

 

[MatW]

I have a question for you guys. If you really dislike the look of a headphone….how much do you think that will apply to the overall perception of that headphone.

WHat I mean is …. I hate the look of several headphone….which some I owned for a short time. My 1266 Phi TC I couldnt get to fit to my liking….my HD800 felt so loose on my head I was afraid it would fall off….just a couple. I wonder if the look affected my psychology just a bit to make the fit a little worse than it really was. LOL. I think the Austrian Audio Composer is super cheap looking and ugly for a top tier headphone. I wonder if the fit will be off for me on those as well. LOL

I know it is shallow …. But I just wonder if I was looking for an excuse not to like them.

For me it has worked the other way around... At first I did not like the look of the TC, as most people. But the awesome sound has probably helped me to change my opinion on that... I now like it for its industrial, rugged look. It is also possible to get it to fit properly, but it requires some effort. The Abyss people seem to think that all heads are the same and do not provide extra O rings to allow for different head shapes. I bought some myself and needed one that was 50% larger than the stock O ring. But with the larger O ring and the frame toed out, with the pads gripping the area behind my ears and an air gap in the front, I find it very comfortable to wear, almost like a "normal" headphone. It is still heavy of course, but that does not bother me. With the new, thicker headband (not new anymore now I guess), it feels very soft.

The HD800s was too loose on my head as well. I solved that by installing thicker aftermarket pads (Dekoni). It fits better now but there is a minor hotspot due to the thin headband. I may try a pilot pad or something similar but it will raise the headphone and I am running out of extension on the earcups, so this one will continue to have a suboptimal fit most likely. Probably one of the reasons why it is not getting a lot of ear time. That and having too large a collection.

 

[arielext]

The HD800s was too loose on my head as well. I solved that by installing thicker aftermarket pads (Dekoni). It fits better now but there is a minor hotspot due to the thin headband. I may try a pilot pad or something similar but it will raise the headphone and I am running out of extension on the earcups, so this one will continue to have a suboptimal fit most likely. Probably one of the reasons why it is not getting a lot of ear time. That and having too large a collection.

I removed the stock padding and replaced it by a DTxx0 (770/880/990) headpad by Beyerdynamic. worked wonders for comfort in my case.

 

[MatW]

I removed the stock padding and replaced it by a DTxx0 (770/880/990) headpad by Beyerdynamic. worked wonders for comfort in my case.

Thanks Lucien. This one?
https://www.thomann.de/nl/beyerdynamic_dt770_prodt880_pro_kopfgurt.htm

I will give that a try, looks promising!

 

[arielext]

Thanks Lucien. This one?
https://www.thomann.de/nl/beyerdynamic_dt770_prodt880_pro_kopfgurt.htm

I will give that a try, looks promising!

That's the one