Audio-Technica ATH-AD700X Review – RTINGS.com
Tested using
Methodology v1.3.1
Reviewed Sep 12, 2016 at 12:36 pm
Latest change: Test bench update Nov 21, 2019 at 11:23 am
By Sam Vafaei and Jean-Christophe Lamontagne
5.2
Mixed Usage
7.0
Neutral Sound
4.4
Commute/Travel
5.3
Sports/Fitness
4.9
Office
4.4
Wireless Gaming
6.2
Wired Gaming
1. 6
Phone Call
overview
test results
deals
discussions
Type
Over-ear
Enclosure
Open-Back
Wireless
No
Transducer
Dynamic
Noise Cancelling
No
Mic
No
The Audio-Technica ATH-AD700X are budget open-back headphones that deliver an above-average sound for critical listening. They’re comfortable and decently well built. However, they’re not casual headphones. They won’t be versatile enough to use outside or in noisy environments.
Our Verdict
5.2
Mixed Usage
These headphones are not designed for everyday, casual use.
Cons
-
Very sensitive to ambient noise, by design.
-
Open-back design, so they leak a lot.
-
Big and bulky headphones.
7.0
Neutral Sound
The ATH-AD700X are built to deliver a comfortable listening experience. They slightly overemphasize the mids, and they’re not as well-balanced as some of the higher-end open-back headphones, but they reproduce tracks with above-average fidelity. They also create a satisfactory soundstage for neutral listening.
See our Neutral Sound Recommendations
4.
4
Commute/Travel
Not made for commuting. They don’t block any ambient noise.
See our Commute/Travel Recommendations
5.3
Sports/Fitness
Too bulky and unstable for sports. They will slip off your ears if used while running or doing physical activity.
See our Sports/Fitness Recommendations
4.9
Office
Not intended for office use. Unless you work in an isolated environment, these headphones will leak and be distracting.
See our Office Recommendations
4.4
Wireless Gaming
See our Wireless Gaming Recommendations
6.
2
Wired Gaming
1.6
Phone Call
-
5.2
Mixed Usage
-
7.0
Neutral Sound
-
4.4
Commute/Travel
-
5.
3Sports/Fitness
-
4.9
Office
-
4.4
Wireless Gaming
-
6.2
Wired Gaming
-
1.
6Phone Call
3
6+ Create your own
-
Updated Nov 21, 2019:
Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1. -
Updated Nov 21, 2019:
Converted to Test Bench 1.3. -
Updated Feb 16, 2018:
Converted to Test Bench 1.2. -
Updated Aug 10, 2017:
Converted to Test Bench 1.1. -
Updated Mar 01, 2017:
Converted to Test Bench 1.0. -
Updated Sep 12, 2016:
Review published.
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ATH-AD700X
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ATH-AD700X
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ATH-AD700X
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Compared To Other Headphones
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The Philips SHP9500 are better audiophile headphones than the Audio-Technica ATH-AD700X.
The Philips reproduce audio much more accurately, with more bass and a more present and detailed treble. They’re also better built and are more comfortable. Their passive soundstage is more immersive too.
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The Sennheiser HD 599 are better audiophile headphones for most people than the Audio-Technica ATH-AD700X. The Sennheiser have less low-bass roll-off, less intense presence across the mid-range, and a much better-balanced treble response. They should also be more comfortable for most, although the Audio-Technica are more lightweight and the unique headband design can help relieve pressure during long listening sessions.
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The Sennheiser HD 58X Jubilee are better headphones than the Audio-Technica ATH-AD700X if you prefer a neutral sound profile. The Sennheiser have an impressively well-balanced sound signature that’s not too sharp or piercing. The Audio-Technica, unfortunately, don’t have a very accurate treble response – sibilants sound sharp and piercing, but instruments and vocals lack detail and brightness.
They also feel quite cheaply made, although they’re more comfortable than the Sennheiser.
Test Results
Sort Category───────────RATINGSMixed UsageNeutral SoundCommute/TravelSports/FitnessOfficeWireless GamingWired GamingPhone Call
Category AllDesignSoundIsolationMicrophoneActive FeaturesConnectivity
Design
Type
Over-ear
Enclosure
Open-Back
Wireless
No
Transducer
Dynamic
The ATH-AD700X are average looking over-ear headphones with a unique headband mechanism. They’re big and have large circular ear cups that have an almost entirely open-back design. The cups are covered with thin metal grill, and they’re padded with a soft cushion that feels good on the skin but looks a bit cheap. The headband has self-adjusting paddles that replace the typical leather strap that you would find on these types of headphones. They’re a bit dull and bulky to wear in public, and nothing except the unusual headband is really eye-catching.
Weight
0.57 lbs
Clamping Force
0.8 lbs
The ATH-AD700X have a unique headband that’s comfortable and exerts the right amount of pressure on your head. They’re not heavy despite their size. The ear cups are large and well-padded with a soft cushion that feels good on the skin but also makes the ear cup opening a little small for larger ears.
OS Compatibility
Not OS specific
Ease Of Use
N/A
Feedback
N/A
Call/Music Control
No
Volume Control
No
Microphone Control
N/A
Channel Mixing
N/A
Noise Cancelling Control
N/A
Talk-Through
N/A
Additional Buttons
N/A
Avg.Temp.
Difference
2.3 °C
L
9.5″
W
7.38″
H
4.38″
Volume
307 in³
Transmitter Required
N/A
The AD700X are bulky headphones that don’t fold up into a more compact format. The ear cups don’t lay flat to take less space and the headband design also makes them quite large and cumbersome to carry around. They will fit in a backpack but are too big for anything else. There’s also no case or pouch, to carry them around.
Type
No case
L
N/A
W
N/A
H
N/A
Volume
N/A
These headphones are moderately well-built but have a lot of moving parts. The ear cups feel sufficiently dense, and they’re lightweight enough, to not get damaged from a few falls. However, the unique headband design has a lot of joints and moving parts that will wear through regular use.
Their build quality also feels a bit cheap.
The AD700X are not built to provide a stable fit during physical activity. They are not sports headphones and will quickly fall off if used while running, jogging or exercising. They will maintain a stable fit during casual listening sessions, but the cable is not detachable so if it gets hooked on something, it will pull the headphones off your head.
- Audio-Technica ATH-AD700X Headphones
- 1/8″ to 1/4″ Adapter
- Manual
Sound
Bass Amount
-5.52 dB
Treble Amount
-2.13 dB
Avg. Std. Deviation
0.7 dB
Std. Err.
3.06 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
64.42 Hz
Low-Bass
-5.69 dB
Mid-Bass
-0.
86 dB
High-Bass
2.37 dB
Std. Err.
3.41 dB
Low-Mid
3.06 dB
Mid-Mid
3.17 dB
High-Mid
3.88 dB
Std. Err.
4.54 dB
Low-Treble
-1.62 dB
Mid-Treble
-1.52 dB
High-Treble
1.1 dB
Peaks
2.15 dB
Dips
1.91 dB
Weighted Group Delay
0.21
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
0.76
Weighted Frequency Mismatch
1.99
Weighted Phase Mismatch
7.
75
PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
4.11 dB
PRTF Size (Avg.)
-2.11 dB
PRTF Distance
5.23 dB
Openness
Acoustic Space Excitation
WHD @ 90
0.101
WHD @ 100
0.071
Isolation
Isolation Audio
Overall Attenuation
-2.88 dB
Noise Cancelling
No
Bass
0.17 dB
Mid
2.01 dB
Treble
-10.42 dB
Poor isolation. These headphones don’t isolate any sound below 2KHz, which is expected and typical of open-back headphones. Above 2KHz, they fail to achieve more than 12dB of overall attenuation in the Treble Range.
Leakage Audio
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
63.2 dB
Poor leakage. These open headphones leak a lot of sound mostly in the Treble and upper Mid Range frequencies. The leakage starts to become noticeable around 800Hz and remains so up to 12KHz.
Microphone
Integrated
N/A
In-line
N/A
Boom
N/A
Detachable Boom
N/A
Mic
No
Recorded Speech
N/A
LFE
N/A
FR Std. Dev.
N/A
HFE
N/A
Weighted THD
N/A
Gain
N/A
Speech + Pink Noise
N/A
Speech + Subway Noise
N/A
SpNR
N/A
Active Features
Battery Type
N/A
Continuous Battery Life
N/A
Additional Charges
N/A
Total Battery Life
N/A
Charge Time
N/A
Power Saving Feature
N/A
Audio While Charging
N/A
Passive Playback
N/A
Charging Port
N/A
App Name
N/A
iOS
N/A
Android
N/A
macOS
N/A
Windows
N/A
Equalizer
N/A
ANC Control
N/A
Mic Control
N/A
Room effects
N/A
Playback Control
N/A
Button Mapping
N/A
Surround Sound
N/A
No compatible app.
Connectivity
Bluetooth Version
N/A
Multi-Device Pairing
N/A
NFC Pairing
N/A
Line of Sight Range
N/A
Default Latency
N/A
aptX Latency
N/A
aptX(LL) Latency
N/A
Non-BT Line of Sight Range
N/A
Non-BT Latency
N/A
Analog Audio
Yes
USB Audio
No
Detachable
No
Length
9.84 ft
Connection
1/8″ TRS
Wired Latency
0 ms
PC / PS4 Analog
Audio Only
PC / PS4 Wired USB
No
PC / PS4 Non-BT Wireless
No
Xbox One Analog
Audio Only
Xbox One Wired USB
No
Xbox One Wireless
No
Type
N/A
USB Input
N/A
Line In
N/A
Line Out
N/A
Optical Input
N/A
RCA Input
N/A
Dock Charging
N/A
Power Supply
N/A
Audio Technica ATH-AD700X review | What Hi-Fi?
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While they have their small flaws, these incredibly spacious and nicely detailed headphones are worth a listen
Tested at £190
What Hi-Fi? Verdict
While they have their small flaws, these incredibly spacious and nicely detailed headphones are worth a listen
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
Cons
- –
A stubbornly hard treble
- –
Could be more agile and precise
- –
Bass needs to be tauter
- –
Rivals are more musical and offer better grip
Why you can trust What Hi-Fi?
Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.
These Audio Technica ATH-AD700X headphones are huge.
With an open-back design that’s purely for home listening, these will make you look like a Cyberman. But are they the audio upgrade you’re looking for?
Sound
- Audio-Technica ATH-AD700X at Amazon for £169. 99
99If you’re after a wonderfully airy and open soundfield, these ATH-AD700Xs have it in spades.
Open-back headphones typically sound more spacious than their closed-back cousins and these Audio Technicas take full advantage of this design.
There’s plenty of detail on offer, although a slightly brash top end can curb the enjoyment somewhat.
Play the complex 60 Feet Tall by The Dead Weather, and there’s ample space for the instruments and vocals to breathe in the big soundfield.
The sense of distance and depth between the instruments is easily felt and heard, while the layers of clean detail keep you hooked into the song.
We would have liked more weight to the low end and a tauter bass for a punchier sound, though.
The pounding piano keys in Regina Spektor’s Flowers are laden with subtlety, and you can hear the rasp in her melodic voice.
The ATH-AD700Xs have decent dynamics and attack too – crank up the volume and there’s plenty to enjoy when listening to tracks at home.
That treble can sound just a little harsh at times though, despite a couple of days’ running in. It’s not enough to make you wince, but there is an edge that stops us from truly relaxing and simply enjoying the music.
A bit more agility and precision would go a long way, too, as the Audio Technicas aren’t quite as controlled and cohesive as headphones such as the Grado SR80is (£100).
The Award-winning Grados sound more musical and capable of delivering the tension and drama behind The Dead Weather’s songs, while the Audio Technicas don’t have that same level of refinement and rhythmic precision.
The large size may seem a little preposterous, but it does serve its purpose in giving enough headroom for nearly all head sizes.
The little flaps (which Audio Technica calls ‘self-adjusting 3D Wing Support’) right under the double-hooped headband are flexible enough to adjust to any head shape, but they are a bit too loose for our liking.
Despite the feeling that headphones will slip down our ears, they don’t in reality.
However, we still would’ve liked the springiness of those flaps to be tauter for a more secure hold around our heads.
Rival headphones, such as the luxurious Philips Fidelio X1s (£200) offer better grip.
On the plus side, the over-ear design and their soft earpads are roomy and comfortable.
Coupled with the lightweight construction of the ATH-AD700Xs, this means the headphones don’t apply too much pressure on your ears, making them easy to wear for long periods of listening.
Verdict
Our niggles with fit aside, these Audio Technica ATH-AD700X headphones are well suited for home-listening.
Their incredibly open and airy sound is the biggest attraction point – few other headphones at this price can match that scale of space.
They do face some strong competition in this category: the already-mentioned Grado and Philips headphones are simply more musical, more talented and more exciting.
MORE: Best headphones to buy in 2014
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