Audio-Technica’s ATH-R70x is a pair of open-back monitor headphones.
Monitor headphones are headphones for hearing sound exactly as it is when you record or mix.
In this article we rate it on 5 criteria using only the specifications the manufacturer publishes, and show how it ranks among the 20 monitor headphones we compare.
Disclosure: This site takes part in affiliate programs. Specifications are as of the date we checked them and can change.
Score 3.2 / 5 (average of the 20 models compared: 3.6)
- Specs last checked
- 2026/09/25
- Type
- Open-back
- Impedance
- 470Ω
- Weight
- 210g
- Upper limit
- 40,000Hz
- Price (store, date)
- Not disclosed
Figure: SoundBounty
Summary
Among the 20 monitor headphones, ATH-R70x is rank B. The ranks run S, A, B and C, and B is third from the top. Averaging the scores for each criterion (out of 5) gives 3.2.
Strengths
- Low-frequency range (5 Hz, 5 points): You can check the low end solidly.
- High-frequency range (40,000 Hz, 5 points): You can check the fine details of the highs.
- Lightness (210 g, 4 points): They are light and do not tire you over long periods.
Things to keep in mind
- Ease of driving (470 Ω, 1 point): They need more power to reach a good volume, and with some equipment the volume may run short.
- Suitability for recording (sound leakage) (open-back design, 1 point): They leak sound easily, so they suit checking a mix better than recording vocals.
Who it suits: judging from the specifications, it suits people who want to check the low end solidly; people who want to check the fine details of the highs; people who want headphones that do not tire them over long periods.
Main features of ATH-R70x
A professional open-back reference model
This is Audio-Technica’s professional open-back headphone. Its 45 mm driver, designed only for open-back use, is said to aim at a distortion-free reference sound (a sound you can use as a standard). The honeycomb-shaped aluminum mesh is said to reproduce a natural, spacious sound.
Light, at about 210 g
It is made light, at about 210 g, with resin containing carbon fiber and other materials. The breathable ear pads and the new 3D wing support that holds the head are said to keep it from tiring you even over a long time.
A cable that attaches on either side
The cable is detachable, with Audio-Technica’s own “dual-side” design that lets you attach it to either the left or right ear cup.
470 Ω high impedance
The impedance is a high 470 Ω, a specification made for connecting to professional equipment. The official page also notes that, depending on what you connect it to, you may not get enough volume.
Video: official Audio-Technica YouTube channel (narration in Japanese) Watch on YouTube
Where it is useful
- Checking the width and position of sounds in mixing and mastering
- Wanting light, breathable headphones for long sessions
- People who own a headphone amplifier or a powerful audio interface
Rating by criterion
Ease of driving: 1 / 5
Whether you can get volume without a headphone amplifier (impedance). The smaller the number, the easier they are to drive.
ATH-R70x: 470 Ω. That is a modest rating among the products we compared. They need more power to reach a good volume, and with some equipment the volume may run short.
Low-frequency range: 5 / 5
How low a sound they can reproduce (the lower limit of the frequency response).
ATH-R70x: 5 Hz. That is a high rating among the products we compared. You can check the low end solidly.
High-frequency range: 5 / 5
How high a sound they can reproduce (the upper limit of the frequency response).
ATH-R70x: 40,000 Hz. That is a high rating among the products we compared. You can check the fine details of the highs.
Lightness: 4 / 5
The weight of the headphones. The lighter they are, the less they tire you over long periods.
ATH-R70x: 210 g. That is a high rating among the products we compared. They are light and do not tire you over long periods.
Suitability for recording (sound leakage): 1 / 5
Whether they are closed-back, which leaks little sound. Less leakage means the headphone sound does not get into the microphone while you sing.
ATH-R70x: open-back design. That is a modest rating among the products we compared. They leak sound easily, so they suit checking a mix better than recording vocals.
The gray marks in the figure below (the dotted line on the pentagon) show the average of the 20 products we compared. Price is not part of the score.
How we score (Monitor headphones)
| Criterion | Basis | 5 pt | 4 pt | 3 pt | 2 pt | 1 pt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ease of driving | Impedance (the lower it is, the easier to reach a good volume from a small amplifier) | ≤32 | ≤40 | ≤55 | ≤100 | >100 |
| Low-frequency range | Lower limit of the frequency response | ≤5 | ≤8 | ≤15 | ≤20 | >20 |
| High-frequency range | Upper limit of the frequency response | ≥40000 | ≥30000 | ≥25000 | ≥22000 | <22000 |
| Lightness | Weight (cable excluded) | ≤200 | ≤220 | ≤250 | ≤290 | >290 |
| Suitability for recording (sound leakage) | Closed-back or open-back (closed-back keeps sound out of the microphone while you sing) | Closed-back | — | — | — | Open-back |
Scored only on the body specifications published by the manufacturer. Price and accessories are not part of the score. Ease of driving is compared by impedance (Ω), which every manufacturer publishes. The lower the number, the easier it is to reach a good volume from the headphone jack of an audio interface or a smartphone, so a headphone amplifier is less likely to be needed (sensitivity is shown in the table for reference). "Suitability for recording" scores closed-back headphones higher because the sound is less likely to leak into the microphone while you sing. If you choose open-back headphones for mixing, you can ignore this item.
ATH-R70x connection and getting started
| Connection | 3.5 mm mini plug (two-way with a 6.3 mm standard plug), detachable cable (3 m) |
|---|---|
| In the box | Pouch |
| Other | Because they are open-back, sound easily gets into the microphone while you record vocals |
Checked on the manufacturer’s official pages on September 27, 2026.
Compared with other monitor headphones
Click a heading to sort. On a phone, the table scrolls sideways.
| Product | RankAvg. score | Type | ImpedanceΩ | SensitivitydB/V | Lower limitHz | Upper limitHz | Weightg | Price (store, date) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audio-TechnicaATH-M20x | A 3.4 | Closed-back | 47 | 109.3 | 15 | 20,000 | 190 | Not disclosed |
| Audio-TechnicaATH-M30x | A 3.4 | Closed-back | 47 | 109.3 | 15 | 22,000 | 220 | Not disclosed |
| Audio-TechnicaATH-M40x | A 3.4 | Closed-back | 35 | 112.6 | 15 | 24,000 | 240 | Not disclosed |
| Audio-TechnicaATH-M50x | A 3.4 | Closed-back | 38 | 113.2 | 15 | 28,000 | 285 | Not disclosed |
| Audio-TechnicaATH-M70x | S 4.2 | Closed-back | 35 | 111.6 | 5 | 40,000 | 280 | Not disclosed |
| Audio-TechnicaATH-R70x | B 3.2 | Open-back | 470 | 101.3 | 5 | 40,000 | 210 | Not disclosed |
| SonyMDR-M1 | S 4.4 | Closed-back | 50 | 115 | 5 | 80,000 | 216 | Not disclosed |
| SonyMDR-M1ST | S 4.8 | Closed-back | 24 | 119.2 | 5 | 80,000 | 215 | Not disclosed |
| SonyMDR-CD900ST | S 4.2 | Closed-back | 63 | 118 | 5 | 30,000 | 200 | Not disclosed |
| YamahaHPH-MT8 | B 3.2 | Closed-back | 37 | 116.3 | 15 | 28,000 | 350 | Not disclosed |
| YamahaHPH-MT5 | B 2.8 | Closed-back | 51 | 112.9 | 20 | 20,000 | 245 | Not disclosed |
| beyerdynamicDT 770 PRO 80Ω | A 4.0 | Closed-back | 80 | Not disclosed | 5 | 35,000 | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| beyerdynamicDT 990 PRO 80Ω | B 3.0 | Open-back | 80 | Not disclosed | 5 | 35,000 | 250 | Not disclosed |
| SennheiserHD 280 PRO | B 3.2 | Closed-back | 64 | Not disclosed | 8 | 25,000 | 285 | Not disclosed |
| SennheiserHD 25 | B 3.2 | Closed-back | 70 | Not disclosed | 16 | 22,000 | 140 | Not disclosed |
| ShureSRH440A | B 3.2 | Closed-back | 40 | 111 | 10 | 22,000 | 268 | Not disclosed |
| ShureSRH840A | A 3.8 | Closed-back | 40 | 111 | 5 | 25,000 | 273 | Not disclosed |
| AKGK371 | S 4.4 | Closed-back | 32 | 114 | 5 | 40,000 | 255 | Not disclosed |
| beyerdynamicDT 770 PRO X | A 3.8 | Closed-back | 48 | Not disclosed | 5 | 40,000 | 305 | Not disclosed |
| SonyMDR-7506 | B 2.8 | Closed-back | 63 | 118 | 10 | 20,000 | 230 | Not disclosed |
Specifications are the manufacturer's published values (checked October 19, 2026). Sensitivity is written differently by each manufacturer, so it is shown for reference; beyerdynamic and the Sennheiser HD 280 PRO do not publish a sensitivity.
Before you buy
- They are open-back. They leak sound easily, so they suit checking a mix better than recording vocals.
- The impedance is 470 Ω. The impedance is on the high side, so with some equipment the volume may run short. An audio interface with a strong headphone output is the safer choice. For reference, the sensitivity (loudness per 1 V) is 101.3 dB/V.
Read next
- HD 280 PRO: features and rating (rank B)
- HD 25: features and rating (rank B)
- K371: features and rating (rank S)
- MDR-CD900ST: features and rating (rank S)
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