Audio-Technica Reveals Two New Pairs Of Open Back Headphones

Audio-Technica, the venerable Japanese audio brand, has announced two new pairs of professional open-back reference headphones designed for mixing, mastering or creating music.

The ATH-R70xa and ATH-R50x are launching exclusively at Thomann Music store and the two new models deliver the kind of clarity and precision for critical listening in home studio and professional settings. The new headphones have been designed for professionals who want accuracy, transparency as well as comfort.

The ATH-R70xa and ATH-R50x are the latest evolution in Audio-Technica’s highly regarded R-series. The ATH-R70xa is an enhanced version of Audio-Technica’s popular ATH-R70x. It has a fully open-back design with the same kind of natural and balanced sound as its predecessor but with refined accuracy and more detail for immersive listening.

By eliminating the reliance on acoustic cavities or resonance, the new ATH-R70xa depends solely on the drivers for its sonic performance with every movement of the diaphragm translating directly into sound. This result, says Audio-Technica, is minimal distortion levels and a more authentic open-back experience.

The ATH-R70xa is hand-assembled at Audio-Technica's Machida facility, where each pair of headphones is built using components manufactured by Audio-Technica. Each pair is then extensively tested before shipping from the factory.

Launching alongside the ATH-R70xa is the ATH-R50x headphones which also offer a professional-level performance with a pure open-back design. Designed for critical listening, Audio-Technica says the ATH-R50x have a natural and expansive soundstage, surprising bass power, plus an accurate upper midrange. This should make the headphones ideal for reproducing everything from detailed vocals to instruments.

The ATH-R50x are built with re-engineered drivers modeled after the original ATH-R70x headphones which combine a dynamic audio experience as well as comfort and durability, making the ATH-R50x for lengthy studio sessions.

Like the ATH-R70xa, these new and affordable headphones are ideal for mixing, mastering or creating. Both the ATH-R70xa and the ATH-R50x deliver precise, reliable reference across stereo, surround and immersive formats.

Professional open-back reference headphones serve up the ideal balance of accuracy, transparency and comfort, making them a favorite for engineers, producers and musicians. The fully open-back design enables unrestricted airflow to eliminate internal resonance and provide an extremely quick transient response. It also makes them cool and comfortable to wear for long periods.

The drivers are made from carbon composite resin which improves the ATH-R70xa’s structural rigidity and provides a detailed transient response. The extended frequency response ranging from 5 to 40,000Hz means there is plenty of detail in the upper and lower ranges.

Weighing a mere 199g, the ATH-R70xa have a streamlined, metal-reinforced construction, redesigned headband as well as replaceable velour earpads for more comfortable wearing. The headphones feature a dual-sided 3-meter locking cable that is detachable and L/R signal independent for proper stereo orientation. Finally, there is a 6.3mm adapter and a carrying pouch provided.

The Audio-Technica ATH-R50x are also professional and open-back reference headphones with extended bass and accurate midrange. Like the ATH-R70xa, the fully open-back design of the headphones offers unrestricted airflow to eliminate internal resonance and provide rapid transient response and cool wearing.

Audio-Technica says the ATH-R50x have a wide and realistic soundstage and are only fractionally heavier than the ATH-R70xa weighing in at 207g. The new and affordable headphones ship with two sets of detachable cables. One cable is 3 meters in length and the other measures 1.2 meters, making it ideal for use with portable devices. Each cable has a 2.5mm twist-lock connector at the left earcup and a 3.5mm gold-plated stereo mini-plug. A 6.3mm adapter and a carrying pouch are also included.

Pricing & Availability: The Audio-Technica ATH-R70xa headphones will be available from January 23, 2025. The ATH-R50x will be available shortly after. Both models will be exclusively available at Thomann for launch. ATH-R70xa will retail for £299 / €349, and ATH-R50x will sell for £139 / €169.