By aspect — in detail
Broad agreement that the R70xa is a neutral-leaning tuning that trades the original R70x's warm-soft balance for more energy at both ends — most read it as neutral-leaning-bright or mildly U-shaped, a step toward an older AKG studio sound and away from the relaxed HD650. Where sources differ is only the label (stunningly neutral vs mildly U-shaped/bright), not the underlying shape.
“the ATH-R70xa delivers a stunningly neutral, balanced tone with impressive depth and clarity. Nothing sounds hyped, exaggerated or pushed.”
Paul Vunk Jr., Recording magazine
“The R70xa is neutral leaning bright, the R50x is just bright.”
Fc-Construct, Headphones.com / The Headphone Show
Measured
unheardlab's FR reads as mildly U-shaped: a bass lift below ~200 Hz plus more upper-mid/treble energy than the R70x; Tape Op measured a bump at 90 Hz sloping down to 4 kHz then rising again, with more 4–7 kHz energy than the original; Fc-Construct notes a small lower-mids dip near 200 Hz.
A consistent step up from the HD6X0 series and a clear improvement over the R70x: punchy, well-controlled and better-extended for an open-back, with kick and snare landing with real weight. Everyone agrees it is not a basshead headphone — sub-bass still rolls off and quantity is polite — and that it tightens up (or turns sloppy) depending on how much power it gets.
“The bass has good punch and extension for an open-back, setting it apart from classics like the Sennheiser HD6X0 series.”
unheardlab
“The bass is punchy, though like many open-backs, it does roll-off in the subbass.”
Fc-Construct, Headphones.com / The Headphone Show
Measured
unheardlab measures a clean bass lift below ~200 Hz that cuts off around 200 Hz (no midrange bleed) over a rolled-off sub-bass, with low distortion; Tape Op hears the fundamental clearly at 22 Hz and low distortion even below 150 Hz where open-backs usually struggle.
Sources split. One camp hears the midrange as the R70xa's charm — sweet, forward, natural vocals that sit above the mix. The other hears a step back from the original R70x: a measured lower-mids dip near 200 Hz and generally uneven mids that can thin out vocals, with some preferring the R70x or HD600 here. The split tracks the 200 Hz dip and how much a listener values vocal body.
Measured
Fc-Construct and unheardlab both note a lower-mids dip of around 200 Hz that contrasts the bass elevation; above it the midrange measures fairly linear. Fc-Construct hears the dip most in dialogue ('vocals can sound thin'), less in music.
Where it splits
Uneven and thinned — a lower-mids dip and a step back from the original R70x's mids.36%
“there's a sizeable dip in the lower mids (in general the mids are uneven)”
iTzKiTTeH (r/headphones)
Broadly clear and airy, but a genuine split on how it lands. Most hear a clean, well-dispersed, never-shrill top end — a strength of the open design. A real minority (led by the measurement) finds it uneven and drier or brighter than the R70x/HD650, with enough energy and unevenness to fatigue over time. Both are describing the same measured shape.
Measured
unheardlab's headline finding is treble unevenness between 4 kHz and 9 kHz — 'a series of peaks and dips' audible on a sine sweep; Tape Op measures more 4–7 kHz energy than the R70x, which it frames positively as better sibilance/vocal-formant resolution for mixing.
⚠ vs. listeners — No one disputes the graph — the 4–9 kHz unevenness and the added upper energy vs the R70x are real. The camps disagree on valence: the same elevation reads as 'clear and airy' to some and 'dry, uneven and fatiguing' to others, and it shifts with the recording, the seal and the source.
Where it splits
Uneven and dry — brighter than the R70x/HD650 and can be fatiguing.38%
“Can be more fatiguing than the original R70x or HD650”
unheardlab
Soundstage
Moderate · 6 srcA consistent strength: open, spacious and airy, noticeably ahead of the HD6X0 series thanks in part to the obstruction-free open grilles. The shared caveat is depth — several find the stage wide and tall but frontal, and not the widest or most out-of-head among open-backs.
“It surpasses the HD6X0 series with a more spacious and airy presentation.”
unheardlab
“Super wide soundstage, giving you plenty of width as well as height for frequencies to expand.”
Delaney Czernikowski, Audio46
Imaging
Strong consensus · 5 srcWidely called the R70xa's strongest technical suit — sharper, more focused placement than the HD6X0 series, with some owners rating it near far pricier open-backs. unheardlab ties it to excellent measured channel matching on its unit.
“Imaging, similarly, is sharper and more focused than on the HD6X0 series.”
unheardlab
“It absolutely once again destroys the 600. The R70xa is like a mini HD800.”
PatGold (r/headphones)
Measured
unheardlab reports excellent channel matching on its unit, which it suggests 'may contribute to strong imaging performance and clarity of spatial cues.'
Good resolution for the class and generally ahead of the HD6X0 series, helped by tight transients — but not a giant-killer, with its uneven treble transition and (for IEM-spoiled listeners) a ceiling on outright resolution holding it back.
“The R70xa offers good clarity. Compared to the HD6X0 series, it generally has the upper hand.”
unheardlab
“you hear detail with very little resonance or masking”
Tape Op
A recurring highlight: lively, snappy and punchy, with well-distinguished transients that most rate above the HD650 for slam and energy. The caveat is that this liveliness depends on power — underdriven it can lose its grip.
“Transients are snappy and well-distinguished, with no hint of muddiness or veil.”
unheardlab
“The punch and speed, however, is really standout.”
Mokedoke (r/headphones)
The most divisive aspect, and it tracks the redesigned headband. Everyone agrees the R70xa is wonderfully light (~199 g). But opinion splits hard on the new suspension strap with magnetic clasps: some find it one of the comfiest headphones they have worn, while a large camp finds the weak clamp, uneven seal and limited ear-cup swivel a real fit problem — often a regression from the original R70x's '3D wing' band. Whether it works depends on your head and ear shape.
Measured
~199 g without cable — about 10 g lighter than the R70x; the new suspension strap uses magnetic clasps and allows only ~20–30° of horizontal ear-cup articulation with a hard stop and light clamp, which unheardlab links to occasional seal gaps.
Where it splits
A headband downgrade — weak clamp, uneven seal and limited swivel hurt the fit for many.54%
“the headband feels like a downgrade. The design is somewhat awkward with limited ear cup articulation”
unheardlab
Mixed but net-neutral. The materials feel premium and genuinely light, and the redesign fixes the original's fragile 'wing' hinges — a real durability win for some. But the new magnetic-clasp suspension headband is the recurring knock: several find the clasps flimsy or prone to popping loose, and one owner calls the band slightly rattly. The dual-sided twist-lock cable is a long 3 m single.
“engineered and manufactured with materials and components that look and feel premium”
Tape Op
“one of my magnets was prone to popping loose if pushed on too hard when adjusting the headband.”
Paul Vunk Jr., Recording magazine
Isolation
Strong consensus · 3 srcOpen-back by design: it isolates essentially nothing and leaks both ways. Expected for the type and not a flaw — the obstruction-free grilles are part of why it stages so well — but it makes the R70xa strictly a quiet-room headphone, not one for offices, commutes or shared spaces.
“You get little to no sound privacy or isolation in these”
Delaney Czernikowski, Audio46
Genuine disagreement. To most reviewers the R70xa is a strong buy at $349 — held flat from the R70x's decade-old launch price — and a headphone a mixer can fully trust. A dissenting camp sees it as merely fine, or outclassed on pure price-to-performance by cheaper stars like the Drop HD6XX and FiiO FT1. Factoring in the amp it wants (and, for some, EQ/pad tweaks) shifts the math.
Where it splits
A $349 reference bargain — a mixing solution you can fully trust.65%
“the ATH-R70xa would be my top choice”
Tape Op
Merely fine on pure value — the HD6XX and FiiO FT1 do more for the money.35%
“it doesn’t offer the groundbreaking value of the HD6XX or the Fiio FT1”
unheardlab
