Audio Technica ATH-AD700

Audio Technica clearly doesn't shy away from filling its catalogue with plenty of different products.

Even just taking its open headphones, there are no fewer than six different options, including these ATH-AD700s.

Hardware: the same old wing support

If it ain't broke, don't fix it: Audio Technica has kept its popular self-adjusting wing support which uses two grips that hold the headphones in place on top of your skull.  It's light, comfortable, and it works: what's not to like?  That said, you still have to be careful if you move your head.  The AD700s won't fall off, but they will move a little bit. 

One of ATH's ongoing problems is that this system relies on you having a large head.  While AKG's headphones are always in contact with your ears, with the AD700s a small area of the skin is often left without any direct contact with the velvet pads.

We have no other criticism of the finish, with everything manufactured perfectly and the two wing supports feeling perfectly solid.  We'd still question the choice of colours though: metallic paint (good quality though it may be) on the band and then pink on the headphone grills is something of an unusual combination.

Audio Quality: voices come through loud and clear

There aren't many changes in the audio produced either, with the bass surprising us as much as ever.  For the first few minutes, you don't even realise it's there, but then, as time goose on, you realise that, despite being relatively quiet, the bass is not audible, but also incredibly accurate. 

Accurate is just the word we'd use to describe the sound produced by these headphones.  You'd be well within your rights to criticise them for being over-analytical, or for having quiet bass, but there's no way you can say they don't produce a wide soundscape with plenty of rich, detailed sounds.  You can hear exactly who's playing what, when and where.

The only small change compared to the other Audio Technica headphones we've tested recently is that the mid-range takes on more shape and gives vocals a lot more strength.

As you might have worked out, the AD700s remain faithful to the ATH sound.  It's not for people who like pounding bass lines or electro fans, but anybody who enjoys jazz or classical music will be amazed at how many tracks these headphones can help them rediscover.