The NAMM Show, Anaheim, CA, January 23, 2025— Audio-Technica (booth 15313), a leading innovator in transducer technology for over 60 years, is expanding its headphone offerings with the new R-Series line of professional open-back models. The former flagship ATH-R70x has been upgraded to the new ATH-R70xa and is joined by the new ATH-R50x.
ATH-R70xa
The ATH-R70xa is Audio-Technica’s new flagship pair of professional open-back reference headphones. Whether mixing, mastering, or creating, the ATH-R70xa is the perfect production tool, delivering accurate and dependable reference across stereo, surround, and immersive formats. This enhanced version of the ATH-R70x delivers the natural and balanced sound of its predecessor but with refined accuracy and detail, providing a heightened listening experience with precise imaging and depth for realistic sound staging. While the ATH-R70x utilized damping and its acoustic design for added low-frequency emphasis, the fully open-back sound of the ATH-R70xa relies solely on the performance of the driver – each diaphragm movement translates directly into sound without reliance on acoustic cavities or resonance for frequency enhancement and minimizing distortion.
Made for critical listening, the ATH-R70xa headphones allow engineers to make the right decision at every step of the production process. With an extended frequency range (5 – 40,000 Hz), every detail of a mix is transparently reproduced. The unrestricted airflow and absence of internal resonance allows for an extremely quick transient response, ensuring the clarity and separation needed to handle complex contemporary mixes.
The featherlight ATH-R70xa headphones (199 g/7.0 ounces without the cable) feature streamlined construction, a new headband design and replaceable velour earpads, allowing the headphones to virtually disappear during use – perfect for long working sessions. A unique, dual-sided 3.0 m (9.8-inch) detachable locking cable is L/R signal independent to ensure proper stereo orientation. Handcrafted in A-T’s facility in Machida, Tokyo, each ATH-R70xa is meticulously assembled from components built in-house, then rigorously tested before leaving the factory.
ATH-R50x
The ATH-R50x professional open-back reference headphones are designed to provide a natural listening experience with an expansive soundstage that’s ideal for all manner of critical-listening tasks. The headphones’ drivers are modelled after those used in the original ATH-R70x, now re-engineered to deliver bass that’s surprisingly powerful for an open-back model, plus an accurate upper midrange to ensure the clarity of vocals and lead instruments without sacrificing overall balance.
Key to delivering this natural, full-spectrum sound is the headphones’ pure open-back design, which doesn’t embellish the sound coming from the drivers. The ATH-R50x headphones are engineered to deliver dynamic, detailed audio, with powerful sub-bass and a realistic soundstage, directly from the drivers without any additional acoustic tuning. The fully open earcups also provide greater comfort than closed-back models – comfort enhanced by the newly designed headband and durable, lightweight construction (207 g/7.3 ounces).
Perfect for mixing, mastering, or creating, the ATH-R50x provides precise, reliable reference across stereo, surround, and immersive formats, making it a versatile choice for any professional or home studio. ATH-R50x comes with two detachable cables (3.0 m [9.8-inch] and 1.2 m [3.9-inch]), each with a 2.5 mm twist-lock connector at the left earcup and a 3.5 (1/8-inch) gold-plated stereo mini-plug.
U.S. pricing as follows:
ATH-R70xa: $349
ATH-R50x: $159.
Audio-Technica also recently announced the winning limited edition color design of the wildly popular fan-favorite ATH-M50x and ATH-M50xBT2 headphones. The winning design was chosen by fans.
After more than a decade of limited-edition color models of the ATH-M50x, Audio-Technica let fans custom design the 2024 color. The designs were created through the special interactive “LAB M50x” experience website, where fans could select from different colors in either matte or metallic for select headphone parts. Audio-Technica received over 15,000 submissions, all of which were then shared on social where fans could vote for their favorite design. Our expert panelists, including the product manager of the ATH-M50x, selected three finalists from those submissions, and then the winning “LAB M50x” design was selected with 3,127 votes from fans on social media.
The winning fan-voted design, a stunning mix of blue, orange, and gray, was designed by Brazilian DJ Sergio Gamarra. Speaking about his chosen color selections, Sergio said, “First, blue represents confidence, reflecting the quality and reliability of the M50x headset. Orange evokes energy and creativity, highlighting the excitement of the music in us. Finally, gray adds a sense of sophistication and elegance, balancing the color palette and adding a touch of modernity.”
Also recently announced was a new white version of its popular ATH-M20x professional monitor headphones. With over two million sold worldwide, the ATH-M20x is among A-T’s most successful headphone models, and the new ATH-M20x WH iteration offers a requested fresh look for professional creators.
The entry-level model in the acclaimed M-Series of professional monitor headphones, ATH-M20x headphones have earned a reputation for their high sound quality and comfortable fit at an extremely affordable price point, and a rugged build that can withstand the demands of professional workplaces. This new white model will enable fans to match their go-to headphones with their creative environment.
For more information, please visit www.audio-technica.com.
