NAMM Show | Audio-Technica launches R-Series open-back reference headphones for professional audio production
Audio-Technica has launched three new open-back reference headphones at the NAMM Show 2025 - the ATH-R70xa, ATH-R50x, and ATH-R30x.
The open-back design of these R-Series headphones eliminate the muddiness that occurs when sound reflects inside closed-back headphone ear cups. The result is sound reproduction that is more dynamic, natural, and spacious, all characteristics that enable the audio professional to create better productions. The natural air ventilation also eliminates heat build-up by the ears.
The ATH-R70xa weighs 199 g (7.0 oz.). It uses a 45 mm driver that has a frequency response of 5 to 40,000 Hz and can handle a maximum input power of 1,000 mW at 470 ohms with a sensitivity of 97 dB/mW.
The ATH-R50x weighs 207 g (7.3 oz.). It uses a 45 mm driver that has a frequency response of 5 to 40,000 Hz and can handle a maximum input power of 1,600 mW at 50 ohms with a sensitivity of 93.3 dB/mW.
The ATH-R30x uses a 40 mm driver that has a frequency response of 15 to 25,000 Hz and can handle a maximum input power of 1,000 mW at 36 ohms with a sensitivity of 92 dB/mW.
The ATH-R70xa has an MSRP of $349 and is available here on Amazon. The ATH-R50x has an MSRP of $159 and is available here on Amazon. The ATH-R30x has an MSRP of $99 and will be available in Spring 2025 from the Audio-Technica store on Amazon.
Audio-Technica expands headphone offerings with R-Series open-back range
— Premium open-back headphones feature unmatched clarity, natural soundstages, and comfort for every level of audio production —
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.
The Audio-Technica ATH-R70xa is available now at a suggested U.S. retail price of $349.
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.
The Audio-Technica ATH-R50x is available now at a suggested U.S. retail price of $159.
Audio-Technica was founded in 1962 with the mission of producing high-quality audio for everyone. A leading innovator in transducer technology, Audio-Technica is renowned for the design and manufacture of microphones, wireless microphones, headphones, mixers, and turntables for the audio industry. We work to expand the limits of audio technology, pursuing an ever-changing purity of sound that creates connections and enriches lives. Visit www.audio-technica.com/.
—For more information on the complete range of Audio-Technica products, contact Jamie Bobek, Audio-Technica U.S., Inc., 1221 Commerce Drive, Stow, OH 44224. Tel: (330) 686-2600; Fax: (330) 688-3752; Web: www.audio-technica.com
— For further information regarding product availability and pricing in Europe, contact Tanya Williams ([email protected]). Pricing for Europe: ATH-R70xa will retail for £299 / €349, and ATH-R50x will retail for £139 / €169.
