Review on Black Audio-Technica 🎧 ATH-MSR7bBK High-Resolution Over-Ear Headphones by Brian Mendoza

I wasn't expecting the clarity or quality of the $500 headphones with this purchase. I expected better clarity than a pair of $25 headphones. This is where these headphones perform poorly. First, the build quality. All are made of lightweight plastic and faux leather (faux leather). This makes them immediately ready for use and very light. I appreciated that the ear cups weren't huge on my head and fit my ears well with a bit of room. The problem with being able to freely take them out of the box is that after wearing them for two minutes, they slipped off my head slightly when I turned to face a family member. I have not regulated them in any way, so this is the most convenient place for them. I don't have a very small head. Perhaps they are intended for someone with a larger than average head. When I buy hats I use medium to large if that helps. I bought both these headphones and the Beyerdynamic DT 770 pro 80 ohm headphones as I couldn't make a decision based on reviews and specs alone. I consider myself an aspiring audiophile and was looking for headphones that would help muffle the noise of my significant other's booming voice while I worked on my trilogy. We have a small house and while I understand we are working from home during this pandemic, it means we are both in our main living area which also doubles as our office. researching and picking my favorite with the full expectation that these headphones will be a winner. I was very surprised that the cables were a lot cheaper with this set for a hundred bucks more compared to the DT 700 and I doubt their durability. The box they come in is pretty but I didn't see the carrying case. There was a flat pocket for the cables but if that was for the headphones too I wouldn't trust them to keep them from falling out as it doesn't zip or close in any way. Now, as for the sound quality; I mainly listen to blues, blues rock and symphonic orchestral music. All have a variety of instruments and pitches that the headphones needed to reproduce clearly. These headphones were fine with low frequencies (bass), but I definitely noticed an unnatural boost at that end that made the bass sound digital rather than stage-ready or natural. The mids were where these headphones didn't suit me. All mids were muted and sounded more synthetic than the bass. There was also quite a bit of hiss (hiss and blur) in the mids. The highs were muffled and unnatural. As much as I love the light weight and low pressure feel of these headphones, I just couldn't get over the poor audio quality. If I hadn't ordered Beyerdynamics at the same time, I might have expected it. that's exactly what I get when I spend less than five hundred. However, BDs cost a hundred dollars less, had more metallic and thicker plastic cups, and sounded completely different in terms of playback quality. I was listening to the new album by Larkin and Poe, Buddy Guy, BB King, Lord Huron, Walter Trout, Gary Hoey, Black Eyed Peas, 2 Cellos, The Beatles, Beethoven and Gov Mule and a few others on both headphones. In any case, the 700s were crystal clear in the mids, mostly clear in the highs (you have to be an audiophile or look for very little drop) and clear in the lows with no accent. In classical symphony I heard rustling and coughing, and breathing, they were so pure. It can be distracting for some, but I love the feeling of being in a room with an orchestra. This clarity made my blues shine again. ATs, on the other hand, muddy every note and made the mids (most blues) sizzling and foggy. I'm not impressed. Perhaps these headphones are for those who listen to more folk and modern rock, or perhaps for those who just want artificially emphasized base notes and aren't concerned about the purity of the music they're listening to. I can only guess. For me they come back but 700 stay. One final note: I purposely didn't purchase the ANC headphones after hearing and reading dozens of reviews stating that white noise degrades audio playback for those who are attentive to nuance. In no case are they soundproof. I was only expecting some voice-blocking ability and was surprised when the 700s, in turn, were noticeably better at muting unfamiliar voices. I can't imagine real "noise isolating" headphones working any better. The pads are larger because the ear cushions are larger. They also have slightly thicker pads. These two factors have resulted in them better isolating my ears during use.