Review on Black Audio-Technica 🎧 ATH-MSR7bBK High-Resolution Over-Ear Headphones by Jose Perry

These are impressive headphones - their strengths are comfort and clarity and the soundstage is more than good. I was afraid I'd have to spend a lot more to get satisfactory sound in closed headphones, so they were a pleasant surprise at a bargain price; More details will follow for those interested. I use these headphones exclusively at home, hooked up to a dedicated headphone amp, and mostly listen to CD quality classical music. This is probably not the purpose for which they were designed given their high efficiency and short cables. But they work great in this environment. I've owned three headphones in the last decade: the original M50 (not the current X version), the AKG Q701, and now this one. I never liked the M50s, despite all the good reviews I found the sound unattractive and the uncomfortable fit. I replaced them with Q701s which were great except for the noise leak. They just don't work for listening in a quiet room with other people. I decided a few months ago to supplement them with MSR7bs despite my bad experience with M50s. So far, so good. I would describe the sound as accurate, honest and very pleasant. There is more detail than the Q701, allowing for clear reproduction of individual instruments. They certainly focus on the mids and highs, but the sound (at least with my music, my gear, and my 60+ ears) is never harsh or harsh. And the bass is okay. I've just listened to a digital remaster of Adrian Boult's 1970 recording of Vaughn Williams' English Folk Song Suite and noticed that the timpani and bass drum in the marches have a powerful presence as they should. The sense of space is somewhere between very closed in the M50 and wide open in the Q701. I find it long enough not to distract or disturb the music. They are way more comfortable than my old M50s. The included cables surprised me, but both end in small angled plugs (one 3.5mm, the other 4.4mm) without an adapter. Great for mobile devices but not for home use. I had to buy an adapter for my amp's 1/4" jacks before trying them out (my fault for not reading carefully enough). The cords are also short, but I knew I would have to use an extension cord. Isolation is limited, meaning I can hear most of what's going on around me (which I think is a good thing), and there's no audio leakage at my normal volume level - absolutely crucial for me. My sample has a small crease in the seam of the earpads, but I didn't even notice it until I read Bullwinkle's review and I don't care. I will say that the decade-old M50s, while containing more plastic, feel more durable than the MSR7bs.