Audio-Technica ATH-R70x vs Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro
97 facts in comparison
Based on 2,150 Reddit opinions. Audio-Technica ATH-R70xAudio-Technica ATH-R70x leads by 26 points.
2.1K opinions
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x leads by 26pts
VS
Reddit's Pick
89%
A-
Based on
1,638 Redditors
Winner
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x
~$343
836 opinions
tldr; AT's open reference. Light, neutral, professional. Underrated studio pick.
Check pricesVS
63%
C
Based on
2,895 Redditors
Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro
~$199.99
1,314 opinions
tldr; Reddit opinions on the Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro are mixed (62% positive across 2,897 mentions). Consider your specific needs and priorities.
Check prices🎵SOU
😌COM
💰VAL
🔧BUI
⚡FEA
76
Points
66
Points
Score by Category
Sound Quality
87%48%
Comfort
78%74%
Value
92%96%
Build Quality
49%72%
Features
0%47%
Why is DT 990 Pro better than Audio-Technica ATH-R70x?
- Better build quality (72% vs 49%)
Based on 4,533 Reddit opinions
Clear Winner
Reddit prefers the Audio-Technica ATH-R70xAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
Winning by 26 points (89% vs 63%)
Better sound quality
Better bass
Reference neutral
High confidence (4,533 mentions)
💬Reddit Sentiment
Based on 4,533 Reddit mentionsOverall Rating
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x
8.9/10
1,638 mentions
990 Pro
6.3/10
2,895 mentions
COMFORT
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x7.8/10
990 Pro7.4/10
SOUND QUALITY
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x8.7/10
990 Pro4.8/10
BASS
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x7.5/10
990 Pro6.0/10
BUILD QUALITY
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x4.9/10
990 Pro7.2/10
VALUE
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x9.2/10
990 Pro9.6/10
FEATURES
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x0.0/10
990 Pro4.7/10
⚔️
Head to Head
| Topic | Audio-Technica ATH-R70x | 990 Pro |
|---|---|---|
Comfort | 78% | 74% |
Sound Quality | 87% | 48% |
Bass | 75% | 60% |
Build Quality | 49% | 72% |
Value | 92% | 96% |
Features | 0% | 47% |
Category Wins
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x: 3|990 Pro: 3
Head to Head
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x: 3|990 Pro: 3
ComfortAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x78%
990 Pro74%
Sound QualityAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x87%
990 Pro48%
BassAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x75%
990 Pro60%
Build Quality990 Pro
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x49%
990 Pro72%
Value990 Pro
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x92%
990 Pro96%
Features990 Pro
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x0%
990 Pro47%
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x
89%
63%
990 Pro
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x89%
990 Pro63%
Clear winner - Audio-Technica ATH-R70x leads by 26 points
Key Specs
| Spec | Audio-Technica ATH-R70x | Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Open-back reference, over-ear | — |
| Driver Diameter | 45 mm | — |
| Frequency Response | 5-40,000 Hz | — |
| Impedance | 470 ohms | — |
| Sensitivity | 98 dB/mW | — |
Key Highlights
Audio-Technica ATH-R70xWinner
📐 Reference neutral
🪶 Very light
🎧 Studio focused
💰 Budget-friendly option
Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro
Solid community reputation
Frequently recommended
Topic Battles
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x: 2|Tied: 0|990 Pro: 3
🎵Sound Quality
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x winsAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
87%
990 Pro
48%
😌Comfort
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x winsAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
78%
990 Pro
74%
💰Value
990 Pro winsAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
92%
990 Pro
96%
🔧Build Quality
990 Pro winsAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
49%
990 Pro
72%
⚡Features
990 Pro winsAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
0%
990 Pro
47%
Based on Reddit sentiment across 5 categories
📈Where They Rank
💬What Redditors Actually Say
What Redditors Say
Best praise vs top criticism for Audio-Technica ATH-R70x
Best Praise
+46 pts“It's hard to top the R70x; I use it every day and have been for almost 9 years. Take good care of it and imo, you'll probably never find another pair of headphones you'll like more.”
r/headphones
ViewTop Criticism
+12 pts“An updates R70x? Shut up and take m- Oh... They've ditched the wing system. I actually really like the wings. Also, is it me or does it look like there's no horizontal cup swivel now? They've added in the vertical swivel that was missing on the original, but it looks like they've pulled a hifiman and taken away the horizontal swivel.”
r/headphones
View3 more quotes available below
What Redditors Say
Best praise vs top criticism for Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro
Best Praise
+102 pts“Your take froze the stream next to my house. That said, DT990 has benefits when EQ'd including stronger bass, bigger staging and a lack of a certain kind of harshness or contrast that bothered me with the 560s even after a Harman EQ.”
r/headphones
ViewTop Criticism
+21 pts“Sadly the cult that seems to have formed around the 990s is completely undeserving. I am sorry you dont like them and were lead to believe you would. The 990s are sadly just not a very easy going headphone. They work for some people but for a large majority of people they are just not enjoyable. If you can return them I would suggest exploring that route and maybe look at the dt880 if you want to stay within beyer or the hd6xx if you in north america”
r/headphones
View3 more quotes available below
Sentiment Over Time
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x
990 Pro
📈Historical Price Data
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x
Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x
All-time low: $199(2020-02)
Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro
All-time low: $9.99(2017-03)
Which is Better?
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x Wins
89%
ATH-R70x
vs
63%
Pro
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x leads by 26 points based on 4,533 Reddit opinions.
Why Audio-Technica ATH-R70xWinner
- 📐 Reference neutral
- 🪶 Very light
- 🎧 Studio focused
Why 990 Pro
- Better Features (47% vs 0%)
- More discussed (2,895 vs 1,638)
❤️The Love/Hate Breakdown
Sentiment Breakdown
46%Positive
Positive
46%Neutral
49%Negative
5%Based on 1,638 Reddit opinions
Sentiment Breakdown
28%Positive
Positive
28%Neutral
55%Negative
17%Based on 2,895 Reddit opinions
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Audio-Technica ATH-R70x or Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro?
Based on 4,533 Reddit comments, Audio-Technica ATH-R70x is the preferred choice with 89% positive sentiment vs Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro's 63%. Audio-Technica ATH-R70x leads by 26 percentage points.
Should I buy Audio-Technica ATH-R70x or Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro?
If you want the safer choice based on community sentiment, Audio-Technica ATH-R70x has stronger approval ratings (89% vs 63%). However, Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro may still be better depending on your specific needs, budget, or use case.
What do Redditors love about Audio-Technica ATH-R70x?
Reddit users highlight: Reference neutral. Very light. Studio focused. With 1,638 mentions and 89% approval, it's a well-regarded choice in the community.
What do Redditors say about Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro?
Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro has 2,895 mentions on Reddit with 63% positive sentiment. It's frequently discussed as a solid option.
How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
This comparison analyzed 4,533 Reddit comments: 1,638 about Audio-Technica ATH-R70x and 2,895 about Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro. Data was sourced from headphones community discussions.
How accurate are these ratings?
Our sentiment analysis is approximately 80-85% accurate compared to manual review. Well-discussed products with many mentions tend to have more reliable scores than niche items with fewer data points.
Why trust Reddit over professional reviews?
Reddit users bought products with their own money and have no incentive to mislead. You're seeing hundreds of real opinions across different use cases, not just one reviewer's take. This crowdsourced approach surfaces both common praise and recurring complaints.
2,150 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 6/27/2026