Audio-Technica ATH-R70x vs Philips SHP9500
106 facts in comparison
Based on 1,384 Reddit opinions. Close race—Audio-Technica ATH-R70xAudio-Technica ATH-R70x edges ahead.
1.4K opinions
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x leads by 3pts
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
86%
A-
Based on
1,005 Redditors
Philips SHP9500
~$84.99
548 opinions
tldr; Budget open-back gateway. Huge pads, open sound, $60. Perfect starter.
Check prices🎵SOU
😌COM
💰VAL
🔧BUI
⚡FEA
76
Points
75
Points
Score by Category
Sound Quality
87%72%
Comfort
78%84%
Value
92%100%
Build Quality
49%80%
Features
0%100%
Why is Philips SHP9500 better than Audio-Technica ATH-R70x?
- Better comfort (84% vs 78%)
- Better build quality (80% vs 49%)
- Better value (100% vs 92%)
- Budget king
- Giant pads
- Open sound
Based on 2,643 Reddit opinions
Too Close to Call
Reddit prefers the Audio-Technica ATH-R70xAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
Winning by 3 points (89% vs 86%)
Better sound quality
Better bass
Reference neutral
High confidence (2,643 mentions)
💬Reddit Sentiment
Based on 2,643 Reddit mentionsOverall Rating
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x
8.9/10
1,638 mentions
Philips SHP9500
8.6/10
1,005 mentions
COMFORT
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x7.8/10
Philips SHP95008.4/10
SOUND QUALITY
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x8.7/10
Philips SHP95007.2/10
BASS
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x7.5/10
Philips SHP95001.1/10
BUILD QUALITY
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x4.9/10
Philips SHP95008.0/10
VALUE
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x9.2/10
Philips SHP950010.0/10
FEATURES
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x0.0/10
Philips SHP950010.0/10
⚔️
Head to Head
| Topic | Audio-Technica ATH-R70x | Philips SHP9500 |
|---|---|---|
Comfort | 78% | 84% |
Sound Quality | 87% | 72% |
Bass | 75% | 11% |
Build Quality | 49% | 80% |
Value | 92% | 100% |
Features | 0% | 100% |
Category Wins
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x: 2|Philips SHP9500: 4
Head to Head
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x: 2|Philips SHP9500: 4
ComfortPhilips SHP9500
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x78%
Philips SHP950084%
Sound QualityAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x87%
Philips SHP950072%
BassAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x75%
Philips SHP950011%
Build QualityPhilips SHP9500
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x49%
Philips SHP950080%
ValuePhilips SHP9500
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x92%
Philips SHP9500100%
FeaturesPhilips SHP9500
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x0%
Philips SHP9500100%
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x
89%
86%
Philips SHP9500
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x89%
Philips SHP950086%
Close race - Audio-Technica ATH-R70x edges ahead by 3 points
Key Specs
| Spec | Audio-Technica ATH-R70x | Philips SHP9500 |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Open-back reference, over-ear | — |
| Driver Diameter | 45 mm | — |
| Frequency Response | 5-40,000 Hz | 12 - 35,000 Hz |
| Impedance | 470 ohms | 32 ohm |
| Sensitivity | 98 dB/mW | 101 dB |
Key Highlights
Audio-Technica ATH-R70xWinner
📐 Reference neutral
🪶 Very light
🎧 Studio focused
💰 Budget-friendly option
Philips SHP9500
💰 Budget king
😌 Giant pads
🌌 Open sound
👋 Perfect starter
Topic Battles
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x: 1|Tied: 0|Philips SHP9500: 4
🎵Sound Quality
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x winsAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
87%
Philips SHP9500
72%
😌Comfort
Philips SHP9500 winsAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
78%
Philips SHP9500
84%
💰Value
Philips SHP9500 winsAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
92%
Philips SHP9500
100%
🔧Build Quality
Philips SHP9500 winsAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
49%
Philips SHP9500
80%
⚡Features
Philips SHP9500 winsAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
0%
Philips SHP9500
100%
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 Philips SHP9500
Best Praise
+100 pts“Philip SHP9500 probably the best bang for buck headphone in market. Enjoy.”
r/headphones
ViewTop Criticism
+8 pts“I’d always take a KSC75 over a SHP9500 (without EQ). Especially a modded KSC75 with a headband and Yaxi pads. The SHP9500 is very comfortable, but I find the treble sounds super rough and grainy, which also makes the bass roll off sound more noticeable. Although a lot of that can be fixed with some EQ to lower the treble peaks, which dramatically improves the sound of the SHP9500 in my opinion”
r/headphones
View3 more quotes available below
Sentiment Over Time
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x
Philips SHP9500
📈Historical Price Data
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x
Philips SHP9500
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x
All-time low: $199(2020-02)
Philips SHP9500
All-time low: $49(2022-01)
Which is Better?
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x Wins
89%
ATH-R70x
vs
86%
SHP9500
Close race, but Audio-Technica ATH-R70x edges ahead by 3 points based on 2,643 Reddit opinions.
Why Audio-Technica ATH-R70xWinner
- 📐 Reference neutral
- 🪶 Very light
- 🎧 Studio focused
- More discussed (1,638 vs 1,005)
Why Philips SHP9500
- Better Features (100% vs 0%)
- Better Value for Money (100% vs 92%)
❤️The Love/Hate Breakdown
Sentiment Breakdown
46%Positive
Positive
46%Neutral
49%Negative
5%Based on 1,638 Reddit opinions
Sentiment Breakdown
47%Positive
Positive
47%Neutral
46%Negative
7%Based on 1,005 Reddit opinions
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Audio-Technica ATH-R70x or Philips SHP9500?
Based on 2,643 Reddit comments, Audio-Technica ATH-R70x has a slight edge with 89% positive sentiment vs Philips SHP9500's 86%. The difference is small, so both are solid choices.
Should I buy Audio-Technica ATH-R70x or Philips SHP9500?
Both have similar approval ratings (89% vs 86%), so focus on specific features, pricing, and what matters most to you.
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 Philips SHP9500?
Reddit users highlight: Budget king. Giant pads. Open sound. With 1,005 mentions and 86% approval, it remains a popular alternative.
How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
This comparison analyzed 2,643 Reddit comments: 1,638 about Audio-Technica ATH-R70x and 1,005 about Philips SHP9500. 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.
1,384 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 6/12/2026