Audio-Technica ATH-R70x vs Sennheiser HD 800 S
107 facts in comparison
Based on 3,702 Reddit opinions. Audio-Technica ATH-R70xAudio-Technica ATH-R70x leads by 8 points.
3.7K opinions
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x leads by 8pts
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
81%
B+
Based on
5,711 Redditors
Sennheiser HD 800 S
~$1,899
2,866 opinions
tldr; Soundstage monster. Legendary imaging, treble spike bothers some. Detail retrieval god.
Check prices🎵SOU
😌COM
💰VAL
🔧BUI
⚡FEA
76
Points
61
Points
Score by Category
Sound Quality
87%82%
Comfort
78%77%
Value
92%49%
Build Quality
49%69%
Features
0%58%
Why is HD 800 S better than Audio-Technica ATH-R70x?
- Better build quality (69% vs 49%)
- Legendary soundstage
- Precise imaging
- Treble spike
Based on 7,349 Reddit opinions
Slight Edge
Reddit prefers the Audio-Technica ATH-R70xAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
Winning by 8 points (89% vs 81%)
Better bass
Better value
Reference neutral
High confidence (7,349 mentions)
💬Reddit Sentiment
Based on 7,349 Reddit mentionsOverall Rating
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x
8.9/10
1,638 mentions
800 S
8.1/10
5,711 mentions
COMFORT
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x7.8/10
800 S7.7/10
SOUND QUALITY
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x8.7/10
800 S8.2/10
BASS
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x7.5/10
800 S2.9/10
BUILD QUALITY
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x4.9/10
800 S6.9/10
VALUE
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x9.2/10
800 S4.9/10
FEATURES
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x0.0/10
800 S5.8/10
⚔️
Head to Head
| Topic | Audio-Technica ATH-R70x | 800 S |
|---|---|---|
Comfort | 78% | 77% |
Sound Quality | 87% | 82% |
Bass | 75% | 29% |
Build Quality | 49% | 69% |
Value | 92% | 49% |
Features | 0% | 58% |
Category Wins
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x: 3|800 S: 2
Head to Head
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x: 3|800 S: 2
Comfort
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x78%
800 S77%
Sound QualityAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x87%
800 S82%
BassAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x75%
800 S29%
Build Quality800 S
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x49%
800 S69%
ValueAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x92%
800 S49%
Features800 S
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x0%
800 S58%
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x
89%
81%
800 S
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x89%
800 S81%
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x wins by 8 points
Key Specs
| Spec | Audio-Technica ATH-R70x | Sennheiser HD 800 S |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Open-back reference, over-ear | — |
| Driver Diameter | 45 mm | — |
| Frequency Response | 5-40,000 Hz | 4-51,000 Hz (-10 dB) |
| Impedance | 470 ohms | 300 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 98 dB/mW | — |
Key Highlights
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x
📐 Reference neutral
🪶 Very light
🎧 Studio focused
💰 Budget-friendly option
Sennheiser HD 800 SWinner
🌌 Legendary soundstage
🎯 Precise imaging
⚠️ Treble spike
💰 Used value now
Topic Battles
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x: 2|Tied: 1|800 S: 2
🎵Sound Quality
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x winsAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
87%
800 S
82%
😌Comfort
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x
78%
800 S
77%
💰Value
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x winsAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
92%
800 S
49%
🔧Build Quality
800 S winsAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
49%
800 S
69%
⚡Features
800 S winsAudio-Technica ATH-R70x
0%
800 S
58%
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 Sennheiser HD 800 S
Sentiment Over Time
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x
Sennheiser HD 800 S
📈Historical Price Data
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x
Sennheiser HD 800 S
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x
All-time low: $199(2020-02)
Sennheiser HD 800 S
All-time low: $799(2020-07)
$171 below 90-day avg
Which is Better?
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x Wins
89%
ATH-R70x
vs
81%
S
Audio-Technica ATH-R70x leads by 8 points based on 7,349 Reddit opinions.
Why Audio-Technica ATH-R70xWinner
- Better Value for Money (92% vs 49%)
Why 800 S
- Better Features (58% vs 0%)
- More discussed (5,711 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
41%Positive
Positive
41%Neutral
50%Negative
9%Based on 5,711 Reddit opinions
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Audio-Technica ATH-R70x or Sennheiser HD 800 S?
Based on 7,349 Reddit comments, Audio-Technica ATH-R70x is the preferred choice with 89% positive sentiment vs Sennheiser HD 800 S's 81%. Audio-Technica ATH-R70x leads by 8 percentage points.
Should I buy Audio-Technica ATH-R70x or Sennheiser HD 800 S?
If you want the safer choice based on community sentiment, Audio-Technica ATH-R70x has stronger approval ratings (89% vs 81%). However, Sennheiser HD 800 S 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 Sennheiser HD 800 S?
Reddit users highlight: Legendary soundstage. Precise imaging. Treble spike. With 5,711 mentions and 81% approval, it remains a popular alternative.
How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
This comparison analyzed 7,349 Reddit comments: 1,638 about Audio-Technica ATH-R70x and 5,711 about Sennheiser HD 800 S. 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.
3,702 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 6/14/2026