Over-Ear Headphones · owner-verdict comparison

ATH-R70xa vs Edition XS: what real owners say

Real owners rate these about evenly: 63% of 27 ATH-R70xa owners recommend it, vs 68% of 123 for the Edition XS.

Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score

ATH-R70xa

63%of 27 owners recommend

63% recommend · 30% neutral · 7% don't

Owners praise

Exceptionally light and comfortable for long listening sessions, staying cool even after hours of wear
Standout imaging and detail retrieval that owners call incredible or best-in-class for the price
Preferred over Sennheiser rivals like the HD600, HD6XX, and HD660S2, with more bass and dynamism

Owners complain about

Stock earpads run thin and can feel tight or press against the head, pushing many owners to swap in aftermarket R70X Refine pads for comfort
Treble and vocal timbre can sound artificial, thin, or divisive, especially on spoken content like YouTube videos
Mids sound recessed or pulled back, with measurements showing a dip around 300-400 Hz compared to headphones like the HD600

Full owner report →

Edition XS

68%of 123 owners recommend

68% recommend · 17% neutral · 15% don't

Owners praise

Wide soundstage and strong detail
Strong value, especially at sale or refurbished prices
Responds well to EQ

Owners complain about

Headband and weak clamp make the fit loose for many, and owners often add an aftermarket strap
Build quality worries, with reports of drivers failing, crackling, and warranty replacements
Treble that some owners find too bright, shrill, or fatiguing

Full owner report →

Which should you buy?

Get the ATH-R70xa if

✓Long listening sessions where light weight and all-day comfort matter most
✓Gamers and daily drivers wanting sharp imaging and a fun, dynamic sound
✓HD600/6XX owners wanting more treble energy, bass, and less recessed mids
✓Warm-climate or long-session users who need cans that never run hot

Skip it if

Listeners wanting a neutral, analytical reference sound over a brighter V-shaped tuning
Anyone needing thick, plush stock earpads without buying aftermarket Refine pads

Get the Edition XS if

✓Listeners moving up from a Sennheiser HD560S or HD600-series who want a wider soundstage
✓Buyers comfortable using EQ to tune the sound
✓Gamers who want a wide, detailed presentation
✓Owners with larger heads

Skip it if

Treble-sensitive listeners or anyone wanting a laid-back sound for long sessions
Smaller heads, which some owners say the loose fit does not suit

What ATH-R70xa owners say

“I listened to a bunch of highly rated headphones at the last CanJam in NYC and none of them made me want to upgrade from the R70xa.”
— this_is_me_drunk on Reddit

“I got the r70xa as well, but had to get a new amp to give it more juice to make it sing. But man, being so light i hardly reach for my other cans now and using these as daily drivers.”
— Waste_Search2125 on Reddit

“it has this really arfticial, unnatural sound to it that's neither analytic nor is it a smooth, rich entertaining sound”
— Overall-Cupcake7073 on Reddit

What Edition XS owners say

“You could have a faceoff with any headphone on Earth, regardless of cost and compare it to a $169 Edition XS, and while it would lose, it's MUCH closer than it should be...”
— 1maxwedge426 on Reddit

“Decent headphones but......I'm on my third, 2 failed and were warranty replaced. Also the headband should be classed as a war crime. Other than that I highly recommend them.”
— Emotional_Elk_980 on Reddit

“I hate my edition xs so much because they're amazing, just don't work, they keep losing all audio on the right side and I'm not the only one with that issue”
— Kolorboi on Reddit

ATH-R70xa vs Edition XS: frequently asked questions

Is the ATH-R70xa or the Edition XS better?

Real owners rate these about evenly: 63% of 27 ATH-R70xa owners recommend it, vs 68% of 123 for the Edition XS.

Who should get the ATH-R70xa?

Owners point the ATH-R70xa at long listening sessions where light weight and all-day comfort matter most, and gamers and daily drivers wanting sharp imaging and a fun, dynamic sound.

Who should get the Edition XS?

Owners point the Edition XS at listeners moving up from a Sennheiser HD560S or HD600-series who want a wider soundstage, and buyers comfortable using EQ to tune the sound.

What do owners complain about?

The most-cited downside of the ATH-R70xa is stock earpads run thin and can feel tight or press against the head, pushing many owners to swap in aftermarket R70X Refine pads for comfort. For the Edition XS, it's headband and weak clamp make the fit loose for many, and owners often add an aftermarket strap.