Audio Technica ATH-ES7 impressions

Got the Audio Technica ATH-ES7 a couple of days ago. Be aware that I only have had a couple of hours of listening time with it, so this is merely a first first impressions. You do not get much with the ATH-ES7 - just a cleaning cloth and handbag pouch to store the headphones in. As this is a headphone designed for portable use - no 3.5mm to 1/4" adaptor is provided, but you can easily get that for a quid or two from any hi-fi store.

The build quality of the closed back ES7 is brilliant (though I would prefer a studier cable). The cups are made of stainless steel and offers a mirror finish that attracts fingerprints (this is where the cleaning cloth comes in handy). The overall design is a step ahead of Sennheiser within the same price range. It is pretty clear that with the ES7 (and most Audio Technica products), you are paying for the design. Fortunately they also sound good, unlike the typical junks you find in high street stores like HMV.

The ES7 is pretty easy to drive and I did not encounter any issues pairing it with my Walkman and Nokia E55. As for the sound - it is flat and 'neutral' with good extension. The bass quantity is decent, though the impact is of no match for my Sennheiser IE 8 (it does scale well with an equaliser). Treble wise, it is somewhat rough and 'grainy'. My partner who plays piano with this, confirms this as well. We will see if things improve after the initial 'burn-in' period.

Look out for a full review in the next two weeks.