Audio Technica's ATH-E70 monitors ($399) represent a breakthrough in in-ear monitor technology. Rather than expecting a single driver to do justice to the full human hearing range, the ATH-E70 divides up the sonic spectrum like a speaker. In a market where dual-driver designs are growing commonplace, the ATH-E70 uses three “balanced armature” drivers to provide accurate and extended response across the entire frequency range. This reduces distortion and makes for a more accurate sonic output.
Even within the same product family, there can be a great deal of variation in transducer design for in-ear monitors. Consider the ATH-E70's little siblings. The entry-level ATH-E40 ($99) uses a dual dynamic driver design. The step-up ATH-E50 ($199) uses a single balanced armature driver. Each of the three E-Series ear buds are similarly shaped and use nearly identical ear bud tips Although there are sonic differences, the sound quality of these varied approaches is surprisingly consistent. In this test, I'll focus on the ATH-E70.
From the moment I opened the box, I knew I had a finely engineered product in front of me. The buds themselves are handsome and show some intentionally exposed circuitry, which gives them a techie, audiophile look. Overall the fit and finish is of the product is very good. They are a pleasure to hold and look at, and give an impression of ruggedness that should mean many productive years in your ministry's stage performances. That they offer removable, replaceable cables will alone double their effective life.
The ATH-E70 monitors include four sets of silicone and one set of “Comply” foam eartips to. Keep track of their whereabouts—you may need to try all the sizes before settling on the best fit. For my ears, I had to use the smallest of the ear tips to get the monitors to stay put. Each user will need to determine for themselves what works and what doesn't. Remember: these are designed to offer a snug, airtight seal, not a quick “one-size-fits-most” compromise like you find in your airline seat.
YOU WON'T miss the slightest nuance or detail when monitoring mids and highs with the ATH-E70.
Plugging in
Upon fitting the ATH-E70 monitors and listening to some standard recorded material, my immediate thought was that they are very bright. This may be exactly what the designers wanted for cutting through boomy or muddy stage wash, but it is quite pronounced.
Because of this powerful mid- and upper-frequency response, I would see the ATH-E70 as ideal for singers, guitar players, or even drummers, with one potentially important caveat. More on that later. One would not miss the slightest nuance or detail when monitoring mids and highs with the ATH-E70. The clarity that they reveal in the bowed string on a violin is uncanny, not to mention how they reproduce cymbals. I've never heard cymbals sparkle like they do with the ATH-E70. Playing back music I've listened to for years revealed details I had missed with other monitoring systems.
On the other end of the spectrum, the ATH-E70's bass response sounds suppressed. It's as if everything below 150 Hz has been rolled off with a high-pass filter. This may be to protect the drivers for longevity, or perhaps to install a greater sense of mid-range clarity. I think the explanation is simply that the ATH-E70, like most universal-fit ear buds, has a rather weak low-frequency response. That's not to say that you can't dial in all the lows you want with EQ, they just don't naturally reproduce the lows the way custom-molded ear buds do. As stated above, if you're a singer, a guitarist, or a drummer who can do without hearing a lot of kick drum or the low end of the bass guitar, the ATH-E70 sounds excellent. If you want to shore up the low frequencies, you'll need to add EQ.
Parting Thoughts
The ATH-E40 and ATH-E50 are fine monitors in their own right, but according to a fellow tester, “they sound mighty good but not quite the same as the ATH-E70.” That said, the tonal character of the E-Series monitors is quite close. This is a good thing when trying to set up 10 monitor mixes for a worship band, all in five minutes.
The E-Series monitors from Audio-Technica are loud, powerful, and look as classy as can be. I recommend trying all three models to see which best suits your needs. You can also mix-and-match as your budget allows. Highly recommended.
MSRP: $399
