The Audio-Technica ATH-MSR7NC are well-built and sturdy headphones with a well-balanced sound profile. They're comfortable and don't leak a lot of noise at high volumes. However, they don't block a lot of noise despite being noise cancelling headphones, so they're not the best option for traveling or commuting. They're also a bit too bulky for sports, but they deliver a good audio reproduction for audiophiles.
Our Verdict
The Audio-Technica MSR7NC are decent mixed usage headphones. They aren't ideal for commuting despite being noise cancelling headphones, and they may be a bit too bulky for sports. On the upside, they have a neutral sound, a great build quality, and a polished design.
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Good audio reproduction.
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Low leakage.
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Sturdy and comfortable.
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Poor noise isolation especially for noise canceling headphones.
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Slightly bulky design.
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Bass delivery varies significantly across users. Sensitive to glasses.
The Audio-Technica MSR7NC are good for neutral sound. They're comfortable enough to wear for hours and have a well-balanced sound profile. Their bass extends into the lower frequencies, which gives a good kick without being overpowering, so you can still clearly distinguish instruments and vocals. However, there's a slight bump in the high-mid/low-treble that may push instruments a bit too forward on some tracks, which could sound a bit harsh.
The Audio-Technica MSR7NC are mediocre for commuting. They have a comfortable fit but a mediocre control scheme and a subpar noise cancellation performance. They may be able to mask some noise if you're playing your audio at high volumes, but they won't be the ideal headphones for loud environments.
The Audio-Technica MSR7NC are mediocre for sports. They have an easy to use but limited control scheme. Unfortunately, they're a bit too bulky and cumbersome for working out. They also aren't very breathable, so you may sweat more than usual while wearing them.
The Audio-Technica MSR7NC are average for office use. They don't leak much noise, so they won't distract your colleagues at higher volumes like some of the other over-ear headphones we've reviewed. However, they don't block a lot of background noise, so they may not be the best headphones to use in a lively and noisy office environment.
- 6.5 Mixed Usage
- 7.6 Neutral Sound
- 6.4 Commute/Travel
- 6.1 Sports/Fitness
- 6.6 Office
- 5.5 Wireless Gaming
- 7.2 Wired Gaming
- 6.3 Phone Call
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Feb 16, 2018: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
- Updated Sep 28, 2017: The microphone has been tested with our new methodology, as explained here
- Updated Sep 12, 2017: Review published.
- Updated Sep 10, 2017: Early access published.
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Test Results
The Audio-Technica MSR7NC have a similar look and feel to the rest of the ATH-M series but are considerably better built. They look high-end and feel sturdy when you pick them up. They have a decently thick headband and large circular ear cups that are amply padded.
The Audio-Technica MSR7NC are comfortable headphones. They're a bit bulkier than the typical M series lineup, but they're not uncomfortably heavy. They have thicker padding and deeper ear cups than the Audio-Technica ATH-M70x or Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. However, the headband doesn't extend very far, so they may feel a little tight on some heads.
The Audio-Technica MSR7NC have an average control scheme that's easy to use but lacks volume controls. They only have one button on the inline remote for calls, pausing and playing audio, as well as track skipping. On the ear cup, there's an on/off switch for the noise cancellation. The buttons are quite responsive and straightforward, but the lack of volume controls feels limiting.
The Audio-Technica MSR7NC are decently large over-ear headphones that don't fold into a more compact format. The ear cups lay flat to save a bit of space, but they're too bulky and cumbersome to comfortably carry around on your person without a bag.
The Audio-Technica MSR7NC come with a cloth pouch that can help protect them against minor scratches. Unfortunately, the soft pouch doesn't really shield them from drops, impacts, or water exposure.
The Audio-Technica MSR7NC have a great build quality that feels durable and high-end. The headband is thick and reinforced with a plastic and metal frame. The ear cups are dense and shouldn't get damaged from accidentally dropping the headphones. The cables are also thick and detachable, which means these headphones should be able to withstand regular wear and tear pretty well.
The Audio-Technica MSR7NC are tight enough to be stable during casual use but aren't ideal for running or working out. The earcups sway a lot during physical activities and may slip off your ears. On the upside, the cable is detachable, so it will disconnect if it gets hooked on something.
- Audio-Technica MSR7NC headphones
- 1/8" to 1/4" adapter
- Airline adapter
- Audio cables (x3)
- Manual
- Carrying pouch
Sub-par consistency performance. The bass range response is susceptible to consistencies due to head shape/size and also the presence/absence of glasses. Our human subject who wears glasses loses 3dB of bass starting at 300Hz, which is quite significant. The treble range consistency is also mediocre, with a deviation of +/-3dB at 3kHz.
Excellent bass accuracy. Low-bass is extended down to 13Hz, which is great. However, low-bass, which is responsible for thump and rumble is lacking by about 2dB. Bass is well-balanced and nearly flawless. High-bass is over our target by about 2dB, adding just a little bit of boominess to the sound.
Also, their bass delivery varies significantly across users, and is sensitive to the quality of fit, seal, and whether you wear glasses. The response here represents the average bass response and your experience may vary.
Very good mid accuracy. Low-mid has 1dB of dip around 400Hz, thinning out vocals/leads. But at 1dB, the effect will be barely noticeable. Mid is reproduced nearly flawlessly and is within 0.5dB of our target. High-mid is overemphasized by about 3dB, adding excess intensity and projection to vocals/leads.
Very good treble accuracy. The 2dB bump in low-treble, which is the continuation of the high-mid overemphasis adds to the detail and articulation of vocals/leads. Treble is within 0.8dB of our target, but the peak at 10kHz could make them slightly sibilant to some listeners.
The Audio-Technica MSR7NC have sub-par noise isolation. Their noise cancelling system kicks in at around 50Hz and are effective up to 1kHz. They achieve about 5dB of isolation in the Bass Range, which is sub-par. In the Mid Range, the reduce the outside noise by about 8dB, which is about average. However, in the Treble Range, they achieve more than 30dB of isolation, which is good.
The Audio-Technica MSR7NC have a good leakage performance. The significant portion of leakage sits between 400hz and 7kHz, which is a relatively broad range. However, the overall level of leakage is quite low.
These headphones have up to 27 hours of continuous playtime at average volumes, which is great for long flights or road trips. Unfortunately, they take quite a bit of time to charge, and they don't have any battery-saving features like an auto-off timer. On the upside, they can be used completely passively when the batteries die and can charge while continuously playing audio.
No compatible app.
Wired connection, negligible latency.
