Audio-Technica AVA400 Open Back Dynamic Headphones Black

Working in audio production, I've used a wide range of headphones over the years, and when my trusty old pair gave up the ghost, I tried several other before settling on these. Nice clear sound, with a good range of frequencies, and nicely balanced without bass boosting or noise filters - those flashy extras that are actually a pain for anyone who wants to do proper audio production. Very comfortable to wear for long periods of time too. They compare well to far more expensive models, and the average listener probably wouldn't notice any drop in quality between these and higher end models. And they are massive improvement on the cheaper headphones on the market - you will notice a big difference if you go for these. Do be aware though, that these are open design headphones and that means there will be noise leakage for those around you.

I bought these to replace the ATH-M50s I was using with my PC everyday. I wanted something with an open-back because not only is this better for your ears over long periods, due to the reduced air pressure, but also so I can better control the volume of my voice when talking to friends/colleagues while gaming/working. I knew I wanted something from AT as they have a strong track record in my book and I'm happy to say that, so far, these have delivered. I've had them for about a month and have used them pretty much every single day during that time. Compared to the M50s, there's less bass and pressure, the audio is warmer and the highs are less pronounced, but for my use-case, and for the price, I think that's acceptable. I wouldn't use these for audio-sensitive work, but for consuming media or gaming they're perfectly adequate. They are light and I really like the self-adjusting band. If you're looking for something "basic" but good overall and trustworthy, I recommend these.

These sound absolutely fantastic, since they’re open back there is no noise cancellation but they give a nice airy sound and don’t suffocate your ears, I can wear them for 4 hours a day without having any major discomfort. Build quality is solid with no excess flex where it shouldn’t be and high quality, soft padding on the cups themselves. My only issue is that they look pretty dorky, I wore them on a zoom call when I first got them and got some interesting looks and a few “nice headgear” comments from my mates. Still if no one see you wearing them they’re well worth it!

Extremely comfortable with a bright clear sound, without either boosted bass or noise filters, making it ideal for editing the audio for video and podcasts. No doubt, bigger budgets and young ears could benefits from much more expensive top-end headphones. Recommended if you are 40+. Recommended if want something for extended wear during streaming. Recommended if you need to listen carefully to small adjustments while editing the audio tracks of your videos and podcasts.

If you want an introduction to open back headsets then this would be a good inexpensive way into trying them out. The sound that they produce is great, really clear and you can pinpoint exactly where the sound is coming from. They do lack bass but a lot of open back headsets do so if you listen to electronic bass heavy tracks these are not for you. If you listen to music where the bass is produced by a guitar then these are more than fine. Drawbacks: The pads aren't that good so not great for extended listening sessions. I found after about an hour my ears felt irritated. The biggest annoyance though is the headband in being that it is quite strongly spring loaded, what you find is you pull the headset on only to find it moving up your ears whenever you move your head. You can get around this by bending the support wires above the headband but that shouldn't happen really. Overall they are a really good introduction to open back headsets but you will be wanting something better after a while.

The ear pads on this are too small for my ears and they aren't that big. The hole inside the soft pads don't cover my ears fully, so after using the pair for a while I start to get discomfort. What I did to fix this was replacing the ear pads with the Brainwavz Replacement Memory Foam Earpads, they fit the headphones very well and cover my ears fully. Now I can wear these headphones for hours and feel no discomfort at all. Putting all this aside, these are some really good quality headphones, I use them for gaming and I'm very happy with the results since this pair is open back.

Good value open back design

For the price, these are acceptable but I do question the quality. Sound wise they are flat and slightly warm sounding which is not a bad thing if you don’t want too much colour but don’t expect any crazy bass if your music demands on it. On the comfort side, they are good around the ears but I’m not personally too keen on the overhead bit as it uses a spring system to rest on the top of your head and cannot be raised to allow a gap. Luckily the inner side material is made of cloth and the cushion is comfortable enough so some might not mind this at all. I stick a piece of cardboard on either side of the gaps to create a gap and works better for me now. The cable is long but not removable so I assume once that goes they are destined for the bin hence why I question how long will they be doing their function.