As work-from-home arrangements become the new normal, making your home office productive has become more important. Apart from getting good chairs and desks, equipment such as communication headset also forms part of the equation. The new Audio-Technica ATH-770XCOM Headset wants to help you achieve good quality conferencing standards.
The ATH-770XCOM is a wired headset that connects to your conferencing device via the 3.5mm audio jack, providing a simple plug and play operation. The ATH-770XCOM retails for S$148.
Unboxing
In the box, you will find the following items:
- ATH-770XCOM headphones
- User manual
Tech specs
| Headphones Type | Closed-back dynamic |
| Driver | 40mm |
| Frequency Response | 10 to 24,000 Hz |
| Sensitivity | 103 dB/mW |
| Impedance | 40 ohms |
| Weight | 300g |
Build quality and design
The Audio-Technica ATH-770XCOM has a pretty simple design, almost all elements of the headphones coming in black except for the’L’ and ‘R’ indicator and the adjustments rails. The ear cups and the top of the headband has the full Audio-Technica brand printed on, instead of the minimalistic logo we see on more high-end Audio-Technica products.
Most of the ATH-770XCOM headphones is made from plastic. The headband is very flexible, and the overall build quality is fairy decent and great for a S$148 priced pair of headphones. One minor gripe I have is that the adjustment rails feel a little stiff when extending and retracting.
Like the ATH-G1 gaming headset, the wires are exposed at the adjustment rails which can be a little dangerous as you may accidentally hook it against something. There isn’t any buttons on the headphones itself, and the microphone on the ATH-770XCOM is unfortunately not detachable. The wire on the headphones features a simple volume rocker cum mute switch. The mute switch is conveniently located at you chest level when you wear the headphones, allowing you to go on mute quickly.
Comfort and fit
The ATH-770XCOM is rather comfortable to wear. The ear pads seems to be made from leather and feels soft. There is quite some room in the ear cups so it feels rather spacious, making wearing the headphones for long periods of time to not feel warm. The clamping pressure is good, it feels a tad tighter than the ATH-G1, but still a good fit for my head size. Do note that the ATH-770XCOM ear cups are unable to swivel in the east-west orientation.
When compared to the wired ATH-G1 gaming headset, the ear pads on the ATH-G1 is softer and the clamping pressure is lighter, but the ATH-770XCOM is slightly roomier in the ear cups. The ATH-G1 feels lighter on my head likely due to the headband having more cushioning than the ATH-770XCOM. Also, the ATH-G1 weighs lesser than the ATH-770XCOM. Overall, I find the ATH-G1 a more comfortable wear. Then again it is expected as the ATH-G1 cost S$90 more at S$238.
Left: ATH-G1, Right: ATH-770XCOM Left: ATH-770XCOM, Right: ATH-G1
Microphone and audio quality
As the ATH-770XCOM is designed for individuals as their main communication device when they work from home, the microphone will be more important than the sound quality of the headphones. Testing the microphone, my voice sounded clear, detailed and more clean through the higher frequencies. Even when external noises are introduced such as airplane noise or cafe chatter, the microphone is still able to do a good job at keeping my voice forward in the overall mix.
When compared the more expensive wired gaming counterpart ATH-G1, my voice sounded fuller with more depth on the ATH-G1. I can definitely hear more details on the low-end. Clarity is similar between the two though the ATH-770XCOM sound slightly cleaner in the highs. My voice through the ATH-770XCOM sounded more like how I am hearing myself in real life, while on the ATH-G1 my voice sounded more ‘podcast-like’.
As for sound quality, the ATH-770XCOM when compared to the ATH-G1 is more mellow and warm sounding. Bass is slightly deeper on the ATH-770XCOM. Vocals and instruments are balanced, while treble sounds comfortable compared the ATH-G1‘s brighter implementation. Soundstage is rather wide, giving you a more open listening experience.
Conclusion
The Audio-Technica ATH-770XCOM is a pretty affordable and comfortable pair of over-ear headphones that is great to use during calls in our current work-from-home norm. I wished that the microphone that came was detachable, allowing you transit seamlessly from work to casual media enjoyment. Microphone quality is good and reliable, and even if your TV playing in the background, your voice should still be in focus with clarity.