Best On-Ear Headphones (Audio Technica ATH-EW9) |
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 If there was an accessory in the group that could earn a place in the Museum of Modern Art – this is the one. With their wooden housing made of Japan's finest Hokkaido cherry, the ATH-EW9 clip-on headphones are show-stoppers. |
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| The sound is great, too: 28mm neodymium magnets project powerfully. These dynamic headphones offer a secure, comfortable ear-fitting design and an innovative sliding axis for easy adjustment and a truly custom fit. Soft rubber support loops and large, lightweight ear hangers are engineered for hours of listening without fatigue. |
Design |
The ATH-EW9s take a different approach from the other earphones you can read about in the MP3 Earphone review. These are “over-the-ear” headphones with a very flexible, adjustable ear clip. They feature a much larger driver and a very comfortable foam pad which sits over the ear. There are several things that distinguish these over-the-ear headphones from others. First, the backing is an unbelievably beautiful Hokkaido cherry wood from Japan.
They look like works of art. Secondly, the flexible clips are very unique and adjustable. These headphones just scream out “Quality” and really need to be seen to be appreciated. The over-the ear design with the very spongy pads makes for a very comfortable fit (more about that later.)
My only qualm is the same as with the ATH-EC7 – the cords are unequal lengths from the earpieces. An Audio-Technica rep explained to me that this is to allow the headphones to be comfortable when the iPod is worn on the side – however, it was still too easy to get the extra length caught in something. I would much prefer a two equal lengths. |
Comfort |
| These are , however, perhaps the most comfortable headphones I have ever worn. The soft cushions just felt right. The lightweight design coupled with the very adjustable clips meant that once I had them how I wanted them, they could be worn for hours on end. |
Sound Quality |
 The ATH-EW9s sounded beautiful. Vocals and instrumentals were open, clear and detailed. The one area where they were a bit lacking was in the bass. I had thought that with a relatively large driver, a tighter bass would be heard and felt. That being said, if you don’t usually listen to Hip-Hop, Rap or Hard Rock, you might not be missing anything in the bass department and you would be gaining a very balanced, beautifully detailed sound. |
What the Critics Say |
CNET said: "The ATH-EW9 revealed intricacies of individual player performances in the big-band brass section like no other headphones." They gave them a 7.3 (Very Good.)
The New York Times wrote: "The ATH-EW9 is well-designed, comfortable, and delivers excellent sound reproduction. The clip-on design is great for people who do not like to plug something into their ears or wear a band over their head." |
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The Audio-Technica ATH-EW9’s are not only great sounding headphones – they are works of art to behold. The Cherry wood finish is just beautiful to behold. I don’t know if the use of real wood adds to the “realistic” rendering of acoustic guitar solos – but instrumentals and vocals were a joy to listen to on these headphones. They are comfortable and wearable for long periods of time. They are available at steep discounts, however, from various web vendors.
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TYPICAL PRICES - £65-£160/$119-$329
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