Review: Audio technica FC700 (on ear portable)

[Jörgemeister]

Audio Technica FC700: Most probable the smallest over the head portable from ATH, and a good looking one, specially considering the price.

Specs (for what its worth):
Type: Dynamic
Driver Diameter: 40mm
Frequency Response: 10 ~ 24,000 Hz
Sensitivity: 102 dB/mW
Max. power input: 500 mW
Impedance: 40 Ohms
Cable: 0.5 m + 1.0 m extension, DAP end is L-shaped.
Weight: 130 g
Connector: 3.5mm mini-stereo staright.

Build and look:
It is a very small on-ear portable, specially when folded. The headband is the standard metal surrounded by plastic, its thin and flexible enough to be stretched to the point of being totally straight, and same flexibility to the other way too.

The cups are made of plastic and a transparent plastic cover of the sides which shows the colors of the model, this one is black, although such side of the cup look more like dark brown.

The earpads are made of soft vinyl, very soft and nice to the touch, also they and can be removed easily.
The cord is short, about 0.5 meters from the plug to the cups, hence why they come with an extension of 1.0 meter. overall a decent quality cord and extension.

Albeit the thin headband and all the plastic, is a good built, I wouldn't be afraid to put this on their bag and trow them around or inside a backpack with other stuff. Is a solid built and also very portable.

Accessories:
1.0 M extension (decent quality and docile) and a carrying bag, also very good quality soft vinyl, size is enough as to fit the extension and also an iPod nano or, in this case, my Clip+, without any problem.

Comfort:
Due to the flexibility of the headband and the soft pads the FC700 are very easy to "wear and forget".
The clamping force is enough to keep them on while walking around, but it inst strong enough to bother my ears. In fact, after a while one can get used to them and "forget" these are on your head. I could easily wear these for many hours.

Sound:
The ATH FC700 feels like a rather warm sound that gives you a bit of sense of fullness. pretty much a generic sound signature in the price range.

The highs are there in a decent quantity but nothing to call home about, and with fast complex music they tend to feel 'chopped' as if the bass were interrupting the highs every now and then.
As for the mids, I'd call them slightly recessed but not bad, they actually go well with the high range together, definetely feels a bit Blanketed. Nothing exceptional here.
Bass is probably the good thing about these, is strong and reaches some deep notes, but again, when some complex music is on, ie: metal, these feels muddy and too loose.

They do OK for calmer music, don't get me wrong, this is a very friendly sound signature, easy to get used to if you are not looking for clarity or instruments separation, but rather a common sound in this range. but if you are too picky and demanding about every headphone you might have, these might not worth it.





Pros: comfortable, light, portable, punch, pleasant sound, good accessories, good built
Cons: muddy in lower range, not clear enough, not good instruments separation, chopped highs

[CrowdAds]

[The DarkSide]

Now I know to pass on these, thanks.

[Marvin the Martian]

Originally Posted by The DarkSide

Now I know to pass on these, thanks.

I like mine. I think for the price I paid, which was about $35, they're nice as a portable set. The initial cord length is perfect for use with a Clip Zip or other DAP in a chest pocket.

The Cortex 'phones sound better overall, of course, but they're too big for portable use IMO.

[The DarkSide]

But your ATH-WS55 & JVC HAS600 both sound better than these,...

[Marvin the Martian]

Originally Posted by The DarkSide

But your ATH-WS55 & JVC HAS600 both sound better than these,...

True...but the WS55's cost 3x as much(of course they sound far, far better).

Also, the HAS600's are circumaural, enough so that I have to tip my glasses forward so the arms aren't squeezed by the cups. That's all well and good around the house, but I wouldn't want to walk around anywhere else and take the chance of my glasses falling off and breaking. And the JVC's are a little noisy when you move around.....not as much as the SE-M390's, but that kind of noise from the hinges, you know?