Audio-Technica - Over-the-Ear Headphones

I purchased the Audio-Technica ATH-ESW9A just prior to going on a 8 day cruise. I wanted something that sounded a lot better than the in the ear plugs I had been using. I used the Audio-Technica with my iPod and ASUS 10" tablet both while flying to the port, during the cruise at pool side and while relaxing on my cabin balcony. Prior to purchasing I listened to quite a few other brands. Some that cost quite a bit more. But the Audio-Technica's had the best sound to my ears. They are not bass heavy as some others. They have a more natural and balanced sound. Now I use them a lot sitting on my deck while reading or having a beer. I really enjoy them and I'm happy that I purchased them.

Okay so here is the deal. For one, Best Buy no haggle price matched me on these. So For the price I got them for I am COMPLETELY satisfied. I want to hand to it Best Buy for not making you do a dance on a legit price match anymore. They sound fantastic. Here is the deal with anything audio, If it makes you want to relive your whole music collection then you have hit the jackpot. I am not a headphone expert by any means nor am I a very "technical" guy. I know how to purchase expensive things though :). I cannot give you any side by side comparison. However, I have very nice audio equipment and have very picky ears. I listened to 10 different sets for about 2 hours in the magnolia room, and these are the ones I picked. Since I wasn't worried about the money I gave every set a chance. I just wanted something nice. Luckily for me with the price match they were not only my favorite sound but my favorite price. So, are there better headphones? Yes, probably. Will they cost much much more? Yes, Definitely. ALWAYS do your price research before purchasing something like this. They are very nice looking. They look reference without being flashy or over the top. If I saw them on someone I would be like "Man I bet his music is sounding SO good right now." Lamb leather I believe and Real wood. Very Nice. About the sound. Music: Just beautiful. The highs, mids, and lows are so well balanced I am just shocked. They are very natural, nothing feels forced. They put you into a state of audio bliss. You will want to listen to music you don't even listen to just to hear how they process. The treble takes you to a point where you think it is going to be too much....But it's not, It's just right. The mids bring everything to life. Bass is extremely impressive. This is coming from a guy running a very powerful 12" on his home theater. The kicker here is aside from the Lows being fantastic they do not distort. I would rather have no bass than distorted bass. I can only imagine what they will do amplified. I am tickled silly to keep listening. I do want this to be known. If you are not really an audio junky and are looking for something nice you will LOVE these. If you are an audio junky I don't have to tell you this, but sound is so personable. My review could be countered by a 1 star review simply because its just not the right sound for that person. However you would be hard pressed to not appreciate these. Movies: I have yet to try them on Bluray, but I do have some 1080p movies downloaded. The audio coding in the Bluray will be MUCH MUCH better. However, they are very enveloping. The center dialogue sounds like its coming at your forehead. The center is not muddled. This is SOOOO important with movies. Very easily the dialogue can be overpowered by your LR main speakers. Not the case with these. Extremely well balanced. They really put you there. Really impressed seeing as how this is why I purchased them. I travel and wanted a nice set for my laptop to watch my movies on. These will work perfectly. Now the bad..... It was hard to take away a star but I had to. I didn't notice this while I was in the store, but they do pinch my ears a little. I have a fairly large head with not overly large ears. The big head is for my big brain. Right now they are hurting my ears a little because of the pressure. I am hoping they will relax a little bit, like a new pair of shoes. This is in no way the fault of the headphones, they just aren't the right size for me. I should have over the ear headphones, not on the ear. So I want to make this clear that this is worth a star, because if you weren't in love with the sound, like I am, you would take them back if you are big headed like me. I however will NOT be taking these back. They were a steal for the price and the sound is just that good that I will deal with it. At some point I will probably give these to my girlfriend and consider a new option, assuming they don't form to me over time. No hard case. I would feel cheated if I payed full retail for these and didn't receive a hard case. The soft case is nice and will protect from scratch, but if you travel like I do you will want to get a hard case. The speakers do turn to lay flat, so this helps. I know I said I wasn't worried about the money, but if they were $400 I would probably have shopped around a bit more. but for $230 without a doubt I was all in. Hope this helps, sorry it's not very technical. You will be impressed with the drivers/range blah blah blah. When I am in audio nirvana I am not concerned about numbers. I know it's good when my ears say "thanks buddy, you really are good to us." That is all.