Audio-Technica - ATH-R70xa vs Beyerdynamic - DT 1990 Pro MK II
Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Audio-Technica - ATH-R70xa | Beyerdynamic - DT 1990 Pro MK II |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 210 g | 350 g |
Between the ATH-R70xa and DT 1990 Pro MK II, the ATH-R70xa comes out ahead in weight, while the DT 1990 Pro MK II wins on several specs. Overall, the ATH-R70xa scores 54.7 and the DT 1990 Pro MK II scores 51.4 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The ATH-R70xa edges ahead on the Mars Score (54.7 vs 51.4), but the 3.3-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the ATH-R70xa if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. The biggest gaps in its favor are weight. The single most decisive one: Weight — 140.00 g less. 210 vs 350.
The DT 1990 Pro MK II similarly does not carry a headline advantage on the popular specs — look at the full table for category-specific deltas.
Both ship with comparable battery life, driver size, active noise cancellation, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity says both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Which should you buy: Audio-Technica - ATH-R70xa or Beyerdynamic - DT 1990 Pro MK II?
Audio-Technica - ATH-R70xa leads the current Mars Score by 3.3 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare weight against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Audio-Technica - ATH-R70xa if…
Audio-Technica - ATH-R70xa has the measurable edge on weight g.
Choose Beyerdynamic - DT 1990 Pro MK II if…
Beyerdynamic - DT 1990 Pro MK II does not lead a decisive measured field here, so choose it for price, ecosystem, design, or availability when those matter more to you.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Audio-Technica - ATH-R70xa wins
- ▲Weight — 140.00 g less. 210 vs 350.
Why Beyerdynamic - DT 1990 Pro MK II wins
- No decisive advantages.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Audio-Technica - ATH-R70xa | Beyerdynamic - DT 1990 Pro MK II |
|---|---|---|
| Type | over-ear | over-ear |
| Weight | 210 glead | 350 g |
| Water resistance | none | none |
Audio
| Spec | Audio-Technica - ATH-R70xa | Beyerdynamic - DT 1990 Pro MK II |
|---|---|---|
| Driver sizeⓘ | 45 mm | 45 mm |
| Impedanceⓘ | 470 Ωlead | 250 Ω |
| Sensitivityⓘ | 99 dB | 102 dBlead |
| Active noise cancellationⓘ | false | false |
| Transparency mode | false | false |
| Spatial audioⓘ | false | false |
Battery
| Spec | Audio-Technica - ATH-R70xa | Beyerdynamic - DT 1990 Pro MK II |
|---|---|---|
| Battery lifeⓘ | 0 h | 0 h |
| Fast chargeⓘ | false | false |
Connectivity
| Spec | Audio-Technica - ATH-R70xa | Beyerdynamic - DT 1990 Pro MK II |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetoothⓘ | 0 | 0 |
| Multipointⓘ | false | false |
| 3.5mm jack | true | true |
| LDACⓘ | false | false |
| aptX HDⓘ | false | false |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery life, ATH-R70xa or DT 1990 Pro MK II?+
DT 1990 Pro MK II lasts 0 hours vs 0 hours.
Do ATH-R70xa or DT 1990 Pro MK II have active noise cancellation?+
Neither model has active noise cancellation.
Which supports LDAC, ATH-R70xa or DT 1990 Pro MK II?+
Neither supports LDAC.