Between the ATH-R70xa and QuietComfort SC, the ATH-R70xa comes out ahead in weight and driver size, while the QuietComfort SC wins on active noise cancellation and multipoint. Overall, the ATH-R70xa scores 66.2 and the QuietComfort SC scores 62.9 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The ATH-R70xa edges ahead on the Mars Score (66.2 vs 62.9), 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, driver size.
Pick the QuietComfort SC if your top frustration with your current device is running out of charge before the day ends — endurance is the lead spec here. Its strongest claims are active noise cancellation, multipoint, battery life.
Both ship with comparable spatial audio, ldac, water resistance, so those specs don't 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 tells you both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Why Audio-Technica - ATH-R70xa wins
- ▲Weight — 30.00 g less. 210 vs 240.
- ▲Driver size — 28.57% more. 45 mm vs 35 mm.
Why Bose - QuietComfort SC wins
- ▲Has Active noise cancellation.
- ▲Has Multipoint.
- ▲Battery life: 24 h vs 0 h.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Audio-Technica - ATH-R70xa | Bose - QuietComfort SC |
|---|---|---|
| Type | over-ear | over-ear |
| Weight | 210 glead | 240 g |
| Water resistance | none | none |
Audio
| Spec | Audio-Technica - ATH-R70xa | Bose - QuietComfort SC |
|---|---|---|
| Driver sizeⓘ | 45 mmlead | 35 mm |
| Impedanceⓘ | 470 Ωlead | 32 Ω |
| Sensitivityⓘ | 99 dBlead | 98 dB |
| Active noise cancellationⓘ | false | truelead |
| Transparency mode | false | truelead |
| Spatial audioⓘ | false | false |
Battery
| Spec | Audio-Technica - ATH-R70xa | Bose - QuietComfort SC |
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 0 h | 24 hlead |
| Fast chargeⓘ | false | truelead |
Connectivity
| Spec | Audio-Technica - ATH-R70xa | Bose - QuietComfort SC |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetoothⓘ | 0 | 5.1lead |
| Multipointⓘ | false | truelead |
| 3.5mm jack | true | true |
| LDACⓘ | false | false |
| aptX HDⓘ | false | false |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery life, ATH-R70xa or QuietComfort SC?+
QuietComfort SC lasts 24 hours vs 0 hours.
Do ATH-R70xa or QuietComfort SC have active noise cancellation?+
QuietComfort SC has ANC; ATH-R70xa does not.
Which supports LDAC, ATH-R70xa or QuietComfort SC?+
Neither supports LDAC.
Spec-level deep dives
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