Short answer: the Audio-Technica ATH-M70x. It ranks #28 of 216 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 4.2/5, at $329; the HarmonicDyne Romantic ranks #60, rated 4.0/5, and costs $346.86, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the Audio-Technica ATH-M70x does well: A preference score of 87 and a fairly smooth 1.6 dB deviation make it one of the closer closed-back models to the Harman target. Watch for: Presence is lifted by about 3 dB with a peak of 4.6 dB near 4.5 kHz, which adds bite to vocals, snares and guitars and can become fatiguing at higher volumes.
Buy the Audio-Technica ATH-M70x. It is rated higher for sound quality than the HarmonicDyne Romantic and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Audio-Technica ATH-M70x | HarmonicDyne Romantic | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $329.00 | $346.86 |
| Ranked | #28 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones | #60 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 87 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 83 (median of 3 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 1.60 dB standard deviation | 2.09 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.48 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.25 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.8 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-2.4 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Back | Closed | Open |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 45mm dynamic | 1 x 60mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 35 ohms | 64 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 97 dB | 107 dB SPL/mW |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs (280 g) | - |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 10Hz - 50kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
Related Headphone Comparisons
More top alternatives to Audio-Technica ATH-M70x:
- Audio-Technica ATH-M70x vs Audio-Technica ATH-R70xa
- Audio-Technica ATH-M70x vs Sennheiser HD 650
- Sennheiser HD 650 vs HarmonicDyne Romantic
- HarmonicDyne Romantic vs Audeze Maxwell
- HarmonicDyne Romantic vs Logitech G Astro A50 X
Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Headphones In Full
Audio-Technica ATH-M70x: $329.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: A preference score of 87 and a fairly smooth 1.6 dB deviation make it one of the closer closed-back models to the Harman target. Bass from 60 to 200 Hz lands within 1 dB of target, and sub-bass is only about 2 dB light, so low end is tidy without being thin. At 35 ohms and 97 dB sensitivity it is easy to drive from a laptop or interface, and the closed design isolates and does not leak into a room.
Cons: Presence is lifted by about 3 dB with a peak of 4.6 dB near 4.5 kHz, which adds bite to vocals, snares and guitars and can become fatiguing at higher volumes. Treble above 6 kHz also runs slightly hot, so bright recordings sound sharper than neutral. At 280 g it is heavier than many open-back rivals in its class.
Full Audio-Technica ATH-M70x review and specifications →
| Back | Closed |
|---|---|
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 1.60 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 45mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 87 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 35 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 97 dB |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.8 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.48 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs (280 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -3.6 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +3.6 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 681 Hz | +3.6 dB | 2.12 |
| Peak | 4,327 Hz | -3.0 dB | 2.54 |
| Peak | 110 Hz | -2.1 dB | 0.82 |
| Peak | 69 Hz | +1.3 dB | 1.64 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -0.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 6,406 Hz | +2.0 dB | 4.92 |
| Peak | 3,133 Hz | -0.9 dB | 5.06 |
| Peak | 2,230 Hz | -0.9 dB | 3.09 |
| Peak | 1,352 Hz | +0.4 dB | 2.01 |
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HarmonicDyne Romantic: $346.86 Amazon eBay
Full HarmonicDyne Romantic review and specifications →
| Back | Open |
|---|---|
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.09 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 60mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 50kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 83 (median of 3 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 64 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 107 dB SPL/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-2.4 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.25 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons