Audio-Technica ATH-SR5 Review: An Expensive Hi-Res Headphone with Powerful Sound

Audio-Technica ATH-SR5 is another premium offering from the Japanese audio equipment manufacturer.

These headphones are built to High-Resolution Audio standards and come in three color options offering a good blend of great comfort and awesome sound quality.

The headphone comes with a removable 3.5mm headphone cable with one-button remote housing which can be used to play/pause the audio tracks.

Design

The Audio-Technica ATH-SR5 is a well-designed headphone with a premium feel. Adjusting the headphone is easy, thanks to notches in the metal frame of the headband. The ATH-SR5 is comfortable and the smaller size of the headphones means that it is easy to carry when it isn't in use. They feature memory foam ear pads offering enhanced comfort for long listening hours along with the adjustable headband slider.

The sales package includes a detachable, colour-matched 1.2m cable with an in-line remote and microphone.

Performance

The headphones feature 45mm dynamic drivers, with 103dB sensitivity and a frequency response range of 5 to 40,000Hz.

We tested the Audio-Technica ATH-SR5 with our LG V20. The focus tracks for the review were Greece 2000 (System Nipel vs. Cosmic Tone RMX) by Three Drives and Streets of Philadelphia by Bruce Springsteen.

The sound signature of this headphone is impressive. The sound is sharp and we felt that it is aggressive. This can be felt particularly clearly in the first loop of the track.

Moving on to Streets of Philadelphia, the initial thump in the beginning of the track is powerful and clear. Thanks to the large 45mm drivers, the soundstage is incredible for a headset of this size.

If you switch to lossless FLAC audio files then the difference in audio quality is immediately noticeable. The same audio tracks will sound richer and you will notice additional detail and wider dynamic range.

We were pretty satisfied with the overall sound reproduction but there was a lack of warmth. However, the ATH-SR5 sound isolation is not that good.

Verdict

If you are looking for a studio quality headphone then Audio-Technica ATH-SR5 is a good option. However, lack of noise cancellation is an issue which is expected from headphones coming at this price range. The bass is delightful and we are confident that the overall sound won’t disappoint you.

Audio-Technica has delivered a stunning looking headphone with decent sound, especially if you have a Hi-Res Audio device.