The Audio-Technica ATH-GDL3 is 45Ω at 98.0 dB/mW; the Audio-Technica ATH-R70X is 470Ω at 98.0 dB/mW. This page covers what they ask of an amplifier, not how they sound.
In amplifier terms these two are the same headphone. The gap between what they need for 100 dB is under half a decibel, which is smaller than the step between two clicks of most volume controls.
| Specification | ATH-GDL3 | ATH-R70X |
|---|---|---|
| Impedance | 45 Ω | 470 Ω |
| Sensitivity | 98.0 dB/mW | 98.0 dB/mW |
| Sensitivity (voltage) | 111.5 dB/V | 101.3 dB/V |
| Power for 100 dB | 1.6 mW | 1.6 mW |
| Voltage for 100 dB | 0.27 V | 0.86 V |
| Current for 100 dB | 5.9 mA | 1.8 mA |
| Highest source impedance that leaves them alone (one-eighth rule) | 5.62 Ω | 58.75 Ω |
| Sources that reach 100 dB out of 280 | 280 | 277 |
3 of the 280 sources have the power for the ATH-GDL3 but not for the ATH-R70X — Apple USB-C dongle (EU), Steinberg UR22C, Sony NW-A306.
32 sources are low enough in output impedance for the ATH-R70X under the one-eighth rule but not for the ATH-GDL3 (Zoom AMS-22, Audient EVO 4, ART HeadAmp 4 Pro, 29 more).
277 of the 280 sources here reach 100 dB on both.
The ATH-R70X is more demanding than 96% of the 567 non-electrostatic models in this database; the ATH-GDL3 than 69%.
| dB SPL | ATH-GDL3 power | ATH-GDL3 voltage | ATH-R70X power | ATH-R70X voltage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80 | 0.02 mW | 27 mV | 0.02 mW | 86 mV |
| 85 | 0.05 mW | 47 mV | 0.05 mW | 0.15 V |
| 90 | 0.16 mW | 84 mV | 0.16 mW | 0.27 V |
| 95 | 0.50 mW | 0.15 V | 0.50 mW | 0.49 V |
| 100 | 1.6 mW | 0.27 V | 1.6 mW | 0.86 V |
| 105 | 5.0 mW | 0.47 V | 5.0 mW | 1.53 V |
| Source | Price | Headroom, ATH-GDL3 | Headroom, ATH-R70X | Output impedance | Noise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JadeAudio JA11 | $20 | 11.3 dB | 1.1 dB | 0.5 Ω | 1.7 µV |
| FiiO KA11 | $29 | 19.5 dB | 9.5 dB | 0.7 Ω | 1.7 µV |
| FiiO BTR11 | $36 | 11.3 dB | 0.8 dB | 0.5 Ω | 8.0 µV |
Of the 280 sources here, 277 reach 100 dB on both. 70 of them also publish an output impedance low enough for both under the one-eighth rule and a noise figure that stays below the audible-hiss threshold with both.
The cheapest of the 70 is the JadeAudio JA11, at $20. It leaves 11.3 dB of headroom on the ATH-GDL3 and 1.1 dB on the ATH-R70X, its output impedance is 0.5 Ω against a one-eighth limit of 5.62 Ω and 58.75 Ω, and its noise figure puts the hiss floor 24 dB and 34 dB below the 20 dB SPL this site treats as the point where a quiet room stops hiding it.
| Model | As printed | Tolerance | Standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| ATH-GDL3 | 10 to 35,000 Hz | not printed | not printed |
| ATH-R70X | 5 - 40,000 Hz | not printed | not printed |
Audio-Technica prints 10 to 35,000 Hz for the ATH-GDL3 and 5 - 40,000 Hz for the ATH-R70X.
Neither range has a tolerance printed beside it, so a wider range on one sheet is not deeper bass or more treble.
Not a measurement; maker by maker.
Both have a page of their own. In full: Audio-Technica ATH-GDL3 and Audio-Technica ATH-R70X. Every figure on this page comes from what Audio-Technica published, or is derived from it — what that maker publishes, counted.