TDK WR700 Wireless Headphones Comfort and Sound Quality

Fit, Comfort and Isolation

As noted above, the WR700 is a supraaural headphone that weighs a bit more than the average wired set due to the battery compartment and wireless circuitry. The soft pads, low clamping force, and rotating earcups all make the headphone quite comfortable for prolonged use at the cost of a somewhat less-than-secure fit – the WR700 really doesn’t clamp hard enough to cope with any physical activity besides walking. But of course the most important aspect of the headset’s comfort is the lack of cables – a hugely liberating experience for a long-time headphone user.

As with all wireless headphones, the TDK WR700 features no active noise cancelling circuitry and relies purely on passive isolation to suppress background noise. The soft pads provide a consistent ear coupling and push outside noise far enough into the background for music to be enjoyed easily. Sound leakage is quite low as well – in a dead-silent room at loud listening volumes, the WR700 is whisper-quiet to anyone standing more than a few inches from the listener. On the scale set by wired headphones, the isolation of the WR700s falls close to similarly-sized closed sets such as the Sennheiser PX200 and Denon AH-P372 and, though it won’t beat an active noise cancelling headphone for airplane use, the TDK set is isolating enough to be used in moderately noisy environments without cranking the volume up to dangerous levels.

Sound Quality

Testing note: All on-the-go listening was done with a Sansa Fuze portable media player using a wide range of tracks in mp3 format with bitrates ranging from 128 to 320kbps. Critical listening was done using a Tianyun Zero digital-to-analog converter hooked up to my PC via an optical line and fed CD-quality lossless files.

While the wireless prowess of the TDK WR700 is extremely impressive, it is ultimately a headphone and must at the very least keep up with the sound quality of wired sets if portable wireless headphones are ever to fully break into the mainstream. The first thing noticeable when the WR700 is powered on is the slight background hiss present at all times. The hiss is due to internal amp of the headphones, an unavoidable property of most wireless sets. With the WR700 the hiss is barely perceptible at moderate volumes between tracks and mostly inaudible once music starts playing. Of course it will go completely unnoticed by those who don’t explicitly seek it and presents no issues with day-to-day use of the device, but is worth noting nonetheless.

The sonic performance of the WR700 is best described as competent but not outstanding. The bass is tight and relatively accurate but not nearly deep enough to satisfy bassheads – the WR700 is not a ground-shaking sort of headphone. Instead, the low end of the headphone is relatively flat and in good balance with the midrange. The clarity is impressive and the headphones are quite fast and resolving, keeping up well with busy tracks. Fine detail is relayed well enough to differentiate between lossy and lossless audio files, but only just. Both the low end and midrange do suffer from a lack of real weight and texture, making the headphones sound slightly flat and lifeless. While not out of the ordinary for <$100 headphones, such sonic characteristics rarely plague $200 wired sets. The treble, on the other hand, is quite smooth and has the right amount of sparkle without sounding aggressive or sibilant. Top-end extension is decent but I can hear the WR700 begin drop off well before reaching the limits of my hearing. Indeed, the frequency response of the WR700 seems to subscribe to the ‘smooth but rolled off’ school of thought.

For a headphone with a built-in amplifier, the TDK WR700 performs quite admirably in the less objective realms of soundstaging as well. Stereo separation is excellent and the headphones do create a believable, albeit not massive, soundstage. The soundstage is not particularly enveloping as top-to-bottom spacing is rather mediocre but a good three-dimensional soundstage is something most portable headphones, wired or not, struggle tremendously with anyway. The WR700 is no different and individual instruments, while easy to pick out, can often be tough to place spatially. The headphone can actually portray distance as well as intimacy adeptly but does so very rarely, instead keeping most of the audio in a band that sounds to be several feet from the listener. The headphones also feel closed, which is neither unexpected nor a bad thing, as they are in fact closed, but those who like an airy and spacious sound may want to look elsewhere.

Overall, when it comes to sound quality the TDK WR700 never really sounds like a $200 headphone. It is technically competent and generally quite enjoyable but lacks the ‘wow’ factor that is present in all of the truly great >$100 sets. It offers nothing unique, nothing special – it has no sound signature per se. Movie lovers probably won’t mind but music listeners may find the sound of the WR700 a bit bland. Perhaps that is for the best, however - after all, a headphone is supposed to be is something to listen with, not listen to.

TDK Life on Record WR700 Wireless Headphones

The TDK WR700 Kleer wireless headphones appeal to consumer sensibilities with the great versatility of their design. The headphones are compact and portable, making them useful on the move, and do not require a charging cradle or adapter of any sort, which makes them an excellent travel companion (though do beware that some airlines do not permit wireless electronics to be used on board). They are also reasonably light and quite comfortable, making them a joy to use at home with the TV or computer.

Interference from other cordless devices is a non-issue and the headphones function perfectly right up to the limits of their range. The sound quality of the WR700 on the whole is slightly underwhelming but not downright disappointing – the headphones certainly don’t keep up with the better wired sets in their price category, sounding a bit dull and plasticky, but users coming from iPod earbuds or entry-level headsets will notice a definite improvement. Both those looking for monstrous bass and audiophiles in search of a truly realistic hi-fi experience will want to give the WR700 a pass, but as an all-around set of consumer headphones the WR700 has very few faults and a couple of definite advantages over both wired and conventional wireless sets. For those in search of a functional and convenient pair of wireless headphones, the WR700 might just be the long-awaited ticket.

Pros: Well thought-out accessory pack, very user-friendly, comfortable, impressive battery life.

Cons: Mostly plastic construction, so-so audio quality, relatively hefty price.

Rating: 4.0 out of 5

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