If you want lightweight, wired earbuds with a large driver and a two-part cable for flights, choose Audio Technica ATH-CM707; if you need closed-back, over-ear headphones with a foldable design for flights, choose Mackie MC Series Professional. The decisive difference is how you want to wear them: the Audio-Technica is an in-ear option, while the Mackie has padded ear cups and a headband.
Audio Technica ATH-CM707 vs Mackie MC Series Professional at a Glance
• Audio Technica ATH-CM707: Lightweight in-ear design, 15.4 mm driver, and a cord that can be used with or without its extension; the trade-off is that it is wired and does not have over-ear cushioning.
• Mackie MC Series Professional: Closed-back, over-ear headphones with a foldable design, detachable locking cable, and padded headband; the trade-off is a larger, headband-style fit rather than compact earbuds.
• Choose the ATH-CM707 if you want simple wired earbuds for listening on the move and value a lighter in-ear form.
• Choose the Mackie if you want over-ear coverage, a closed-back design, and a detachable cable for monitoring or focused listening.
• For flights: the Audio-Technica is the more compact-style choice; the Mackie offers the more encompassing fit and sound-isolating design.
The ATH-CM707 is a wired in-ear headphone with a 15.4 mm driver and a resonance-duct structure designed to support fuller low frequencies. Its design also emphasizes midrange playback. That combination makes it a candidate for listeners who want an earbud-style fit but do not want to give up on a larger driver.
Its 0.6 m main cord can be paired with a 0.6 m extension cord when more cable length is useful. That gives you a little flexibility: use the shorter setup when it suits your device placement, or add the extension when you need extra reach. The cord is described as tangle-free, and a leatherette pouch with a divider is included for carrying.
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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-22 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
The Mackie MC Series Professional, model MC-250, is a closed-back, over-ear headphone built around 50 mm transducers. Its stated strengths are clear, accurate playback, with a design intended for mixing, critical listening, and personal listening. The padded adjustable headband and conforming ear pads point to a more substantial fit than an earbud.
For travel, the fold-up design and included carry bag make it easier to pack than a fixed, non-folding over-ear design might be. Its cable is detachable and uses a locking connector. The supplied cable is 9.8 feet long, so it suits a desk, studio, or other setup where a generous reach matters; that length may be less convenient when you want a short, simple cable while moving around.
The Mackie makes sense if you want over-ear coverage and a closed-back structure for focused listening, along with a design intended for studio or on-location use. It is not the choice for someone who wants small earbuds or Bluetooth convenience. The product information specifies a wired connection.
• Best fit for someone who prefers earbuds → Audio Technica ATH-CM707. It sits in the ear rather than using a headband and padded ear cups.
• Best fit for over-ear listening → Mackie MC Series Professional. Its adjustable headband and conforming ear pads provide the more encompassing fit.
• Best for a shorter cable setup → Audio Technica ATH-CM707. The main cord is 0.6 m, with a separate 0.6 m extension when extra length is needed.
• Best for a long cable reach → Mackie MC Series Professional. Its 9.8-foot cable is detachable and locking, which is useful when listening from a desk or monitoring position.
• Best for compact-style packing → Audio Technica ATH-CM707. Its in-ear format and included pouch are more suited to a small carry setup than over-ear headphones.
• Best for fold-up storage → Mackie MC Series Professional. The headphones collapse for storage and come with a carry bag.
• Best for a closed-back design → Mackie MC Series Professional. The design is explicitly closed-back and lists sound isolation as a feature.
• Best for flights if you want earbuds → Audio Technica ATH-CM707; best if you want padded over-ear coverage → Mackie MC Series Professional. Neither offers Bluetooth according to the connectivity details, so plan on a wired connection.
The phrase “open ear earbuds for flights” can be confusing here. The ATH-CM707 is the closer fit if you mean earbuds rather than over-ear headphones, but the supplied details identify it as an in-ear model, not a specific open-ear design. Likewise, if you are searching for the “best hi res headset for flights,” neither sheet supplies a high-resolution certification or a direct comparison that would justify that label. The practical distinction here is form and connection: in-ear and wired versus closed-back, over-ear, and wired.
For listening quality, the available specs point to different priorities rather than a clear winner. Audio-Technica highlights its driver size, resonance duct, and focus on low and mid frequencies. Mackie describes its 50 mm transducers as accurate and clear, and gives a frequency response of 10 Hz–20 kHz. Those details help explain each product’s intended design, but they do not prove which one will sound better to every listener.
For flights, I would choose the Audio Technica ATH-CM707 if I wanted wired earbuds that take up less room and let me choose between the main cord and its extension. I’d choose the Mackie instead if I specifically wanted padded, closed-back over-ear headphones and a foldable design.
My personal pick for a traveler who already prefers earbuds is the ATH-CM707: its form and cable options better match that use. The Mackie is the more sensible choice for someone whose priority is over-ear monitoring-style listening, not a small earbud setup.
The listed connectivity for both is wired. The ATH-CM707 uses a main cord with a separate extension; the Mackie has a detachable locking cable. Neither is described as a Bluetooth headphone.
It depends on the fit you want. The ATH-CM707 is an in-ear option with a carrying pouch, while the Mackie is closed-back and over-ear, folds for storage, and includes a carry bag.
Which headphone has stronger noise isolation?
The Mackie is explicitly described as closed-back and lists sound isolation as a feature. The ATH-CM707 also lists sound isolation, but the available details do not provide a direct comparison or a noise-reduction measurement.
The Mackie is specifically described for mixing and critical listening, with 50 mm transducers and a long detachable locking cable. The ATH-CM707 emphasizes its in-ear design and driver structure; choose it if that form factor is your priority rather than a studio-style over-ear fit.
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