Audio-Technica ATHANC7 Noise-cancelling Headphones
by AUDIO TECHNICA
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Manufacturer: AUDIO TECHNICAPublished: 2008-07-23
Release Date: 2008-07-23
Model: ATH-ANC7
Product features:
- ATH-ANC7 QuietPoint active noise-cancelling headphones effectively reduces environmental noise by up to 85% with or without audio
- Ideal for travel and use with MP3, CD, DVD and in-flight entertainment systems
- Provides superior audio quality with 40mm drivers with neodymium magnet systems in each earpiece for deeper bass, extended treble and higher fidelity
- Fully integrated active noise-cancelling technology - no external modules needed
- Includes a detachable cable (remove for noise-cancelling function without audio) with 3.5 mm mini-plugs
- ATH-ANC7 QuietPoint noise-cancelling headphones feature ANC circuitry that effectively reduces environmental noise by up to 85%
- Audio functions (in passive mode) even without the battery
- Closed-back headphones feature large-aperture 40 mm drivers with neodymium magnet systems for deeper bass, extended treble and higher fidelity
- Lightweight, compact design is ideal for travel
- Use for MP3, CD, DVD & in-flight entertainment systems: remove detachable cable for noise-cancelling function without audio
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Audio-Technica ATHANC7 Noise-cancelling Headphones
Customer Review: Better than Bose for less money? Heck yes.
Summary: 5 Stars
I've had these for about 6 months now and finally have time to write a review for them. I think of myself as an audiophile or at least a semi-audiophile if that makes any sense. I pay attention to the bitrates of my songs and what encoder was used to put them in the mp3 format. The headphones I used to have as my "good headphones" were the Bose Triport OEs (the ones that are $180 at Best Buy). I had those for 1-2 years until they started dropping the bass guitar from rock songs at random times. Metal is my favorite genre, and Metallica is my favorite band. Since I listen to a lot of hard rock, for the Triports to do that to me was annoying. I could tell I was supposed to be hearing the bass guitar because the Triports dropped it when it was at the forefront of the song. So, I started searching for another pair of high quality headphones and that's when I found the ANC7s.
When I saw how good the reviews for them were and how cheap they were compared to Bose, I decided to try them just like many of the other reviewers. I have to say, they did not disappoint. The sound quality of these is equal or better than the Triports, and, for the most part, better. They respond to a wide range of frequencies and the sound is pretty well balanced. Yes, these may not have as much bass as Bose, but it was fine with me because I think Bose headphones are too bass heavy and are not balanced enough in mid range and high range. I also think the ANC7s produce more accurate bass than Bose. When I listened to Bose (both the QC2s and my Triports) alongside the ANC7s, the bass from the Bose sounded artificially enhanced whereas the bass from the ANC7s sounded accurate. The bass of the ANC7s isn't bad. If you're listening to a song with a lot of bass, then these will definitely deliver. One of the areas where these clearly beat Bose is in the amount of treble they have. The first time I listened to one of Metallica's songs on the ANC7s, I was amazed at what I had been missing. The amount of treble these have makes them excellent for listening to rock. I'm used to hearing the guitars overpower the drums in the aspect of which sounds you can hear most, but these changed that. These do a much better job of keeping the drums more at the forefront of the song along with the guitars. Also, before I forget to mention this, like other reviewers have said, adjusting the equalizer on your mp3 player does help increase the amount of bass. Overall, the sound quality of these is as close to (and better than) Bose as you're going to get without having Bose.
Now for the noise canceling (NC from now on). Before I write anything else, I need to mention a few things. 1. If you're looking for a pair of active noise canceling (ANC from now on) headphones that reduce/eliminate high frequency sounds like crying babies, sirens, alarms, etc., stop right now. You will not find any ANC headphones that do this. ANC headphones are not designed to significantly reduce those sounds. They are designed to reduce lower frequency noise, like on a bus or in an airport terminal, and primarily jet engine noise. They may reduce high frequency noise a tiny bit, but the reduction will not be significant. 2. ANC headphones reduce noise. They do not totally eliminate it. Don't buy these with the expectation that all external noise will be totally eliminated. It won't be, even at the low frequencies. Since the ANC7s have 85% NC, they will reduce low frequency noise greatly, but you will still be able to hear it slightly (but not with music playing) 3. The hiss. A lot of ANC headphones emit a low hiss when the NC is on. All I can say is get used to it. I've owned more than a few pairs of NC headphones, and they all do it. It's more apparent with some than others. Fortunately with the ANC7s, it's not obvious and almost hard to notice.
Okay, now that the above things have been said, the NC on these is excellent. I brought the ANC7s with me to an Apple store and compared them side by side with the Bose QC2s. I have to say, the ANC7s did a little better of a job. On a recent flight, the ANC7s all but eliminated the noise of the jets. I could still hear the jets slightly, but once my music was playing the jet noise was gone. A little note: with most NC headphones, the volume of the music increases significantly when the NC is turned on and decreases when it is turned off. Don't start thinking you got ripped off by thinking that the volume increase IS the NC. This is a fairly common mistake. Pause the music with the NC on and you will notice external sound is reduced. For the ANC7s, the volume increases more than with other headphones. I suggest you make sure the volume on your iPod or mp3 player is low before you turn on the NC, especially when listening to rock. Also, some reviewers have said that the sound of the ANC7s is muddy with the NC off and that everything becomes clearer when the NC is turned on. The first time I listened to the ANC7s I too thought the sound was muddy. But, after a while, I got used to it and now I actually prefer using the ANC7s with the NC off. I think the NC circuit amplifies the volume of the mids and highs a tiny bit and that's why they sound muddy at first.
For comfort, these are very comfortable. They don't make your ears as hot or as sweaty as the QC2s do. In general, I can wear them for a few hours without my ears getting hot and sweaty. More specifically, if I'm doing something boring like typing a essay, I can wear them for a long time (3 hours or longer) without taking them off. If I'm using these to watch an action movie or something that gets my adrenaline going, then I have to take them off a few times because my ears get sweaty after a while. It depends on what you're doing. I did have to mess around a few times to get the ANC7s in a comfortable position when I first got them, but it's not a problem anymore. For the big question, are the ANC7s as comfortable as the QC2s? Definitely.
Now, the sound leakage. It's the main complaint I've read about in the reviews. I put the headphones face down on my bed and played some rock at a volume that I would listen at (on an iPod, around 75% with sound check on). The result: yes, these do leak sound a little bit, but it's one of those things that people aren't going to notice unless they're listening for it. If you have the volume at a reasonable level (not blasting), then only people within 2-4 feet of you might hear. 4 feet is an extreme. I doubt people 4 ft. away would hear very often. These results are with the NC off and in a little to moderately noisy room. If the room is quiet then the distance increases by a foot or so. For NC on, you may want to turn the volume down from what you had it at when the NC was off. That shouldn't be a problem since the NC reduces external noise so you can hear easier and since the volume increases when the NC is turned on. The 2-4 ft. distance and noise level in the room from the NC off results should also work with the NC on as long as you turn the volume down. For a more noisy room, the distance would decrease to the point where the person is right next to you. Now, probably the 1st question in your head right now is will the ANC7s be a problem on flights since people are obviously within 2-4 feet of you? Possibly. I haven't had too many opportunities to test this yet. On the flight mentioned above, I was going to ask the 2 people next to me to listen for leakage, but they both had iPods and had their music on, which made it practically impossible to hear any leakage. Anyway, from what I know right now, I think the noise of the jets is probably loud enough to prevent others from hearing. But I could be wrong. Overall, in my opinion the sound leakage is a small and easy sacrifice to make for the value of the ANC7s. Hopefully Audio-Technica will see these reviews and fix this problem with the next ones.
As for what these come with, the case is very nice. It fits the headphones nicely and is lined with what I believe is velvet on the side that the ear pads touch. It has a little pouch on the inside for the airplane and stereo adapters (which come as one, you'll know what I mean when you examine the adapter). The cord is long, I'd say about 5 ft. and sturdy. It's detachable from where it connects to the left headphone, which is nice if you only want to use the NC. The NC is powered by 1 AAA battery, and the battery compartment is hidden on top of the left headphone and below the half-oval shaped piece that connects the headband to the headphone.
For a head to head comparison of these vs. Bose QC2s:
ANC7s
- not as much bass, but it's adequate
- better treble and equal or better highs
- equal or better comfort
- better NC
- a little sound leakage
- more strongly built
- plays music with NC on or off
- $100 (biggest pro)
Bose
- a lot of bass
- worse treble and equal or worse highs
- little or no sound leakage
- built more weakly
- (I believe) only plays
music with NC on
- $300 (overpriced, worst con)
- worse NC
- equal or worse comfort
Those are the main comparisons. A few weeks ago I ran across Monster's Beats by Dr. Dre headphones in Best Buy. When I listened to rock with those, all I could say was "damn". The ANC7s make Bose look bad, but those make Bose look downright horrible. I haven't been able to test the noise isolation of the Beats, but I do know that they have better sound than both the ANC7s and Bose. And unlike the QC2s, the Beats might actually be worth their $350 price tag.
All in all, I recommend the ANC7s overall and also over Bose. Sometimes I have to remind myself how good the value of the ANC7s is (like when I listened to the Beats). And lastly, yes, it is true: the ANC7s are as good as or better than Bose and they're 1/3 the price.
Update 7/12/09
Headphones are still working fine. I've been trying to figure out a way to effectively clean the area between the mesh on the underside of the ear pads and the fabric that your ear rests against. If anyone has a good way please comment. I've only had to replace the battery once or twice. It lasts for a very long time. I still haven't gotten a chance to test the sound leakage on a flight. Also, I know the price of these has gone up, but I still recommend them over Bose. I would recommend them even if they were a few dollars more than the QC2s because they perform better, the battery lasts longer, and they are easier to use (the QC2s only play when NC is on).
Description of Audio-Technica ATHANC7 Noise-cancelling Headphones
Audio-Technica's lightweight and compact ATH-ANC7 QuietPoint headphones are ideal for use with MP3, CD, DVD and in-flight entertainment systems; with fully integrated ANC circuitry that effectively reduces distracting background noise by up to 85% (active noise reduction up to 20dB). 40mm drivers with neodymium magnet systems in each earpiece provide superior audio quality for deeper bass, extended treble and higher fidelity; while a single AAA battery powers the active noise-cancelling technology with or without audio. ATH-ANC7 QuietPoint headphones fold flat for easy portability and include a detachable cable (remove for noise-cancelling function without audio) with 3.5mm mini-plugs, a full-size ¼" adapter, a specialized airline adapter for connecting to in-flight entertainment systems, and a handy carrying case. The detachable cable is 5.2 inches long.Digital Cameras and Photo Categories
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