Audio-Technica ATHANC7 Noise-cancelling Headphones
by AUDIO TECHNICA
|
List Price: Our Price: $79.99 You Save: $139.96 (64%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: CE See more product details |
|---|
Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Audio-Technica ATHANC7 Noise-cancelling Headphones
Customer Review: Comparison to Bose QC 2.0
Summary: 5 Stars
I was able to find the original, non-B version of these headphones on Ebay and bought them to compare to the Bose QC 2.0 which I own. I got the AT phones for half the price of Bose. The noise cancellation is indeed superior to the QC 2.0 model, anyway. I had a desk fan blowing air and the TV on and the AT eliminated virtually all sound from the fan and muffled voices on the TV a bit better than the Bose. It's no wonder AT had to discontinue the original ATHANC7 model and come out with the 'B' version, as I believe they beat Bose at their own game (Bose sued them over patent infringement).
Audio quality is very good for noise cancellation headphones and is on a par with the Bose, but without the bass heavy sound. I have heard the Bose QC headphone model before the 1.5 and after the 2.0 (the model that sits on the ears) and I did not like the heavy, muddy sound and overemphasis on bass. High and mid range is much nicer on the AT. Audio volume on the AT headphones is about a notch above my Bose 2.0s. In other words, if I switch to the Bose I need to turn up the volume on my CD player by one notch to achieve the equivalent level of sound. The ATs are a bit more sensitive to input or at least are set up with more gain at default settings.
I have no issues with inadequate bass. If you use Panasonic portable CD players, they all have an X-Bass or H-Bass setting on the equalizer which I use as default and bass is more than adequate.
The con with the ATs is that they do leak sound more than the Bose, so they are not the best choice in an office environment with other workers close by. But on an airplane, it's not an issue.
As for the construction of the headphones, they do look a bit classier than the Bose. The headphone band adjustment has more audible detents than the Bose 2.0 and is a bit more sturdier overall. I kinda hate the Bose since when people see you wearing them on a plane they roll their eyes and think you are a yuppy or some Ivy League lawyer, whereas the AT is more discreet since most people don't know about them. The carrying case is a bit bigger than the Bose but still plenty of room in the handbag I use to carry my netbook and CD player on the plane.
If you are seeking the best noise cancelling headphones out there for use on airplanes, look no further than the original non-B version of the ATHANC7s. If you are lucky, you might still find one new on Ebay, but they are getting rare.
Customer Review: Amazing, Best I've Heard
Summary: 5 Stars
I will be honest: I was a little weary with this purchase because I have never heard of Audio Technica and the price of these is very low compared to competitors. I was also looking for a complete "around-the-ear" pair of phones. After just a few weeks with this headset, I can say I am thoroughly pleased by them.
I previously had Sony Noise-Cancelling head phones that didn't quite go over the ear. They were very wide and let lot of outside noise in while on planes and in airports. For $35, I didn't think they were worth it. The sound was alright, but nothing special.
I looked at getting Bose, but was scared because of the price and I have heard they are very fragile. Then I came across these. They were significantly less expensive, and had better reviews. After using them for a while, I have come across a few things I like. Long battery life is very nice, even though I use rechargeable batteries. Blocks out essentially all noise, except for certain loud announcements in the airport and over the intercom. (No, I mean, NO BACKGROUND NOISE, EVEN ON PLANES!) The sound quality is very good, although they don't "kick" with bass like some others I have heard. Not a problem for the casual listener or those watching video on the plane like me. I also really like the case they come with. Seems like it protects the set very nicely, although it can take up some space in your carry-on. The set also has a removable cord if you want to utilize the noise-cancelling feature while taking a nap, for instance.
Overall, I haven't found a set that comes close to these for the price, and even some more expensive aren't as great. I can't comment on the longevity yet, but you will know if they don't hold up.
Edit: It's now October 2009, and these have held up very well. No wear marks, still great quality sound, very comfortable, and none of the fabric or padding has worn out. It makes you wonder how Bose can get away with charging so much for theirs.
Edit: 2011 now, and I'm starting to get quite a bit of static when there isn't any music going. I think they're finally losing steam, but I got a good 3 years out of them, and I paid just under $200. I might see if I can find some good Bose, but I am so scared when I read the reviews. I'll let you know what I find and if they work and better than these.
Customer Review: Great noise cancel headphones
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought the "Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7 QuietPoint Active Noise-Cancelling Headphones" before a direct flight from Phoenix, AZ to Washington, DC. I already owned a cheap pair of noise cancelling ear phones that worked fairly well, but I wanted to upgrade to a higher end pair to see if it made an even bigger difference.
I did a lot of research on the internet and the top noise cancelling earphones I found were Audio-Technica, Sennheiser and Bose. My brother-in-law travels all of the time, including trips to India and he owns a pair of Sennheiser in-ear headphones and he said those worked really well, but I find in-ear uncomfortable over longer durations. My cheap pair were on-the-ear and were a little uncomfortable after a few hours, so I decided I wanted to go with over-the-ear headphones. The Bose ranked high, but I didn't want to spend that kind of money. A lot of the reviews I read stated Audio-Technica had about the same performance as Bose at less than half the price. I found a pair here at Amazon for only $120, so I decided to purchase a pair.
After using the headphones on the plane as well as a 3 1/2 hour train ride from DC to New Jersey I would highly recommend these headphones. Before the plane took off, I put these on while they were turned off and they significantly reduced the engine noise. I could still hear the engines, but it was a much more tolerable level. Once we were in the air and it was safe to turn on electronics, I switched the headphones on and it cut the noise down significantly more. You can still hear the engine noise, but it is more of a faint sounding noise. Once I hooked it up to my Ipod and the in-flight movie, I really couldn't hear any of the engine noise or the passengers around me. On the train ride, a passenger was talking on his cell phone for most of the trip, but with the headphones on, I could barely hear him. The only possible flaw I can find with the headphones is that if you have them switched off and try to listen to something, the sound is not very good. However, I don't know many instances when you would try to listen to something with them off. The only time I put them on with the headphones off, was when I didn't have them plugged into anything and they worked well.
All in all, I would highly recommend these headphones. The are priced right and work great!
Customer Review: Great for a noisy work environment
Summary: 5 Stars
I've been using these headphones listening to iPod from my iPhone for a couple of months and the headphones have been great. I got these headphones for my office - a room of cubicles where normal conversations are easily heard many cubicles away. I purchased these as the Bose were too pricey for my budget.
The very first time these headphones were out of the packaging and I started using them, I heard a clicking noise on the left ear and thought I was going to have to send the headphones back, however, after fiddling with them a bit more, the clicking went away. First impressions - the noise canceling feature is amazing! I slipped these on and turned on the noise canceling function without music and I was amazed at how quiet my office got. I didn't realize how much ambient noise, particularly from the hvac, was in the office.
I can still hear conversations when the volume is turned lower than 1/4 way, but the conversations have to be a louder than normal. With the volume turned past 1/4 way, most conversations can't be heard, and with the volume slightly under 1/2 way, all conversations are gone. At this level, the music is at a very comfortable level and without the extraneous noise, I'm in my world able to concentrate on work deadlines. When my co-workers see me with these headphones on, they have become accustomed to tapping me on the shoulder to speak with me. I've have these on for hours at a time and these headphones are very comfortable.
I've not had the leakage issue others have reported with confirimation from my office mates that there are no leakage. The product is made of very high quality parts with a very nice quality feel. Be sure to pack an extra battery or 2 - these headphones won't function without battery even with the noise canceler off.
The negatives I can point to are the music sound quality and the heft of the headphone. The music sound quality is very good but I've heard better on other non-noise canceling sets. Though I've wore these hours at a time, it does start to weigh on the ears over time.
Overall the fact that I've been able to meet several deadlines due in no small part to the added concentration in a noisy work environment has made this purchase worth every penny.
Customer Review: Noise Cancelling Headphones Rock! Quietly of course
Summary: 5 Stars
I have been very pleased with the Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7 headphones. In the time that I've had them, I've tried them out at work, on a plane, as a passenger in the car, and at home. The noise canceling functionality works fairly well. By noise canceling, this does not imply that all outside noise will be blocked out but rather that ambient noise like a heating/cooling system, airplane engine, road noise, noisy neighbors, and co-workers background conversations will be substantially reduced. You can still hear if someone speaks to you but wouldn't really want to conduct a conversation with them on.
Turning on the noise canceling functionality makes a huge difference when listening to music. It gives you the feel that you're actually in the recording studio with the musicians. Be careful to turn the volume down on your computer/stereo/mp3 player prior to turning on the noise canceling capabilities. With my old headphones (non-noise canceling) I normally listened to music on my computer at a Windows volume setting around 18 to 20. With the noise canceling turned on, I set the volume to 3 to 5 with the same perceived volume.
The sound quality of the headphones is also quiet good and you feel as though you're hearing exactly what the sound engineer and music producer intended. I was surprised at how some songs came into better "focus" when using these headphones. With the noise canceling turned on, it helps the little things come through much more clearly and you'll hear things you didn't know were present before. Using these headphones is much like going to the optometrist for an adjustment to your glasses/contacts. Once you have the new prescription, things seem clearer, sharper, and in focus.
When using the headphones over a long period of time, I did notice that my ears got a bit warm but not to the point of being overly uncomfortable. Exercising with these probably will not occur based on not wanting to bathe them in sweat. I'm also not certain how well they would remain stationary when moving around during a workout.
If you're looking for a top quality set of headphones with noise canceling capabilities and are willing to pay a decent amount of money but not excessive, these headphones are a good option.