If you are looking for headphones that provide active noise cancellation but don’t want the bulker models found on the market, you might want to check out the Audio Technica ATH-ANC40BT. It is a pair of in-ear headphones that gives out the full package when it comes to being portable and provides a decent level of outside noise cancellation. However, sound quality does not match its rivals that are found within the same price class. Getting this pair is a matter of how much do you want to go wireless when it comes to listening to your favorite tracks.
The Audio Technica ATH-ANC40BT are Great Exercise Companions
Looking at a design standpoint, the Audio Technica ATH-ANC40BT is a pair of in-ears that are actually pretty good. Even though the earpieces do look traditional, they are large and are joined together by a neckband. Said neckband also serves the purpose of being a chunky remote and the battery pack for the wireless earphones. Because of this two-part placement, these elements will stop pulling on your ears as is the case of some competing headphones.
Therefore, the ATH-ANC40BT are a great pair of headphones for runners or gym-goers because they stay put. Its band is even made to be flexible. It also has a very slight tension and elevated friction which are all thanks to a slightly rubbery finish. Therefore, even when doing intense exercise regimens, they stay put like they’re gripping your neck.
For the most part, its design does work well. There’s even a small switch found on the outside of the band which turns the unit’s active noise cancellation on and off. Hence, you can easily turn the feature off when you want to hear someone’s voice talking to you instead of taking the headphones off entirely then putting them back on (because let’s face it, this can be a cumbersome experience for some).
However, Audio Technica’s offering is still far from perfect. To make with the decent levels of active noise cancellation, in certain conditions it seems to create a distracting mid-range drone. This becomes apparent when listening to music in a quiet environment. During such scenarios, it may be best to turn the ANC feature off.
As for sound quality, the bass does a pretty excellent job of letting fitness-enthusiasts get their motivation. Bass levels are fast and intricate, and they are also disciplined as well. This gives the headphones a clear signature instead of an overpowering low-end profile. But those bass performances are still there, they just don’t block out other parts of the audio spectrum.
Overall, the Audio Technica ATH-ANC40BT are feature-packed earphones that do make some tradeoff for the purpose of extra tech. The bass profiles do make runners and gym-goers stay motivated with their exercise regimens, which is an added plus. Also, they stay put which may be the best feature many are looking for in sports earphones.