I just bought the AR5BT. And I was surprised by how TINY they are ! I didn't test the SR5 so I can't compare, but it's by far the smallest, lightweighted Audio Technica headphones I own. I'm going to put it next to some AT headphones so you can see what I'm talkin' about.
The AR5BT is on the middle. Even if it's foldable, it can't be "flatten". And even when it's fold, the two speakers doesn't fold entirely under the headband (unlike for exemple the M50X), so it doesn't represent a big space economy. But then again, entirely foldable or not, they're very tiny so it's pretty cool.
First issue : the pad. They're very small and thin. It's the first time I see pad like this, because they're oval, made to be "over-ear", but if you have just above average ear size, you're screwed. Personally, my ears fits, but it's tight ! Here how it looks next to the other AT headphones.
Next to the MSR7 (which is very similar to the DSR9BT) :
Next to the WS99BT (round, large on-ear pads, very much like the Plantronics Back Beat Pro) :
Next to the WS1100 (the comfiest AT headphone I own) :
So I'm guessing if you have average/above average ears, don't waste your money, the SR5BT is probably as good. If not, I like very much what Audio Technica tried to do here : a very small, very lightweighted, but yet over-ear headphone. They have a very refine, slick look, with basic but easy-to-use control, plus the autonomy is going up to 30 hours or so (first time I use a bluetooth headphone that can last that long). In fact, to me it's a perfect "lady headphone". Cute, comfy, nomad -- and the fact that they came up with 4 colours (blue, red, white, grey) is pretty smart. I think they should sell it in Europe as Marshall Major concurrent. I wasn't expecting Audio Technica on this field but why not. IMO it's a great gift !
About the sound, well, it's really a poor MSR7. The soundstage is very narrow, it doesn't breathe as good... I mean the sound is clear and very well-balanced, if you know and like the "Sound Reality" signature from Audio Technica, you won't be surprised. But it feels also restrained, with not enough magnitude. You're really paying for the bluetooth here (and the great autonomy) because nowadays the MSR7 is selling for basically the same price, and it's vastly superior to the AR5BT. The WS99BT has also a lot more potential, even if it's a wilder, sometimes unbalanced, headphone (on some songs, it's a beast, on other, it's a mess... and way or another, it's a very tiring headphone, mentally and physically lol). I think the perfect AT headphone is still the DSR9BT, but it's pricy ! MSR7 is probably the best value for money.
Here's the tiny, cute, AR5BT, next to the WS99BT (which isn't very large, but it still bigger), the WS1100 and the MSR7 :
(By the way I'm sorry to all the people who PM me this last year or so, mostly about the DSR9BT. I had gone "off the radar", because when I'm too much on this board, I want to buy too much things and I become obsessed ! I'm sure lot of people here will understand
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