average_joe
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Dec 5, 2008
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Take a plane anywhere in the US and you are more than likely going to see many choices for music listening. In my experience noise canceling headphones are #1 with earbuds #2, other headphones #3, and in-ear headphones a distant 4th. What NC headphones have I primarily seen? Bose, of course. I rarely see Audio-Technica NC headphones, but there are some out there. I am traditionally an IEM user, but they do have their drawbacks on a plane during ascent and decent, as well as isolation depending on the particular IEM.
So, how does the AT ANC7b sound in general and stack up to my other options at the given current price point of around $100? Let’s find out.
First, the ANC7b is extremely comfortable on my ears for a good amount of time. They are closed, so if I am in a hot environment, my ears do get hot, but surprisingly, not as hot as with my larger headphones. These things achieve good isolation without the noise cancelation on, similar to most of my IEMs, which is a great start!
They come with a large hard carrying case and the ear cups swivel to fit in the case. I found the case to be on the large size for travel, but if you do chose to travel with the case, your player will more than likely fit with the headphones. They have a single cable design and the cable is detachable at the ear cup. Two different lengths of cable are provided as is a 1/8" adapter and an airplane adapter.
Sound Quality – Tale of Two Sounds:
First, I gave these a listen from my Fuze with the NC circuitry off and they seem very dark. While there was decent sound for $100 along with the NC features, they sounded very lacking in the treble and the mids seemed recessed. Moving up to the Rocoo player, the treble and mids got a little better, but not by a whole lot. Next step, the AMP3 Pro2, which again, improved the sound, but still not to acceptable levels. Even the Studio, while a step up from the AMP3, wasn’t all that great. My final source that I was going to try was my iPhone. Not expecting too much, I was in for a surprise as the mids were brought forward and the treble was filled in.
OK, how is the sound with the iPhone? Bass is nicely controlled, yet deep and has good impact. The mids are decent, but lack the clarity and balance I have become accustomed to with my IEMs, even lower priced ones. The treble, while best with the iPhone, was still not very prominent. At least the treble is not offensive, but is not clear and sounds kinda smeared. The overall sound is smallish and stuffed. There are no real benefits to the soundstage from these headphones with the NC circuitry off.
NC circuitry on! OK, now this is more like it. I am more than happy with the bass of these, regardless of the NC setting, but now the mids and treble sound more in line with the rest of the spectrum. The Fuze is much better, the Rocoo sound nice, the AMP3 adds clarity, and the Studio sound about the same. Now for the iPhone. Ouch, too much treble and treble that sounds overemphasized. Back to the Studio and the treble is back to sounding much better and more accurate and detailed. Source does matter! I could handle these from the Rocoo/AMP3/Studio with the NC on for a flight, as there is good bass response, the mids are much clearer with these sources, and the treble is acceptable. Also, the space seems to open up a bit, and while not huge, isn’t all that bad.
The quality of the NC circuitry seems good and didn't seem to degrade the sound, however that may be in part due to the overall resolution level of the ANC7b not being high enough to reproduce all the details in the music that my high end cans and IEMs have let me know are there.
Isolation:
These suckers isolate great! Based solely on isolation/ease of use on an airplane, I see why many business travelers choose NC headphones over other alternatives. Without the noise canceling these isolate quite well for a headphone, and when turning on the NC circuitry, the ambient noise level really drops. Mouths move, dishes hit each other, things shake, but there is no sound from these events that would normally disturb a headphone/earbud user. I can get similar isolation from IEMs with foam under silicon tips, but on a plane would need to keep breaking the seal during ascent/descent. This is a put it on and forget it solution.
Comparison to my other options:
Comparing the ANC7b to the Superlux 668b leaves me wanting anywhere from a little more to a lot more depending on the source. Of course, the 668 does not have any NC properties and doesn’t isolate as well. They also aren’t nearly as comfortable, but they are more detailed. With the Studio/AMP3 as a source, however, they are very close in sound with the ANC (NC on) having deeper, more impactful bass and more of a balanced sound while the 668 seems more treble focused.
How about IEMs in the price range? Since I no longer have IEMs in the price range, I will have to use the AT CK90Pro (modded), MTPC, and RE252 for comparison. The IEMs are far superior in overall sound quality, especially in the detail department. Bass depth, clarity, and speed are also areas where the IEMs win out, but that is not saying I wouldn't be satisfied with the ANC7b on a flight, as I would with the NC on.
Summary:
The AT ANC7b noise canceling headphones aren't all that bad and actually for the traveler that wants noise reduction, comfort, and good sound but doesn't want an IEM, these are a good bet. While the treble leaves something to be desired with the NC off, with it on I like the balance of the sound. They won't win any awards for ultimate sound quality, but they do serve their purpose and excel for noisy travel environments where comfort is paramount.
