Audio Technica ATH-ANC1 QuietPoint Active Noise-Cancelling On-Ear Headphones
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The ATH-ANC1 QuietPoint headphones from Audio Technica deliver natural sound and luxurious silence in a highly compact on-ear design. These fold-flat headphones incorporate Audio Technica’s acclaimed active noise-cancelling technology to block out up to 85% of outside noise, while delivering clear, detailed and natural sound. The active noise-cancelling circuitry is located in a handy external module attached to its connecting cord, for extremely light weight on-ear wear. The headphones also work when the noise-cancelling function is turned off, and operate in passive mode without batteries. Although compact, the headphones deliver powerful, immersive sound, thanks to their precision high-efficiency full-range drivers and premium internal components. They’re ideal for use with the Apple iPod, iPhone, iPod touch, portable music players, computers and in-flight entertainment systems.
Features
- Eliminates up to 85% of ambient noise
- ANC circuitry in external in-line module
- Lightweight fold-up design is ideal for travel
- Remarkably natural acoustic performance
- Includes travel pouch, 1.6-foot extension cord, airline adapter and AAA battery
- Dimensions (W x H x L): 0 x 0 x 0 inches
- Weight: 0 pounds
Good sound, minimal noise cancelling
Though the box says it cancels noise up to 83%, I’d say that they generally only canceled about 20-40% and only certain frequencies. This really wasn’t helpful to me since I bought them specifically to cancel noise and help me sleep. The sound quality was pretty good and I could fall asleep with them on, but overall I couldn’t stand still being able to hear noise through them so I had to send them back.
good for the price
They were good for the price. The ear cups were a bit small and did not completely cover my ears, but were very comfortable. The connectors did not fit into the armrest of the plane I was in which was an annoyance. After a few hours my ears started to ache, which has happened with other brands of noise reducers. It was easy to hear people that spoke to me while I had them on without asking them to shout over the engine noise. Overall they are a good product.
Uncomfortable Headband
I originally bought these headphones so I could have something to help me tune out my surrounding during study sessions at my noisy college library. These were my first pair of noise-cancelling ‘phones, so I’m not much of a judge on how well they block out sound, other than to say that they worked fine for me. I’m also not an audiophile, but the sound was good when I was listening to music.
The big complaint I have about the Audio Technica ATH-ANC1 was that they were VERY UNCOMFORTABLE to wear. You can kind of see in the photos Amazon has that the headband is slightly flat at the top rather than rounded. This flatter section would press down hard on my head no matter how much I adjusted the headband size (and I did fiddle around with it quite a bit). There was a sore spot on the top of my head after using these headphones for an extended period of time.
When I realized that my cheap-o pair of Skullcandy Icon headphones were more comfortable to wear than the ATH-ANC1 pair, I returned them for a refund.
remarkably nice, particularly for the price
I have not purchased sound-reducing headphones before, so I don’t know how to compare these to the Bose, for example. However, I can say that I used them on a pair of 14 hour flights and found them terrific. My only regret is not having purchased them sooner. They are very easy to carry as they are very compact. After 14 hours, anything gets a little uncomfortable, but the headphones were fine. I found the sound quality and noise reduction impressive, though I’m not expert enough to compare them to others, as I mentioned. I haven’t had them long enough to know about durability, but they seemed solid through the long flights (even crammed into an overfull carry on bag). When you factor in that they are one-third the price of the Bose, it’s hard to see a reason not to try them.
Good for frequent fliers only, if you’re lucky enough to get a unit that works
I bought this product ahead of an international flight. Product claims to reduce “environmental noise by up to 85%” on the box. Initial impression was that the noise cancelling did an excellent job of cutting out white noise, and high-frequency background noise (eg. aircraft noise, background machinery) but did a poor job of cutting out any external noise within the human vocal range (eg. people talking, other music playing, etc.). Not quite the complete “cone of silence” I was hoping for but still specifically suitable for air travel. Sound quality was fine for the money, but not audiophile-perfect. The form-factor of the ear-cups was smaller than I expected but they were nonetheless comfortable – I had to fully extend both arms to fit the cups over my ears properly, and even then it was still touching the top of my head. I have a large but not huge head, so if you wear a hat bigger than 7 5/8 these headphones may simply be too small for you.
Follow-up comment: the noise-canceling stopped functioning after only four hours of use. The power light no longer turns on, and I know it’s not the batteries fault – I tried four different ones, all of which work fine in a torch, and the unit still doesn’t function. Disappointed, as I had high hopes for these – returning for a refund.
Only recommended for frequent fliers with small heads, and even then only if you’re lucky enough to get a non-defective unit.
Pretty Great!
I really enjoy wearing these headphones. They are super soft and comfortable. I’m a small person and I have really small ears, so it’s nice to have a pair of headphones that fit me so well. (However, they’re adjustable so I assume they work well for larger people).
I’m a musician, so I know what sounds good and what doesn’t. I can safely say that the sound on these is really good.
The only thing that I don’t love is that the noise cancelling ability of these headphones is diminished by the size of the earphones. Even on my small ears, they go on top of the ear, not around the ear. So that means sound leaks in. I ride the NY subway and the train each day, and I still hear the ambient noise. HOWEVER, having said that, the noise cancelling mechanism is very good on the headphones, and works quite nicely. The limiting factor is only the size of the earphones. It makes sense.
The other thing that is great is the design of the earphones and the case. First, the leather used is super soft and cushy – on both the earpieces and the case. Luscious! Also, the headphones fold up in a really awesome way and save lots of space. GREAT for traveling. I put them in my handbag (which is relatively small) and carry them around everywhere. Also, the inside of the case has a little velcro pouch so that you can store the little airplane attachment in there without worrying about it falling out. Super smart design team!!!
These headphones are amazing….
UPDATE#2 8/7/10: I got the Bose QuietComfort 15 headphones. They are way better then these.
UPDATE: I need to get new headphones. These are not comfortable enough to ware for an hour.
1. Good sound quality
2. Good noise cancelling
3. Not as comfortable is I would like them to be
I’m sitting in a noisy coffee shop as I write this review. The noise cancelling seems to get rid of the low frequency sounds the most. I can still hear people talking but it’s much better then it would be without noise cancelling.
The only downside to them is comfort. After an hour of waring them I have to take them off. It’s kind of down hill from there. Gotta rest my ears a bit. When it comes to comfort I’ve never had good luck with on the ear headphones. You might have a different experience. This is the only reason I’m giving them 4 stars.
They also make earbuds that have a good rating on Amazon. There cheaper too. I might give those a try at some point.
Just as good as Bose!
I actually tried on the Bose noise cancelling and then these headphones and they really are just as good. The difference is very slight. If you need to watch your pennies….these work great and are a good price!
Good product but…..
This is my first noise cancelation headphone. I picked it over SONY or JVC models in the same price range after reading online reviews. First of all, this headphone is not good looking and is built with cheap material. It feels like one of those low end headsets you can get from Walmart or Target for less then $20. Second, the noise canceling button is poorly designed and can be defective. In fact, the first order I got had a defective switch. When I turned it on, it generated a loud static noise that hurt my ears, and the button fell off after 1 day of use. I had to return it for an exchange. Fortunately, the second one I got doesn’t have the same problem. No noise is generated when I turn on/off the noise canceling switch. I have to say the sound quality of this phone is excellent. I tested the noise canceling on both subway train and airplanes. It was very effective to low frequency background noise reduction. The rides became much more pleasant with this phone. If you don’t mind the look, this product is a very good headphone with noise canceling function.
Worked well – but only for a week -
Item worked well initially, but after one week of use there was a constant static sound in the background, regardless whether or not the noise canceling was off or on. Hopefully the replacement will work better.
Noise-Canceling Hdphones
Easy to travel with as they are more compact than my wifes Bose QCs. They don’t cover your ear completely and maybe that is why the noise cancelling is not quite as good as the Bose. Works well and cut the jet noise down significantly. Comfortable and not too tight on the head.
Ultra-portable. Good value. But notable flaws.
These are the only pair of noise canceling headphones I own. I use them daily on a noisy shuttle commute, and about once a month when I fly.
THE GOOD: Great value. Noise canceling works well. Foldable and small for transit. Don’t look flashy (great for walking around the city at night).
THE OKAY: Not all that comfortable. Sound quality is just average.
THE BAD: Poor EM shielding: I hear a very loud “meep meep” from the iPhone’s radio module. Also the little box withe the battery is awkwardly placed, and gets in the way quite often.
THE MISSING: I really wish I had a pause and volume control on the cord, like my iPhone earbuds.
THE VERDICT: Given the chance, I don’t think I would buy them again. I would look for foldable headphones without a battery inline on the cord, and with better EM shielding.
Hearing Never Felt Better
After extensive research, I decided on the Audio Technica ATH-ANC1 QuietPoint Active Noice-Cancelling On-Ear Headphone, primarily due to the recommendations of others that purchased them and the features that I desired (compact, noise-cancelling, active and passive use, super padded on ear headphones, and in-line battery compartment versus on the headphones themselves). I will have to say, the expenditure was about double what I had planned, $99, but I did wanted a good set of mid-price-range headphones.
I’ve used them on one trip, and LOVE THEM! The sound is great, they fit snugly on the ears yet not so tight they cause the ear to hurt after several hours of wearing them, and they their lightweight feature allows them to sit on your head to the point you barely know they are there.
I would recommend them as a strong buy, even though I would like to see them in the $69 to $79 range. If so, I feel Audio Technica would sell many units!
good earphones
For about a third the price of the Bose model, these are a pretty good deal. I’ve tried the Bose ones, and they’re very slightly better, but not three times better.
Great in airplanes
This headphone works great in airplanes, is much cheaper and smaller than the Bose, although not quite as comfortable. At home I use it without turning noise canceling on, without a battery (which you cannot do with the Bose). One small complaint: it seems to drain the battery when not in use, therefore I remove the battery and only put it in when in a plane. There is a small compartment in the pouch for the rechargeable batteries that I use. So overall: very happy.
Audio Technica Review
I wanted a pair of on-ear noise-cancelling headphones that would work over engine noise on a flight as well as ordinary listening in my den. I do not fly often enough to justify the Bose, which are the apparent standard. The Audio Technicas do an excellent job for my 70+ year-old ears (a factor perhaps important to younger listeners). They are exactly what I want.
Nice music but weak noise canceling
I tested these earphones on a small jet from Bradley to O’Hare. The noise canceling was weak. The music sounded OK but my primary reason for buying was noise protection. Returned.
Great headphones; nearly completely eliminated background plane noise.
These are the first noise reduction headphones I have owned. I just used them on a plane trip, and they worked great, essentially eliminating the background plane noise. I highly recommend these headphones, especially at the price.
Very disappointed
I had high hopes for these, but am sending them back. The noise cancelling feature is a joke. A little battery operated amp is what it amounts to, switching it on increases the volume and adds a little bass. lol I can do that on my own, thanks. It certainly doesn’t block background noise much; I had tunes on in the headphones and the tv in the background, could still hear the tv very plainly. They seem to be ok otherwise, but certainly not worth $100.00. I am asking for an RGA today and will send them back.
Hard to Beat Combination of Sound, Features, and Affordability
If you are looking for noise-canceling headphones for an MP3 player that deliver excellent sound reproduction at an affordable price, this product should be on your short list for consideration. I have owned noise-canceling headphones by Sony and Altec Lansing, as well as in-ear buds (which by their nature have a noise canceling effect) by Audio Technica and Etymotic Research, costing $200 and more. The earbuds were uncomfortable, difficult to insert and remove, and produced insufficient low-end sound and an uncomfortably sharp high-end. The noise-canceling headphones by Sony (MDR-NC6’s – on ear) and Altec Lansing (over the ear) failed to produce acceptable sound in my opinion. Either they suffered from overall low fidelity (Sony MDR’s), or mushy bass and poor sound separation (Altec Lansing). The Altec Lansing’s were also too large to store and use easily during air travel (I fly a lot and economy of space is a major consideration). I’ve also owned the lower end Bose (on ear) headphones, but unfortunately found that they lived up to their snarky reputation among audiophiles (artificial sounding, way over-bassed, and a poor value for the money).
So these Audio Technica Quiet Point headphones, newly released this January, have been an extremely pleasant surprise. The sound reproduction is the best I have come across for portable music players. The overall sound is natural and full, without the juiced-up quality that some headphones substitute for real fidelity and which can quickly produce “ear-fatigue.” Sound separation is excellent; bottom end sound is full and remarkably clean and sharp. The phones fit comfortably and securely, and can be worn for hours without ear-fatigue. They also reduce outside noise, whether from an airliner or a crowded coffee-shop, as well as any of the other players I’ve listened to.
These headphones are also well-designed. Whether you are a frequent air traveler or simply like to have your music player in your day pack for listening in a cafe or while shopping, the lightweight (1 pound) but sturdy construction, and a fold-up feature that makes the ‘phones easy to store and also protects them from damage, are big plusses.
These headphones can’t substitute for the fidelity of good full-size audiophile headphones for the home, but in my experience that is true with all headphones and earbuds designed for portable music players. Overall, they do a better job than any other product in this category that I have heard, and at about $100 the price can’t be beat.
Highly recommended.