My New Favorite Non-Noise Canceling Headphones
I cannot stress the importance of a quality set of headphones when you are hearing-impaired. I began experiencing gradual hearing loss when I entered my 20s. At first, I simply noticed things getting harder to hear. Over the years though, I’ve lost certain sounds completely. Things like birds chirping or even the seat belt chime in a car are too high of a pitch for my ears to pick it up. For this reason, I am always on the search for good, quality headphones. Because headphones are designed to enhance sound, I can sometimes hear more with them than I can without. In addition to crisp, clear sound delivery, I almost demand wireless headphones these days. They seem to travel easier and they eliminate wiring, which is a huge blessing to me since cluttered wires are a huge frustration to me.
Given these factors, I was pleased when I was presented with the ATH-DSR7BT Wireless Over-Ear Headphones by audio technica. I’ve had wonderful past experiences with audio technica as a brand so I knew I would be dealing with a high-quality, well-designed product.
PURE DIGITAL DRIVE & OTHER MAIN FEATURES
Even though headphones tend to have a lot of special features these days, the audio technica ATH-DSR7BT headphones have one major feature that is at the forefront — a Pure Digital Drive system, a proprietary technology that, along with advancements in driver design, keeps the original audio signal totally digital from source to driver for an improved sound performance. In addition to allowing the headphones to operate without degrading the sound (through a Dnote chipset), the Pure Digital Drive system also provides support 24-bit/48kHz Qualcomm aptX HD codec (in addition to aptX, AAC and SBC codecs), which enables the headphones to overcome limitations of typical Bluetooth wireless transmissions. Because of this feature, the ATH-DSR7BT headphones were designed from the ground up to ensure users had the richest listening experience possible.
Some of the other main features include:
- Exclusive 45 mm True Motion Drivers, featuring bobbin-wound voice coil, top-mounted printed circuit board, and specially designed diaphragm, provide rich, detailed audio reproduction
- Housing’s dual-layer isolation structure keeps the electric circuitry separate from the acoustic space for optimal phase and transient response
- Acoustic resistor controls airflow inside the diaphragm housing to yield a natural sound
- Mic and volume/control switch is built into the earcup for convenient control of smartphones and other Bluetooth wireless devices
- NFC (Near Field Communication) functionality enables touch pairing with NFC-compatible Bluetooth wireless technology devices
- Remembers the last eight Bluetooth wireless devices paired
- LED indicators in the earcup display pairing and charging status, battery level, and the codec currently in use
- Ultra-comfortable, soft, memory foam earpads and headband
- Includes a 2.0 m (6.6′) USB cable, for charging and Hi-Res Audio playback, and a carrying pouch
USER EXPERIENCE
My first impression with the headphones was that they looked and felt great. They have a nice build to them and the ear cups feel good for hours at a time on my head. Some over-ear headphones cause my ears to get too hot if I wear them for very long, but I didn’t experience that with the ATH-DSR7BT headphones.
The next thing I really noticed about the headphones was how quickly they paired to my iPhone and MacBook Pro. The audio technica ATH-DSR7BT are the fastest pairing Bluetooth headphones I’ve ever used. They even paired faster than my AirPods. In addition to that, I’ve not had any issues with the headphones disconnecting randomly or not reconnecting when they should.
The ATH-DSR7BT headphones have a 15-hour battery (with regular talk and music listening time) and 1,000 hours of standby time. Will I use them for 15 hours straight? Not a chance but that’s an amazing amount of time for wireless headphones. I like knowing that I can use them for four or five hours without them dying and then pick them back up the next day and blast my favorite tunes for five more hours without having to think about charging them. This is definitely a winning feature to me.
When it comes to their sound quality, I thought they were excellent. audio technica has done a superb job of designing headphones that produce a clear sound while still having a decent amount of bass. I like being able to feel my music, but not have it overpower the music. Some headphones punch the bass up so much that it’s no longer a good mix of the music. The ATH-DSR7BT headphones give me just what I want and even more of what I need since I can still enjoy my music.
In the past year or so, I’ve really come to appreciate having noise-canceling headphones. That said, I also see the value of having non-noise canceling headphones. There are just some places you want to block out noise, but still want to be aware of your surroundings. For those times, the ATH-DSR7BT headphones will be my go-to option. Unfortunately, because these are not noise-canceling headphones, I won’t be taking them with me on my next business trip but for most everything else they are hard to beat. While working in my office, I have been using these to listen to audio while editing video and filling my earholes with some of the greatest music of all time.
CONCLUSIONS
When it comes to headphones, I know audio technica puts real quality effort into designing the most excellent audio experience possible for their users. The ATH-DSR7BT Wireless Over-Ear Headphones come pretty close to perfection in my book and for most uses, they will exceed the expectations of audiophiles.
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