Audio Technica ATH-ANC1 QuietPoint Active Noise-Cancelling On-Ear Headphones

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)...Read more

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...Read more

I was looking for comfortable headphones that I could wear at the office with my iPhone. I bought these after hearing on the "This Week in Tech" podcast how much they liked the Audio Technica brand headphones. The ANC1 just came out in January so I had to buy them sight unseen with no reviews but I'm glad I did. I have not used noise cancelling headphones before and while I'm a techy person and appreciate good sound, I am not an audiophile so take that into account when reading this review. I am very pleased with the sound and the design. They are light enough that you don't really notice them and the noise cancelling is very cool and works like a charm. Just flip the noise cancelling switch with no music playing and you hear a big difference if there is noise, AC, talking, etc. With music, it just sounds great and while it doesn't eliminate all sound (which is probably a good thing), it does make a difference.

I got them a couple of weeks ago and I've also used...Read more