The Audio Technica catalog offers various formats and models, ranging from general to specific; from inexpensive headphones for all audiences to extravagances with which to conquer those who make their first steps as a DJ, whether professional or amateur. Today we focus on the ATH-ANC500BT and ATH-M50xPB models, two completely different products despite belonging to the same family.
In this family ATH-ANC500BT would be the formal cousin, the brother who studies competitive examinations or the distant uncle who never gets into trouble and disputes over inheritances. They are traditional headphones, discreet without being sober and with an elegant point that could have been exploited more, all at an official price of 99 euros.
The sound is crisp, with decent bass and amazing noise cancellation. Without raising the volume to the maximum it is able to ‘silence’ the typical sounds of a house or an office. For its range it is a perfect performance.
Cancellation is activated by default when used with Bluetooth, but can be disabled by connecting its cable, which greatly increases battery life (and the possibility of tangling, of course). The sound quality is also superior with the umbilical cord in place.
The body combines plastic, metals and leather for surprisingly comfortable ear cushions in a homogeneous and, again, warm; He leaves the superfluous for others and focuses on some details, the logo, for example, that give personality and packaging. In the example of the guy it would be a subtle maverance that, for some reason, fits her character: an earring, a minimal tattoo, a circle that houses a triangle.
From the outset, the ATH-ANC500BT could pass for a mid-range or even high-end product. Up close, you can see the workmanship of its price in details such as cheap and somewhat flimsy buttons – it is not a drama, but a fact – or in the decision to use a mini USB connector instead of a much more current USB- C.
This, of course, is used to charge a battery whose autonomy is around 20 hours of use with Bluetooth and noise cancellation, a rather surprising figure if we take into account its power and weight and more than acceptable in any case. A long weekend getaway in which we forget the cable – this, remember, it would not happen if you used the same one that all the phones launched in recent years incorporate – might not run out of your gas.
All this goes hand in hand with a price that is very adjusted to its features, design and construction. The ATH-ANC500BT are reliable headphones, the kind that last several years, walks, trips and Netflix evenings. If the day they break we do not seek to replace them with the same model, it will be because we have changed – and our preferences – than they have.
FOR THE DJ IN US
The ATH-M50xPB, meanwhile, are a much more recent model (they were introduced this summer), colorful and specialized. They are made for music lovers or people who work in the audiovisual sector (more for the audio part, of course).
Despite being aimed at sound professionals, they have a striking design and even a badass point, with a body that combines the elegance of black (mainly in the padding) with the histrionics of purple. They won’t be for everyone, but whoever likes them will fall in love with them.
The main novelty of this model is that it is accompanied by several detachable cables -also a bag to transport them- among which only one compatible with USB-C would be missing. It is true, that yes, that in the jacks sector it is not a forgetfulness that is going to cause many tears.
It is a robust, forceful model that can become heavy, but only after a long time of use. They are compact (for their size) comfortable, ergonomic and easily transportable thanks to their folds.
