More freedom: Audio-Technica ATH-AR3BT wireless headphones
Hi, Giktayms! The Japanese company Audio-Technica does not need to be introduced both to lovers of high-quality sound and to those who are far from this world, as they managed to make a name for themselves a few decades ago. So we introduced you to the devices of this manufacturer on the example of the same ATH-MSR7NC headphones and even the AT-LP3 turntable . There is nothing surprising in the fact that even with such an assortment of top-end audio equipment, Audio-Technica continues to delight fans with novelties. Audio-Technica SonicFuel ATH-AR3BT wireless headphones, presented this summer, can be attributed to the latter, after all, not so long ago, they finally reached Russia.
For a long time, among audiophiles, it was popular to say that wireless sound is more of pampering than a decent way to enjoy your favorite tracks, and that ear ecstasy is possible only with an expensive player and headphones warmed up for 48 hours. There were grounds for that: a few years ago, Bluetooth-headphones could not be put on a par with wired sound quality. True, many are confident that this is the case to this day; we will leave the disputes to one program on the federal channel; we will better show in practice who is mistaken and who is not.
ATH-AR3BT have expanded the family of universal Audio-Technica headphones, since, according to the manufacturer, they are capable of reproducing not only deep bass, but also crystal clear high and medium frequencies. One of the chips model became the new 40-mm drivers operating in the frequency range from 5 to 35 000 Hz. High quality of the reproduced sound is provided by aptX and AAC codecs, and Bluetooth support and controls located on the headphones allow using the device as a headset.
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We will not focus on the configuration, because in this case it is traditionally modest for wireless headphones - the headphones themselves, a micro USB cable for charging, documentation. The only thing I would like to note is the presence of an audio cable for a wired connection (it's nice when the manufacturer gives a choice and takes care of using headphones with devices without Bluetooth) and a stylish fabric cover for storage and transportation.
For a long time, Audio-Technica has retained its style of wireless headphones - a large amount of metal in the design, covered with very soft-touch plastic, and very skin-like material. It is used in headbands and ear cushions. By the way, this particular manufacturer chooses such material that allows you to wear headphones for a long time without discomfort and sweating of the ears. At the same time, ear pads provide a comfortable fit due to the filling of a special foam material with a memory effect and an average sound insulation sufficient for urban conditions. Not active noise reduction, of course, but also good.
Our model is made in white color and a slight emphasis on the "golden" notes, but the manufacturer also offers a version in black, also with gold accents (just like an iPhone). Audio-Technica designers definitely have a sense of style - at least from the side of ATH-AR3BT they look very cool.
The controls are conveniently located under the left cup - there is a place for a small built-in microphone, volume control, micro-USB connector for charging and audio input, which you will probably use only with audio players lacking Bluetooth support (or just to compare with which the way to connect headphones is better) or in the case of a dead battery.
The volume control is designed as a toggle switch, moving it back and forth, you can either change the volume level or activate fast forward / rewind and switch to the next or previous track. A single press allows you to pause the track, and answer or end a call if the headphones are connected to the smartphone as a headset. In general, you will rarely get a sound source, whether it is a player from Astell & Kern or an iPhone, since the entire “mission control center” is on your ears.
Unlike the left one, the right earpiece is almost empty - here only the toggle switch for activating and activating Bluetooth stands out. Since all the buttons are hidden under the cups, and not located directly on them, as some manufacturers do, the headphones look minimalistic. These can be grabbed for a morning jog and put on a suit on the way to the office.
If you have ever seen or held ATH-SR5BT in your hands, you probably noticed the external resemblance to this model of our today's hero, and this is indeed the case: the same control layout, leather ear cushions and headband, metal construction. The main differences between the two models lie inside - for example, the ATH-SR5BT 45-mm divers with a range of reproducible frequencies of 5 - 40 000 Hz.
The length of the detachable cable is 1.2 meters - it is average in quality, without any braids there, just covered with silicone. But the wire is equipped with an additional microphone and controls. It is difficult to say about its reliability, just in case it is better to have an additional regular cable without the function of a headset and buttons, there will be no problems with the selection (especially since every audiophile has such a wire).
To the pleasant features of the model, first of all, its weight can be attributed - 190 grams are almost not felt on the head, and with such weight the manufacturer still managed to place the built-in lithium-polymer battery in the headphones. According to the manufacturer, the latter is enough for 30 hours of continuous use. In tests with an average volume level, this was confirmed, the headphones had to be listened to regularly for a week, before the battery charge reached a minimum. If you twist almost to the maximum, the battery life will be reduced by several hours. Owners of Android-smartphones will be pleased with the presence of NFC - in order to pair the headphones and the source, it is enough to bring it to the left cup, and the “magic” familiar to many will happen. It seems to be a trifle, but still nice.
Initially, it may be unclear how one toggle switch, located under the left earpiece, performs so many tasks at once, if you did not have Audio-Technica headphones before. In fact, everything is simple: the volume is adjusted with a short movement of the toggle switch up or down, and, for example, to turn on the next track, you need to hold the slider in the upper or lower position for a couple of seconds. It does not cause discomfort, you can get used to it in just a few hours. A couple of days free to perform actions by touch, without thinking about the purpose of a button.
Along with portability, the most important thing in these headphones is sound. Let's just say, from the line of Audio-Technica wireless headphones for the sound quality of the ATH-AR3BT, you can safely put it next to the premium ATH-DSR9BT. The latter are the undisputed market leader, as they are equipped with the Pure Digital Drive system, which allows you to transmit sound via Bluetooth without loss of quality. But they cost between 30 and 40 thousand rubles, while the price tag of our hero slightly exceeds 7 thousand rubles. Despite the absence of such pumped technologies in the ATH-AR3BT, the headphones do not “sizzle”, which is why cheap Bluetooth headphones often sin, and please with a stable connection, which has a positive effect on sound quality (support for aptX and AAC plays an even greater role). You can safely leave the smartphone on the couch, and most to move about 20 meters to another room - the playback will not be interrupted.
We will not speak about “crystal clear” frequencies and the “imaginary scene” - firstly, the headphones are clearly not audiophile, and secondly, such an assessment is often subjective and does not represent much value. On tests with the second-generation FiiO X1 audio player, the ATH-AR3BT comes out with a neutral sound with a completely “flat” equalizer, with no emphasis on a particular frequency range. Due to this, these headphones are universal for a number of genres. Hip-hop lovers will definitely appreciate the bass "insert" with a bang.
Interestingly, the performance of headphones in the "wired" mode is quite a bit different from the quality of sound transmitted via Bluetooth. Of course, when connecting via cable, the sound is more expressive, but the difference is so insignificant that the wire can probably be remembered only in two cases: if the charge of the headphones is almost zero (and it’s not easy to bring them to this state), or the sound source has no Bluetooth support. Although this does not apply to smartphones, but now even manufacturers of budget players pay much attention to wireless technologies, like FiiO.
As for the use of ATH-AR3BT as a headset, it takes place - the condenser microphone muffles the surrounding noises a little, and the interlocutor only hears your voice. Scream and ask again is not necessary.
What did you like
What did not like
Headphones, of course, combine excellent sound and interesting design, while able to dispel the myth that wireless sound - this is pampering. If you want to cut the wires for a long time and are not particularly demanding on technologies like active noise cancellation, ATH-AR3BT, even with its few drawbacks, is one of the best in its price segment, budget-friendly, as foreign colleagues say. And this is exactly the example of the best value for money.
For a long time, among audiophiles, it was popular to say that wireless sound is more of pampering than a decent way to enjoy your favorite tracks, and that ear ecstasy is possible only with an expensive player and headphones warmed up for 48 hours. There were grounds for that: a few years ago, Bluetooth-headphones could not be put on a par with wired sound quality. True, many are confident that this is the case to this day; we will leave the disputes to one program on the federal channel; we will better show in practice who is mistaken and who is not.
ATH-AR3BT have expanded the family of universal Audio-Technica headphones, since, according to the manufacturer, they are capable of reproducing not only deep bass, but also crystal clear high and medium frequencies. One of the chips model became the new 40-mm drivers operating in the frequency range from 5 to 35 000 Hz. High quality of the reproduced sound is provided by aptX and AAC codecs, and Bluetooth support and controls located on the headphones allow using the device as a headset.
')
Specifications
Contents of delivery
We will not focus on the configuration, because in this case it is traditionally modest for wireless headphones - the headphones themselves, a micro USB cable for charging, documentation. The only thing I would like to note is the presence of an audio cable for a wired connection (it's nice when the manufacturer gives a choice and takes care of using headphones with devices without Bluetooth) and a stylish fabric cover for storage and transportation.
Appearance
For a long time, Audio-Technica has retained its style of wireless headphones - a large amount of metal in the design, covered with very soft-touch plastic, and very skin-like material. It is used in headbands and ear cushions. By the way, this particular manufacturer chooses such material that allows you to wear headphones for a long time without discomfort and sweating of the ears. At the same time, ear pads provide a comfortable fit due to the filling of a special foam material with a memory effect and an average sound insulation sufficient for urban conditions. Not active noise reduction, of course, but also good.
Our model is made in white color and a slight emphasis on the "golden" notes, but the manufacturer also offers a version in black, also with gold accents (just like an iPhone). Audio-Technica designers definitely have a sense of style - at least from the side of ATH-AR3BT they look very cool.
The controls are conveniently located under the left cup - there is a place for a small built-in microphone, volume control, micro-USB connector for charging and audio input, which you will probably use only with audio players lacking Bluetooth support (or just to compare with which the way to connect headphones is better) or in the case of a dead battery.
The volume control is designed as a toggle switch, moving it back and forth, you can either change the volume level or activate fast forward / rewind and switch to the next or previous track. A single press allows you to pause the track, and answer or end a call if the headphones are connected to the smartphone as a headset. In general, you will rarely get a sound source, whether it is a player from Astell & Kern or an iPhone, since the entire “mission control center” is on your ears.
Unlike the left one, the right earpiece is almost empty - here only the toggle switch for activating and activating Bluetooth stands out. Since all the buttons are hidden under the cups, and not located directly on them, as some manufacturers do, the headphones look minimalistic. These can be grabbed for a morning jog and put on a suit on the way to the office.
If you have ever seen or held ATH-SR5BT in your hands, you probably noticed the external resemblance to this model of our today's hero, and this is indeed the case: the same control layout, leather ear cushions and headband, metal construction. The main differences between the two models lie inside - for example, the ATH-SR5BT 45-mm divers with a range of reproducible frequencies of 5 - 40 000 Hz.
The length of the detachable cable is 1.2 meters - it is average in quality, without any braids there, just covered with silicone. But the wire is equipped with an additional microphone and controls. It is difficult to say about its reliability, just in case it is better to have an additional regular cable without the function of a headset and buttons, there will be no problems with the selection (especially since every audiophile has such a wire).
Features and sound
To the pleasant features of the model, first of all, its weight can be attributed - 190 grams are almost not felt on the head, and with such weight the manufacturer still managed to place the built-in lithium-polymer battery in the headphones. According to the manufacturer, the latter is enough for 30 hours of continuous use. In tests with an average volume level, this was confirmed, the headphones had to be listened to regularly for a week, before the battery charge reached a minimum. If you twist almost to the maximum, the battery life will be reduced by several hours. Owners of Android-smartphones will be pleased with the presence of NFC - in order to pair the headphones and the source, it is enough to bring it to the left cup, and the “magic” familiar to many will happen. It seems to be a trifle, but still nice.
Initially, it may be unclear how one toggle switch, located under the left earpiece, performs so many tasks at once, if you did not have Audio-Technica headphones before. In fact, everything is simple: the volume is adjusted with a short movement of the toggle switch up or down, and, for example, to turn on the next track, you need to hold the slider in the upper or lower position for a couple of seconds. It does not cause discomfort, you can get used to it in just a few hours. A couple of days free to perform actions by touch, without thinking about the purpose of a button.
Along with portability, the most important thing in these headphones is sound. Let's just say, from the line of Audio-Technica wireless headphones for the sound quality of the ATH-AR3BT, you can safely put it next to the premium ATH-DSR9BT. The latter are the undisputed market leader, as they are equipped with the Pure Digital Drive system, which allows you to transmit sound via Bluetooth without loss of quality. But they cost between 30 and 40 thousand rubles, while the price tag of our hero slightly exceeds 7 thousand rubles. Despite the absence of such pumped technologies in the ATH-AR3BT, the headphones do not “sizzle”, which is why cheap Bluetooth headphones often sin, and please with a stable connection, which has a positive effect on sound quality (support for aptX and AAC plays an even greater role). You can safely leave the smartphone on the couch, and most to move about 20 meters to another room - the playback will not be interrupted.
We will not speak about “crystal clear” frequencies and the “imaginary scene” - firstly, the headphones are clearly not audiophile, and secondly, such an assessment is often subjective and does not represent much value. On tests with the second-generation FiiO X1 audio player, the ATH-AR3BT comes out with a neutral sound with a completely “flat” equalizer, with no emphasis on a particular frequency range. Due to this, these headphones are universal for a number of genres. Hip-hop lovers will definitely appreciate the bass "insert" with a bang.
Interestingly, the performance of headphones in the "wired" mode is quite a bit different from the quality of sound transmitted via Bluetooth. Of course, when connecting via cable, the sound is more expressive, but the difference is so insignificant that the wire can probably be remembered only in two cases: if the charge of the headphones is almost zero (and it’s not easy to bring them to this state), or the sound source has no Bluetooth support. Although this does not apply to smartphones, but now even manufacturers of budget players pay much attention to wireless technologies, like FiiO.
As for the use of ATH-AR3BT as a headset, it takes place - the condenser microphone muffles the surrounding noises a little, and the interlocutor only hears your voice. Scream and ask again is not necessary.
What did you like
- Design
- Autonomous work
- Sound
- Price
What did not like
- Soundproofing
- Not the most convenient slider control
Is it worth taking?
Headphones, of course, combine excellent sound and interesting design, while able to dispel the myth that wireless sound - this is pampering. If you want to cut the wires for a long time and are not particularly demanding on technologies like active noise cancellation, ATH-AR3BT, even with its few drawbacks, is one of the best in its price segment, budget-friendly, as foreign colleagues say. And this is exactly the example of the best value for money.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/371069/
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