Y2K38 Guide

Definitely glad I bought these...
I purchased these ATH-ANC7 phones from Amazon after doing a lot of research. I had gone through three NC phones before and wanted something that:

1) Sounds great,
2) Cancels external noise very well,
3) Have to be comfortable,
4) Have to be sturdy

I travel internationally quite a bit. Most of you know the importance of a good pair of NC headphones on flights. I had used up 3 other models before getting these.

I have to say these are by far the best I had used (on all criteria). To give an example, I had a flight from Tokyo to Dallas (13 hours). A toddler (three rows back) was crying most of the way. These phones just about paid for themselves on that one flight. I could put some music on and ignore the crying. I could see others suffering through it.

The battery life is very good. I really like the removable cord. This comes in handy when getting up to walk around. The noise canceling works GREAT. I can listen to my MP3 player at about 1/3 the volume range. The movie volume has to be turned to the lowest setting. At first I thought I had a bad volume control that plays too loud. But every flight has the same result (requires lowest setting).
I had been concerned about noise leakage because of some of the comments here. I decided to 'go for it' anyway. The pair I received do not have a leakage issue. Put your mind at ease and invest in these headphones. They are sturdy and will last a good long time. They don't really fold that compactly, but they do fold flat, which works for me. My "flight bag" carries a book, magazine, head phones, ... holds these phones just fine. (I don't take the included carrying case as I take the bare minimum on trips).

Decent sound and filtering capabilities, middling comfort
Not a set that one who fidgets or rolls about--like yours truly--can nod off with. Despite their relatively small size, the ear cups tend towards the bulky side. On a plane at 20,000 feet or in a recliner at home, I never could develop (or ever wanted to, for that matter) a sleep habit where keeping my head facing straight forward was mandatory for achieving rest. The white noise screech that that irritates whenever an ear cup is pressed upon or repositioned as I toss around is irritating and not very conducive to relaxing, to say the least. Well at least now I have discovered a training tool in the A-T ATH-ANC7...should I ever desire acquiring that stoic, straight-ahead head position (NOT).

Comfort complaints aside, the ATH-ANC7 is for me a good if overtly bright sounding headphone set that happens to have noise cancellation capability that actually does a decent job of muting unwanted outside noises. It's been decades since I've dealt with any Audio-Technica products (the last being a run of phono cartridges that curiously shared in a propensity towards bright sound themselves, back in a time when I young and unworldly enough that I actually didn't mind extreme overemphasis of wanton treble...which the ANC7 has in spades when the noise cancellation circuitry is switched on. Despite the onslaught of the decades and untold subwoofers and sundry over-steroided, over-amped front stage speakers assailed on my ears, I still maintain some resemblance of balance when it comes to over-tweaking of the bass and treble. While the ANC7 does good work in the mid to lower ranges, the top end is generally a bit much when the noise circuitry is in play.

But turn the circuitry off and the tonal balance suddenly sounds a lot better to my ears. The sound quality is actually quite pleasant, with nice imaging and an expansive and uncluttered sonic delivery. Still a bit on the bright side, but a more pleasurable listening experience for me. Trouble is, it goes a long way in short-circuiting the whole reason for buying the ANC7: the noise cancellation function.

Hardware-wise, I wasn't impressed with the included cable. It's a bit on the thin side but with miniplugs on both ends at least it's easier to find a replacement if this one gets damaged or lost. The headband is a bit on the tight side for my larger head, so I hope it'll soften up over time. I won't be putting away my Sennheiser HD600 or HD650 sets anytime soon for everyday home listening, but I still do suspect that the ANC7 will still see a fair share of use with my portable devices.

In the end the sound of the ANC7 is quite good, particularly when the NC is not being used, and decent when it is switched on. Good performance and value for the street price here on Amazon. But it would be a lot nicer if only they were a bit more comfortable...and more friendly for those times when I wouldn't mind nodding off.

These are good
These are really nice headphones. They come with a real nice travel pack as an add on. The first time you put them on, you really plug out most of the noises. There is a switch which is conveniently located on the left side and when you switch it on, it really dampens all sounds. I have used it for reading books right beside the swimming pool where children were making all kind of noises, and i was not disturbed a bit.

I have not had a chance to use the battery on long stretch so dont know how long will it last, mostly because I dont feel the need to turn it on often.

I tried the sony and the bose noise cancelling head phones as well. I really can not tell the difference between all of these. And provided that these were 20 bucks less than the sony's and 180 less than the Bose, I really didnt think twice.


Why 4 stars? Well I wear glasses, so they do exert some pressure around your ear so that it gets a little uncomfortable over long sessions. Also, there is a little bit sound leakage, but not very prominent. You can hear it only if you concentrate on the sound source. I guess other headphones will be better in that aspect, but it really is not worth thinking that much about.

Amazing headphones but a little smelly out of the box?
Like all of the other reviews, these are very high quality headphones with great sound. The noise canceling works as well as Bose's Quiet Comfort system, if not better.
However, the one major thing I will add to all these reviews is that these headphones are terribly smelly right out of the box! They come inside their carrying case, and when I opened my case up it smelt like a mix of cigarette smoke and industrial chemicals. Very surprising! I would have returned them if the smell persisted, but after a couple days of sitting out of the case and leaving the case open, the smell went away.
Overall amazing headphones, a great value, but the initial smell grossed me out enough to give these only 4 out of 5 stars.

Really Great Product!
These are great noise cancelling headphones, and at a very good price. I make long flights on a regular basis, and have used these at least 30 times in the past 18 months. The over-the-ear fit is quite good, and they are very comfortable to wear for an extended period of time.

Sound quality is also quite good, although that was a secondary consideration to the noise-cancelling capability. They are very well made, and the carrying case works well. I am a male with a large head, and I have no problem with fit. The ear pads are very soft and supple.

I bought a second set for my wife, and she is very happy with her set, also.