Audio-Technica ATH-ANC3 QuietPoint earphones (black)
Manufacturer: Audio-Technica U.S., Inc. Part number: ATH-ANC3
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- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The Audio-Technica ATH-ANC3 QuietPoint earphones offer great noise reduction and an ultraportable design with travel-friendly extras--just don't expect to get them for cheap.
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CNET editors' review
Audio-Technica ATH-ANC3 QuietPoint earphones (black) price range: $50.00 - $59.95
- Reviewed by: Jasmine France
- Reviewed on: 03/19/2008
The good: The Audio-Technica ATH-ANC3 offers active noise cancellation and comes with handy travel-friendly extras such as a case and airplane adapter. The earphones can be used with or without the noise cancellation activated.
The bad: The Audio-Technica ATH-ANC3s are relatively pricey, and the earbuds are made out of cheap-feeling hard plastic.
The bottom line: The Audio-Technica ATH-ANC3 QuietPoint earphones offer great noise reduction and an ultraportable design with travel-friendly extras--just don't expect to get them for cheap.
Ultraportable earphones with active noise cancellation aren't terribly prolific; you're much more likely to find larger, over-the-ear models with this feature. But considering the fact that these 'phones are best suited to drown out the sounds associated with commuting and other travel, it follows that a compact design makes good sense here--the more portable, the better. Audio-Technica seems to want to capitalize on this idea with its latest QuietPoint headphones, the ATH-ANC3. These toteable earbuds feature a super compact design, a built-in noise-cancellation module, and useful travel accessories. The $170 price tag may be hard for some potential buyers to swallow, though, considering the earphones' cheap-feeling plastic build and failure to serve up truly stellar sound.
The ATH-ANC3's earbuds might be hard plastic, but they are impressively small, which makes for a nice, low-profile design when worn. We also noticed no discomfort after wearing them for more than an hour, so we give points for that. However, keep in mind that your comfort level will depend on the size and shape of your ear. A Y-cable measuring approximately 13 inches long descends from the earpieces. It joins and continues for another 16 inches or so to the plastic noise-cancellation module. Here, you will find several attributes of note.
First, on the rear, there is a compartment for the single AAA battery (included) as well as a built-in clip for attaching the unit onto yourself. It doesn't seem to be the most durable clip we've come across, but it gets the job done. On the front of the module, there is a switch for controlling the power of the noise cancellation feature and an indicator light that glows red when it's activated. There's also a monitor button, which lets you quickly mute your music and the noise-canceling circuitry to hear what's going on around you. It's handy, but take note that the module must be switched on for the mute function to work.
Coming out of the other end of the ATH-ANC3's noise-canceling module is about an additional 8 inches of cable that terminates in a 3.5mm straight gold-plated plug. All these wires amount to a fair amount of tangling, but Audio-Technica includes a nice, zippered hard-shell case for storing the earphones and managing the cords. The case has a variety of built-in compartments for the other extras that are included in the package. There's an extension cable, which can add about 18 more inches of give to the setup. You also get an airplane plug adapter and a set of three (small, medium, large) silicone eartips.
The ATH-ANC3 QuietPoint earphones are reasonable little performers. The noise-cancellation feature works very well, sufficiently quieting the hum of our over-active air conditioner. If you're able to get a good seal with your ear with the provided silicone fittings, you'll be rewarded with some passive noise blocking as well. This same seal is infinitely important if you want to experience the bass that the earphones have to offer, which is not super thumping, but still quite present. High-end detail was also well-represented, and the mids came through warm and clear. Overall, while music did not sound quite stellar in our tests, audio quality was definitely solid.
User reviews
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AT ATH-ANC3 smaller travel size in nice case
by edmetric on October 18, 2009
Pros: The audio-technica QuietPoint ATH-ANC3 is a nice kit: case, extension cable, airplane plug; good small carry setup; does effective noise canceling: once I put the large buds on the ear piece to seal the canal, it worked great; reasonable price.
Cons: not as comfortable as over the ear type: I also have JVC and Sony noise canceling sets used on train and plane but ear buds are less obvious to wear and need good fit.
Summary: Used on an iPod Touch 1G and Asus 901 computer.
Eva Cassidy I Know You By Heart guitar strings clear, her voice like in a cafe, very pure; How Can ...Summary: Used on an iPod Touch 1G and Asus 901 computer.
I've discovered that the iPod Touch fits into the AT case perfectly. I put it in with the screen toward the outside of the case so the earphones press against the back of the Touch. No need to carry the airplane plug or the off size cups not being used. This makes a simple carry setup easy to access and store during the day.
Eva Cassidy I Know You By Heart guitar strings clear, her voice like in a cafe, very pure; How Can I Keep From Singing drums crisp, cymbals tinkle, violin perfect in highs, you can hear her breathing, amazing power; KODO taiko at fuller volume sounds just like outside the train station in performance, full bass, good mid-range; Hymns full and rich and penetrating sound, rich strings.
High performance when off (non-noise canceling) but spectacular clarity and range when on.
The cables are two part. The in-ear buds are kind of long for me while the part beyond the control/clip is too short. I added the extension and it worked for me.
The monitor button turns off the power but it's just as easy to pull a bud from your ear to hear announcements or questions from someone.
I thought the shape of the ear piece was a little too big so it puts pressure on my pinna (external ear just outside the canal).
I keep the Touch in a case with dock cable, wall plug, extra battery and regular ear buds. The AT buds are in a separate case so I need to find a way to combine it for easy unwrap and wrap up when I get on and off trains.
Make sure the clip is secure. You really don't want it to drop off and tug on your ears if it falls.
Not as comfortable as over the ear type but surprisingly effective if a little uncomfortable. Smaller travel size is good for full time carry with a personal music device.
Updated on Oct 18, 2009 -
nice noise canceling, but imperfect overall execution
by psychoxl99 on September 12, 2009
Pros: The noise canceling on these headphones is strong and works nicely on either a plane or a subway. It's can really be quite relaxing to flip it on and drown out the surrounding sound, and it lets you listen at a lower volume.
Cons: Poor construction of the AAA battery case - the slide for the case is just held on with a piece of tape, so you are bound to lose it within a couple months when the tape-glue wears off. For $150 headphones, not very good sound quality.
Summary: I gave extra credit to these headphones for a solid attempt at active noise canceling, which is rare for earbuds. Otherwise I would have given less than 3.5/5 ...
Summary: I gave extra credit to these headphones for a solid attempt at active noise canceling, which is rare for earbuds. Otherwise I would have given less than 3.5/5 because the sound quality is not what you would expect from $150 headphones, and because the construction of the case for the AAA battery is just not very well thought out. If you often wrap up your headphones and put them in your pocket, you are probably going to lose the slider within the first couple of months and have to hold the AAA battery in with tape, which will take your $150 headphones and make them look pretty poor quality, not to mention being a hassle if you can't get a good fit with Scotch tape.
Overall though, I could still recommend these to somebody who rides the subway or airplanes a lot and doesn't want to go for full headphones, because they do a great job of noise canceling and are a lot more portable than something that you can't put in your pocket or purse. -
Do not buy if you plan to use it with an iPhone
by jcmendez_us on August 20, 2009
Pros: OK noise cancellation, nice carry-on pouch, decent sound
Cons: Cheap plastic feel of the earbuds, horrible noise from cell phones interference -- the noise cancellation circuit picks all the cell phone-to-tower transmission bursts (the buzz sound you hear when you place your cell phone close to a speakerphone)
Summary: Works OK with iPods and other sources. If you don't use your phone as music device you may be OK with these headphones. But if you do, save yourself ...
Summary: Works OK with iPods and other sources. If you don't use your phone as music device you may be OK with these headphones. But if you do, save yourself the trouble and don't buy these - go with a Bose or a Sony, that as far as I can tell, don't have this problem.
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compact and better sound as expected
by Ivo4u2 on January 13, 2009
Pros: compact
works without battery if needed
sound with nc on is very nice
relatively inexpensive
no pressure
seals well
maybe possible to match with tailor made silicone earplugs
Monitor switch
Nice wallet, and accesoiriesCons: Sticks out of your ears (especially with my tailor made earplugs
does not completely match with my laptop... I hear strange noises when i touch the screen
I have small ears and they are small but not that small a bit on the limitSummary: great value for money
that monitor switch thank you!
sound super in this field
CompactSummary: great value for money
that monitor switch thank you!
sound super in this field
Compact -
Beyond expectations, Highly recommended.
by NoReplyPlease on November 3, 2008
Pros: Best in-ear noise canceling I've come across
Crisp and clear sound, rock, jazz or classicCons: ...There must be some, but haven't found yet... *G*
Summary: The headphones are even better than anticipated. :-D
Surpasses Sony MDR NC22 in both canceling and sound quality.
The sound quality is almost as high as the (non canceling) notorious ...Summary: The headphones are even better than anticipated. :-D
Surpasses Sony MDR NC22 in both canceling and sound quality.
The sound quality is almost as high as the (non canceling) notorious Sony MDR E888 -
Impressive little headphones
by fathergj on June 11, 2008
Pros: Size, sound, noise cancelling
Cons: I have not yet found any yet
Summary: I purchased these on a guess, and so far I have been quite pleased! So far, they are exactly what I am looking for.
The noise-canceling is good. I wont ...Summary: I purchased these on a guess, and so far I have been quite pleased! So far, they are exactly what I am looking for.
The noise-canceling is good. I wont say great, but it is pretty good eliminating my neighbors when I am at my computer. Admitedly, I have not yet taken these on a plane, but that will be the ultimate test in a week.
The sound is quite good compared to what I am accustomed to, but I am not all that well trained in how to hear the difference between good and great.
Because they are ear buds, they are not great for a LONG time, but for a few hours they are great. However, because they are ear buds, they are compact with a nice case. -
convenient, wonderful sound
by tre28bor on June 10, 2008
Pros: easy to use..works as described
Cons: see below in comments
Summary: as the AAA battery wears down and starts to lose power, the LED indicator light starts to fade and flicker. to make matters MUCH worse, you will start to hear ...
Summary: as the AAA battery wears down and starts to lose power, the LED indicator light starts to fade and flicker. to make matters MUCH worse, you will start to hear loud pops and crackling, like the sound of lightning in your ears. this is very annoying and i wonder if this noise can be damaging to ones hearing. i have made audio-technica aware of this problem. i returned 1 pair because of this problem, only to experience this problem in the replacement pair i received. i believe this problem is in the design. i have owned sony mdr-nc11, sony mdr-nc22, jvc-ha-ncx77 as well as a phillips pair of noise cancelling earbuds. none of them have this problem. shame on audio-technica.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Audio-Technica U.S., Inc.
- Part number: ATH-ANC3
- Description: Audio-Technica's ATH-ANC3 QuietPoint headphones use an innovative active noise-canceling technology to provide a comfortable listening environment in areas with high ambient noise. The headphones feature a miniature microphone in each earpiece that picks up ambient noise. Electronics in the control box create a noise-canceling wave that is 180° out of phase with the ambient noise. This wave acts like a noise eraser - it cancels out the annoying sounds that surround you without diminishing the audio you want to hear. The result is a peaceful enclave to enjoy the music or movies of your choice.
General
- Recommended Use The noise canceling feature keeps out ambient sounds on buses and airplanes. Plus, they are portable for easy transport.
- Product Type Headphones
- Additional Features Gold-plated plug, Noise-Cancelling Switch
Headphones
- Headphones Type Headphones - Binaural
- Headphones Form Factor Ear-bud
- Headphones Technology Dynamic
- Connectivity Technology Wired
- Sound Output Mode Stereo
- Active Noise Canceling Yes
- Response Bandwidth 15 - 22000 Hz
- Sensitivity 104 dB
- Impedance 90 Ohm
- Diaphragm 0.5 in
- Magnet Material Neodymium
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x Headphones ( Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm )
Miscellaneous
- Cables Included 1 x Headphones cable - 3.3 ft
- Included Accessories Carrying case, Airplane adapter, 3 pairs of rubber ear tips
Power
- Battery 1 x Standard battery - AAA type - Alkaline
Product series
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Audio-Technica ATH-ANC3 QuietPoint earphones (black)
Manufacturer: Audio-Technica U.S., Inc.
Specs: Headphones, Ear-bud, Stereo, Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm, Gold-plated plug, Noise-Cancelling Switch
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Audio-Technica ATH-ANC3 QuietPoint earphones (white)
Manufacturer: Audio-Technica U.S., Inc.
Specs: Headphones, In-ear ear-bud, White, Stereo, Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm, Gold-plated plug, Noise-Cancelling Switch
Manufacturer info
- Audio-Technica U.S., Inc.
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Audio-Technica U.S., Inc. products on Shopper.com
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- Website: http://www.audiotechnica.com/
- Address:
1221 Commerce Drive, Stow, OH - Phone: 330-686-2600
- Email: les@atus.com
- Fax: 330-688-3752
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