Audio Technica ATH Bluetooth headphones combine the ease of wireless operation with high-quality audio reproduction.
Audio Technica’s ATH-DSR7BT and ATH-DSR9BT Bluetooth Headphones, represent two superb models from this highly respected Japanese company. Look in any professional recording studio or live stage, and you’ll see Audio Technica microphones and headphones.
Audio Technica holds the title for being Japan’s biggest selling headphone manufacturer, yet in Europe, we’re more familiar with brands such as Sennheiser and AKG. Recognising this, Audio Technica has recently launched a range of high-end headphones, to take on the European giants at their own game.
Two such models are the ATH-DSR7BT and ATH-DSR9BT Bluetooth Headphones. Should the engineers at Sennheiser be crying into their Pilsner? Let’s take a look…
Audio Technica ATH-DSR9BT
Audio Technica’s ATH-DSR9BT headphones debuted a number of unique, industry-first developments when they were launched at the beginning of 2017; key of which is Audio Technica’s “Pure Digital Drive” technology.
The Audio Technica ATH-DSR9BT headphones are purely digital headphones, there is no provision for an analogue input whatsoever. In an era of wireless portable connectivity, that’s perhaps not as bold a move as it might initially seem; it’s also allowed Audio Technica to do something rather clever…
In a typical Bluetooth headphone, there are multiple stages involved before the digital audio stream reaches the ears of the listener. This typically involves a Bluetooth receiver/decoder, a D/A converter, an analogue amplifier and finally the speaker driver. It’s a convoluted path which can pose potential design problems in reducing inter-stage distortion, physical packaging and power consumption.
AT have chosen to implement Trigence’s Dnote chipset, a single chipset solution to digital processing and amplification, creating their “Pure Digital Drive” technology. This is made possible by a unique, multi-coil driver design which allows the driver to be controlled digitally, without additional analogue processing or amplification.
Incorporating this cutting-edge technology into their flagship ATH-DSR9BT headphones, Audio Technica has created possibly the world’s finest Bluetooth Headphones? The frequency response extends to both infra and ultra-sonic extremes (5Hz-45kHz) with an incredible 103db sensitivity.
Support for hi-res playback is part of Audio Technica’s agenda for the ATH-DSR9BT; Bluetooth 4.2 supports aptX HD, aptX, AAC and SBC codecs, whilst direct connection via USB allows playback up to 24bit 96kHz resolution.
The ATH-DSR9BT headphones integrate easily with your active lifestyle; 15 hours continuous use means they’re able to see you through a full and long day of listening with ease. An integrated microphone allows for easy hands-free calling with your smartphone, for example.
If you’re in the market for a truly world-class pair of wireless, Bluetooth headphones, then the ATH-DSR9BT Bluetooth Headphones must surely be at the top of your list to audition.
ATH-DSR7BT
Sold on the pure-digital benefits of the ATH-DSR9BT headphones, but need something a little more affordable? Then take a good hard look at the Audio Technica ATH-DSR7BT, which uses much of the same design features of their bigger brother, but in a more cost-effective package.
The ATH-DSR9BT headphones utilise an exotic voice coil and driver design, using high-purity, four-core twisted OFC-7N copper, along with a DLC driver coating. This exotic driver design adds cost and complexity to the design.
In contrast, the Audio Technica ATH-DSR7BT features a slightly more conventional bobbin-wound voice coil, along with simplified materials and construction. This being said, printed specifications are extremely close to that of the ATH-DSR9BT, making them something of a potential bargain.