Audio-Technica ATH-ANC700BT Wireless Noise-Cancelling Headphones

75%

25%

Noise Cancellation

Sound Quality

Battery Life

Comfort & Fit

Build Quality

Touch Controls

Microphone Quality

Connectivity

Portability

Value for Money

ANC Pressure Effect

Call Answer Controls

Design & Aesthetics

Overview

The Audio-Technica ATH-ANC700BT Wireless Noise-Cancelling Headphones arrived in 2018 when the ANC market was getting crowded, and they carved out a respectable position by offering genuine audio credibility at a mid-to-premium price. Audio-Technica isn't a brand that chases trends — they build for listeners who care about sound first. This ANC over-ear set has a clean, understated look: no garish logos, no LED accents, just a foldable design that slips into a protective pouch without fuss. Bluetooth 4.1 handles wireless duties, and a 3.5mm wired input gives you an escape hatch when you're on a plane or craving a higher-resolution signal.

Features & Benefits

The ATH-ANC700BT runs a four-microphone ANC system that does a solid job cutting through cabin drone, HVAC hum, and the general noise of a busy office — though it's not quite at the level of the newest competition. The 40mm dynamic drivers produce a well-balanced sound, nothing too hyped in the bass, with clear mids that suit podcasts and vocals alike. Battery life sits at a claimed 25 hours, which holds up well in typical use. The touch controls feel intuitive once you learn the gestures, though accidental swipes can happen early on. Memory foam cushions add comfort for extended listening sessions.

Best For

These Audio-Technica headphones make the most sense for people who spend real time in transit — regular commuters, frequent flyers, or anyone logging long hours in a noisy coworking space. The combination of reliable ANC and 25-hour battery life means you can clear a transatlantic flight without hunting for an outlet. Remote workers will appreciate how effectively they create a focused listening bubble. The wired mode adds practical value for in-flight entertainment systems or desk use with a DAC. If you want something understated that pulls double duty between work calls and music, this ANC over-ear set earns its place in the bag.

User Feedback

Buyers consistently praise ANC performance in plane cabins and open offices, and most find the claimed battery runtime holds up in real daily use. Build quality draws positive mentions too — the plastic-and-metal construction feels solid, and the brand name adds confidence. The touch controls attract the most criticism: some users find them too sensitive, resulting in skipped tracks or misfired volume changes at awkward moments. A few long-session wearers flag that the clamping force grows noticeable after a couple of hours. Call quality lands in mixed territory — adequate for brief conversations, but not a standout. On balance, buyer sentiment leans clearly positive for what the headphones cost.

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Pros

The ANC handles low-frequency noise like cabin hum and office HVAC extremely well.
A genuine 25-hour battery life means most travel days are covered on a single charge.
The foldable design and included pouch make packing and unpacking quick and painless.
Sound quality is well-balanced — clear mids and controlled bass without artificial boosting.
The 3.5mm wired fallback adds real flexibility for flights, hi-res listening, or low-battery situations.
Memory foam ear cushions provide solid passive isolation even before ANC is switched on.
Build quality feels appropriately solid for the price, with a metal-and-plastic construction that holds up to travel wear.
The understated design works equally well in a business meeting and on a weekend flight.
Touch controls, once learned, make managing calls and playback genuinely hands-free.
Audio-Technica's tuning philosophy rewards listeners who value accuracy over hyped bass.

Cons

ANC performance trails newer 2022–2024 competitors, especially for blocking voices and high-frequency noise.
Bluetooth 4.1 means no multipoint pairing — switching between a laptop and phone requires manual reconnection.
Touch control sensitivity is inconsistent and prone to accidental inputs, particularly when adjusting the headband.
Clamping force becomes noticeable during sessions lasting longer than two to three hours.
Microphone quality on calls is merely adequate and falls short in loud outdoor environments.
The protective pouch offers minimal hard-shell protection, which is a concern for checked baggage.
No active transparency or ambient sound mode, which limits situational awareness when needed.
Charging takes a full cycle to restore battery, with no fast-charge option available.

Ratings

Our AI rating system analyzed thousands of verified global purchases of the Audio-Technica ATH-ANC700BT Wireless Noise-Cancelling Headphones, actively filtering out incentivized reviews, bot activity, and outlier feedback to surface what real buyers consistently experience. The scores below reflect both the genuine strengths that keep this set competitive years after its 2018 launch and the honest trade-offs that matter when you are choosing between options in this category. Nothing has been smoothed over — where buyers ran into friction, the scores reflect it.

Noise Cancellation

76%

24%

The four-microphone ANC system earns consistent praise from commuters and frequent flyers for taming low-frequency noise — engine rumble on a plane and HVAC hum in an office noticeably recede within seconds of switching it on. Most users find it genuinely useful rather than a checkbox feature.

Against newer ANC flagships, the performance gap is real. Voice noise and higher-frequency sounds like keyboard clatter break through more than buyers at this price tier expect, and a few users found the ANC introduced a faint pressure sensation during extended sessions.

Sound Quality

84%

Audio-Technica's tuning philosophy shines here — the 40mm drivers deliver a balanced, detailed sound that holds up well across genres. Vocal clarity in particular gets repeated praise, and listeners who prefer accuracy over bass-heavy consumer tuning tend to rate this aspect very highly.

Bass response, while present, lacks the punch that some users want for hip-hop or electronic music. The sound profile can come across as slightly analytical or dry to listeners accustomed to more V-shaped headphones in the same price bracket.

Battery Life

88%

The claimed 25-hour battery life holds up surprisingly well in real-world use, with most buyers confirming they can clear a full international travel day — including layovers — without reaching for a cable. It is one of the most consistently praised aspects across verified reviews.

The charging cycle is slow with no fast-charge option, so forgetting to plug in the night before a trip is genuinely inconvenient. A short top-up does not yield enough runtime to be reassuring, which a few frequent travellers flagged as a planning headache.

Comfort & Fit

71%

29%

Memory foam cushions provide a comfortable seal for the first two to three hours, and the angular around-ear shape works well for most head sizes. Buyers who use these for commutes or shorter work sessions rarely mention discomfort as an issue.

Extended sessions of four or more hours expose the clamping force issue that appears repeatedly in longer-term reviews. Users with wider heads feel this most acutely, and while the cushions soften with use over time, out-of-the-box pressure is a recurring complaint.

Build Quality

82%

18%

The plastic-and-metal construction feels purposeful rather than cheap, and buyers regularly note that the headphones hold up well after months of daily travel use. The Audio-Technica brand instils confidence, and the build largely backs that up.

The soft protective pouch — while handy — provides minimal structural protection, and a few users reported hinge or swivel wear after extended use. Some buyers at this price point expect a semi-rigid case rather than a pouch.

Touch Controls

63%

37%

Once learned, the earcup touch and swipe system is genuinely convenient for managing playback and calls without pulling out a phone, especially during commutes where hands are occupied. Experienced users tend to rate the controls positively after the initial adjustment period.

The learning curve is steep enough that accidental inputs — skipped tracks, unintended volume jumps — are among the most common complaints in early ownership. Sensitivity calibration frustrates buyers who expected a more forgiving interface from a premium brand.

Microphone Quality

61%

39%

For casual calls in quiet environments the microphone performs adequately, and most users report that colleagues can hear them clearly enough on standard video calls from home or a hotel room. It handles the basics without embarrassing moments in typical use.

Step outside or into a noisy cafe and the microphone noticeably struggles to isolate your voice from ambient sound. Buyers who rely heavily on calls throughout the day — sales roles, remote managers — frequently mention this as a meaningful limitation.

Connectivity

69%

31%

Bluetooth pairing is straightforward and the connection stays stable within the 10-meter rated range in day-to-day use. The addition of a 3.5mm wired fallback is a genuinely practical feature that buyers travelling on aircraft or using desktop DACs appreciate.

Bluetooth 4.1 means no multipoint connectivity — swapping between a laptop and smartphone requires a manual disconnect and reconnect, which feels like friction in a world where most users juggle multiple devices throughout the day.

Portability

83%

The foldable design collapses into a compact enough footprint to fit in a backpack side pocket, and the included pouch keeps things tidy. Buyers who travel carry-on only cite the fold mechanism as a genuine convenience compared to bulkier over-ear alternatives.

At 1.65 pounds the ATH-ANC700BT is not especially light, and buyers who prioritise a featherweight travel setup sometimes note fatigue during longer carry sessions. The pouch also adds bulk compared to a rigid case that stacks cleanly in a bag.

Value for Money

78%

22%

Relative to Audio-Technica's brand reputation and the overall feature set — ANC, 25-hour battery, wired fallback, and solid sound quality — most buyers feel the pricing is fair for what they receive. Loyalty to the brand amplifies perceived value among repeat Audio-Technica customers.

Given that the hardware dates to 2018, buyers comparing this set against newer competitors at similar price points find the value proposition harder to justify — particularly when updated models offer better ANC, faster charging, and Bluetooth 5.0 for comparable or lower cost.

ANC Pressure Effect

67%

33%

Many users report minimal ear pressure from the ANC during typical listening sessions, which is not always guaranteed with multi-microphone active noise cancellation systems. For shorter sessions of one to two hours, the pressure sensation rarely surfaces as an issue.

A consistent minority of buyers — particularly those sensitive to in-ear pressure changes — describe a noticeable inner-ear pressure or hissing artifact, especially at high ANC intensity. This tends to become more apparent on longer flights and extended use.

Call Answer Controls

72%

28%

The earcup touch interface handles call answer, end, and rejection functions without requiring any interaction with the paired device, which buyers consistently find useful when commuting or working hands-free in a busy environment.

Touch misfire issues extend to call controls too — accidental call rejections or mid-conversation volume changes are reported with enough frequency to be a pattern rather than an exception, particularly for users still on the learning curve.

Design & Aesthetics

86%

The clean, matte black finish and restrained branding earn genuine appreciation from buyers who find the flashy styling of competing headphones off-putting. These look equally appropriate in a boardroom and on a long-haul flight, which matters to the adult professional audience they target.

The conservative design approach means there is very little personalization on offer, and colour options are limited. Buyers who want something that stands out visually will find the ATH-ANC700BT purposefully unremarkable.

Suitable for:

The Audio-Technica ATH-ANC700BT Wireless Noise-Cancelling Headphones are a strong match for anyone who spends meaningful time in noisy, transient environments — think frequent flyers, daily train commuters, or remote workers sharing space with others. If your priority is blocking out cabin pressure drone on a long-haul flight or muffling the hum of an open-plan office, the four-microphone ANC system handles both convincingly. The 25-hour battery means you can realistically cover a full travel day, including layovers, without digging for a charging cable. The included 3.5mm cable is a practical bonus for wired in-flight entertainment systems or situations where Bluetooth isn't permitted. Adults who want something that looks understated in a professional setting — no flashy colorways, no oversized branding — will appreciate the clean, no-nonsense aesthetic. Audio-Technica loyalists upgrading from older wired models will feel immediately at home with the sound signature: balanced, detailed, and honest rather than bass-heavy.

Not suitable for:

Buyers chasing the absolute best noise cancellation available should know that the Audio-Technica ATH-ANC700BT Wireless Noise-Cancelling Headphones were designed and launched in 2018, and the ANC landscape has shifted considerably since then — newer rivals from Sony and Bose offer noticeably stronger ambient noise suppression, particularly on high-frequency sounds like voices. If you primarily take calls throughout the day, the microphone performance may leave you wanting more; it handles casual conversations adequately but struggles in genuinely loud outdoor environments. Users with larger heads or those who plan to wear headphones for four-plus hours straight may find the clamping pressure becomes uncomfortable before the battery does. The touch controls, while convenient in theory, have a learning curve and can misfire, which gets frustrating fast if you are the type who adjusts volume constantly. Finally, if Bluetooth 5.0 or multipoint connectivity — the ability to switch seamlessly between two devices — is on your must-have list, this set does not offer it.

Specifications

Bluetooth Version: The headphones use Bluetooth 4.1, which provides a stable connection within a 10-meter range of the paired device.
Driver Size: Each earcup houses a 40mm dynamic driver designed to reproduce audio across the full 20–20,000 Hz frequency range.
ANC System: Active noise cancellation is powered by a proprietary four-microphone multi-feedback system that targets continuous ambient noise.
Battery Life: A full charge delivers up to 25 hours of combined Bluetooth and ANC usage, with standby time rated at up to 1,000 hours.
Charging: The headphones charge via an included USB cable, and a full recharge cycle takes approximately 25 hours from empty.
Wired Connection: A 1.2-meter cable with a 3.5mm stereo mini-plug is included for wired use when Bluetooth is restricted or when hi-res audio is preferred.
Impedance: The headphones carry an impedance rating of 35 Ohm, making them compatible with standard portable devices without an external amplifier.
Controls: Playback, volume, and call management are handled through touch and swipe gestures built directly into the right earcup.
Weight: The headphones weigh 1.65 pounds, which is moderate for a full-size over-ear ANC set intended for travel.
Ear Cushions: The ear cushions are made from memory foam with a fabric-synthetic cover and an angular around-ear shape to improve passive isolation.
Form Factor: The headphones fold flat into a compact configuration, making them easier to fit into a bag or the included protective pouch.
Included Items: The package includes the headphones, a 1.2-meter audio cable, a USB charging cable, and a soft protective pouch.
Materials: The headphone construction combines plastic, metal structural components, and memory foam ear cushions for a balance of durability and comfort.
Frequency Range: Audio reproduction is specified from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, covering the standard range of human hearing.
Wireless Range: Bluetooth connectivity is rated for a maximum range of 10 meters under typical line-of-sight conditions.
Compatibility: The headphones are compatible with laptops, desktops, tablets, smartphones, gaming consoles, smart speakers, and televisions via Bluetooth or the included cable.
Battery Type: Power is supplied by an internal rechargeable lithium polymer battery that is included and not user-replaceable.
Product Dimensions: The headphones measure approximately 10 x 4 x 9 inches when unfolded, with a foldable design for more compact storage.

Call Quality

FAQ

It handles low-frequency engine and cabin drone very well — most users find it noticeably quieter in economy class. That said, these were designed in 2018, so if you compare them directly to the latest Sony or Bose flagships, the newer options do edge ahead on overall ANC depth, especially for voice noise. For most people taking regular flights, the performance is more than adequate.

Yes, you can use these Audio-Technica headphones in Bluetooth mode without activating ANC, which will extend your listening time beyond the rated 25 hours. The ANC and Bluetooth run together in the standard mode, but disabling ANC through the controls reduces power draw noticeably.

No, these headphones use Bluetooth 4.1, which does not support multipoint pairing. You can only be connected to one device at a time. Switching between your phone and laptop requires manually disconnecting from one and reconnecting to the other, which some users find inconvenient in a hybrid work setup.

A full charge from empty takes roughly the same duration as the stated 25-hour battery life — so plan on leaving them plugged in overnight. There is no fast-charge feature, so if you forget to charge before a trip, a short top-up will only recover a portion of runtime.

They work well once you get used to them, but there is a short adjustment period. Tapping, swiping, and holding each trigger different functions, and early on it is easy to accidentally skip a track or change the volume when you just meant to adjust the headband. Give it a few days of regular use and it becomes second nature for most people.

Yes, and this is one of the more practical features of this ANC over-ear set. The included 1.2-meter cable with a 3.5mm plug connects directly to the headphone jack on seatback entertainment systems, and you can use the headphones in fully passive wired mode even with the battery depleted.

The memory foam cushions are comfortable for the first couple of hours, but some users report that the clamping force becomes noticeable around the three to four hour mark. This is more of a concern if you have a wider head. Taking short breaks helps, and the cushions do soften a little with repeated use over time.

It is workable for standard video calls in a reasonably quiet room, but the microphone is not a standout feature. In noisier environments — like a coffee shop or a busy street — the call quality drops off and the person on the other end may struggle to hear you clearly. If you are on calls for several hours a day, you might want to keep a dedicated headset handy.

Audio-Technica typically offers a limited one-year warranty on their headphones covering manufacturing defects, though coverage terms can vary by region and retailer. It is worth registering the product directly on Audio-Technica's website after purchase to ensure your warranty is on file.

The ATH-ANC700BT has a balanced, relatively neutral sound signature that audiophile-leaning buyers tend to appreciate — it doesn't artificially pump the bass the way some consumer-focused brands do. Midrange clarity is particularly good, which makes vocals and podcasts sound natural. If you prefer a more bass-heavy, V-shaped sound profile, you may find these a touch reserved, but for accurate listening they are genuinely strong performers.

Audio-Technica ATH-ANC700BT Wireless Noise-Cancelling Headphones

Overview

Features & Benefits

Best For

User Feedback

Pros

Cons

Ratings

Noise Cancellation

Sound Quality

Battery Life

Comfort & Fit

Build Quality

Touch Controls

Microphone Quality

Connectivity

Portability

Value for Money

ANC Pressure Effect

Call Answer Controls

Design & Aesthetics

Suitable for:

Not suitable for:

Specifications

Related Reviews

FAQ

How good is the noise cancellation on long flights?

Can I use these without the noise cancellation turned on to save battery?

Do the Audio-Technica ATH-ANC700BT Wireless Noise-Cancelling Headphones work with two devices at the same time?

How long does it actually take to charge from zero?

Are the touch controls easy to learn?

Can I use these wired on an airplane without Bluetooth?

How do they hold up for comfort during a four-hour listening session?

Is the microphone good enough for work calls?

Do these come with any warranty coverage?

How does the sound quality compare to other headphones in this range?