Audio-Technica’s M-series of headphones is a studio staple. Now, they’ve gone wireless with the lightweight and stylish ATH-M20xBT.
The M-series of Audio-Technica headphones have worked their way into many studios over the years. The first choice for monitoring in all kinds of situations, they’re reliable, affordable, and can take a bit of punishment when needed too. With the ATH-M20xBT, Audio-Technica is aiming to take that sense of dependability to the streets.
The ATH-M20xBT dishes up high-quality audio performance in a package that’s friendly to the casual listener, with long battery life and Bluetooth connectivity. So how does it stack up against the other offerings from this iconic brand? Let’s find out.
First impressions
Being a reasonably priced option for circumaural headphones (coming in at $169 AUD), the packaging is free from many of the hi-fi accoutrements. But all the essentials are catered for, namely, the headphones themselves, the USB charging cable, and a 1.2 metre audio cable for wired listening.
The sleek black earcups and headband with a glimmer of steel are very in keeping with the Audio-Technica aesthetic. The earcups are ovals rather than circles, making for a comfortable fit. The outstanding feature on first impression is the weight, or lack thereof. These babies are light, which is fantastic for long gaming sessions or music binges — you’ll actually forget that you’re wearing them.
The lifestyle headphone market is a competitive one, therefore any set worth considering is bound to be blessed with convenient features. As such, there’s a built-in mic and controls for taking calls for all your work-from-home conferencing. You can connect to your computer and phone simultaneously via Multipoint Pairing. And for all the gamers out there, you can engage Low-Latency Mode for perfect screen and audio syncing.
Another standout in terms of functionality, however, is its massive 60-hour battery life. That’s right: a full charge will get you through the whole working week, plus transport, without any fuss. That said, if you only have 10 mins of charging time to spare, you’ll get up to three hours of playback.
Sound
The ATH-M20xBT has 40 mm drivers onboard, which is comparable to most professional level studio headphones. As such, the audio performance is in keeping with monitoring headphones and the Audio-Technica ‘family’ sound: a pleasing bump in the low-mids, but nothing extreme — just enough to give bass guitars a true identity in the mix without overpowering it. There’s also a distinct presence just north of a typical vocal range — this lends mixes a hint of sparkle and excitement, making for a lively and musical listening experience.
If you were attempting to do a mix, the ATH-M20xBT wouldn’t be the first set of cans that you would reach for. In a monitoring situation, however, they perform admirably and are rugged enough to take a bit of a beating in the studio.
Ultimately though, for a casual listener who needs a versatile, convenient, and affordable solution for work and play, the ATH-M20xBT is almost unbeatable.
Head over to Audio-Technica for all the details.
