Audio Technica ATH-SR30BT headphones review
With a 70-hour battery, these wireless headphones bring clarity on a long-haul trip (or two)
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Do your headphones last for 70 hours? If they are wireless or noise-canceling headphones, they certainly don’t. We know that because the ATH-SR30BT have the biggest battery of any headphones in the world. Are they the ultimate headphones for long-haul trips? Let’s find out.
Audio Technica ATH-SR30BT headphones: design
Aside from that huge battery, these headphones are nicely designed for long haul travel. While so many pairs of headphones are uncomfortable to wear for long periods, these weigh just 193g. As well as not giving you a headache in-flight, they’re easy to carry, with the earcups twisting inwards and folding flat. However, the designers haven’t included a 3.5 mm analogue jack. So a wireless Bluetooth connection is the only way to use these headphones. That means that if the battery does run out while you’re travelling, the ATH-SR30BT are effectively useless. Thankfully, that 70 hour battery means that this nightmare scenario is unlikely to happen very often, if ever.
Audio Technica ATH-SR30BT headphones: features
If a 70 hour battery is the headline feature here, there aren’t many others. We didn’t expect noise-cancelling at this price, of course, but its absence definitely dulls our initial ‘great for travel’ feeling about the ATH-SR30BT. Nor are there any touch sensitive controls on the earcups themselves, with a range of hard buttons provided instead. However, there is a microphone for hands-free calling.
Audio Technica ATH-SR30BT headphones: in use
Tested during a long flight from Las Vegas to London, the ATH-SR30BT performed well. Let’s not pretend that the lack of noise cancelling circuitry is not an issue at 35,000 feet, because it most certainly is, but the ATH-SR30BT did provide us with at least a sense of being cocooned. Thanks to its 40mm drivers, we were able to listen to music and movies without any issues. However, the sound quality is more about a crispness of detail rather than an overall bassy, loud sound that is more useful in boomy airline cabins.
Audio Technica ATH-SR30BT headphones: conclusion
We like the ATH-SR30BT, and were impressed by the sound quality in most scenarios, but the lack of noise cancelling means that they are not perfect for wearing on a flight. Yes, that 70 hour battery is fabulously useful if you hate recharging gadgets, but the ATH-SR30BT are probably best left at home or used on the commute, or in the office. Our advice is to save up a little more and buy yourself a pair of noise cancelling headphones, but the ATH-SR30BT remain an impressive pair of headphones for general use. Now let’s just hope that a 70-hour battery quickly becomes the norm in all wireless Bluetooth headphones.
Price as reviewed: UK £99 / US $99