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Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7B SVIS Headphones Review

Tested using Methodology v0.9
Reviewed Mar 10, 2016 at 12:00 am
Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7B SVIS Picture
6.2
Mixed Usage
6.3
Critical Listening
6.3
Commute/Travel
6.0
Sports/Fitness
6.0
Office
6.7
Home Theater

The Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7B SVIS Noise-Cancelling are average headphones with decent audio reproduction. They deliver good bass but struggle with higher tones and isolation. The poor noise cancellation and seal lets sound enter and escape the ear cups relatively easily, which is not ideal for commuting or office environments.

Our Verdict

6.2 Mixed Usage

These headphones do not excel in any use case. They struggle with subpar noise isolation and leakage. They also have a dull sound quality.

Pros
  • Decent audio reproduction.
  • Decently stable design.
Cons
  • Poor noise isolation.
  • Leaks a lot of sound.
  • Limited audio controls.
6.3 Critical Listening

Below-average for critical listening. They have a lackluster sound and their closed back design limits their soundstage.

6.3 Commute/Travel

Mediocre at best for commuting. The noise canceling is weak and struggles in loud environments, which is not ideal for the level of noise involved in commuting.

6.0 Sports/Fitness

Mediocre for sports. They're relatively lightweight. However, they're a bit cumbersome and unstable for strenuous exercises.

6.0 Office

Subpar for office use. They leak quite a bit and do not isolate much. You will still be able to hear the chatter of a busy office.

6.7 Home Theater

Average for home theater use. They have a somewhat decent sound for listening to music and watching movies. They also have no latency since they're wired. However, they have a short audio cable, so unless you have an extension cord they won't be ideal for comfortably watching movies from your couch.

  • 6.2 Mixed Usage
  • 6.3 Critical Listening
  • 6.3 Commute/Travel
  • 6.0 Sports/Fitness
  • 6.0 Office
  • 6.7 Home Theater
  1. Updated Mar 10, 2016: Review published.
  2. Updated Mar 08, 2016: Our testers have started testing this product.
  3. Updated Mar 01, 2016: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Test Results

Design
Design
Style
Type Over-ear
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless No
Transducer Dynamic
Mic Yes

The ANC7b SVIS look good but offer nothing out of the ordinary with their style. The oval ear cups have a simple, two-tone silver and black color scheme. The matching headband is also black, with silver accents from the metal frame.

7.0
Design
Comfort
Weight 0.49 lbs
Clamping Force
0.88 lbs

The SVIS provide moderate comfort. They are fairly lightweight and the ear cups swivel, which makes them more adjustable. However, the headband does not extend far enough for larger heads, the over-ear cups do not encompass the entire ear and the padding is stiff and uncomfortable.

5.0
Design
Controls
Ease of use Above-average
Feedback Mediocre
Call/Music Control Yes
Volume Control No
Noise Canceling Control No
Talk-Through No
Additional Buttons No

Button layout and functionality is simple and basic. There's only one easy-to-use noise cancelling switch on the ear cup. The remaining control option is the call/music button relegated to the inline control of the cable. It's functional but the lack of volume control is slightly disappointing.

6.5
Design
Stability

These headphones are decently stable but will fall off your head while running. The ATH-ANC 7b sivs do not apply enough pressure to your head, which causes the slightly large ear cups to sway when doing any high-intensity activity. They're able to maintain a stable fit during casual listening sessions but are not designed for sports. On the upside, they have a detachable cable that will not pull the headphones off your head if it gets hooked on something.

6.0
Design
Portability
L 7.48"
W 6.89"
H 1.97"
Volume 101.52 in³
Stand required N/A

The ATH-ANC 7b SIVS are mid-sized over ear headphones. Their earcups swivel and lay flat to take up less space, and they're smaller than some other over-ear models, which makes them somewhat portable. Sadly, they do not fold up into a more compact format. They will fit in a bag but are too large and cumbersome to fit into pocket or purse.

7.5
Design
Case
Type Hard case
L 7.87"
W 8.27"
H 1.97"
Volume 128.18 in³

Comes with a sturdy hard case that's covered in fabric and will protect the headphones from scratches and falls. The case does add a little bit of bulk to the headphones, though, which means you may need a bag to carry them in. On the upside, the case is large enough to carry all the provided accessories for these headphones.

6.5
Design
Build Quality

The ANC7b SVIS' build quality is mediocre. The headband is lightly padded and reinforced with a thin metal frame. It's flexible and feels solid enough to handle a few drops, however, the ear cups feel cheap and plastic. The material used for the padding is stiff and the plastic joints are potential weak points. The cables provided are also quite thin and do not feel durable.

7.7
Design
Breathability
Avg.Temp.Difference 2.6 °C

Design
Cable
Detachable Yes
Length 4.27 ft
Connection 1/8" TRRS

Comes with three cables; a 1/8" TRRS-TRRS with call/music but no volume control. Two 1/8" TRS-TRS with no in-line controls

Design
Front

Design
Angled

Design
Side

Design
Rear

Design
Top

Design
In The Box

  • Audio Technica ATH-ANC7b-SVIS headphones
  • Audio cables(x3)
  • Airline adapter
  • Carrying case
  • AAA batteries
  • 1/8" to 1/4" Adapter

Sound
7.8
Sound
Bass
Std. Err.
3.16 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
20.89 Hz
Low-Bass
0.08 dB
Bass
3.21 dB
High-Bass
4.8 dB

5.9
Sound
Mid
Std. Err.
5.5 dB
Low-Mid
3.9 dB
Mid
1.93 dB
High-Mid
-7.94 dB

4.7
Sound
Treble
Std. Err.
6.27 dB
Low-Treble
-7.94 dB
Treble
-1.98 dB
High-Treble
2.97 dB

4.8
Sound
Soundstage
Openness
4.9
Acoustic Space Excitation
4.4

9.4
Sound
Total Harmonic Distortion
Weighted THD @ 90
0.089
Weighted THD @ 100
0.144

Isolation
6.8
Isolation
Noise Isolation
Overall Attenuation
-16.05 dB
Noise-Cancelling Yes
Bass
-4.04 dB
Mid
-13.77 dB
Treble
-33.06 dB
Self-Noise
11.19 dB

Poor performance, especially in the bass region, where there's virtually no isolation below 100Hz. The mid and treble performances are also below average, maxing out at around -20dB and -30dB respectively.

5.6
Isolation
Leakage
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
46.82 dB

Poor performance. The leakage is both loud and broadband, extending from 400Hz-5KHz, which covers the major components of vocals/lead instruments. This is most likely due to the poor seal of the pads.

Active Features
0
Active Features
Wireless
Type
N/A
Obstructed Range
N/A
Line of Sight Range
N/A
NFC
No

10
Active Features
Latency
Base Latency
0 ms
aptX Latency
N/A
aptX(LL) Latency
N/A

8.2
Active Features
Battery
Battery Type
AAA
Battery Life
52 hrs
Charge Time
N/A
Auto-off
No
Audio while charging
N/A
Passive Playback
Yes

The ATH-ANC7B SVIS has a great battery life of about 52 hours. This makes them decent headphones to use on a long flight or road trip as you're not forced to change the triple AAA battery throughout the day. Unfortunately, they can't be used without the battery, and do not have any battery saving features like an auto-off timer.

0
Active Features
App Support

No compatible app.