Our Verdict
These headphones do not excel in any use case. They don't isolate well enough for commute or office use. They don't have a good enough sound for critical listening or recording. They're also too unstable for sports.
- Lightweight design.
- Great bass reproduction.
- Odd ear cup size is not comfortable for everyone.
- Poor noise isolation.
Average at best for critical listening. They have an uneven sound quality and their closed back design limits their soundstage.
Subpar for commuting. The noise canceling is weak and struggles in loud environments.
Below-average for sports. They're lightweight but too cumbersome and unstable for strenuous exercises.
Below-average for office use. They leak a bit and do not isolate much. You will still be able to hear the noise of a busy office.
Average for home theater use. They have a decent sound for 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.
Changelog
- Updated Aug 10, 2017: Converted to Test Bench 1.0.
- Updated Apr 08, 2016: Review published.
- Updated Apr 06, 2016: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Mar 22, 2016: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
Check Price
We've upgraded our Headphones Test Bench to 2.0! This update brings several key changes to our tests and usages, making it easier than ever to interpret our sound results based on your personal preferences. You'll also find a brand-new interactive graph tool featuring multiple targets (including our own!) for you to explore and compare.
For a full breakdown, check out our changelog, which includes detailed commentary from our test designer explaining the rationale behind our update.
We'd also love to hear your thoughts: your feedback helps us keep improving, so join us in the comments!
Test Results
The ATH-ANC29 have an all-black, understated esthetic that may work for some but offers nothing remarkable in their design. The oval ear cups are noticeably thick and may stick out a little when on the head.
The ATH-ANC29 are moderately comfortable. They are decently padded and lightweight but the oddly shaped ear cups may not fit everyone, especially those with larger ears. This makes the headphones uncomfortable for some people, especially over long listening sessions.
The only control option is the noise cancelling switch, which is cheaply made and difficult to use. You will have no direct control over your audio, which is disappointing.
These headphones do not feel stable, once on your head. They are lightweight and apply enough pressure on your ears, to not easily fall off during casual listening sessions. Unfortunately, they are not designed for sports and quickly fall off your head when jumping, running or doing other high-intensity activities and sports. On the upside, the cable will detach if its hooked by something, which could prevent the headphones from being pulled off your head.
The ATH-ANC 29 are on the larger side for on-ear headphones. They are somewhat portable compared to some bigger over-ear models and the ear cups fold flat to reduce the amount of space they would take up in a bag. Sadly they will not be the most travel-friendly as they do not fold up into a more compact format and won't fit in a pocket, even larger jacket pockets.
The ATH ANC29's build quality is decent but does not feel very durable. The joints are made of dense plastic and the headband is reinforced by a thin metal frame. This adds a little more robustness to the design but these headphones still feel weak and susceptible to breaking under moderate physical stress. The ear cups feel cheap, plasticky and hollow and may crack over time with regular wear and tear.
Comes with one 1/8" TRRS-TRRS cable with no mic or in-line controls.
- Audio-Technica ATH-ANC29 Headphones
- Flight adapter
- Audio cable
- Carrying pouch
- Manual
- 1/8" to 1/4" Adapter
- AAA Battery
Poor overall isolation. The passive isolation provided by the ear cups is below average, but not too bad considering the on-ear design of these headphones. The active noise cancellation provides some isolation from 100Hz to around 400Hz, but not much below or above those frequencies.
Average leakage. Although the majority of the leakage happens in a narrow band in the mid-range (700Hz-1KHz) and little treble leaks out, the volume of what does leak out is high relative to listening volume.
The ATH-ANC29 has an excellent battery life of about 59 hours. You won't have to change the triple AAA battery throughout the day which is good for long flights or road trips. Unfortunately, they can't be used without the battery, and do not have any battery saving features like an auto-off timer.