If you’re in the market for a pair of active noise-canceling Bluetooth headphones, your first thought might naturally lean toward industry giants like Sony or Bose. I admit, Audio-Technica wasn’t my first thought either. The brand is much better known for its stellar wired studio monitors, like the iconic ATH-M50s. But times have changed, and Audio-Technica has expanded its expertise into the wireless realm.
Enter the ATH-S300BT, the latest addition to Audio-Technica’s growing lineup of wireless headphones. Priced at just $249, these headphones offer Hybrid noise cancellation, Audio-Technica’s signature sound quality, and an impressive 90-hour battery life. To put that into perspective, the Sony WH-1000XM5, a popular choice among audiophiles, will set you back an extra $200, making the ATH-S300BT a tempting bargain.
When Audio-Technica offered to send me the ATH-S300BT for review, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But after a month of use and only needing to charge them twice, I’m genuinely impressed. These lightweight headphones deliver great sound for various applications, and while the noise cancellation might not be the best in the industry, it’s certainly good enough for most users. Here’s why you should seriously consider this new entry from one of the world’s most renowned audio companies.
Design and build
Audio-Technica, much like Beyerdynamic, has a distinctive look to its headphones that’s as recognizable as its name. However, the ATH-S300BT doesn’t quite fit that familiar mold. In fact, it almost looks like an unfinished prototype—and there’s a reason for that.
The first clue is the lack of the usual Audio-Technica branding. Typically, you’d expect to see the company’s stylized “A” logo prominently displayed on the earcups, often with sleek silver highlights, and the full logo across the headband. But on the ATH-S300BT? None of that. I had to double-check the official photos just to make sure I wasn’t sent an unfinished engineering sample. Instead, there’s a tiny, almost imperceptible Audio-Technica logo at the intersection of the headband and earcup hangers—so faint that it’s easy to overlook.
This model takes a minimalist approach, with a design that’s almost neutral to a fault, offered in just two understated colors: Black and Beige. The Beige stands out a bit more, but the Black variant easily gets lost in a sea of generic, budget headphone designs. Audio-Technica tried to add some flair with a terrazzo-marbled pattern around the earcups, but paired with the plastic construction, it ends up looking more like eco-friendly recycled tech than a premium product. It’s a far, far cry from something like the stunning Master & Dynamic MW75.
That said, what the ATH-S300BT lacks in visual appeal, it makes up for in comfort. These are some of the most comfortable headphones I’ve worn in a long time. The pleather ear cushions are incredibly soft, and I never felt the need to adjust the headphones, even during long work sessions. The padded headband does an excellent job of evenly distributing the 258 grams of weight, so there’s no pressure on your head.
The earcups swivel 90 degrees to lay flat and tilt about 20 degrees to conform to the shape of your head, ensuring a snug fit. It’s a bit of a letdown that they don’t fold up for easier travel, though. The headband features classic metal sliders with plenty of room for adjustment. The clamping force is just right, providing a good seal even without the active noise cancellation turned on.
As for controls, Audio-Technica opted for tactile buttons instead of touch controls, and I’m all for it. On the left earcup, there’s a large round power button flanked by volume controls. The difference in shape makes them easy to distinguish by touch, and the buttons themselves have a satisfying click. As usual, you’ll need to memorize a few combinations of double and triple presses to navigate media or handle phone calls.
On the right earcup, there’s a single button for toggling noise-canceling modes. You can switch between Off, Noise Cancelling, and Hear Through. Overall, it’s a simple and functional control scheme that’s easy to get the hang of.
Features and performance
The ATH-S300BT uses the slightly dated Bluetooth 5.1, but Audio-Technica promises low latency for a smooth gaming experience. In my testing, I didn’t notice any lag, even when watching YouTube videos, where audio delay is often most noticeable with people’s lips not matching the sound.
I couldn’t track down specific details on which wireless codecs the ATH-S300BT supports, but I had no trouble connecting them to both my phone and MacBook Pro. The connection strength is excellent, with an impressive range that holds up far better than many Bluetooth gaming headsets I’ve tested. Additionally, the headphones support multipoint pairing with up to two devices, seamlessly switching between them.
When a call comes in, the headphones prioritize your smartphone. However, I did encounter an occasional stutter when using the ATH-S300BT with both my MacBook Pro and Pixel 8a, especially after receiving a phone call. This wasn’t a consistent issue, but it’s something to be aware of if you frequently switch between devices.
The ATH-S300BT features digital hybrid noise cancellation, utilizing small MEMS microphones embedded in the housing to detect and cancel ambient noise. It’s not on par with the industry-leading Sony XM5, but it’s decent enough. Since I work from home, the noises I typically need to drown out are things like microwaves, range hoods, and vacuum cleaners. In these situations, the ATH-S300BT performs adequately. Unfortunately, I haven’t had the chance to test them on a plane, so I can’t speak to their performance in that environment.
One standout feature is the Hear-Through mode, which essentially does the opposite of noise cancellation by amplifying ambient sounds like voices. This allows you to keep the headphones on while having a conversation or listening for important announcements. The effect is a bit odd—like hearing your surroundings but slightly amplified—but it works well.
All these features naturally impact battery life, but the ATH-S300BT impressively manages to hit the 90-hour mark in real-world use. Over the past month, I’ve only charged them twice, despite using them for 5-7 hours daily for work calls and music. That’s nothing short of impressive. The headphones also support quick charging, giving you 2.5 hours of playback with just a 3-minute charge—a lifesaver when you’re in a hurry.
However, one major downside is the lack of an auto-shutdown feature. If you forget to turn them off manually, they’ll stay on indefinitely, which is baffling. And since the headphones aren’t compatible with the Audio-Technica Android app, there’s no way to tweak this setting.
On the bright side, the ATH-S300BT supports wired connections via the included 3.5mm cable, which doesn’t require the headphones to be powered on. This is a huge plus for a few reasons: you’ll never be left without music because the battery is dead, and you can use them with devices that don’t support Bluetooth, like gaming consoles. Even better, the audio quality remains top-notch in wired mode, and you even get an inline microphone for group chats.
Sound and microphones
The sound quality of the ATH-S300BT is hard to criticize, thanks to the 40mm dynamic drivers that Audio-Technica has chosen for this model. The audio is crisp and clean, with mids that are rich and a bass that packs a punch without being overpowering. While the overall sound signature isn’t as warm as what you’d find in something like the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro X LE that I recently reviewed, it’s still very enjoyable for music listening.
I tend to gravitate towards orchestral soundtracks and scores from movies and games, which cover a wide range of styles and genres. This variety helps me assess how well a pair of headphones can handle different types of audio. On the ATH-S300BT, vocals are delivered with clarity and precision, without the sharp highs that can sometimes be fatiguing, which I noticed with the DT 770 Pro.
The mids and bass on these headphones are lush, though the sub-bass might leave bass lovers wanting more, particularly on tracks like Eye for an Eye from The Last of Us Part II soundtrack. On the track Mamushi by Megan Thee Stallion, the bass resonated nicely, with just enough vibration in the ear cups to feel immersive. However, you’ll need to crank up the volume to get the fullest bass response.
One major drawback is the lack of software support for the ATH-S300BT. Without an app, you’re stuck with the default audio profile, with no way to adjust the EQ or customize the sound to your liking. This also means there’s no option for button remapping, noise cancellation adjustments, or even firmware updates. At $250, and in 2024, the absence of these features is disappointing and hard to justify.
When it comes to gaming, Audio-Technica claims low latency performance, which I tested on my Pixel 8a. The headphones performed well, with no noticeable lag. I played a few matches of Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile, and the ATH-S300BT delivered a punchy bass that made gunfire feel impactful. I was particularly impressed by the directionality and the wide soundstage, which made it easy to locate where shots were coming from.
However, if you’re serious about gaming with the ATH-S300BT, the wired option via the included 3.5mm cable is the way to go. This eliminates any potential lag or interference that might come with Bluetooth, and it’s essential for game chat on consoles.
As for the microphones, they’re adequate, though they won’t blow you away. The built-in mics capture voice clearly enough but could benefit from a bit more volume. The inline microphone on the 3.5mm cable also does a decent job, though it’s nothing remarkable.
Verdict
After a month with the Audio-Technica ATH-S300BT, I come away generally pleased. The headphones are exceptionally comfortable, deliver great sound across various genres, offer decent noise cancellation, and boast an impressive battery life that’s hard to beat. All of this is packed into a $250 price tag, which severely undercuts similar offerings from Sony and Bose. For most people, these headphones will more than suffice.
However, there are several areas where the ATH-S300BT could improve. First, the design is decidedly dull and generic. Despite what those old Sprite ads used to claim, image really does matter, and the ATH-S300BT falls short in this department. The marble effect, which I had hoped would add some flair, feels out of place and fails to make the headphones stand out. Additionally, the lack of software support is surprising and could easily be a deal-breaker for some.
That said, as a straightforward package, the ATH-S300BT offers solid sound and ANC at a competitive price. I’m looking forward to seeing how Audio-Technica improves on this in a second iteration.
Audio Technica Australia kindly provided the ATH-S300BT to PowerUp! for the purpose of this review.
