Audio Technica ATHM20xBT Wireless Headphones Review: Sound quality is amazing, but the price is high!

Before Bluetooth and wireless headphones became popular, Audio-Technica was a well-known name in the wired headphones segment. This doesn’t mean that this Japanese brand has lost its relevance or importance, but its new products still seem to be inspired by the reputation of some of its older products, like the monitor grade M-series studio headphones. The product I am going to review is a refreshed Bluetooth powered version of an older product.

The Audio-Technica ATH-M20x has been around for a long time and was once a popular reasonably priced product for studio monitor sound. Now the company has launched its wireless version as its latest product. Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT Its price in India is Rs 13,500. This gives its longtime fans the opportunity to experience the same unique sound signature with wireless connectivity. With 60 hours of battery life, multi-point connectivity and optional wired connectivity, is this the best wireless over-ear headset under Rs 15,000 that you can buy right now? Let’s find out in this review.

Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT Design and Specifications

Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT is the wireless version of its classic and wired model Audio-Technica ATH-M20x. It is similar in appearance also. The headset has a good over-ear fit, comfortable padding around the ears and on the headband, and a metal frame connecting the two ear cups. Other commonalities in design elements include the ATH-M20x sculpted on the sides, the gentle swivel and telescopically adjustable headband, and the exposed audio wires near the headband.

The headset is currently available only in black color. Its weight is 216 grams. Considering the size, the weight of the headphones is not that much, it feels light and comfortable to wear. The padding provided around the earcups covers the ears completely.

I did not find its passive noise isolation particularly impressive. It did not seem very effective in blocking the sound coming from outside. However, one advantage of this was that I did not have to remove the headphones from my ears to let some outside air in. Its fit is such that it allows outside air to come in as per the need.

There are some differences in its design from the old model which are given for controls and buttons. These have a stereo socket for wired listening, a USB Type C port for charging, and three buttons to control playback and volume, which are given on the left side. The sales package also comes with a USB Type-A to Type-C charging cable and a stereo cable for wired connectivity. But unfortunately, there is no carrying case included for the headphones.

The Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT uses Bluetooth 5 with SBC and AAC Bluetooth codecs support for primary connectivity. The headphones feature 40mm dynamic drivers, a frequency response range of 5 to 32,000Hz, a rated sensitivity of 100dB, and an impedance of 36Ohms. There is a microphone on the M20xBT, so you can use it as a hands-free headset.

It has multi-point connectivity so that you can pair and connect two devices simultaneously. Here the headphone keeps switching between the two based on its intelligence. It depends on what kind of content is being played or a call is being received. Active noise cancellation is not available in the headset nor is app support provided. It also does not have wear detection sensors, which means it cannot detect itself when worn. This shortcoming makes the headset lag behind rivals like Sony, JBL and Sennheiser.

Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT performance and battery life

The Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT lags a bit in terms of features. But when it comes to sound quality, it offers a lot. Being a wireless version of the ATH-M20x, it offers the same sonic tuning, but with the convenience of wireless connectivity. I wouldn’t say that the M20xBT gives the full sound quality of the M20x, because wired connectivity always gives better sound than wireless connectivity. Yes but, the M20xBT comes very close to it.

The Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT delivers the same neutral, studio-friendly sound that the M-series is popular for. Very good audible details are available in the sound. It is also able to pin-point suppressed elements which gives the experience of a studio monitor. Same experience with different genres and tracks. But, its sonic signature and tone suits more slow and detail oriented tracks. Kamasi Washington’s Truth on this was a wonderful listening experience which other products in this price range would hardly be able to achieve.

The slow progression of this jazz track was captivating, with the headphones delivering each gentle drum hit, saxophone riffs and occasional piano elements with great precision thanks to the wireless headset. Astropilot’s Arambol gave me a chance to hear the headphones’ stereo separation up close. Additionally, specific elements were also heard along with the frequency range. The bass wasn’t too tight, the headphones focused on delivering a neutral, flat sound, not a polished and refined sound like more expensive wireless headphones.

The M20xBT seemed to get stuck in tuning on a busy track. Perhaps advanced codec support here could have added some value to the overall sound. The headset only supports SBC and AAC codecs, which feels a bit shaky at times.

Overall, Bluetooth is the only problem here. It’s very much stuck to its roots, like a wired headset. It can be said that it is not tuned for the weak wireless input of Bluetooth. By plugging in the cable, the problems in listening are reduced but, you have not paid Rs 13,500 for this adjustment.

Indoor call quality is good. Connectivity is also stable and works very well up to a distance of 4 meters from the source device. The battery life of the headphones is also quite good. It lasts for 48 hours on a single charge while continuously listening to music at moderate volume.

our decision

Audio-Technica is a respected name in consumer headphones and the ATH-M20xBT is an iconic product in its own right. But this is not enough here. The headset has the same montir grade sound as its wired version which is very good, but a few shortcomings hold it back. The price of the headset is quite high and it does not even support advanced Bluetooth codec.

For fans of Audio-Technica M-series, it provides convenience by providing wireless connectivity, but considering the price, it lacks features. It neither has active noise cancellation, nor app support, nor any extra features other than Bluetooth connectivity. This is a very good pair of headphones for use but its price should have been less than Rs 13,500.