Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT review: for music lovers

A soundstage that is both well-balanced and complementary to all types of music: tick. Very low rate of battery depletion: checked. Good connectivity has been confirmed. To keep the Audio-Technica sounding as well as it does while maintaining such an accessible price point, what sorts of concessions had to be made in important areas? Continue reading this comprehensive review to learn more.

If you’ve never heard Audio-signature Technica’s sound quality before but are interested in doing so, the reasonably priced ATH-M20xBT is an excellent place to begin your exploration. They are the most recent model of the immensely successful M-Series of over-ear headphones and are extremely comparable to the ATH-M50xBT, which has garnered overwhelmingly positive feedback. Minimalist design: tick.

Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT review: Design and comfort

The aesthetic that Audio-Technica is known for has been maintained, as shown by the all-black shell that is constructed of plastic with leather cushioning, thin metal extenders, and a logo on each earcup. The design is successful because it caters to customers who value simplicity and functionality. My only complaint is that the build quality is of such poor standard.

When you remove these headphones from their packaging, you will notice that they have a very lightweight and flimsy feel. A rough landing on the concrete would be fatal for the plastic because of its lack of resilience. If you sit on them or step on them at an incorrect angle, the yoke will break and the extenders will get bent.

Another contentious decision made by Audio-Technica during the design process was to prevent users from rotating the earcups sideways. This was done to reduce the likelihood that the headphones would break if they were placed in a carry-on bag, although the ATH-M20xBT does not come with a carrying case or pouch.

Even though they seem to weigh relatively little, these headphones do not provide a lot of comfort. After listening for an hour, you will feel fatigued due to the tight clamp force placed around your ears. In addition, the leather will heat up and cause your ears to become uncomfortably heated. You can buy these headphones from its official website.

Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT review: Sound quality

Sounds from the past can be hard to get on cheap wireless headphones. The ATH-M20xBT might not be as good as the company’s more expensive models, but it sounds good and is well tuned.

The low end might not be strong enough for bass fans, but we thought it was well-balanced. Not too aggressive or too quiet. “That’s Alright” by Laura Mvula grabbed me right away with its catchy drums, which stayed steady and powerful the whole way through.

The fact that we were tapping my right foot to the beat shows how catchy this song was on the ATH-M20xBT. The harmony was also clear and clean, and the layering was clear enough to hear the different voices in the background. “Livewire” by Oh Wonder had a great middle range. It gave the softly spoken vocals a delicate feel that went well with the melodic piano playing and stood out over the pulsing bass drum.

Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT review: Call quality and connectivity

There is useful multi-point connectivity, so you can pair and connect to two devices at the same time. The headphones will switch between the two based on what you are listening to or who is calling you.

The Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT doesn’t have active noise cancellation or app support. It also doesn’t have wear-detection sensors, making it less well-equipped than Sony, JBL, and Sennheiser options.

Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT review: Noise isolation

With 60 hours of playtime, you can listen to music for more than a whole work week before you have to plug the headphones into a USB-C port. (They also have a good microphone for phone calls and Zoom.) But we like that you can also listen to them with a cord without power.

We used them to walk around my neighborhood and jam out with my phone, and then we plugged them into my interface to record music in my home studio. The 3.5-mm cable that comes with it will also make frequent flyers happy. The headphones don’t have noise-canceling technology, but the earmuff-style design blocks out a lot of sound on its own.

Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT review: Battery Life

Another great thing is how long the battery lasts. You won’t have to charge them all the time because they can last up to 60 hours on a single charge. Since these headphones last so long, you might forget that they are wireless and forget to charge them. But even if that happens, they have a quick charge feature that will give you 3 hours of battery life after only 10 minutes of charging.

At 36 ohms, these headphones work great with every device. The way the buttons are made is also very good. It’s easy to get to and easy to use, and it has everything you need to control playback, voice calls, and the microphone. Even though the headphones are cheap, the mic is pretty good.

Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT review: Price

The Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT wireless headphones don’t have many extra features or accessories, but their great sound quality more than makes up for it. They have one of the best sound signatures we’ve heard for under $100. You get clarity and detail across the whole range of frequencies, and the deep bass sounds refreshingly accurate.

The wired mode also doesn’t give up anything important. There aren’t many alternatives in this price range unless you want to give up Bluetooth and get the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro instead. We also like the accuracy of the Sennheiser HD 450BT and the price of the Jabra Elite 45h, both of which are wireless options under $200. All of these options cost more than the ATH-M20xBT, which shows how much better they sound than the ATH-M20xBT.

Conclusion

The sound profile of the ATH-M20xBT is one that may be enjoyed without causing tiredness. When compared to other headphones available at this price point, these stand out as really impressive.

A pleasing sound that is ideal for casual listening, DJing, and light studio work because of its versatility. Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, it’s important to draw attention to the codecs that are available while Bluetooth mode is active.