Audio Technica shows off new headphones, affordable wireless turntable

By Ryan Waniata January 7, 2016

Audio Technica brought some cool new toys to CES 2016 this year, and we got a chance to peruse them in the midst of the chaotic show. The company has taken its popular ATH-MSR7 over-ear headphones up a notch by adding active noise cancelling (ANC), adding a couple of new on-ear models to the mix, and perhaps most notably, adding new wireless capability to the popular LP-60 turntable in the new AT-LP60-BT.

We really enjoyed the ATH-MSR7 when we reviewed the headphones last year, and active noise cancelling is a great addition to an already great pair of cans in the new ATH-MSR7NC ($300). We tested the feature out on the floor, and it did a pretty good job of attenuating the madness, though we did notice that the on-board amplifier raised the volume fairly significantly when ANC was engaged.

The company decided to capitalize on the success of the MSR7 this year, adding two new on-ears in the ATH-SR5 and the ATH-SR5BT, the “BT” standing for Bluetooth wireless connection. On first acquaintance, the SR5 impressed: The headphones offer a clean sound that’s well balanced, with a pretty comfy fit to match. The $150 price point for the wired version is especially impressive, and we’ll expect the junior version to do just as well as the over-ear MSR7.

1 of 12

audio technica athmsr7 athmsr5 bluetooth lp60 turntable at bt 4 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

audio technica athmsr7 athmsr5 bluetooth lp60 turntable at bt 2 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

audio technica athmsr7 athmsr5 bluetooth lp60 turntable at bt 1 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

audio technica athmsr7 athmsr5 bluetooth lp60 turntable at bt 3 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

audio technica athmsr7 athmsr5 bluetooth lp60 turntable ath msr7 nc 1 sq — Image used with permission by copyright holder

audio technica athmsr7 athmsr5 bluetooth lp60 turntable ath msr7 nc 2 sq — Image used with permission by copyright holder

audio technica athmsr7 athmsr5 bluetooth lp60 turntable ath sr5bk bk 1a sq — Image used with permission by copyright holder

audio technica athmsr7 athmsr5 bluetooth lp60 turntable ath sr5bk bk 2 sq — Image used with permission by copyright holder

audio technica athmsr7 athmsr5 bluetooth lp60 turntable ath sr5bk bk 3 sq — Image used with permission by copyright holder

audio technica athmsr7 athmsr5 bluetooth lp60 turntable ath sr5bk bk access 1 sq — Image used with permission by copyright holder

audio technica athmsr7 athmsr5 bluetooth lp60 turntable ath sr5btbk gp 1 sq — Image used with permission by copyright holder

audio technica athmsr7 athmsr5 bluetooth lp60 turntable ath sr5bk gp 1a sq — Image used with permission by copyright holder

As for the AT-LP60BK, if you’re wondering why AT would want to send the analog grooves of vinyl through the compressed and degraded signal that is Bluetooth, you’re not alone: the Audio Technica reps didn’t really have an answer either. That said, the LP60 is still the same quality turntable it always was, with a highly affordable price and the option for on-board amplification. The only real difference now is added versatility.

At $180, the LP60-BT is still highly affordable, and if you do want to spin some wax and step away, it could be a fun feature, allowing you to send the sound to up to eight different speakers and headphones, and it’s available this month.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Ryan Waniata is a multi-year veteran of the digital media industry, a lover of all things tech, audio, and TV, and a…

Audio / Video

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds are $80 off for a limited time

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II beside charging case.

There's a lot to like about the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II, but Best Buy has given us another reason -- an $80 discount that pulls the price of the wireless earbuds down to $199 from $279 originally. Made by one of the most trusted names in the audio industry, you won't regret going for these listening devices, but if you want to pocket the savings, you're going to have to proceed with the purchase immediately as there's no telling when their price will go back to normal.

Why you should buy the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II are featured in our list of the best noise-canceling earbuds because of their outstanding active noise cancellation. That's actually not a surprise as it's Bose that spearheaded the development of the technology, with these wireless earbuds using microphones to detect sounds from around you and then generate opposing signals to cancel them. The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II carry an IPX4 rating for water and sweat resistance so they'll be fine during intense workouts, and they can last up to six hours on a single charge and a total of 24 hours with their charging case.

Computing

Best Buy deals: Save on laptops, TVs, appliances, and more

best buy shuts down insignia line smart home products store 2 768x768

Best Buy has become one of the biggest retailers on the market, with everything from TVs to blenders on sale, meaning you can pretty much grab whatever your heart desires directly off Best Buy. In fact, we draw a lot from Best Buy when it comes to the best TV deals, best laptop deals, and best phone deals, so we know how great of a source it can be for solid deals. To that end, we've gone out and collected some of our favorites in various categories and collected them for you below.
Best Buy TV deals

There may be no better place to purchase one of the best TVs than Best Buy. There is almost always some huge savings to find on TVs at Best Buy, and that’s certainly the case right now. You’ll find deals top TV brands like Sony, Samsung, and LG, and more budget-friendly brands like TCL and Hisense are in play, too.

Audio / Video

LG has already started its Memorial Day OLED TV sale

The LG G3 OLED TV on a stand, showing a mountain scene on the screen.

If you're on the hunt for OLED TV deals, you should know that LG has already launched its Memorial Day sale for all kinds of tech-- and yes, that includes OLED TVs. With the holiday around the corner, you can already get the 65-inch LG B3 OLED 4K TV for $1,200 instead of $2,400 for savings of $1,200, the 65-inch LG C3 OLED 4K TV for $1,600 instead of $2,500 for savings of $900, and the 65-inch LG G3 OLED 4K TV for $2,300 instead of $3,300 for savings of $1,000.

OLED TVs use organic light-emitting diodes that eliminate the need for a backlight, and since the behavior of each pixel can be controlled, they can create perfect black levels that other types of TVs aren't able to achieve. OLED TVs also offer wide viewing angles and ultra-thin designs, and with OLED technology being LG's calling card as one of the best TV brands, you can't go wrong with any of these models that are on sale. You're going to have to hurry though -- the Memorial Day sale has just started, but it's not a good idea to wait until the last minute before making your purchase because discounts may change and stock may run out.
65-inch LG B3 OLED 4K TV -- $1,200, was $2,400