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Audio Technica offers up a new, all-digital spin on wireless Bluetooth headphones

Veteran audio brand Audio-Technica has a long track record for impressive headphone design. Now, in the highly competitive space of wireless headphones, the company aims to keep its edge with the new ATH-DSR7BT Pure Digital Drive Headphones. First showcased at CES 2017, the ATH-DSR7BT are now packed up and ready for delivery.

Audio-Technica hopes to make its latest wireless cans standout from the crowd thanks to the brand’s proprietary Pure Digital Drive technology, which uses AT’s Trigence Semiconductor Dnote chipset to bypass several levels of processing and conversion that’s common practice in most wireless Bluetooth headphones. The company claims that keeping the signal in the digital realm from source to speaker allows for a less colored, truer listening experience, avoiding pitfalls of traditional designs like increased distortion.

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The headphones also support aptX HD, aimed at upscaling Bluetooth streaming to 24bit/48kHz resolution for compatible devices. And when you’re not worried about being tethered, you can enjoy true high-resolution playback thanks to a built-in DAC (Digital-to Analog Converter) via the included USB connection.

While Audio-Technica touts its Pure Digital Drive Technology, the company hasn’t forgotten the basics. The ATH-DSR7BT’s physical design is based on Audio-Technica’s award-winning MSR7, with a few enhancements, including redesigned 45mm True Motion drivers claimed to offer better transient response, and a set of acoustic resistor controls that supplies the diaphragm with more airflow. The company has also relocated the circuit board so as not to interfere with driver response. All these changes aim to provide the listener with a more enjoyable, fully-balanced listening experience.

Other highlights include NFC for touch pairing the headphones to compatible devices, and a built-in mic and controller so you can field phone calls in between jamming your tunes.

With some innovative features and unique engineering, we’re looking forward to trying these headphones out for ourselves. The new ATH-DSR7BT are available now online from multiple retailers for an MSRP of $299.

Patrick Miller
Former Digital Trends Contributor
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