The Audio Technica S220BT check all the boxes for a set of inexpensive on-the-go headphones in a crowded market. At this budget, noise cancellation is not available, but the impressive 60-hour battery life, dependable bluetooth connectivity, and surprisingly well-balanced music make these headphones a good choice for daily listening.
Design
The dynamic drivers of the S220BT are 40mm closed-back drivers. Their battery life is 60 hours on a full charge and around 3.5 hours on a quick charge. Either a cable connection or a bluetooth connection can be used to use the headphones. Just pause/play/track navigation, digital assistant activation, and Low Latency Mode are used for Bluetooth operation, ensuring that films and music sync perfectly at the expense of longer battery life. I found it pleasant not to have to fiddle with things like noise cancellation and EQ settings because it makes sense that at this price point, there wouldn’t be any extra bells and whistles that come with bluetooth headphones.
The quality and resolution of the Bluetooth connection did occasionally seem to be lower than that of the cable connection, but this difference was rarely audible and generally had no effect on my listening experience. I wouldn’t know the difference between a wired and Bluetooth connection if I were using these on the train, but in a quiet room, I do.
Audio Excellence
Despite the S220BT’s low price, Audio-Technica has worked hard to provide respectable sound quality on a tight budget. The target audience is not very concerned with driver quality or musical attention level, yet the S220BT nonetheless provides tight bass and well-balanced treble clarity. The S220BT trademark has a somewhat distinct sound thanks to an enhanced midrange that emphasizes the “ring” of the vocal and instruments. The brightness is slightly muted while the major instruments are given more prominence by this audio feature. It’s good that the bass does not sound too muddy, but if the ear cups are not snugly seated against the ears, the intensity could not be audible. The S220BT generally produces a neutral sound with a focus on the midrange without overly muffling the bass or treble.
As the built-in amplifier is not driving the audio in wired mode, the overall mix is less dynamic and the bass is less forceful. The power is immediately shut off once the cable is inserted into the headphones port.
- Bass – 7/10. When the ear cups retain a good seal, it sounds tight.
- Medium: 7.5/10. mixed prominently but sensibly
- Treble: 7/10 Midrange overshadows sharp highs.
The mic on the left ear cup takes up the voice at the lower frequency when making calls, producing a warm, slightly muffled sound. If the volume rises above a specific loudness, background noise is treated to be removed. The loudness is generally superior to real wireless earbuds.
The power button must be pressed three times to enter the low-latency mode. Although the latency is decreased, it still cannot match direct cable’s responsiveness. But, this option exists to reduce latency when watching videos and playing games. If the latency is still too much for you, simply connect the 3.5mm connection directly. On the S220BT, at least, alternatives are available.
Features
Surprisingly feature-rich wireless headphones, the Audio Technica S220BT. First off, the somewhat absurd 60-hour battery life is, thankfully, a genuine promise. It’s obviously a function of volume, but without active noise cancellation to worry about, it took us roughly 50 hours to reach the low battery warning. Every time you switch them on, a helpful stated battery level appears, which is helpful even if you don’t actually remember to plug them in.
They also remarkably well maintain charge. Turning on the headphones after a few months of inactivity revealed that the battery level was remained at medium. Even if their batteries are low, the rapid charge USB-C port allows you to charge them in just ten minutes and obtain three and a half hours of audio, which is helpful in an emergency.
A short USB-C to USB connection and a longer 3.5mm audio connector with an inbuilt remote and microphone are included in the box. Unfortunately, the microphone itself sounds muffled when connected wirelessly, so even if you can hear the person on the other end of the phone clearly, they will have a very difficult time hearing you. It’s different when you connect the cable, and the S220BT worked nicely with an Xbox Series X controller connected for chat and Destiny 2.
The multipoint Bluetooth feature makes it convenient to connect to multiple devices simultaneously. Again, it’s not the best for making calls, but switching from music on a smartphone to videos on a Computer or tablet is simple, and following a quick pairing procedure, Bluetooth connectivity is stable and consistent.
Conclusion
The Audio-Technica ATH-S220BT emphasizes the midrange more to provide the vocals and instruments a more complete sound presentation. Although not particularly thrilling, the bass and highs provide a reasonable combination of power and clarity. Since it highlights the vocal richness without sacrificing the punch and clarity, I like listening to them. The fact that they are reasonably priced, have a long battery life, allow for simultaneous connections to two devices, and can run on cables even without a battery is crucial.
