Audio-Technica proves, once again, that its expertise in professional audio lends itself well to excellent headphone design.

Excellent sound; with or without noise cancelling; Very comfortable; Stylish storage case packed with all the right accessories; Highly effective noise cancellation available in three levels

AAA battery life is short-lived; Slightly forward upper midrange when noise-cancelling not needed; Headphone cable smaller than we'd like; Single-button control

2012 Best Active Noise Cancellation Headphones

Some headphone manufacturers attract disproportionate attention for their new products with aggressive marketing and distinctive industrial designs, but Audio-Technica is not one of those companies.

has long admired Audio-Technica's ATH-ANC7 and ATH-ANC7b noise-cancelling ‘phones and now the ATH-ANC9 ($349.95) has raised the bar higher still, both in terms of sound quality and flexibility.

Audio Technica's ATH-ANC9 Over-the-Ear Headphones don't have an overly heavy duty look to them, which makes them unassuming and clean looking. But, of course, headphones are about functionality.

In the realm of active noise cancellation, there's Audio Technica, Bose and Sennheiser... then the rest. For quite a while now, all three manufacturers have been fighting a merciless technological battle, coming out with ever more impressive...

Comfort; Multiple noise cancelling modes; Accessories; Audio rendering

Dry; unimaginative design; A bit too much plastic; Lacking neutrality

The noise cancelling modes of the Audio-Technica ATH-ANC9 are all very well implemented, as is the ability to switch between all three at will. The headphones' sound quality is also impressive when noise cancellation is enabled - less so when it isn't - and the price tag is lower than a pair of Bose...

Excellent noise cancelling; Clear treble and solid bass; Good construction

Bass and treble suffer when powered off; Strong clamping force may cause fatigue; Thin cable

There's no shortage of similar-looking noise-canceling headphones on the market, and the Audio Technica ATH-ANC9 QuietPoint does little to separate itself from the group visually.

Deep bass response, with no distortion at top volumes; Lightweight, comfortable construction; Outputs audio in passive mode; Removable cables-one with inline microphone and remote

Slightly overpriced; Noise cancellation mics sometimes allow low transient sounds into in-ear mix; Doesn't ship with a rechargeable battery

There's no shortage of similar looking noise cancelling headphones on the market, and the Audio Technica ATH-ANC9 QuietPoint does little to separate itself from the group visually.

Deep bass response with no distortion; Lightweight; comfortable construction; Outputs audio in passive mode

Slightly overpriced; Noise cancellation isn't perfect; Doesn't ship with a rechargeable battery

The

Dynamic performance; Good energy

Noise-cancelling could be better; Can get tiring after a while