The tagline for Beyerdynamic’s latest consumer-grade, ANC-equipped wireless headphones is “What is your why?” — and, unfortunately, “Why?” was the first question on my lips when I first listened to them. A lacklustre sonic profile is accompanied by a lack of convincing dynamics, at least when listening actively in a quiet room.
My “why?” was answered in part by the Aventho Y’s own “why”: they are clearly designed to be used outdoors, to compete with a constant thrum of traffic and people and cut through accordingly. And this they do, quite commendably. The ANC is impactful, which is more than you can say for most headphones in this price range; there’s also a Transparency mode which is similarly effective outside. The long battery life is a genuine boon, as is the fact you can replace that battery with ease whenever it does eventually lose its edge.
A shoo-in for our best noise-cancelling headphones guide then? Not so fast. Better as the Aventho Y's performance is when on the move, it’s not saved wholly from its shortcomings. It’s necessary to visit the Beyerdynamic app to reintroduce some low end, and there’s still a sense that you’re not hearing songs as they ought to be heard.
Well-designed and well-priced though these headphones are — and excellent as that ANC is for its price — I can’t love the Beyerdynamic Aventho Y as much as I’d like to, purely for how poorly the sound is handled. Curmudgeonly as this review may at some points seem, I am no stranger to whimsy; I did really enjoy my time with these headphones.
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