Published
1st November 2022
ST-HUBERT, QC, November 1, 2022 — In celebration of its 60th anniversary as one of the world’s foremost manufacturers of high-fidelity audio products, Audio-Technica today announced the introduction of its ATH-WB2022 audiophile wireless wooden headphones. The limited-edition ATH-WB2022 is the finest Bluetooth® headphone ever created by Audio-Technica, and features the world’s first completely balanced audio output system for wireless headphones. The ATH-WB2022 is exquisitely crafted from layered woods, and supports up to 24-bit/96 kHz high-resolution music listening.
Audio-Technica has long believed in the benefits of wooden headphones, both for their natural beauty and beneficial sonic properties. The ATH-WB2022 takes this philosophy to an extraordinary level. Each ATH-WB2022 is finely crafted in Audio-Technica’s facility in Naruse, Tokyo, Japan. The housings are made from flame maple, walnut and mahogany, and provided by renowned Japanese guitar maker Fujigen. Along with a striking multilayered appearance, the combination of the different woods yields excellent acoustic damping properties, for purer, more natural audio reproduction. To complement the stunning woods, the earpads and headband are made from Alcantara, a sustainable material with a soft, comfortable texture.
The ATH-WB2022’s newly-developed balanced audio output system is entirely unique. It employs two leading-edge ESS ES9038Q2M DACs, one for each channel. Two top of the line Nisshinbo Micro Devices’ MUSES05 op-amps are used for each channel for the input and for the output stage, in a fully-balanced configuration to ensure unmatched channel separation, imaging, and transient response. In addition, the ATH-WB2022 uses separate, rechargeable batteries for each channel. This exclusive balanced audio output system ensures remarkable clarity and resolution, with zero crosstalk or noise between the left and right channels. The ATH-WB2022 incorporates a new 45 mm driver with a powerful magnetic circuit and a DLC (diamond-like carbon) coated diaphragm. The headphones are compatible with the high-quality LDAC and AAC codecs and support high-resolution up to 24-bit/96 kHz audio playback via wireless audio or its USB connection.
The ATH-WB2022 comes with a high-quality Audio-Technica condenser mic for clear audio quality when making phone calls. It offers up to nine hours of continuous use on a full charge, and its multipoint pairing function allows users to stay connected to two Bluetooth devices at once. Its handy earcup buttons offer control of music, microphone and voice assistant functions, and the headphones can be used with Audio-Technica’s AT Connect app for additional control and EQ options including a low-latency mode. The ATH-WB2022 comes with two high-quality 6N-OFC cables, a USB-C to USB-A cable, and a USB-C to USB-C cable. It is supplied with a premium case as part of Audio-Technica’s partnership with Zero Halliburton.
The limited-edition Audio-Technica ATH-WB2022 wireless wooden headphones will be available early 2023 at a suggested retail price of $3699.
About Audio-Technica’s 60th Anniversary
Inspired by the depth of emotion he witnessed at vinyl listening sessions organized during his tenure at the Bridgestone Museum of Arts in Tokyo, company founder Hideo Matsushita was determined to enable more people to experience the warmth of analog listening. In a small Shinjuku apartment, he established Audio-Technica and began developing cartridges. His first two products, the AT-1 and AT-3, achieved success and enabled Hideo to expand his business. He opened a larger headquarters in Machida, where the company still operates today.
60 years since Hideo created his first cartridge, Audio-Technica will mark this occasion by reaffirming its commitment to analog. Focusing on a human-centered approach to the process of generating sound, the company sees analog as an enjoyment and appreciation for audio that doesn’t alter, despite the rapid changes throughout history.
Today Audio-Technica is an integral part of the audio industry, with products used at global events, on screen, in studios and in homes – retaining the “audio for all” philosophy and ensuring future generations can experience the joy of analog.
The brand will celebrate its 60th anniversary with a series of events across the world on the theme of analog living.
Since 2018, Audio-Technica has been a proud sponsor of Playing for Change, a global movement created to inspire and connect the world through music, born from the shared belief that music has the power to break down boundaries and overcome distances between people. As the exclusive microphone and headphone sponsor of Playing for Change, Audio-Technica has been providing global support and equipment for PFC and the PFC Band, in addition to advocating for PFC at events year-round. In honor of this year’s anniversary, Audio-Technica U.S., Canada, UK and Europe will donate a percentage of its 60th Anniversary product sales to the Playing for Change Foundation through March 2023.
Audio-Technica was founded in 1962 with the mission of producing high-quality audio for everyone. As we have grown to design critically acclaimed headphones, turntables and microphones, we have retained the belief that great audio should not be enjoyed only by the select few, but accessible to all. Building upon our analog heritage, we work to expand the limits of audio technology, pursuing an ever-changing purity of sound that creates connections and enriches lives.
— For more information on the complete range of Audio-Technica products, contact Jamie Bobek, Audio-Technica U.S., Inc., 1221 Commerce Drive, Stow, OH 44224. Tel: (330) 686-2600; Fax: (330) 688-3752; Web: www.audio-technica.com
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