Wireless headphones have become remarkably capable, but many still have an inconvenient weakness built into them. The electronics might work perfectly well for years, yet the battery will gradually lose capacity and the ear pads will eventually wear out. When replacement parts are difficult to obtain or install, an otherwise functional pair of headphones can end up being replaced.
Price: $149.99
Where to Buy: Amazon
Beyerdynamic is taking a more practical approach with the new Beyerdynamic AVENTHO Y. These $149.99 wireless over-ear headphones combine active noise cancellation, unusually long claimed battery life, Bluetooth 6.0, and components designed to be replaced rather than discarded with the entire headset. That last feature could prove more important over several years of ownership than many of the headline specifications.
You can actually replace the battery
Rechargeable batteries are one of the unavoidable wear items in wireless headphones. Capacity declines after repeated charging cycles, which means the impressive battery life you get when the headphones are new will not necessarily be there several years later.
Beyerdynamic designed the AVENTHO Y so the owner can replace the battery. It sits inside the left earcup underneath a magnetically attached ear cushion. Remove the cushion and a small hinged compartment provides access to the battery.
That might not sound particularly exciting, but it addresses a genuine long-term ownership problem. A worn battery no longer automatically means replacing the headphones or sending them away simply to access an internal component.
The ear cushions are replaceable too, and Beyerdynamic uses an aluminum yoke as part of the construction. None of this guarantees that the headphones will survive years of hard use, but making common wear items accessible gives owners a better chance of keeping them in service.
Battery life could mean charging only occasionally
Long battery life further strengthens the case. Beyerdynamic rates the AVENTHO Y for more than 90 hours of playback without active noise cancellation and more than 60 hours with ANC switched on. The company also says a five-minute fast charge can provide up to six hours of additional playback.
Those numbers need the usual qualification because they are manufacturer claims rather than results from our own testing. Listening volume, calls, ANC use, Bluetooth conditions, and other variables can change real-world runtime. Even so, the claimed figures are substantial enough that charging could become an occasional task rather than part of your daily routine.
For commuters and travelers, that could be particularly useful. Sixty hours with ANC enabled provides enough theoretical runtime for multiple long trips before the headphones need to find a USB-C charger.
The audio hardware is fairly straightforward
The AVENTHO Y uses a closed-back, over-ear design with 45mm dynamic drivers. Beyerdynamic specifies a frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz, while the headphones weigh 316 grams.
Beyerdynamic makes the usual claims about immersive sound and its audio expertise, but sound quality cannot be determined from driver size or marketing language. That will require listening tests. Owners will at least have some control over the presentation through the Beyerdynamic app, which provides adjustable sound settings.
There is also an interesting compromise in the wireless specifications. The AVENTHO Y supports Bluetooth 6.0 and multipoint connectivity, but the listed audio codecs are SBC and AAC. There is no LDAC or aptX support listed.
That does not tell us whether the headphones sound good or bad. Codec specifications are only one part of wireless audio performance. However, buyers who specifically want LDAC, aptX Adaptive, or aptX Lossless should know that those options are not part of the current specification.
ANC and multipoint make them practical everyday headphones
Active noise cancellation is included for situations where you want to reduce surrounding noise. Until the AVENTHO Y receives thorough independent testing, however, we cannot say how its ANC compares with established noise-canceling models from companies such as Bose and Sony.
Multipoint connectivity is easier to appreciate without testing. The headphones can remain connected to multiple devices, making it possible to move between a laptop and smartphone without repeatedly disconnecting and pairing them again. For someone who uses the same headphones for work, calls, and music, that can make a noticeable difference in everyday convenience.
The AVENTHO Y is also foldable and comes in four colors: Liquid Black, Blue Fusion, Peach Blush, and Soft Jade. That gives the headphones a more colorful personality than the black, gray, and silver finishes that dominate this category.
Who should buy the Beyerdynamic AVENTHO Y?
At $149.99, the AVENTHO Y looks most interesting for buyers who care about how long their wireless headphones can remain useful rather than simply chasing the longest specification sheet.
The combination of more than 60 hours of claimed battery life with ANC, replaceable ear cushions, and a battery that owners can access themselves addresses several practical ownership concerns. Travelers should appreciate the long runtime and folding design, while people moving between computers and phones can make use of multipoint connectivity.
There are a few caveats, however. The 316-gram weight may matter to people sensitive to heavier headphones, and buyers specifically seeking higher-bandwidth Bluetooth codecs will find only SBC and AAC here. We also need independent testing before drawing conclusions about sound quality, comfort, microphone performance, and the effectiveness of the ANC.
Price: $149.99
Where to Buy: Amazon
Still, the AVENTHO Y gets an increasingly important part of headphone design right: a wireless headset should not become disposable simply because its battery eventually wears out. By making that component accessible and replaceable, Beyerdynamic gives owners a more practical path to keeping the headphones in use. At $149.99, that makes the AVENTHO Y a notably sensible option in a category that too often treats long-term ownership as an afterthought.
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