Originally launched in 2022 in Japan, and not widely promoted in global markets, the ATH-CC500BT was the first cartilage conduction product by Audio-Technica. The new model builds on this first design, now featuring significant upgrades in comfort, sound quality, and call performance, deserving a global introduction that the original product didn't have.
According to the Japanese company, both products explore the original research in cartilage conduction as conducted by Professor Hiroshi Hosoi of Nara Medical University, which published his work in 2004. The Audio-Technica products use patents granted by CCH Sound, a Japanese company that develops transducers specialized for cartilage conduction, based on the discoveries of Prof. Hosoi.
Offering an updated perspective over a well-known phenomenon, in its original paper, cartilage conduction is described by Prof. Hosoi as the "third auditory pathway" that differs from conventional air conduction (sound transmitted through air) and bone conduction (sound transmitted through bone). Instead of transmitting vibrations in the temple area of the head as used in bone conduction designs, the new Audio-Technica ATH-CC500BT2 neckband design moves the transducer actuation area to the ear’s cartilage, which has been proven to be a more effective way to transmit sound without blocking our ears.
Because many users are extremely sensitive to pressure in the temple area, bone conduction is known to cause fatigue after a short period of time. Going through the cartilage instead, the generated sound is transmitted effectively via the eardrum, middle ear, and inner ear, without blocking the ears. Audio-Technica's cartilage conduction transducers also stay positioned over the aural cartilage, just outside of the frontal area of the outer ear without exerting much pressure. They do not attach physically to the ear, as the Auricle awareONE design does, allowing it to dispense with the headband and increasing the volume of the transmitted sound, but also increasing the awareness of the tingle effects caused by the vibration.
Audio-Technica reveals that the ATH-CC500BT2's drivers use an acoustic stabilizer, described as "a proprietary mechanism that reduces noise caused by external vibrations and faithfully reproduces original sounds with cartilage conduction headphones." These improved drivers help improve stereo perception with no crosstalk between the ears (unlike bone conduction, which is known to turn stereo music into mono), and generate less sound leakage.
The second-generation Audio-Technica model also introduces several significant upgrades in comfort, sound quality, and call performance, allowing it to perform well in a wide range of daily activities - from working at home or in the office, to outdoor walks and fitness activities. Battery lasts for up to 20 hours on a full charge, with a 10-minute quick charge over USB-C providing up to 120 minutes of continuous playback.
The ATH-CC500BT2 also features Audio-Technica's Connect app, where users can select their preferred sound settings, including Clear Voice Mode for enhanced dialogue clarity, BGM Mode for a more relaxing listening experience, and Limit Sound Leakage Mode for public places. With the addition of a Soundscape function, users can explore soothing nature soundscapes designed to boost focus or relaxation.
Calls are also greatly enhanced by intelliGo's AI Noise Reduction technology, extracting only the speaker’s voice during calls or online meetings, and reducing environmental noise for seamless communication. This reduces the battery life to around 10 hours of continuous talk time - still a reasonable metric for a full working day. The AI solution offered by the Taiwan-based company is implemented in a dedicated chip and runs a model trained in more than 500 million samples of various noise data, allowing it to distinguish and extract only human voices in any context. This noise reduction technology allows the people on the other side of the call to hear the user's voice clearly.
With these processing options, the ATH-CC500BT2 creates a new, interesting open-ear option, allowing users to enjoy content while staying aware of their surroundings. The combination of the new vibration drivers (PAT.P) and enhanced sound processing also maximizes sound volume, offering improved calls and music. Open-ear designs are also recognized for enabling more natural, comfortable conversations in contrast to occluded designs.
The Audio-Technica ATH-CC500BT2 cartilage conduction neckband is a water-resistant (IPX4) design. It is smaller and lighter than its predecessor and now benefits from multipoint Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity. The ear hanger and neckband are made of flexible and lightweight titanium and a soft silicone material for all-day comfortable wear.
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