Audio-technica ATH-WS990BT User Manual

ATH-WS990BT

User Manual

Wireless Headphones

Introduction

Thank you for purchasing this Audio-Technica product.
Before using the product, please read through the Quick Start Guide and Caution Guide, as well as this user manual
when necessary, to ensure that you will use the product correctly.

Safety precautions

Although this product was designed to be used safely, failing to use it correctly may result in an accident. To ensure
safety, observe all warnings and cautions while using the product.

Cautions for the product

• Do not use the product near medical equipment. Radio waves
may affect cardiac pacemakers and medical electronic
equipment. Do not use the product inside medical facilities.

• When using the product in aircraft, follow airline instructions.

• Do not use the product near automatic control devices such as
automatic doors and fire alarms. Radio waves may affect
electronic equipment and cause accidents due to malfunction.

• Do not disassemble, modify or attempt to repair the product to
avoid electric shock, malfunction or fire.

• Do not subject the product to strong impact to avoid electric
shock, malfunction or fire.

• Do not handle the product with wet hands to avoid electric
shock or injury.

• Disconnect the product from a device if the product begins to
malfunction, producing smoke, odor, heat, unwanted noise or
showing other signs of damage. In such a case, contact your
local Audio-Technica dealer.

• Do not allow the product to get wet to avoid electric shock or
malfunction.

• Do not put foreign matter such as combustible materials, metal,
or liquid in the product.

• Do not cover the product with a cloth to avoid fire or injury by
overheating.

• Follow applicable laws regarding mobile phone and headphone
use if using headphones while driving.

• Do not use the product in places where the inability to hear
ambient sound presents a serious risk (such as at railroad
crossings, train stations, and construction sites).

• When charging, make sure to use the included USB charging
cable.

• Do not charge with devices that have quick-charge functionality
(with a voltage of 5 V or more). Doing so may cause the
product to malfunction.

• To prevent damage to your hearing, do not raise the volume too
high. Listening to loud sound for an extended period may cause
temporary or permanent hearing loss.

• Discontinue use if skin irritation results from direct contact with
the product.

• Do not catch your fingers or other body parts between the
housing and the arm or inside the joints.

1

Safety precautions

Cautions for rechargeable battery

The product is equipped with a rechargeable battery (lithium polymer battery).

• If battery fluid gets into eyes, do not rub them. Rinse thoroughly
with clean water such as tap water and consult a doctor
immediately.

• If battery fluid leaks, do not touch fluid with bare hands. If fluid
remains inside the product, it may cause malfunction. If battery
fluid leaks, contact your local Audio-Technica dealer.

– If fluid gets in your mouth, gargle thoroughly with clean water

such as tap water and consult a doctor immediately.

– If your skin or clothing comes in contact with fluid,

immediately wash the affected skin or clothing with water. If
you experience skin irritation, consult a doctor.

• To avoid leakage, generation of heat or explosion:

– Never heat, disassemble or modify the battery, nor dispose of

it in a fire.

– Do not attempt to pierce with a nail, hit with a hammer or

step on the battery.
– Do not drop the product or subject it to strong impact.
– Do not get the battery wet.

For customers in the USA
FCC Notice

Warning

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1)
This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this

device must accept any interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired operation.

Caution

You are cautioned that any changes or modifications not
expressly approved in this manual could void your authority
to operate this equipment.

Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply
with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part
15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide
reasonable protection against harmful interference in a
residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and
can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and
used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful
interference to radio communications. However, there is no
guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this equipment does cause harmful
interference to radio or television reception, which can be
determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is
encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more
of the following measures:

– Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
–

Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

– Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from

that to which the receiver is connected.

– Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for

help.

• Do not use, leave or store the battery in the following places:
– Area exposed to direct sunlight or high temperatures and

humidity
– Inside of a car under the blazing sun
– Near heat sources such as heat registers

• Charge only with the included USB cable to avoid malfunction
or fire.

• The internal rechargeable battery of this product cannot be
replaced by the user. The battery may have reached the end of
its service life if the usage time becomes significantly shorter
even after the battery has been fully charged. If this is the case,
the battery needs to be repaired. Contact your local
Audio-Technica dealer for repair details.

• When the product is disposed of, the built-in rechargeable
battery needs to be discarded properly. Contact your local
Audio-Technica dealer to learn how to properly dispose of the
battery.

RF Exposure Statement

This transmitter must not be co-located or operated in
conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter used in
other systems. This device complies with FCC radiation
exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled environment
and meets the FCC radio frequency (RF) Exposure
Guidelines. This equipment has very low levels of RF energy
that is deemed to comply without testing of specific
absorption rate (SAR).

For customers in Canada
IC statement

CAN ICES-3 (B)/NMB-3(B)
This device complies with INDUSTRY CANADA R.S.S. 247.
Operation is subject to the following conditions: (1) This

device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this
device must accept any interference received, including
interference which may cause undesired operation.

Under Industry Canada regulations, this radio transmitter
may only operate using an antenna of a type and maximum
(or lesser) gain approved for the transmitter by Industry
Canada. To reduce potential radio interference to other users,
the antenna type and its gain should be so chosen that the
equivalent isotropically radiated power (e.i.r.p.) is not more
than that necessary for successful communication.

This device complies with RSS-102 radiation exposure limits
set forth for an uncontrolled environment.

2

Notes on use

• Be sure to read the connected device’s user manual before use.

• Audio-Technica will not be liable in any way for any loss of data in
the unlikely event that such losses should occur while using the
product.

• On public transportation or in other public places, keep the
volume low so as not to disturb other people.

• Minimize the volume on your device before connecting the
product.

• When using the product in a dry environment, you may feel a
tingling sensation in your ears. This is caused by static electricity
accumulated on your body, not by product malfunction.

• Do not subject the product to strong impact.

• Do not store the product in direct sunlight, near heating devices,
or in hot, humid, or dusty places. Additionally, do not allow the
product to get wet.

• When the product is used for a long time, the product may
become discolored due to ultraviolet light (especially direct
sunlight) and wear.

• Make sure to hold the plug when connecting and disconnecting
the USB charging cable. The USB charging cable may become
severed or an accident may occur if you pull on the cable itself.

• When you are not using the USB charging cable, disconnect it
from the product.

• If the product is placed in a bag while the USB charging cable is
still connected, the USB charging cable may become caught,
severed, or broken.

• When you are not using the product, store it in the included
pouch.

• This product can be used to talk on the phone only when using a
mobile telephone network. Support for telephony apps that use a
mobile data network is not guaranteed.

• If you use the product near an electronic device or transmitter
(such as a mobile phone), unwanted noise may be heard. In this
case, move the product away from the electronic device or
transmitter.

• If you use the product near a TV or radio antenna, noise may be
seen or heard in the television or radio signal. In this case, move
the product away from the TV or radio antenna.

• To protect the built-in rechargeable battery, charge it at least once
every 6 months. If too much time passes between charges, the life
of the rechargeable battery may be reduced, or the rechargeable
battery may no longer be able to be charged.

• The volume of the product differs depending on if the noise­cancelling function is on or off.

• The hear-through mode of the product allows you to hear the
sounds around you through the built-in microphone while you are
wearing the product. Depending on the volume of the music being
played back, the surrounding sounds may be difficult to hear. In
this case, turn down the volume of the music.

• When the hear-through mode is on, the volume of music, etc., is
automatically reduced so the product can assimilate the ambient
noise. This reduction in volume is normal; the product is not
malfunctioning.

• Depending on your surroundings, the surrounding sounds may be
difficult to hear even when using the product’s hear-through
mode. Do not use the product in places that could be dangerous
when you cannot hear the surrounding sounds, such as places
with heavy traffic.

• Operate the touch sensor with one finger. Operating with a
sharp-tipped object, such as a ballpoint pen or pencil, may not
only result in incorrect operation, but could also damage or break
the touch sensor.

• Do not tap (touch) the touch sensor with the very tip of your
finger. Doing so may cause your fingernail to break.

• If the product does not operate at all or as intended when tapped,
check to make sure that your other fingers, parts of your hand, or
clothing are not in contact with the product when tapping. Also,
the product may not operate correctly if you are wearing gloves or
if your fingertips are dry.

• The product may not operate correctly if the touch sensor is dirty
from sweat. Remove any dirt before operating the product.

About the active noise-cancelling function

The product is designed to use its built-in microphone to pick up noise from the surrounding environment (noise from
vehicles, noise from air conditioners, etc.) and to cancel out that noise by producing sounds in negative phase. This
results in a reduction in the sounds in your environment.

• The product’s noise-cancelling function mainly reduces noises of 300 Hz or lower. Because of this, it has almost no
effect on noises above that frequency (ringtones, speaking voices, etc.).

• Not all sounds are cancelled.

• Depending on the type of noise (or in quiet locations), you may not notice the noise-cancelling effect.

• There is a “humming” sound when you turn on the noise-cancelling function. This is the sound of the noise-cancelling
function operating; it is not a malfunction.

3

For a more comfortable Bluetooth® communication experience

The effective communication range of this product varies
depending on obstructions and radio wave conditions.

For a more enjoyable experience, please use the product as close
as possible to the Bluetooth device. To minimize noise and sound
disruptions, avoid placing your body or other obstacles between
the product’s antenna (L side) and the Bluetooth device.

R L

Antenna

4

Part names and functions

L/R (left/right)

indicator

Earpad

Power switch

Turns the power on and off.

Multi-indicator lamp

Displays the operating status and
battery level of the product.

Headband

Arm

Slider

Joint

Housing

A built-in microphone (for talking) is
integrated into the L (left) housing.
And, built-in microphones (for hear­through mode) are integrated into both
the L (left) and R (right) housings.

Touch sensor indicator lamp

Displays the operating status of the
noise-cancelling function and hear­through mode.

Touch sensor

Toggles the noise-cancelling
function on and off.
It is also used to turn the hear­through mode on and off.

Battery jack

Used to connect the included USB
charging cable to charge the product.

 Accessories

• Cable (1.2 m (3.9')/3.5 mm (1/8")
gold-plated stereo mini-plug,
L-shaped)

Connector jack

Used to connect the included cable
and use the playthrough function.

• USB charging cable
(30 cm (12"))

5

Jog switch

Used to adjust the volume, play or
pause music and videos, and do
phone call operations.

• Pouch