ZDNET’s key takeaways
- The Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7 earbuds have been introduced at CES 2024, and so they’re obtainable to buy now in Ash Black, Wealthy White, or Stone Grey for $199.
- The ATH-TWX7 ship high-quality, clear audio and supply customizable ear tricks to accommodate all ear sizes.
- The management buttons on the earbuds’ stems are tedious to search out and use.
CES 2024 is off to an ideal begin within the client headphones world, with huge bulletins yesterday from huge names like JBL and Sennheiser. In the present day, Audio-Technica, a Japanese audio firm, introduced a brand new pair of high-end earbuds to compete with the likes of Sony, Bose, and Apple.
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Should you’re excited about earbuds that boast extremely efficient noise canceling and might ship a superior audio expertise, let me introduce you to the Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7.
Audio-Technica is understood for its dedication to creating inexpensive high-fidelity audio merchandise for customers who do not have 1000’s to spend on competing sound methods, turntables, headphones, and microphones. Particularly, high-fidelity earbuds just like the Denon PerL Pro will price you $350. In comes Audio-Technica, hoping its earbuds bridge the hole.
Forward of CES, I spent per week testing the brand new X7 earbuds from Audio-Technica. You’ll have seen press releases and information articles about these buds, however I can relay my private expertise with them. This is the way it went.
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Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7
The Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7 earbuds deliver high-quality audio and impressive noise canceling.
The brand new Audio-Technica X7 true wi-fi earbuds supply high-fidelity audio and digital hybrid noise-canceling and promise all-day consolation, a safe match, and crystal-clear voice calling.
Audio-Technica says the X7 earbuds supply 6.5 hours of playback plus an extra 13.5 hours with the charging case. The case can cost wirelessly, and the earbuds help Bluetooth multipoint.
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The X7 buds succeed the corporate’s earlier flagship earbuds, the ATH-TWX9, and incorporate the identical 5.8mm high-res drivers. I discovered that the earbuds have a transparent, detailed sound and might simply articulate a track’s advanced and fewer distinguished qualities. Once I listened to Do not Lose My Quantity by Phil Collins, I might choose aside his harmonies within the refrain and the general sound was balanced and gratifying.
You’ll be able to play, pause, and skip tracks by urgent a button on the earbuds’ stem. The management button is small and on the within of the stem, and precisely finding the button takes some getting used to.
Within the Audio-Technica Join app, you possibly can customise the X7’s EQ settings on a five-band equalizer. You may also toggle low latency mode, left/proper earbud steadiness, name audio modes, and change Bluetooth codecs.
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The brand new Audio-Technica earbuds help the SBC, AAC, and LDAC codecs. These searching for high-quality Bluetooth streaming can entry Sony’s LDAC codec, however if in case you have an iPhone, you are caught with AAC, which continues to be superior to SBC.
Audio-Technica guarantees that the TWX7’s various ear tip choice will assist preserve the earbuds safe within the wearer’s ears, and I agree. Within the field, you obtain two kinds of ear suggestions in 4 sizes. One ear tip materials matches firmly across the earbuds’ speaker, whereas the opposite is extra versatile. With the totally different ear tip measurement choices, you possibly can determine how a lot of a seal you need the earbuds to create in your ear. As soon as you discover the appropriate ear tip measurement, the X7 buds definitely keep put inside your ears.
The X7 earbuds have spectacular noise-canceling and ambient sound modes, which could be adjusted on a sliding scale. The X7’s noise-canceling is appropriate for blocking noises in an workplace or library. Nevertheless, you need to discover the proper ear tip measurement for the noise-canceling to be as efficient as doable.
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With an IPX4 ranking, the X7 earbuds will suffice for individuals who wish to take the earbuds on a light-weight jog. Regardless of their IP ranking, I do not advocate these earbuds for strenuous exercises. Not solely is their IP ranking not sturdy sufficient for tremendous sweaty exercising periods, however they simply do not really feel like a pair of energetic earbuds.
The Audio-Technica X7 earbuds really feel like a pair of premium earbuds meant for individuals who get pleasure from high-res audio however choose to put on earbuds as an alternative of on-ear or over-ear headphones. The X7’s fashionable design with metallic and silicon accents makes them really feel stylish and stylish, not sporty.
Moreover, the X7 earbuds function a Soundscape mode that performs calming noises that can assist you focus, chill out, and unwind. You’ll be able to choose from “Nature” seems like ocean, hearth, or forest, “Therapeutic” seems like rejuvenation and tranquility, or “Masking Noise” like white noise and quiet workplace sounds.
ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation
The Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7 earbuds ship heat, balanced audio with a readability that is anticipated from the audio firm. For $199, the X7 earbuds are pretty priced, as they’re cheaper than the checklist costs of the most recent flagship buds from Sony, Bose, and Apple.
Nevertheless, the X7 earbuds do not strike me because the form of earbuds you possibly can take from the workplace to the health club. I imagine that informal listeners and budding audiophiles will get pleasure from these earbuds probably the most, whereas these searching for earbuds to accommodate their energetic existence is perhaps disenchanted.
If you would like earbuds with superior sound high quality, spectacular noise canceling, and extremely customizable EQ settings, the X7 earbuds are the best way to go. Should you want earbuds for energetic dwelling, think about the Jabra Elite 8 Active earbuds or bone-conduction headphones just like the Shokz OpenRun Pro.