Audio-Technica ATH-TWX9 Wireless Headphones

Product Information

The battery life of the earbuds is a little better. They are rated at up to 6 hours, which is comparable to its rivals. And in my tests, I found this rating to be fairly accurate. It could last around an entire day of work. However, I do recommend a charge midway into the day; otherwise, you might run out of juice on your way home. Compatible with Qualcomm ® Snapdragon Sound™, Qualcomm® aptX™ Adaptive audio, and Sony’s 360 Reality Audio to deliver an advanced listening experience You’ll get Bluetooth version 5.2 on both earphones, but the XM4 offers more CODECs including LDAC. They also both have fast pairing and keep stable connections throughout many hours of listening. Battery Life

Dual high-performance MEMS (micro-electromechanical system) mics, beamforming technology, and Qualcomm® cVc™ Generation 8.0 technology ensure crystal-clear call quality The default eartips created a perfect seal right from the get-go, but if they hadn’t, Audio-Technica includes an astonishing collection of 12 additional sizes and shapes, in varying widths and lengths.

App connection

Use the touch sensor to choose from five preset noise-cancelling modes or optimised noise cancelling that adapts to your current environment As popular as the cheaper Apple AirPods are, the AirPods Pro 2 eclipse them in every way. According to our experienced reviewers, the ANC in these high-end earbuds is best in class. They create a cone of silence effect that has to be experienced to be appreciated. However, we also move up to high-resolution audio files, as well as a wide variety of sources, including plugging in directly to a PC or Mac, using USB DACs (digital-to-analog converters), and employing high-quality dedicated portable players and amplifiers. Finally, we compare the earbuds to some of our go-to models, both in their class and price point, as well as a level or two above to find out if they can punch above their weight. Glossary Hear-through (transparency) mode worked well for hearing other sounds around me, but my own voice still sounded muffled, which kept interactions from being as natural as they are when using the AirPods Pro. Battery life Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Listening to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra through 360 was the best at demonstrating this during my listening. The many sections blended together beautifully over the TWX9. I’m pleasantly surprised that a true wireless earphone could articulate a busy album like this so effectively. Addmitadley, all of this praise is only coming from how spatial audio features perform over Tidal, but what about the soundstage in standard form? Of course, many non-linear characteristics disappear from the imaging, but the TWX9 still does a good job expressing the stereo field as accurately as it can. Even when performing in a flatter sonic environment, the TWX9 solidifies positioning and proper vocal and instrument placement. Low End Hear-through function allows you to hear ambient sounds (plus your own, unmuffled voice) so you can talk to others around you without removing your earbuds The charging case is trapezoidal and is covered in soft-touch rubber. The choice of using a soft-touch material is inspired because it makes the ATH-TWX9 feel plusher than its rivals’ plastic charging cases. It does, however, catch a lot of dust. It also stands out for having a five-level LED charging indicator on the front, which uses different colour LEDs to show the battery level of the earbuds and charging case. It can be confusing at first, but you’ll soon get the hang of it once you’ve consulted the manual a couple of times. The charging case can be recharged in two ways: USB-C and wireless charging. Driver: The unit that produces sound in a headphone, made up of magnets, voice coils, and other materials. Typically, the larger the driver, the more power a headphone has, and generally bigger drivers in in-ear headphones indicate a better range of frequencies can be reproduced. The TWX9 offers a comfortable listening experience with a generally safe but immersive tuning. Its strength is in the sound staging that presents the music in a tight room setting. The bass instruments are delivered with good intensity yet does not linger too long to sound muddy. This characteristic continues towards midrange, allowing instruments to sound full yet not too ringing. The upper frequencies sit on top of all these meat with sufficient clarity and presence but without exaggerated transparency.One of the finest-sounding earbuds available that have sadly been let down by mediocre ANC and below-average battery life.

The eartip selection is honestly overkill, but that’s an impressive commitment to getting a good fitment for the end user. Sony didn't see fit to touch the XM4's battery life for the XM5, which offer eight hours of playtime with ANC turned on and 12 hours with it off, Plus, the charging case doles out two full charges for a total of 24 hours. Will it matter to you? That depends entirely on how much listening you do every day. For frequent travelers, it could be a problem. For an average daily commute and some time at the gym, you’re probably fine. Calling That’s not what sets the ATH-TWX9 apart from the crowd, however. That would be the deep-UV sterilisation system built directly into the case. Whenever you place the earbuds in the case, a 70-second sterilisation process begins, with mirrors employed to distribute the light evenly.With an IPX4 rating, the TWX9 aren’t exactly built for punishing workouts, but they’ll easily cope with sweat and some rain as long as you gently wipe them clean afterward. Lots of controls, limited choice Simon Cohen / Digital Trends If working out is on your list of main uses for a pair of earbuds, then the Elite 7 Pro's IP57 rating will please you, as they're waterproof in up to a meter of water for up to 30 minutes.

In the bass range, these headphones can sound both dry and crisp as well as rich, as the far-reaching low bass seemed full-bodied rather than lean and provided the desired pressure in bass-oriented music styles. Apart from a slight emphasis in the lower bass range, the basic sound was very balanced. The midrange reproduction especially succeeds in conveying an extremely natural, realistic listening impression. It was a delight to hear how complex and multi-layered the reproduction of voices was, and it made spoken content a pleasure to listen to. The high-frequency range was relaxed and not at all brash while remaining agile and fresh. Isolated accents were emphasised without imposing themselves, and sibilants were discreetly rounded off with benign indulgence, all most conducive to listening pleasure. Transparency mode is activated easily with a long press on the right earbud, and the Technics Audio Connect app allows for ample fine-tuning, including a feature that lets you bump up and enhance voices for when you're having a conversation.What fundamentally distinguishes the tuning of the ATH-TWX9 was a precise presentation with a pure sound image that seemed uncoloured and matter-of-fact without appearing sterile. The focus was on homogeneous, unadulterated reproduction with clean separation and high information content. At the same time, the reproduction conveyed a catchy, carefree lightness that was capable of capturing attention when the November rain was pelting against the window panes outside. While Sennheiser has embraced earbud technology like ANC, its specialty has always been incredible sound, and the Momentum 3 has some of the best audio we’ve ever heard in earbuds. There are also many important updates here compared to the second-gen model, including a sleeker design, support for AptX Adaptive Bluetooth – and a significantly lower price to make them more competitive with similar options. Use the touch sensor to choose from five preset noise-cancelling modes or optimized noise cancelling that adapts to your current environment Newly designed 5.8 mm high-resolution drivers are joined by compatibility with Qualcomm Snapdragon Sound, Qualcomm aptX Adaptive audio, and Sony’s 360 Reality Audio to deliver a spatial audio experience alongside flexible dual- or single-ear usability.