Audio-Technica is a brand that I normally associate with turntables. I’ve admittedly never really thought of them as a personal audio specialist. Having been a long time Apple user, I never really looked outside of the Apple branded products range for my listening needs. That is, until now. Launching with a brand-new set of Wireless Earbuds, Audio-Technica sent me a pair to put them through their paces.
Named ATH-CKS30TW+ Wireless Headphones, these little immersive earbuds with super bass really pack a punch. With Bluetooth Connectivity, these wireless earbuds can just about connect to any device. They connect very easily, simply take them out of the charging case and they will appear in the list of available devices to connect to. Once connected, I picked my favourite album and was instantly impressed by the sound quality. They really do live up to the super bass name, with a punchy bass feel that doesn’t wash out the high and mid tones of the music. The sound quality is incredible.
To add to the out of the box quality is a companion app that enables you to set and adjust the equalisation settings to your own liking. Called the A-T Connect app, it gives you the freedom of choice to tailor your own listening experience. First, there is the Ambience Control to adjust the Noise-Cancelling technology. From full Noise-Cancelling, that blocks out almost all ambient sounds to Hear-Through that enables you to engage with your surroundings, or simply switch it off to perform like standard earbuds.
There is also a built-in equaliser that gives you 5 options: Bass Boost – Deep, Bass Boost – Beat, Dynamic, Vocal and Clear. Each setting is suitable for different listening experiences. For instance, Dynamic is great for gaming whilst Clear is perfect for listening to your favourite podcast.
Not only can you use the companion app to adjust the settings, but there are also on-device touch controls that you can enable and disable settings, as well as control playback and answer calls. Default settings include Single-Tap on the right earbud to Play/Pause, Double-Tap to skip forward and Triple-Tap to skip back. You can even adjust the volume via Press-Hold for 2 seconds to increase and Press-Hold left for 2 seconds to decrease. Double-Tapping the Left will switch on Ambience Controls and the Triple-Tap will adjust the Equaliser settings. What is even better about these controls is that they are fully customisable through the app.
The buds themselves are super lightweight and fit into the ear comfortably. There are multiple ear-tips available to give you the best fit to ensure they sit nice and secure. They are also IP55 waterproof, perfect for the active user without the need to worry about sweat, or even if you get caught in the rain, these earbuds have got you covered.
With a 7.5-hour battery life with the ability to extend to 12.5 hours, you are rest assured that they are ready to go when you need them. The case is charged via USB-C and then acts as a charger for the earbuds themselves. Each time you put them away, they are charged ready for the next use. I used them for a full workday and didn’t need to charge the case once.
The earbuds offer Multi-Point Pairing that enables you to pair them to multiple devices without needing to reset the connections. This means that I can connect my iPhone and Laptop at the same time, with whatever device is transmitting taking over control.
An added bonus to the companion app is the addition of Soundscapes. They are a range of white noise and background sounds that can be played on a device and transmit to the earbuds. From Nature sounds including Ocean, Fireside and Rain to classic White Noise, and even some tranquil Healing sounds. Perfect for when you want to relax, drown out the background noise, and/or when you don’t want music to stay focused during work.
As a long-time user of the Apple AirPods Pro earbuds, these Audio-Technica immersive wireless earbuds really impressed me. I felt they were far more comfortable to wear and the sound quality is next level! Plus, the ease of connection makes the Audio-Technica product much friendlier to use. Simply take them out, connect, and off you go. So easy!
It is safe to say that these super bass earbuds provided the best listening experience I have had in personal audio for quite some time.
The Audio-Technica ATH-CKS30TW+ Wireless Headphones are available online from Audio-Technica directly or from your favourite electronics retailer.
For more information, visit:
https://www.audio-technica.com/en-au/headphones/type/noise-cancelling/ath-cks30tw