Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7
MSRP $199.00
“Consolation, sound high quality, and killer ANC ought to put the TWX7 in your shortlist.”
Execs
- Daring design
- Cozy and safe
- Intuitive, customizable controls
- Detailed sound
- High-notch noise canceling
Cons
- Mediocre battery life
- No put on sensors
- Arduous to listen to your personal voice clearly
When Audio-Technica (A-T) launched its ATH-TWX9 wi-fi earbuds in 2023, I used to be impressed by their sound high quality, design, and options. Nevertheless it was their consolation and noise canceling that basically stood out.
Sadly, so did the value. At $299, they’re among the many costlier choices. It appeared to me then that A-T in all probability may put the perfect elements of the TWX9 in a set of earbuds that value much less. Apparently, A-T felt the identical manner. One yr later, it debuted the ATH-TWX7 for $199.
The query is whether or not A-T made the suitable selections concerning which options to maintain and which to omit. Now that I’ve had just a few weeks to attempt them, I believe the steadiness is nearly excellent — particularly when you’re choosy about sound. Right here’s my full take.
Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7: design
I actually like the best way the TWX7 look. A-T has chosen a mixture of colours and finishes that make it seem as if the earbuds (which are available in three colour selections) are constructed on a steel housing. It’s a ruse however a convincing one. All of the elements are, in actual fact, plastic.
Very like their flagship siblings, the ATH-TWX9, the TWX7 use a hybrid method to their controls: A-T logos mark the touch-sensitive areas, whereas small bodily buttons protrude from the main edges of the stems.
The matte-finished charging case (which incorporates wi-fi charging along with USB-C) has an uncommon, curved clamshell form that may not be tremendous pocket-friendly, however it does present wonderful entry to the earbuds.
A big LED indicator on the entrance reveals the case’s battery capability, whereas smaller LEDs on every earbud present their respective capacities (this information can also be out there within the A-T Join companion app). One observe in regards to the earbud LEDs: they flash as soon as each 5 seconds whereas powered on, and there’s no method to disable that.
A-T says the buds are IPX4 rated, which implies they’ll deal with a splash of water right here or there, and sweat shouldn’t be an issue in any respect so long as you wipe them clear after a exercise.
Contained in the field, you’ll discover the buds of their case, a brief USB-A-to-C charging cable, a cotton drawstring protecting pouch, and a beneficiant assortment of eartips.
Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7: consolation, controls, and connections
Normally, I discover stem-based earbuds to be extra snug — however generally much less safe — than stemless designs. The TWX7 appear to be one of many few exceptions. They really feel nice and hardly transfer in any respect. I discovered the identical to be true with the TWX9, and fortunately A-T has given the TWX7 the identical ergonomic form.
It additionally helps that A-T consists of two kinds of eartips (delicate and agency) with 4 sizes every — an unusually giant assortment, even with earbuds that value considerably extra.
I’m equally enthusiastic in regards to the controls. They’re very responsive (particularly the tactile buttons), and whereas it could appear difficult and even complicated, having each buttons and contact controls is remarkably intuitive. By default, the contact panels are used for hearing-related capabilities corresponding to lively noise cancellation (ANC), transparency, and talk-through mode. Additionally they allow you to set off your voice assistant. The buttons are for playback, quantity, and name administration.
Nonetheless, you possibly can change all of them contained in the A-T Join app, together with disabling the contact controls when you discover they’re extra annoying than useful. That is far more alternative than you’ll get within the TWX9 — these earbuds are Amazon Alexa-enabled, which usually ends in a restricted stage of management customization.
Sadly, A-T hasn’t preserved the TWX9’s put on sensors within the TWX7, so there’s no auto-pause whenever you take away a bud.
Talking of the app, it allows you to allow Bluetooth Multipoint to connect with two simultaneous gadgets. Higher but, it offers you a devoted display for managing these gadgets — you possibly can memorize a number of after which choose which two you need to be lively. The display additionally allows you to add further gadgets by pushing the earbuds into pairing mode — no bodily button presses wanted.
Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7: sound high quality
Total, the TWX7 sound nice. Whereas A-T’s studio headphones — like the favored ATH-M50x — are famous for his or her flat response, the corporate’s earbuds are likely to ship a bit extra increase, significantly within the decrease frequencies. It lends further punch to a monitor like Billie Eilish’s unhealthy man, with out overwhelming the mids or highs Eilish’s whispery vocals are nonetheless able to eliciting an ASMR-like response.
I get pleasure from that default sound signature; it labored effectively with each style I attempted. However when you favor a distinct steadiness, the A-T Join app has a full equalizer with presets and customized settings.
The soundstage is beneficiant, which may also help create a deeper sense of immersion, significantly when you like listening to Dolby Atmos Music tracks.
There may be one catch, nevertheless. A-T has used a really low stage of amplification on the TWX7. So low that fifty% quantity — a regular on which most corporations base their battery-life expectations — is quiet to the purpose of being ineffective for gratifying listening.
In reality, I used to be in a position to crank the earbuds to 95% quantity with out experiencing any discomfort, which is extremely uncommon.
The TWX7 use the identical 5.8mm drivers because the pricier TWX9, and each fashions are hi-res audio succesful. I used to be absolutely anticipating them to sound kind of the identical when paired with Android telephones that assist the related hi-res Bluetooth codecs (Sony’s LDAC on the TWX7, Qualcomm’s aptX Adaptive on the TWX9). However that wasn’t the case.
It’s the primary time I’ve been in a position to make a real direct comparability between these codecs (it’s uncommon for a corporation to subject practically equivalent merchandise that use totally different codecs), and the distinction was stark: aptX Adaptive on the TWX9 sounded a lot better.
Furthermore, after I pressured my two Android take a look at telephones (Google Pixel 7 Professional and Motorola ThinkPhone) to make use of LDAC at its highest 990kbps setting, extreme audio breakup set in, even at distances of lower than one foot.
Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7: noise cancellation and transparency
We’re shortly attending to the purpose the place you don’t must spend loopy cash to get an awesome set of noise-canceling (ANC) earbuds, and the TWX7 are an awesome instance. The ANC mode did a incredible job of blocking out all kinds of undesirable sounds, from site visitors to sounds of background chatter in a espresso store. It even dealt with some wind without having to be shifted to a selected wind-noise mode.
I haven’t had an opportunity to do the basic airplane cabin take a look at. However primarily based on how effectively they deal with different kinds of sounds, I’m very optimistic about it.
Transparency can also be excellent, however it’s focused: you’ll be capable to hear an important sounds in your fast environment (together with folks’s voices), however your personal voice will stay fairly muffled.
Throughout the A-T Join app, you possibly can select whether or not to toggle between off, ANC on, and transparency modes, or simply ANC and transparency.
There’s additionally a useful talk-through mode, which is actually the transparency mode with automated music quantity discount, saving you the necessity to pause your tunes or take away the earbuds.
Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7: name high quality
Calling on the ATH-TWX7 generally is a excellent expertise on your callers, however you’ll want to pick out the suitable mode within the A-T Join app. The so-called pure voice mode is nice for indoors when there’s little to no background noise. Nonetheless, it might’t compete with noisy and/or windy conditions; there’s a noise-reduction mode for these moments.
I’m not thrilled by this — many different wi-fi earbuds on the similar worth or much less can adapt robotically to totally different environments.
However my largest gripe with calling on the TWX7 is the dearth of a side-tone setting as a way to hear your voice extra clearly. You possibly can’t change ANC modes throughout a name, however even when you may, transparency mode (as I discussed above) doesn’t assist a lot.
Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7: battery life
A-T claims you’ll get about 7.5 hours of playtime per cost on the TWX7 when you maintain ANC turned off. That drops to six.5 hours when you depart it on. While you embody the charging case’s capability, your whole playtime might be 20 or 24 hours, respectively. These numbers put the TWX7 in one of many decrease battery life classes — about the identical because the Apple AirPods Professional.
Nonetheless, these numbers must be thought of best-case situations, and albeit not very simply achieved best-case situations.
Bear in mind after I stated I wanted to pump the quantity manner larger than 50%? Listening at louder volumes will shave 30 to 45 minutes off these occasions. And if you wish to benefit from LDAC for hi-res audio, count on to pay a hefty tax. A-T doesn’t publish playtime numbers when utilizing LDAC, however Technics does.
For the EAH-AZ80 earbuds, the distinction is important: Seven hours with ANC however no LDAC, and simply 4.5 hours with ANC and LDAC.
The same discount (35%) on the TWX7 may imply as little as 4.3 hours when ANC and LDAC are used concurrently.
With wonderful consolation, nice sound high quality and noise cancellation, and a intelligent and modern design that breaks the mildew of typical wi-fi earbuds, the Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7 have loads to suggest them.
Whereas not excellent — battery life isn’t as robust as I’d like, and the dearth of a real side-tone could make calling a fatiguing expertise — they nonetheless examine very effectively to equally priced fashions.
Sony’s LinkBuds S ($200), for example, use the identical LDAC hi-res codec and sound excellent, have excellent noise-canceling and (since a firmware replace) assist Bluetooth multipoint. Additionally they have put on sensors, which the TWX7 lacks, however they don’t have a wirelessly charging case.
For many who need all of the bells and whistles, together with higher sound high quality when paired with an aptX Adaptive Android telephone, the costlier ATH-TWX9 is likely to be price the additional $100.
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