Audio-Technica ATH-TWX9 Wireless Headphones

Product Information

The Technics EAH-AZ60s battery life isn't anything to write home about, though, with roughly seven hours per charge with ANC activated and a total of 24 to 25 hours of playtime with the charging case (which isn't wireless, by the way). Using the LDAC will yield even less playtime. But that's a reasonable tradeoff considering the sound quality for the price. Eartips feature a hybrid structure of hard and soft silicone for best fit and sound performance, and come in three different lengths for each size (XS/S/M/L) 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 There isn’t a shortcoming in the midrange that can’t be improved with EQ. Without it, the mids are mostly flat and even in tone. Their timbre doesn’t quite pop, but clarity is still obtainable in instruments and vocals. While they don’t have the drive of the lows. the mids offer a natural presence, filling out performances with clean textures and fine detail. The best enhancements EQ makes in the midrange are with vocals. I found that certain performances benefited from the slightest gain. Specific lyrics felt like they were enunciated better, with more emphasis. Highs Inside the TWX9 is a 5.8mm driver and a series of microphones for phone calls and ambient noise capture for noise-canceling. The driver boasts good volume but still runs into the common issue of only getting loud enough when it reaches the top volume on your device. Noise-canceling helps this a little, and there are tons of options here to optimize it. There are different options based on the environment you’re in. The companion app has options for planes, trains, offices, and city traffic. It goes even a step further and offers a custom option that will manually measure ambient noise around you and optimize noise-canceling to your specific space. There’s also a hear-through mode that will invite your environment into your music.

These are literally much better than Airpods Pro, and will be taking its place - something I didn’t ever expect to say as the Airpods Pro served their usage case extremely well with a serviceable sound.We are thrilled to introduce the newest addition to the A-T headphone lineup, the ATH-TWX9 truly wireless in-ear headphones, featuring digital hybrid noise-cancelling technology. These earbuds are equipped with 5.8 mm high-resolution drivers to deliver an extended high-frequency range and improved sound detail for a superior listening experience. 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. Audio Technica has a few true wireless earphones already, but nothing like their newest flagship release. The ATH-TWX9 is a brand-new set of Bluetooth buds that look to establish Audio Technica as a major contender in the true wireless market. With the TWX9, they look to match Sony and Sennheiser in terms of sound quality and extra features. Does the TWX9 accomplish that? What You Get

Today's noise-canceling earbuds are pretty advanced and feature active noise cancellation (ANC) that can be fine-tuned to your liking with varying levels of canceling. They also feature sound passthrough features, also known as transparency mode, that allow you to let in, and even amplify, outside sounds and conversations; many even do this automatically. Balance armature driver: In a balanced armature driver, the headphone’s diaphragm is connected to the armature, with micro-vibrations producing the sound. Most balanced armature drivers are best within a specific frequency range, which is why many headphones contain multiple balanced drivers, with certain frequencies divided between drivers for full-spectrum sound. If you see a model advertised as a "triple-driver" or "quad-driver," it's likely referring to multiple balance armatures. 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. Bluetooth Multipoint is a huge convenience when your days are spent bouncing from one device to another, and the A-T app makes it easy to use. One screen lets you see all previously paired devices, add a new device to the list (up to eight), and manage which of these devices are connected to the TWX9 at any given time. No more messing around inside Bluetooth menus! Speaking of the LED lights, a few moments after replacing the buds in the case, those LEDs will turn purple and start to animate in an outward pattern. That’s how you know the case is attempting to kill off any surface bacteria with UV light. Does it work? I haven’t a clue. But it sure looks cool. So comfortable Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Drive Off A Bridge by Jakey is a great test of strength for any type of headphone. I heard an accurate, neutral presentation with lean, clean bass that was a little short on sheer slam for my tastes, but this can be dialled up via the 5-band EQ. This has several presets, with empty slots to save your own; this is great in and of itself, but even better is that the settings are saved to the buds themselves and not tied to the app. Most brands have some form of EQ which is only active when listening on the device running the app, usually on their mobile phone. If you’re looking for a pair of true wireless earphones, and are looking to use them more as a utility, I think the XM4 has more to offer. However, in the sound department, the TWX9 shows a lot more strengths. It responds better to EQ and showcases a lot more natural timbral qualities in its sound signature. 360 Reality Audio is great on both earphones, but the XM4 has better ANC and battery life too. I think if you just want a great-sounding pair of earbuds, then the TWX9 is going to be your best choice out of the two. 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 Finding a great pair of earbuds for your workout isn't an easy feat. They have to fit securely, sound great, and offer some top-notch ANC. Well then, the JBL Reflect Flow Pro sports buds could be the perfect pair. Transparency mode in the XM5 is also top notch. It sounds natural and there's a feature that can detect when you're talking so it can pause your music and automatically switch the earbuds from ANC to transparency mode so you can have a conversation.