I’ve been eager to get my hands on Audio-Technica’s latest LDAC-enhanced earbuds since their CES reveal a week ago – and it just so happens that I now have a set.
I don’t want to brag; I want to tell you that even at this early stage I really (really) like the separation, detail, look and clarity you get here. Also notable are the excellent fit, the features and the impossible-to-ignore planet-friendly packaging – but look how I’m getting ahead of myself. All this and more is coming!
As we said when the ATH-TWX7 were unveiled at CES 2024 (before immediately adding them to our best audio tech during the CES roundup), their suitability for a place in our best true wireless earbuds guide depends on their ability to deliver high-quality audio resolution streaming via Sony’s LDAC support (for better-than-CD quality audio up to 24-bit/96kHz, the bill reads), along with an asking price of just $199 / £190 / (about AU$299 ).
Can they deliver the goods for less than we are used to? The early signs point to yes, folks. And that is not a statement I make lightly.
The finish is called ‘rich white’ and I honestly feel quite rich when I wear them
Becky Scarrott
The new Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7 earbuds inherit the same drivers from their older siblings, the flagship ATH-TWX9, which have received largely positive reviews, but come with a price tag of $299 / £279 (about AU$460) – that’s right, they’re the ones with the niche 70 second auto sterilization system.
Here, that’s gone and I don’t miss it. And despite being a hundred dollars cheaper than the top pair, the construction here feels anything but cheap.
If the design team had been tasked with really digging into the idea of a plastic-free future, they couldn’t have done a better job. The packaging screams eco-conscious, including a cloth pouch, crisp (presumably recycled) paper envelopes for the eight strong selection of earbuds – four in ‘standard’ and four in ‘soft’ with a small memory foam ring under the neck – and honestly the charging case one of the most attractive designs I’ve had. Imagine futuristic, expensive luggage shrunk to the size of a tangible matchbox, with strong magnets snapping it shut. That.
The finish on my sample is called “rich white,” and honestly, I feel quite rich slipping them into my ears, although you can also get them in “ash black” or “stone gray” if you prefer. For me, the soft SS earbuds work a treat. The driver housings are teardrop shaped, well weighted, secure and don’t budge no matter how hard I rock to Mudvayne al-desko.
The likable AT Connect companion apps for Android and iOS also work very well with both my iPhone 12 and my Sony
This should not be taken as a complete assessment. The digital hybrid noise cancellation with both hear-through and talk-through functions has not yet been thoroughly tested, nor have the dual micro-electromechanical beam-forming microphones designed to deliver clear conversations, with optional noise cancellation for busier areas.
Whether or not the battery life claim is legitimate, with a promised 6.5 hours and rising to 20 hours including the charging case, also needs to be confirmed at this stage, and I reserve judgment on whether the mode with low latency for gaming is sufficient. not yet, because I haven’t tested it yet.
What I to have tested is the LDAC audio support. And I love it.
LDAC is where it’s at
It shouldn’t be a surprise to find some great sound here; AT’s stylish and affordable ATH-SQ1TW earbuds proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that the historic stylus and turntable company is very good at delivering excellent true wireless earbuds for not a lot of money. But those didn’t have LDAC or high-resolution wireless audio on the spec sheet, and this one does – and I’m grateful.
Of course, simply because it is a product can supporting a specific flavor of better quality audio, it’s not an open goal for great sound. But for me the separation and layered presentation of strings and vocals in Rod Stewart’s You are the star (a lossless file) is enough to know that they have passed the sound-per-pound test. Guns N’ Roses It’s so easy comes through with zeal and emotion as Slash’s ax screams and wails over Axl Rose’s prowling, angry voice. Over the course of my first few hours of listening, the ATH-TWX7 didn’t fail to impress. Fleetwood Macs The chain is as pensive and ominous as it should be, with the chosen chords of the intro placed right behind my left temporal lobe in a coherent, spatial and musical blend as the song builds – and then, of course, dramatically changes into something completely different. These earbuds don’t care; they want it all.
In addition to removing ambient noise via their noise-nixing technology, the Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7 earbuds can also direct a selection of ambient sounds to your ears, in an effort to further mask external noise and help you focus: think ‘ ocean’. ‘, ‘rest’ (which sounds like I should be at a spa, enjoying a treatment) or even ‘pink sound’. Look, you didn’t ask for them, but it’s fun to try them out at no extra cost and without subscribing to a music streaming service, right?
Will they go straight into our best noise-cancelling earbuds guide? You’ll have to wait for the full review, but it will be coming soon.