Audio-Technica has unveiled their newest offering to the true-wireless earbud world in the form of the ATH-CKS30TW+, an update to a staple in their lineup complete with a few extra bells and whistles.
The culmination of a 15-year quest for super deep bass, this much-anticipated addition sets out to shake up the market, bringing a slice of the audiophile world to the average music-lover at prices that’ll make your wallet happy too.
In a world where music is just a few taps away, having a killer pair of cans you can bring wherever you please is simply a must and nobody understands this quite like Audio-Technica. While we’d all like to be able to walk down the street with a nice vintage pair of studio monitors, sometimes it just isn’t practical.
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This is where these instruments of awesome come into the picture, a package that’s truly a cut above the rest. The ATH-CKS30TW+ embodies the belief that high-quality audio should be available to anyone, delivering an experience that rivals competitors far outside its price bracket.
Audio-Technica has really gone the extra mile here, prioritising a streamlined, customisable listening experience and a chest-rumbling bass response that’ll knock your socks clean off.
The attention to detail here is evident. These puppies are just bursting with nifty features that’ll make any self-respecting audio nerd blush, while also putting a smile on the face of any casual listener.
First, we begin with the exterior, featuring slick plastic construction in four colour ways (one of which being a translucent option, which looks oh-so-cool).
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The earbuds are a bit like a pair of spaceships: oblong shapes with indicator lights, charging contacts and replaceable rubber earpieces, making for a snug fit and minimal bass leakage.
They’re held in place with magnets, sitting quite snuggly in their charging bays. As a unit with the case, the ATH-CKS30TW+ will last for up to 20 hours total listening time, and 7.5 on their own. With active noise cancelling, you’re looking at 17.5 hours with the case and 6.5 without.
One striking thing is how light this unit is, coming in at about 40 grams. One might think this would make the whole thing a bit flimsy, but it’s clear this is a serious piece of gear.
If you need any extra reassurance, the whole thing is IP55 dust and waterproof-rated, meaning no worries about getting things dirty or wet. If you lose them at any point, they boast a handy Out of Range Alert and Product Locator function so you can keep track of the little devils.
As for the listening experience? Let’s just say that we are thoroughly enjoying the fruits of Audio-Technica’s labour. You really get your bang for your buck here, producing a soundstage that lets you sink into the music, delivering on every promise made.
Think ultra-low noise, ultra-low distortion and a bass response befitting of an over-ear headset. Rich and detailed mids, tight lows and sparkly highs make long listening sessions through these a treat.
The real cherry on top of this whole affair is Audio-Technica’s EQ suite, accessible through their A-T Connect app, allowing users to customise the way they listen to the music.
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On top of the standard presets like Dynamic, Vocal and Clear, the app also has Bass Boost – Deep and Bass Boost – Beat, which boosts ultra-low frequencies in two distinct flavours, with the latter being the tighter and more crisp of the two (and my personal favourite).
Despite all the extra low-end, the whole affair was pretty flub and mud-free, something a lot of wireless buds struggle with. This is helped along by a series of specially engineered acoustic ducts, boosting the bass response even more.
Another feature that makes this all the more special is Audio-Technica’s intuitive touch controls, allowing total control over your tunes.
I will admit they took some getting used to, but the CKS30TW+ utilises a series of swipes and taps to pause, play, skip/rewind, volume up/down and more, along with a set of controls for its sophisticated active noise cancelling system, which features a hear-through and talk-through function, allowing a little more interaction with the outside world without fully taking you out of your tunes.
Audio-Technica has truly spoiled us again. The ATH-CSK30TW+ is a stellar offering in the wireless earbud range, and probably one of the best options at its price range. Coming in at $199.99 at JB Hi-Fi and online, these earbuds are like an old friend that’ll be there for you every single time.
To find out more about Audio-Technica’s ATH-CSK30TW+ earbuds, head here.
