Verdict
Impressive sound and first-rate passive racket isolation , Astell & Kern ’s first true radio in the UW100 mark out the company as a competition at the premium end , to the like of Sennheiser and Sony . There are areas for improvement and the bud are n’t big on lineament , but they make it count where audio quality is bear on .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
Astell & Kern ’s rape on the audio market register no sign of ceasing in 2022 , with the AK UW100 its first attack at a pair oftrue wireless earphones .
Of course , Astell & Kern has history in the headphone market place with itspremium in - auricle monitor , but a true wireless pair is a different boiler of Pisces . Up against the likes ofBose , Sennheiser and Sony , this is a grocery store wherenoise cancellationhas grown in popularity , a feature the Astell & Kern buds forego for their “ practiced - in - class ” passive disturbance isolation .
More significantly , can Astell & Kern bring its pedigree for high - quality strait to an area of the headphones market where gadget and via media are often watchwords ? get ’s discover out .
Design
Like a plug in a sink , the AK UW100 block your ears with a compressed seal that makes it unmanageable for passing phone to impact your music sessions . Their dimensions are stumpy and pentagonal , and while I would n’t call them uncomfortable to fatigue , they make their presence feel as soon as they ’re placed into their ear . Nevertheless , I ca n’t blame the grandness of the noise isolation .
Having used them on the resistance and walking in public areas such as the Southbank and Trafalgar Square , they put a stop to most noises that come my style . Their passive noise - isolating design aim sound in the high to mid - frequency range , and ambient sound are diminished by a material amount . Wind stochasticity is also curtailed very effectively .
While sounds still get through ( a throng of people mill about , or musicians playing along the Southbank ) , not by enough to become a distraction , and when medicine is playing these strait fade away even more . Five auricle - tip size of it are provided , from small to XXL , to find the good fit , although surprisingly there ’s no IP resistance for the buds , so they would n’t be recommended for gymnasium session or usance in besotted conditions .
The touch surface carries the Korean brand ’s taste for angular surfaces , Inner Light reflecting off the surface in a way that casts shadows . Like theDevialet Gemini , they do n’t look as handsome as other products from Astell & Kern , lacking that lustrous lustre I ’ve come to expect ; but they ’re distinctive and striking in their own way .
The touch controls are responsive , despite the angular shape of the touch airfoil , with only a few prods – usually double- or triple - taps – interpret incorrectly ( the good spot to press is at the distributor point ) . control differ for each bud : the correct handles playback and calls ; the leftover passel with the Ambient fashion and voice aid . A long press on the unexpended and veracious bud when audio is recreate sends volume down or up severally .
The accuse case carry the same angular motif and is larger than most . Its cartilaginous undersurface is a hint to its wireless charging power , while around the back is a USB - degree centigrade connection . On the front is an LED that shows current boot at a glimpse .
Features
There ’s no active haphazardness cancellation , a result of an outlet run across during the development phase , where ANC match with the UW100 ’s audiophile - ground level DAC lead to a drop in sound tone .
But there is an Ambient speech sound modality with four levels of hear - through . It ’s as impressive as the design ’s peaceful randomness isolation , with each level opening up the amount of audio that is let through . It ’s clear and natural in the soundscape it creates , helping you to discover announcements or get a better good sense of what ’s around you in busy place .
Some of those wrong presses on the touch control surface do affect this particular expression of operation . Sometimes , I ’d tap double to increase the level of awareness , but instead it would shut down the Ambient modality . It ’s also rather unhelpful to not have a outspoken prompt for the grade you ’re at – it can become unmanageable to retrieve where you were without consulting the app . forever twice - tapping will cycle back one level , which is expedient .
The AK TWS app – available on iOS and Android – shows the battery spirit of the bud ( but not the case ) , Ambient mode , touch controls and equalizer mount . There ’s a degree of customisation provide for tactile sensation dominance , a causa of trade mise en scene from the left wing to rightfield and vice versa . However , you ca n’t change the single - tap configurations , which are play / interruption or receive / give the sack a call on the right and shift Ambient mode on / off on the left .
You ’re give five options for equalizer in Default , Bass emphasis way , High accent , vocal accent , and Game modal value , which keep down latency between video and sound . There ’s no agency of create your own custom preset , nor is there really more to the app other than lay out up firmware update . It ’s a simple , logically laid out and accessible app for the feature the UW100 offers . This is n’t a pair of smart true wireless phone in the vein of Sony’sWF-1000XM4 .
Bluetooth is 5.2 with aptX Adaptive bread and butter , and while the AK UW100 wield themselves well in most fate , in very busy sign areas they perform weakly . pack through the concourse at Waterloo , the Bluetooth connection faltered to the point where every other word of honor of the Mamas and Papas ’ California Dreamin ’ was audible . It was less problematic at other caravan station , and generally stable at most other times . However , as aptX Adaptive is mean to keep the tether between the gadget and the earphones unchanging , it ’s a disappointing ontogeny .
Also putting in average carrying out is call timbre . Despite a dual - mic frame-up with a Voice Communication Package from specialist Alango , having made two call with the UW100 , the person on the other end complained of hear sounds around me in busy areas , distinguish it as an amorphous blob that my vocalisation was fighting to get through . In quieter areas it was fine , and while this is n’t an uncommon issuing for true wireless earbuds , there are some – like theJabra Elite 7 Pro – that perform to a in high spirits level than the AK UW100 .
Battery life is stated as six hours per bud and 24 hours in amount with the case . My outlook for battery life would have been somewhat high given the lack of participating noise cancellation . play music in High emphasis mode for an hour took a shade over 20 % from the battery , so presumably that mode uses more power . There ’s wireless and fast charging , with the latter offering an hour of battery life from a 10 - minute charge .
Sound Quality
Powered by a consecrate AK4332 high - carrying out 32 - bit DAC and packing Knowles Balanced Armature drivers , the AK UW100 sure had me rubbing my hands in anticipation with regards to their sound .
On the default option EQ there ’s a solidness and heave up to the effectual , in force item and definition of voice and official document ; but it is n’t the most heart - catching performance . Dipping into the app and playing with the EQ preferences , the mellow stress mode bestow out estimable performance .
With High emphasis on , there ’s a better sensation of depth , vocal projected forward , while other high- to mid - range instruments are bring forward and defined with an better sense of note and depth to the stereophonic effigy . High frequency voice more distinct and crisp in tone , and the soundstage is spaciously conveyed . Bass in this mode is punchy , but does n’t display as much profundity as others – Bass emphasis produce a warm sound , while Default is the best balanced of the plenty .
The high-pitched stress mode become my preferred mode of listening over the path of using the AK UW100 , since itfeltmore like the auditory sensation I ’d expect from a Astell & Kern gimmick . The Default EQ is very listenable , though , and is the smoothest in damage of definition . That help in key vocals , where on the High accent mode the earbuds skirt with sibilance at times with Sting ’s lyrics in Shape of My Heart .
Rhythmically , the bud deliver a flowing performance with Missy Elliott ’s 4 My the great unwashed , maintaining the toe - tapping beat throughout the song with a likable sense of get-up-and-go and propulsion . particular level are similar to the Sony WF-1000XM4 , but I ’d say there ’s more overall clarity and subtlety from Sony ’s true wireless earbuds .
Bass output is delivered in a mensurable style ( unless you opt for the Bass EQ ) in Eminem ’s Say What You Say , with good levels of ability and a decent mother wit of punchiness . However , to fall upon a contrast with the WF-1000XM4 again , the detachment between the mids and bass is better handled on the Sony , again edging the Astell & Kern in term of clarity .
It ’s a like result with the high-pitched - frequency notes in GoGo Penguin ’s Raven and Naima ’s Love Song by Jon Batiste , with the WF-1000XM4 eliciting more or less more clarity , detail and precision , delivering the more vibrant carrying out . There is n’t a huge difference , but what there is puts the Sony on a story above the Astell & Kern .
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Should you buy it?
The AK UW100 are n’t inundated with a wealthiness of features , focalize on design and sound with an Ambient fashion that offer awareness when you call for it . They ’re easy to operate , which is to be appreciated .
The price at which the Astell & Kern enter the market is high than theoretical account with ANC . Bose , Sennheiser and Sony are brassy , and the Sony perform well on the audio front .
Final Thoughts
Astell & Kern ’s first true wireless bud are a compelling pair , put in an astute , open and natural sound recording performance . Their inactive noise isolation blockage out sound impressively to keep the extraneous world from invading your music playlist , and the Ambient mode institute clarity and awareness for those who desire to be engaged with the mankind around them .
There are orbit for improvement , such as Bluetooth connectivity in officious areas and call performance , while some may find the way they fit into the ear a little too straight-from-the-shoulder . If what you require is high - performance sound without the gubbins of smart , the UW100 are a gamy - quality choice .
Trusted Score
How we test
We test every phone we survey thoroughly over an extended period of time of time . We use industry standard test to liken features right . We ’ll always tell you what we determine . We never , ever , accept money to review a ware .
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FAQs
There ’s no IP rating for these earphones , so we would n’t recommend using them for exercise or for exercise in slopped weather .
Full Specs
