Audio-Technica is the latest to debut true wireless earbuds
You can ditch the cables without sacrificing too much audio fidelity.
Just because Audio-Technica is better known for its wired headphones doesn't mean you'll have to look elsewhere if you want high-quality sound without cables. The brand has unveiled its first all-wireless in-ear headphones, the catchily-named ATH-CKR7TW. They tout the familiar oversized earbud design you've seen from established rivals but put a focus on (surprise!) fidelity above the smart features you sometimes get elsewhere.
Each bud includes an 11mm driver with a carbon-coated diaphragm that reportedly provides fast response times and a minimum of distortion, while brass stabilizers and a steel-mesh resistor promise to respectively cut back on resonance and improve high-frequency responses. You can also count on aptX, AAC and SBC wireless audio codecs minimizing the compression effects you sometimes hear with wireless audio, and Bluetooth 5.0 should help with wireless performance.
Like many competing devices, Audio-Technica's in-ears have only a modest amount of battery life by themselves -- here, six hours. You'll need to slip them into the included charging case if you want to eke out another nine hours. This isn't for all-day listening at work, then, but you won't have to panic if you crave music on the subway ride home.
The ATH-CKR7TW should arrive sometime this fall for $249. That puts it well above options from the likes of Apple, Jabra and Samsung, and there's no mention of water-resistance. You probably don't want to take these to the gym. So long as you keep those considerations in mind, though, these might hit the sweet spot if you want to go wire-free without making too many compromises.
Follow all the latest news from IFA 2018 here!
