Audio-Technica’s new true wireless earbuds set to rival the Sony WF-1000XM3
Truly wireless noise cancelation
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Audio-Technica has announced its latesttrue wireless earbuds, the ATH-ANC300TW – and the could prove a big rival for our current favorites, theSony WF-1000XM3.
Announced atCES 2020in Las Vegas, the newearbudscome with noise cancelation built-in, allowing you to listen to your music without being disturbed by the sound of your environment.
You’ll have to wait a while to try them though; the ATH-ANC300TW won’t be available to buy until May, and they’ll set you back $249 / £209 – that works out at around AU$360 based on current conversion rates, but we’re still waiting on official Australian pricing.
For US customers, that’s pricier than the $230SonyWF-1000XM3 (although they’re £10 cheaper for UK buyers) – so if the ATH-ANC300TW are going to beat their biggest rivals, they’ll need to offer enhanced audio quality and better noise cancelation.
True audio fidelity
Delivering high quality audio fidelity is a big concern of Audio-Technica, and judging by the specs of these true wireless earbuds, they should sound fantastic, with carbon-coated 5.8mm drivers for faithful reproduction of your music.
Audio-Technica’s previous true wireless earbuds, theATH-CKS5TW, impressed in this regard, with a bassier presentation than we’d usually expect from the brand; after all, it’s well known for their neutral, audiophile-friendly sound.
The latest Bluetooth 5.0 wireless technology means thatHi-Res Audiocodecs like aptX are supported, so you can listen to your music at CD-like quality levels.
Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.
Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.
Qualcomm’s TrueWireless Stereo Plus technology is also on offer here, which means you can stream to both earbuds simultaneously, which reduces latency and lag between the buds.
Each earbud contains two microphones (one behind the driver and one inside the duct tube), which pick up environmental noise. According to Audio-Technica, this sound is then reduced by a high-precision digital processor, allowing you to focus on your music, uninterrupted.
With the Audio-Technica Connect app, you can toggle between three different noise cancelation presets: Airplane, On-the-go, and Office/Study. The app also allows you to select your preferred audio codecs, locate the earbuds if they are lost, and check your battery life.
Battery life comes in at 4.5 hours, with an additional 13.5 hours by the wireless charging case. That’s not a huge amount of juice – theCambridge Audio Melomania 1offer an outstanding 45 hours of battery in total (and they’re far cheaper).
Olivia was previously TechRadar’s Senior Editor - Home Entertainment, covering everything from headphones to TVs. Based in London, she’s a popular music graduate who worked in the music industry before finding her calling in journalism. She’s previously been interviewed on BBC Radio 5 Live on the subject of multi-room audio, chaired panel discussions on diversity in music festival lineups, and her bylines include T3, Stereoboard, What to Watch, Top Ten Reviews, Creative Bloq, and Croco Magazine. Olivia now has a career in PR.
Our favorite budget audio brand just launched super-cheap planar earbuds with a lovely wood finish
OnePlus Buds Pro 3 vs OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro
Arcane season 2 confirms the hit series isn’t just one of the best Netflix shows ever made – it’s an animated legend that’ll stand the test of time
