Review: Wireless ANC In-Ear Headphones from Audio-Technica

There are more earbud options than the AirPod variations from Apple. In fact, I saw the Audio-Technica ATH-ANC300TW ($229) at the last CES and I was able to try a review unit. I found it has several advantages over Apple. First, they do not have Qi charging, but instead use a USB-C port to charge, so if you are an Android user or want to use these with your MacBook or newer iPad Pro, all of which use USB-C, you can now standardize on one cable. Related: Review: Jabra Elite 75t Wireless Earbuds Beyond the cables, the ATH-ANC300TW comes with four different ear tip sizes plus Comfort Tip foam adapters, so if you didn't find the Apple AirPods comfortable, you should be able to make the Audio-Technica earbuds fit well. They are also gray and don't have the microphone "stalk" as noticeable as with Apple AirPods, so if you don't want to look like an Apple follower, these are a nice option. But the most important thing for earbuds is sound. Apple's AirPods are hard to beat but these do a good job. The company have a free companion app that lets you customize the sound, including three levels of noise cancellation with "hear-through" functionality, so can hear traffic, family members, or the doorbell when listening to something on through your earbuds. Their battery life is reasonable, with 4.5 hours for the earbuds on a full charge and 13.5 more hours via the compact charging case. Like Apple, the app can help you enable voice prompts and locate your earbuds should you misplace them, or at least see the last place they were when you disconnected via Bluetooth. Pros * IPX2 water resistant against rain and sweat * 3 Noise Cancellation Modes with "hear-through" functionality * 4.5 hours of battery life on a full charge and 13.5 more via charging case * Numerous tips for a good fit * On-ear controls Cons * Charging case uses USB-C not Lightning or Qi * Only one color, gray Final Verdict The ATH-ANC300TW from Audio-Technica could be a better fit than Apple, thanks to how well they fit and their use of USB-C, the new standard. Topics: AccessoriesCESiPhoneReviewsMaster your iPhone in one minute a day: Sign up here to get our FREE Tip of the Day delivered right to your inbox.
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Samsung Introduces Industry’s First All-in-One Power ICs Optimized for Wireless Earbuds

Samsung Electronics, a world leader in advanced semiconductor technology, today announced the industry’s first all-in-one power management integrated circuits (PMIC), MUA01 and MUB01, optimized for today’s True Wireless Stereo (TWS) devices.

 

Unlike wireless headphones, TWS earbuds have no wire that connects the two earpieces. Without the connecting wires, TWS devices present users with more freedom in movement and range on their day-to-day activities. However, like other mobile devices, long battery life and small form factors are key requirements for these wireless earbuds.

 

“TWS earbuds present elevated listening experiences for more users and the trend is rapidly expanding the mobile accessory market, creating new opportunities for device manufacturers,” said Dong-ho Shin, senior vice president of System LSI marketing at Samsung Electronics. “Samsung’s industry-first, all-in-one power management solutions optimized for TWS devices will allow manufacturers to craft new applications with greater flexibility.”

 

The MUA01 and MUB01 PMICs, respectively, have been designed for the charging case and the earbuds, and are one-of-a-kind fully-integrated solutions optimized for TWS devices. By combining several of the company’s in-house logic technologies, Samsung was able to integrate up to ten discrete components into one, including switching chargers and discharge circuits, enabling the PMICs to occupy less than half the space compared to previous alternatives. The compact solutions can allot more room to the battery for longer playback time and enable more flexible and efficient designs.

 

The MUA01 is also the industry’s first solution to support both wireless and wired charging in a single chip. For wireless charging, it supports the Wireless Power Consortium’s (WPC) Qi 1.2.4, the consortium’s latest wireless power transfer interface standard. To provide efficient power management, the MUA01 integrates a highly effective switching charger. In addition, MUA01 comes with a microcontroller unit (MCU) and embedded Flash (eFlash), offering the option of modifying its firmware to support other applications.

 

With power line communication (PLC) support, the new PMICs can communicate with each other over the charging pins. This allows the charging case and earpieces to share essential information such as battery levels and whether the earpieces are inserted in the case.

 

The MUA01 and MUB01 are currently in mass production and are featured in Samsung’s recently-announced Galaxy Buds+ TWS earbuds.

* This article was originally published here