Look, there isn’t any scarcity of decisions when you’re seeking to improve your earbuds, and there is a new possibility that is intriguing. Korea-based Astell&Kern launched the AK UW100MKII on the finish of 2023, they usually’re now making their technique to India. The prolonged wait comes with a definite benefit although, because the earbuds are actually being offered at an enormous low cost.
Whereas the earbuds debuted for $299, they’re now on sale in India for simply ₹4,999 ($58) at Headphone Zone, and that is a stellar worth. Astell&Kern do not promote the UW100MKII in different areas any longer, so it is totally probably that the model is transferring unsold stock to India and providing it at a reduction.
Whatever the motive, the UW100MKII are among the many most intriguing earbuds within the funds class, and the deal with high-resolution sound mixed with an awesome built-in DAC permit it to face out. The design is distinctive in its personal proper; the UW100MKII are available a somewhat cumbersome case with a hexagonal design, and whereas it’s nonetheless pocketable, it’s a lot greater than what you get with most mainstream audio manufacturers.
It is not simply the case that is cumbersome both — the UW100MKII have a sizeable shell that makes them greater than simply about each different earbuds I used just lately. You get a hexagonal design on the face plate as effectively, alongside a stylized AK brand. The model says it redesigned the sound chamber to ship a cleaner sound, and whereas that’s evident when utilizing the earbuds, they protrude from the ear fairly a bit.
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The cumbersome design means I by no means fairly received an honest match, and even doing routine duties like strolling round the home doing chores led to an earbud dislodging. Clearly, these aren’t meant for exercising, so when you want a brand new pair of earbuds which you could take to the gymnasium, these aren’t it. There’s IPX4 ingress safety, however the points with the match forestall the UW100MKII from deliver usable on this regard.
You miss out on ANC as effectively, and that is comprehensible when you think about the context of the place these earbuds are meant for use. The match signifies that these are meant for use indoors, and I would not advocate utilizing them whereas touring, a lot much less involving any exercise.
As for connectivity, the earbuds use Bluetooth 5.2, and also you get quick pair, supplying you with the power to hyperlink the buds together with your Google account, making it a breeze to attach when switching units — as I do typically. The standout addition is AptX Adaptive; it means that you can stream high-res music over Bluetooth, and it is a welcome inclusion.
The UW100MKII embrace a Knowles balanced armature driver, so when you’ve used IEMs that had these drivers prior to now, you may be conversant in the sound signature. It is clear that Astell&Kern wished to ship a impartial sound with out exaggerating any a part of the frequency, and that makes the UW100MKII sound fairly completely different to simply about each different possibility round. You additionally get an AKM AK4332ECB DAC, and it’s a nice pairing.
Switching over to the sound, the bass is proscribed, and also you simply do not get the identical degree of power as different earbuds on this class. The defining attribute of most wi-fi earbuds is a rumbling bass that lends itself effectively to numerous genres, and the UW100MKII miss out on that — the tuning is in step with what you get on IEMs, and whereas you aren’t getting the identical vibrancy, there’s good decision.
The UW100MKII ship clear mids with a very good vocal presentation, and the treble has first rate extension with out sibilance. There isn’t any distortion or hiss, and I did not have any points with the soundstage after a month of use. The AK Management app is offered on Android (it’s worthwhile to have a tool with Android 15), and it enables you to tweak the sound profile, alter the DAC settings, and tune ambient noise management. I did not see any points utilizing it with the Magic 7 Professional.
There is a bass-focused mode that provides a bit little bit of exuberance to the low-end, but it surely is not on the identical degree as most earbuds. That mentioned, in the case of the technicalities of the sound itself, the UW100MKII do a unbelievable job. I did not see any points with battery life both, with the earbuds managing to final six hours between costs. Whereas I did not have points with connectivity, the suitable earbud did not all the time sit flush within the case, so it ended up operating out of cost earlier.
So do you have to purchase these earbuds? If you happen to want a sound signature that is much like IEMs and need a impartial tuning, then sure, the UW100MKII are a good selection. However when you want a neater match, higher bass, and water resistance, I might advocate getting the OnePlus Buds 3 as a substitute.
