AIAIAI Studio Wireless+: Finally, low-latency headphones for music producers

Wi-fi is more and more the norm relating to headphones. Even some laptop computer makers are ditching the headphone jack. ( you, – you monsters.) And, whereas Bluetooth actually provides a variety of comfort, there’s one group of customers who can’t actually take benefit: music producers. See, the latency launched by the latest era of Bluetooth gadgets may be as much as 40ms even beneath superb circumstances. And for older {hardware}, that may stretch properly past 100ms. It’s not simply the {hardware} that may pose an issue, both. Android for a very long time was recognized to have critical latency points over Bluetooth, although the scenario has , at the least in keeping with Google. This makes it extraordinarily troublesome to maintain issues in time when you’re recording and all however unusable for stay monitoring.

Then, in December of final 12 months, AIAIAI launched what it claims are the “world’s first wi-fi headphones for music creators,” the $350 . The important thing promoting level is a particular that guarantees a constant 16ms of latency. It’s not zero latency, but it surely’s shut sufficient that sporting wi-fi headphones across the studio truly sounds cheap.

Now, earlier than we get to the wi-fi specifics, let’s speak in regards to the TMA-2 headphones extra typically. Like the remainder of AIAIAI’s lineup these are that permit you to substitute numerous components as mandatory, attributable to injury or altering wants. This additionally means it’s important to assemble them once they first present up. However, this can be a fairly fast and simple course of, even when it appears a tad intimidating at first. It took me lower than 10 minutes from opening the field to having the headphones related to my laptop computer. Mainly, when you’ve ever put collectively a Lego set, then you may deal with a pair of AIAIAIs.

The Studio headphones use the corporate’s “,” and so they sound nice. They’re not essentially the most impartial sounding headphones I’ve ever used, however they’re not terribly out of stability. I’ve discovered that the excessive frequency response is a little bit higher, and the bass much less emphatic on my Sony MDR-7506s. The AIAIAI are nonetheless completely appropriate for mixing – simply go in figuring out that the tone errs in direction of the darker aspect. However the sound stage may be very open and huge.

The 2 largest complaints I’ve in regards to the sound are comparatively minor. As have , there’s a little bit of noise launched when utilizing them within the 2.4Ghz low-latency mode with the transmitter. It’s a mild static that you could begin to hear with the quantity at round 50 p.c, however change into extra obvious over 75 p.c. You’ll be able to principally mitigate this by altering the quantity on the supply as a substitute of on the headphones themselves, but it surely’s value being conscious of.

The second challenge is that the Studio Wi-fi+ are oddly quiet whenever you use them over Bluetooth. With my Jaybirds or Sonys, I often set the quantity on my telephone to 75 or 80 p.c. However even at 100% I nonetheless discovered myself wishing for only a contact extra loudness on the AIAIAIs. An informal dialog isn’t going to overpower your music, however they may not present the extent of masking you’d need on a aircraft.

The Studio and Studio Wi-fi+ additionally include comfortable Alcantara lined earcups. I’ve worn them for hours on finish with no points. These are among the many most snug headphones I’ve ever used. I had some delicate considerations in regards to the headband at first, which is all rubber and doesn’t have any apparent cushioning. However these proved unfounded, as there’s a mild give across the inside the band that delivers greater than sufficient padding for marathon recording classes. 

There’s additionally greater than sufficient battery life for marathon classes, too. AIAIAI says the Wi-fi+ will final over 80 hours in Bluetooth mode. Frankly, I don’t have the persistence or the time to check this declare. I can inform you that I used them nearly on daily basis, in a mixture of Bluetooth and low-latency modes for 3 weeks and nonetheless had juice left. I did, nonetheless, check the declare of 16-hour battery life particularly utilizing 2.4GHz, and acquired 15 hours and 58 minutes. That’s shockingly shut – and I used to be even in a position to eke out a bit extra life by turning them again on in Bluetooth mode.

What was each beautiful and complicated, although, was that regardless of getting the low battery beep after I powered them again on, each my MacBook and iPhone stated there was 40 p.c battery life left. I even took a 20-minute stroll whereas listening to music, and the battery gauge didn’t budge. I used to be then in a position to sit at my laptop computer for nearly a full hour, taking part in again the occasional video and listening to music earlier than the headphones utterly died and wouldn’t energy again on. However, even proper up till the tip macOS insisted there was 40 p.c left, so one thing is amiss. I’ve requested AIAIAI if they’ve any theories about why this may be and can replace this evaluate if and after I hear again.

Oh, and even when you’ve utterly exhausted the battery, you may at all times join the headphones to your audio supply of alternative utilizing an everyday outdated TRS cable.

In fact, the actual motive to purchase the AIAIAI Studio Wi-fi+ isn’t for the epic battery life, it’s for the particular low-latency mode and let me inform you: It delivers. Now, this isn’t zero latency. You’ll be able to detect it beneath very particular circumstances, but it surely’s not sufficient to make a distinction. I recorded stay utilizing my laptop computer and a MIDI controller, and practiced my finger drumming on the and had no points.

The one time I observed the miniscule 16ms of lag was when monitoring stay whereas recording in the identical room as my guitar amp. With the ability to hear the amp over the feed from the headphones nearly made it sound like my guitar was double tracked. However the impact wasn’t pronounced sufficient to offer me any hassle.

I don’t suppose I used to be ready for a way releasing this was, although. Though sure, taking headphones on and off, or dragging across the lengthy, heavy, coiled cable of my MDR-7506s round is a ache, my “studio” is extraordinarily small. It’s the entrance third of a completed attic, and it does triple responsibility as my workplace and our visitor bed room. So, there’s not a variety of house to maneuver and it’s kinda cluttered.

Nonetheless, with the ability to choose up my guitar, with out first taking off my headphones or worrying about maintaining the cable out of the way in which was nice. And strolling backwards and forwards to swap out a pedal on my board, or a drum machine on my desk with out considering, made experimentation that a lot simpler. A lot of any inventive endeavor is about getting right into a stream state and staying there. Even the tiniest hurdle can disrupt that, and the AIAIAI Studio Wi-fi+ removes a kind of hurdles.

This freedom to maneuver about would most likely be even higher appreciated by individuals with bigger, extra properly outfitted studios. The vary on the two.4GHz transmitter is fairly stable, too. I used to be in a position to stroll from my attic all the way in which to the bottom flooring earlier than I began to lose connection.

Now, the query is whether or not that comfort is well worth the $350. And I’d say, for me at the least, the reply is sure. Regardless that I have a tendency to construct my studio on a finances (in spite of everything: I’m not an expert musician, life in New York is pricey and I’ve two youngsters), this looks as if an indulgence value making. When you’re the kind who produces music solely within the field (on a pc utilizing software program devices solely), the attraction won’t be as robust. However with the ability to mill about, untethered, and report, whereas additionally avoiding waking up my household in the course of the evening, is a godsend.