Overall Score 7.5 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.
Overall Score 7.5 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.
Category | Features | Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus | Bowers & Wilkins PI7 |
---|---|---|---|
DESIGN | ingress protection (ip) rating | IP55 | IP54 |
weight | 9g | 50g | |
has no wires or cables | ✓ | ✓ | |
sweat resistance | ✓ | ✗ | |
has stereo speakers | ✓ | ✓ | |
SOUND QUALITY | has active noise cancellation (noise control) | ✓ | ✓ |
has passive noise reduction | ✓ | ✓ | |
driver unit size | 9mm | 9.2mm | |
lowest frequency | 5Hz | 10Hz | |
highest frequency | 20,000Hz | 20,000Hz | |
sound pressure level | 110dB/mW | ✗ | |
POWER | battery life | 7.5hours | 4.5hours |
battery life of charging case | 12.5hours | 18hours | |
charge time | 2.5hours | 3hours | |
has wireless charging | ✗ | ✓ | |
has a battery level indicator | ✓ | ✓ | |
CONNECTIVITY | has usb type-c | ✓ | ✓ |
bluetooth version | v5.1 | v5 | |
maximum bluetooth range | 10meters | 10meters | |
has aac | ✓ | ✓ | |
has aptx adaptive | ✗ | ✓ | |
has aptx hd | ✗ | ✓ | |
MICROPHONE | number of microphones | ✗ | 6only |
has a noise-canceling microphone | ✓ | ✓ | |
highest mic frequency | 8,000Hz | ✗ | |
lowest mic frequency | 100Hz | ✗ | |
EXTRAS | has ambient sound mode | ✓ | ✓ |
has in/on-ear detection | ✗ | ✓ | |
has find earbuds feature | ✓ | ✓ | |
supports fast charging | ✓ | ✓ | |
multipoint count | 2only | ✗ | |
has a mute function | ✓ | ✓ | |
control panel placed on a device | ✓ | ✓ | |
has voice prompts | ✓ | ✓ | |
travel bag is included | ✓ | ✓ | |
See price on Amazon | See price on Amazon |
Ingress protection ratings refer to the level of protection offered by a casing, against solids and liquids. In the format of IPXX, 'X' represents a number The first value refers to protection against solids say dust, followed by the one that refers to protection against liquids (water).
Having a value of IP55, the Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus's rating is read as, the first value of 5 denotes that ingress of dust is not totally prevented but dust does not enter in harmful quantities to interfere with the correct operation or impair safety, and the second number of 5 means that they can withstand medium pressure jet that's 6.3mm diameter, similar to garden hose from any angle for 3 minutes at a distance of 2.5 to 3 metres. Compared to the Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus, Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a rating of IP54 meaning that
they both have the same rating against dust
and that of liquids is that,
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 has a lower liquid rating than Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus
Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus have a weight of 9g . We consider a lower weight better because lighter devices are easier to transport.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7, at 50g are heavier than the Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus with a difference of 41g For a device to be true wireless it should have no cables linking any part of the device together, Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus are true wireless for this matter since they don't have cables. This is an important distinction since wireless earbuds have wires connecting the two earbuds . Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also is true wireless since it doesn't have cables connecting the 2 earbuds . Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus are resistant to sweat Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus have stereo speakers, devices with stereo speakers deliver sound from independent channels on both left and right sides, this creates a richer sound and a better listening experience. Both Bowers & Wilkins PI7 and Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus have stereo speakers ANC makes use of more advanced kind of tech to actively counter noise.
ANC works when, it listens to the sound pattern of incoming noise and then inverts the soundwaves to cancel it out. In simple terms, it's like having +1 (noise) then adding -1 (counter sound by the device) to make zero resulting in a reduced level of noise.
Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus have Active Noise Cancellation allowing you to listen at lower volume levels, causing less ear fatigue since you don't need to crank up the earbuds volume to overcome background sounds.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have ANC which makes both devices ideal for flights and morning travels. Each work with different noise cancellation types, pick the mode that you prefer for commute or that enhances your relaxation time. Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus sit well in place, creating an acoustic covering that reduces your environment sounds while preventing the earbuds sound from leaking out at the same.
Both of these devices have passive noise reduction which implies that both reduce ambient noise without using technology to cancel it out. Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus have a unit size of 9mm in diameter, bigger drivers are more powerful, and can produce better bass. The driver unit is basically a mini speaker that produces sound in the earbuds, its size corellates with the sound produced by the device.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 driver unit is 9.2mm in diameter,
making them have a larger driver unit than that of Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus by 0.2mm
, a common assumption that driver units of a bigger size automatically produce better sound quality.
However, large drivers usually have difficulty producing high frequencies so yes, larger drivers are capable of generating louder sound, but this does not imply that they produce better quality sound. Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus's lowest frequency is at 5Hz, low-frequency response inidcates how well an audio component produces low frequencies that can be heard, and if it alters the signal on its way through.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7's lowest frequency is at 10Hz, this means that Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus make sound with a juicier bass than the Bowers & Wilkins PI7 Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, high-frequency response shows how well a particular audio device produces high recognizable frequencies and if it makes any changes to the signal while at it. Bowers & Wilkins PI7's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, this implies that both devices generate equal treble The sound pressure level, is the pressure level of sound, measured in decibels, dB, Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus's measurement is 110dB/mW. Devices with a higher sound pressure level are generally louder when supplied with any given audio source.
Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus's battery life is 7.5 hours, these last longer than 5 hours of listening which is considered average for a single charge. A device's battery life is commonly given by the manufacturer, and with more battery hours, you get to use it for longer and have to charge the device less often. Bowers & Wilkins PI7's battery life is less than that of Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus by 3 hours . Each time you recharge your earbuds, they get a little less playing time.
The effect is barely noticeable at first, but over a few years, your wireless earbuds will have shorter listening time. The battery life of the charging case is given by the manufacturer, and the Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus's case is said to have a charge of 12.5 hours. A charging case with more battery hours enables you to recharge your earbuds on the go many times before having to recharge the case itself.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7's charging case has a battery life of 18 hours, more than that of Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus by 5.5 hours It requires 2.5 hours to fully charge the Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus's battery. It is highly adivsable to fully charge the battery before using the earbuds for the first time. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 takes 3 hours to fully charge the battery, more than that of Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus by 0.5 hours The Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus have a battery level indicator, an indicator notifies you when the device has a low battery.
The battery indicator lights show the charging state of your device and charging case. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have a battery level indicator, charging indicators allow you to determine the charging state of your earbuds, whether fully charged, or the battery is running low. Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus support USB TYPE-C, an industry-standard connector for transmitting both data and power through a single cable.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have USB TYPE-C. This USB-C plug is part and parcel of most current electronics. The Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus have Bluetooth version of 5.1, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that enables data movement between devices placed in range, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 has a Bluetooth version of 5, older than that of Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus . Newer versions provide faster data transfers. The Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus have a 10meters distance connecting via Bluetooth. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a maximum range of 10meters, equal to that of the Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus support AAC, a codec used for Bluetooth audio.
It supports 24-bit audio at 250kbps. Because it uses psychoacoustic modeling, it can provide better results than other codecs at a similar bit rate.
Since its the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus will work well with your iPad.
If you are planning on using these with Android , ensure that they also support aptX HD, LDAC, or LHDC as well. The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support AAC as well. Designed to be the successor of the MP3 format, AAC generally achieves higher sound quality than MP3 encoders at the same bit rate.
The Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus use a noise-canceling type of microphone, these microphones are made to filter out noise from the earbuds' sound. The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too use a noise-canceling microphone. Especially useful in noisy environments.
Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus's highest mic frequency is 8,000Hz, high frequencies are better for recording treble. The highest mic frequency of a microphone is known as its upper limiting frequency. Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus's lowest mic frequency is 100Hz, low frequencies are best for picking up bass.
The lowest mic frequency of a microphone is defined as its lower limiting frequency. The Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to channel ambient noises to still be heard even when wearing them The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support ambient sound mode as well, helpful when you want to listen to music while being aware of what’s happening around you, say you’re having a jog but would still want to hear traffic. If lost in a room, or can't be found in your bag, Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus have a find earbuds feature.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have the find earbuds feature. You can use the earbuds app on your smartphone to play a sound from your device to help you locate them. The Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus support fast charging.
Usually, technologies like MediaTek’s Pump Express, are used to lower the time it takes to fully charge a device. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support fast charging. This kind is similar to regular charging, only that the battery is filling up much faster.
For example, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery can be charged to 50% in 30 minutes. The Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus have a multipoint of 2 connections, this feature allows you connect to more than one Bluetooth device and switch between them. Say, you can easily switch calls from one device to another without having to manually disconnect and reconnect.
Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus have a mute function, they support the feature to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the device. The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also support the mute function. The mute function means that you unilaterally turn off the earbuds' microphone, but still hear the other party talk.
With the Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus, so you can easily access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever features are supported on the earbuds. The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have a control panel on them. Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus have voice prompts.
With voice prompts, you receive information through audio messages, say if there is a problem with the connection. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also support voice prompts meaning the earbuds notifies you if the battery is running low, and it's time to recharge them. The Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus come with their own special case.
Carrying earbuds openly, or placing them inside your bag without a casing may easily put them at risk of getting damaged. Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have a case included, which is useful for safe transportation.