AIAIAI TMA-2 (DJ Preset) Professional Headphones - modular headphone system with fully customisable, upgradeable and replaceable parts , Black

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I also greatly appreciate the practical and elegant design and implementation inherent to AIAIAI’s products. It wasn't until almost a decade later that I shelled out the not inconsiderable coinage required to acquire a pair of TMA-2s for myself. I can safely say, they have been worth every penny. Not only do these cans look the part, most crucially there exists no better sounding headphones available anywhere on the planet. Kiss goodbye to lobe fatigue, too; comfort levels do not waver, even during the marathon listening sessions you'll want to wear these headphones for. Another perk produced by the W+ Link tech is that you can transform devices that only have an analog audio output into wireless media sources. Whether this be instruments, amplifiers or other hi-fi and AV kit, these headphones can bring them into the modern age.

Redbook CD audio (44.1kHz/16-bit) has an audio bitrate of 1,411 kbps (@16-bit), just below the 1500 kbps limit of the W+ Link. Finally, there is a potential deal-breaker for those who are hoping the improved data transmission of the W+ Link offers the listener a truly substantial upgrade over Bluetooth. There is a noticeable noise floor, resulting in a constant low-level hiss, using the W+ Link that is not present when listening via Bluetooth. The TMA-2 DJ XE also feature signature bio-diaphragm drivers, on-ear foam cushions covered in PU leather for “enhanced isolation and punchy sound representation” and a “modular headphone system”, which allows for interchangeable ear pads, cables and speaker units. With the introduction of the X02's low-latency wireless DJ monitoring capability, AIAIAI has demonstrated it is not interested in simply resting on the laurels of past success and, instead, invests in changing the game; pushing things forward for the betterment of all of its customers. A massive 80-hour battery life is possible if connected via Bluetooth, but this diminishes to just 16 hours on the 2.4GHz band. This, coupled with the 30-hour battery life of the wireless transmitter, means you’ll be charging two devices every few days if you use the latter technology.When cutting my teeth as an audio journo several years ago, Sennheiser's cheap HD 25 on-ears were handed to me so I might at least lookclued up in the audio game. I wore them everywhere. I managed to nab myself the 75th anniversary pairin 2020, while working for TechRadar's sister publication, What Hi-Fi? The H10 band contains all controls, indicators, and ports. There are three vertical buttons on the outer right side that protrude slightly along with a small LED below them.

If you require a pair of headphones for music production or DJ performances that boast unparalleled longevity, are dead simple to fix and can stay up-to-date far into the future - you can’t go wrong with the AIAIAI TMA-2. The DJ preset consists of a S02 speaker driver with on-ear PU leather pads and a rugged H02 headband. We were sent the DJ preset alongside the range-topping HD wireless presets to review by AIAIAI. And we’re grateful to have received both pairs as it allowed us to swap between the individual parts to find what suited us best. The HD Wireless included the S05 speaker drivers, which sound far superior to the S02 units and massively changed how we approached this review. Our Impressions The larger over-ear pads are more expensive but excel in comfort, offering better sound isolation than on-ear variants. Aimed more for longer listening sessions, these cups are available in either PU Leather or Alcantara. Producers will especially enjoy the Alcantara over ears which instantly turns the TMA-2’s into the most comfortable headphone we have ever tested.W+ Link latency (16ms) is also far lower than Bluetooth standards ranging from about 100ms to more than 250ms for AAC and SBC. Even aptX LL (low latency) is rated for below a maximum of 40ms. Although, admittedly, as an iPhone user, I would only use AAC (as it’s the default Apple codec). And, of course, the Bluetooth connection is secondary to AIAIAI’s W+ Link tech, which supports “uncompressed and stable 16bit connection from larger bandwidth and dual antennas”. AIAIAI offer five speaker units at the time of writing. Sold in pairs, the speaker units are entire cups that easily attach to the TMA-2 headbands without the need for tools. Each speaker is specifically tuned for a specific purpose and sound characteristic. All speaker units currently use a 40mm driver with the same outer shell, with only the internal speaker diaphragm changing. Yeah man. I think this is the old euro standard of speaker tuning. 1db per octave drop from about 80 up, IIRC. Where to Buy

In fact, there’s very little on the market to directly compare them to thanks to their unique feature set, but if all you’re after is an all-round excellent pair of Bluetooth headphones, Sony’s flagship cans are the better buy. Design Could they make our way into a roundup containing only the best cheap headphoneswe've tested? It's possible. The company's TMA-2 Studio Wireless+didn't pull up any trees, but the TMA-2 Ninja Tune Editionprove there's plenty of talent there –and at this discounted price, I think I might give the TMA-2 DJ XE a whirl, you know… Responsible, long-lasting design is one of AIAIAI’s core principles. They achieve this by using their famed modular concept, allowing you to easily repair and upgrade your TMA-2 headphones, and favour sustainable materials. In addition to reducing their carbon footprint and impact on the environment, this approach also greatly extends the lifespan of their products. Overall, the sound is neutral with decent separation, with subdued extremes in the sub-bass and upper treble range. This doesn’t make for as exciting a listen as Sony’s flagship headphones, but can be good for those seeking a more clinical monitoring of their audio. You can always swap out the drivers if you’d prefer a different profile.

While this is more than is necessary for most end-user media consumption, content creators will appreciate the closer to real-time performance. Controls are annoying: On/Off button on 2,4GHz receiver and headphones needs to be pressed for 6s to boot, 3s to shut down We tested this with our Apple Mac Mini (M1) as well as a synthesizer and dedicated media player, and found the solution did work but at the expense of lowering the ‘maximum’ volume available. Even with the source devices outputting their maximum level, the final volume in the headphones wasn’t very loud. There shouldn’t be any issues while listening at low-to-moderate volume levels, but those that enjoy listening at louder volumes will have to deal with a bit of noise. The H10 headband is bulkier than other TMA-2 offerings, likely due to it housing the wireless tech and the larger battery needed to power it. We also found it rather stiff around our (admittedly large) head which, combined with its size, made for a clamping sensation that was fatiguing after a short while.

While the battery life is an impressive 80 hours in Bluetooth mode, this drops to 16 hours in W+ Link mode. Additionally, the X01 transmitter must be recharged every 30 hours.

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Some details, then. As I proclaimed in a summer missive entitled I miss my Sennheiser HD 25 –but squint and these DJ on-ears could be them, it's as if Danish firm AIAIAI has presented a fix for my ageing cheap DJ cans with the TMA-2 DJ XE. With the larger pads, the sound has far better balance, tonality, and extension. With the smaller E04 pads, the experience feels flat and tends towards a compressed and nasal quality that I just don’t enjoy. It’s not even close. Pony up for the non-XE version if these are on your buying list.