TWS true wireless earphones - $100 - $150
FOUR STARS - The AXS TWS has cheap looks, limited all-around usability… and exceptional sound quality.
AXS Audio Professional Earbuds specs and features:
Bluetooth 5.2 with AAC codec
IPX4 waterproof (splash proof)
7,5 - 9,5 hours playtime on a single charge (ANC on/off)
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 3 times
Comes with 6 sets ear tips, USB-C cable, English manual
$150 - Buy on Amazon US
Below this AXS Audio TWS review, you will find comparisons of the AXS Audio TWS vs Final Audio ZE3000, Lypertek PurePlay Z3 2.0 +, Sony WF-1000XM3, and 1more Evo.
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Design, comfort and battery life
AXS Audio markets its debut in wireless earphones as professional earbuds, determined ‘to give you the most accurate audio reproduction possible’. The focus of the product is clearly an audiophile one. But unlike comparably priced $100 to $150 audiophile earphones like the FinalAudio ZE3000, Nuarl N6 Pro2 SE or Tanchjim Echo, it does little to present itself as such.
Coming in at 150 dollars, the AXS Audio TWS looks like a generic, even outdated pair of $50 wireless earbuds.
The charging case has the same form factor and striped sides as the Mpow X3 that released two years ago, but it's actually bigger and too bulky to carry comfortably in a jeans pocket. The earbuds are even less characteristic. AXS’ TWS is available in black and white, and in the latter, the matte white stems with light grey touch panel look like the cheapest of AirPods-wannabes when you wear them. This surely isn't a looker.
The specs and features don't do much to boost the products premium image. It's only IPX4 splashproof - not advised to take out in the rain or sweaty workouts. It also doesn't have app support, often a standard feature around the $150 price point.
In all honesty, it's not all bad news. AXS has the basics covered. The charging case can fully charge the earbuds 3 times before needing new power via USB-C or wireless charging, and its four LED-lights always indicate when the earbuds are charging, and how much case battery is left. The earbuds also follow a proven concept: the round part that goes into your ears is compact and fits snugly, while the ear tips (that come in six pairs) don't apply too much pressure to your ear canals.
The AXS is comfortable to wear for hours, and you can, too: these earbuds reach up to around 7,5 hours of battery life with ANC on, and last around 9,5 hours on a single charge with the function turned off.
These earbuds may not look like much; once they're in your ears, things improve quite a bit.
Controls and connectivity
Forms follows function: the AXS Audio depicts clearly where its touch panel is: the grey part on the stem. The earbuds operate easily, and all the important controls are available:
Double-tap L or R to play/pause music
Tap R to increase the volume
Tap L to decrease it
Hold R to switch between ANC on, ‘Voice-through’ and ANC off
Hold L to activate the voice assistent
Triple-tap R to skip a song
Triple-tap L to return a song
The AXS doesn't always register the number of taps well, so it can occur you're changing the volume instead of changing a track. You don't have to look for fancy features, too: music doesn't automatically pause when you take an earbud out, and there's no multipoint connection: you can only connect these earbuds to one Bluetooth device at a time.
Standard connectivity is good: the earbuds pair and connect quickly, and the Bluetooth signal stays stable up to 9-10 meters away from your device.
Calls, MOVIES AND GAMES
It's not advised to take a phone call with the AXS Audio TWS. Your voice output has enough volume, but sounds metallic. Even in ideal outdoor circumstances, the AXS has trouble keeping things together. Nearby or distant irregular sounds like chatter or accelerating vehicles have the harshest notes cut off, but they're processed so heavily, that it can feel like there's more going on around you than there actually is. Not to mention wind noise: even a little breeze can challenge your voice.
The AXS fares a bit better in indoor phone calls and video calls, like Microsoft Teams and Zoom meetings. Your voice is still metallic and loud enough, but as surrounding noise is often less intrusive than outside, your voice isn't completely taken away by it.
Watching videos is easy on the AXS, with flawless synchronization between audio and video. There's no dedicated low-latency mode for games, and sound effects are indeed a bit behind compared to the action you see on screen - performance is more acceptable on iPhone than Android.
ANC Quality of AXS Audio TWS
The AXS Audio lets you switch between ANC on, a Transparency mode and ANC off. While the voice prompts for ‘on’ and ‘off’ are too much alike, the noise cancelling does sort some effect.
ANC Quality: Activating Active Noise Cancelling on the AXS Audio helps to reduce some sounds around you, and in a surprising more natural way than most other wireless earbuds. Most earphones have an audible white noise to counter the noise around you, while the AXS has none of it.
The ANC mode filters background noise okay. Constant and darker sounds are reduced in volume quite well, and wind noise has the highest tones cut off. However, brighter and sudden nearby sounds like chatter, accelerating vehicles, and birds chirping are still easy to hear. If you'd like to quieten your noisy office area, these won't do: they'll cut some sounds, but chatter, laughter and radio or a tv playing are hardly filtered. It seems that its ANC mode is only ment to quieten your areas just that little bit extra when you're listening to music. For this, it succeeds.
Transparency mode quality: Hold the right panel another 1,5 seconds and you switch to the Transparency mode, called ‘Voice-through’ here. It immediately lets in more darker and brighter sounds around you, making it possible to hear and locate traffic around you, and to pick up nearby conversations - although only when playing music softly.
Wind noise reduction: While both ANC and Voice-through don't let in a very harsh wind noise, it's convenient you can also switch the functions off. In fact: it's off by default, to save you two hours of extra battery life. ANC off leaves out wind noise wonderfully.
Also read: The best sounding wireless earbuds
Sound quality of AXS AUdio TWS: Expert level
AXS Audio TWS defends its steep price by its sound tuning performed by live event producer Rikki Farr, also Chief Creative Officer of speaker-parts manufacturer Aurasound. The earbuds are tuned ‘for over 10 months to give the most accurate audio reproduction possible’. How does that turn out?
The AXS Audio TWS has an amazing clean midrange. Whereas some earbuds have an airy treble, this one puts the space into the mid-tones - and boy, do they have room to shine. It doesn't matter from which other wireless earbuds you're coming, chances are the TWS wows you with more space and better separation between instruments. Center-mid instruments sound incredibly natural, and details like the clonk before a keystroke, plucking of guitar-strings and resonating snare drums, are easy to pick up. Tonality is spot-on across the entire range: music doesn't sound warm or cold - it truly feels accurate.
Higher up, both instruments and vocals sound fantastic as well. Male nor female vocals are excessively forward, but do stand out from instruments - they have their logical central position and neither bow towards highs or lows too much. Bjork's outhauls in It's Oh So Quiet are immersive, goosebump-inducing, stabby as intended - and wonderfully controlled at the same time. Whether it's vocals like these, screeching hardrock guitars or cymbals; it's never too forward, never too bright.
In the bass, the 'most accurate reproduction of music' means the mid-bass isn't pumped up. The AXS can pack a proper punch in acoustic basses, producing fierce and textured drum kicks with lovely quick pacing. At the same time, mid-bass-tones roll-off quickly, and you may miss the typical full thumps for techno and other hard dance genres. What you get in return is a more detailed presentation of bass, with an insane verticality. From the lowest lower-mid electronic tones (mind you, they don't merge with the bass, but they do add up to the sensation), to the mid-bass, to the wonderfully controlled sub-bass rumbles; the bass feels exceptionally textured, deep, and layered.
On the release notes that come with my earbuds, Farr states his tuning avoids gimmicks in the sound. That could be why the AXS does nothing to cover up bad recordings - try enjoying some new, messy and crowded tracks from Aurora on this one - it's tough. If a song is produced messily, well, the AXS will show. But it also has another effect. Because even with its powerful separation, the AXS' soundstage isn't very wide or deep. Yes, vocals and instruments have their own position and stick to it, but don't expect instruments or effects (swooping) from your far left or right. Live recordings can miss a bit of their expansive stadium vibe. However, with such a tremendous representation of all individual instruments, it's hard to top the AXS.
However. There is a footnote. No, it's not the codecs, while AXS Audio challenges perception by only offering AAC and SBC codecs, and ditching higher-information transmitting variants like LDAC and AptX.
There's a weakness in the volume balance. You can't reduce volume enough for sole background listening, while reading a book for instance. At the same time, the AXS can go very loud. But you shouldn't go there, as the highest volume levels exaggerate the thinness of the mid-bass, and the wonderful openness in the mids can turn into an artificial echo. Unless your active volume listening is insanely high, however, this won't be a big issue.
So, here we have it. The AXS Audio TWS are the most faithfully tuned, most refined sounding wireless earbuds on the market.
AXS Audio TWS comparisons (on Sound only)
AXS Audio TWS vs Sony WF-1000Xm3
The AXS Audio TWS has a claim to fame against the highly regarded Sony WF-1000XM3 - but these are very different. The Sony presents a thicker and warmer sound, with stronger and longer-lastig mid-bass tones and boosted lower-mids. Its thickness continues on in the upper-mids, in which the AXS Audio is noticeably airier. The AXS reaches highs easier and presents them more natural, but the AXS can appear more shrill in crowded songs with an emphasis on higher tones. The AXS feels sound is more open, less dense than the Sony's, but actually it's the XM3 that can place instruments and sound effects further away from your - tricking you into a bigger soundstage. Claps are more controlled on the AXS, mids are more textured and the bass feels deeper, but the Sony is a more engaging listen.
Mini Sony WF-1000XM3 sound review ($150 - No full review; initial price too high)
AXS Audio TWS vs Lypertek PurePlay Z3
Pit against the best sounding wireless earbuds under $100, the AXS Audio has some trouble differentiating itself. The Lypertek PurePlay Z3 sound signature is not far off. The Z3 has a fiercer rumbling sub-bass and stronger mid-bass slam. It also brings a warmer undertone in the mids; whereas the AXS has a more natural sound that puts center-mids a bit more forward (except for vocals) and makes them sound slightly clearer. Mids thus sound more pronounced on the AXS, but the Z3 articulates details better, putting instruments and details wider around you.
AXS Audio TWS vs 1more Evo
The slightly more expensive 1more Evo boosts lower-mids more, and provides them with more texture while doing so. Vocals and upper-mids are much more forward and have a bit of echo, more so than the AXS. The AXS gives higher and lower vocals a bit more room for nuances; 1more presents them more powerful, more in-your-face, but less natural. These forward vocals do make the Evo more energetic. The 1more has a more prominent bass; the AXS is flatter and better balanced.
1more Evo review ($150)
AXS Audio TWS vs Final Audio ZE3000
If you're willing to spend $150 solely on sound quality, you can't overlook the FinalAudio ZE3000 as well. It has more distinct looks that match the price point better, but truth be told - the regular round fitting of the AXS is more comfortable. The ZE3000 has a wider soundstage; it positions instruments further away from you and wows with drums, snares and cymbals details from your left and right. The AXS has better tonal balance though, with less of the bright top edge of the FinalAudio, and a deeper, darker bass. Center-mids touch the lows easier on the AXS, which makes them feel more versatile and natural.
FinalAudio ZE3000 review ($150)
Verdict
The AXS Audio TWS is a sensational oddity in the wireless earphone market, ditching standard functionality and even audio codecs you'd expect for its steep $150 price - but it's a triumph in sound quality.
Four stars - Recommended
Check AXS Audio Earbuds price:
Check price on Amazon US
I received the AXS Audio Professional Earbuds from the manufacturer to test and review. My reviews are unsponsored and non-commercial. I test and review all audio products equally honest - read about it here.
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