Earphones to blend in with the environment instead of being isolated.
Wireless earphones that do not block your ears. There are many precedents for this approach. "Xperia Ear Duo" that directly attacks the sound conduit to the ear, and bone conduction earphones. In a sense, smart glasses with built-in speakers can be said to be earphones that do not block your ears.
Ambie's joint venture ambie's ear cuff type wireless earphone "AM-TW01" found a new direction in this direction. Ear cuffs are accessories that are inserted into the earring, and compared to piercings and earrings, they are minor. I learned about it from Cho Hakkai in Saiyuki. Ishida-san!
I was able to borrow the prototype this time, so I will send you a review after using it for a few days. "AM-TW01" can already be reserved on the official website, but the initial lot is expected to be sold out. Also, due to schedule delays, shipments to those who have made reservations will be delayed by about two weeks. The degree of attention seems to be high.
What is this? : ambie ear cuff type wireless earphones
Price: 15,000 yen
Good points: Lightweight enough to forget you're wearing it, feels open without blocking your ears, and can be worn like an accessory
Unfortunately: It lacks power and you can't expect the same music experience as earphones
The eye-catching looks of "Hmm, those earphones?" As it is modeled after ear cuffs, it has a strong sense of accessory. I think it's a gadget that can be dressed up as an accessory, like the "NOVA H1 Audio Earrings" that have pearl earrings turned into earphones.
When worn, the side with the visible charging contact is behind the ear, and the side with the smaller protrusion is in front of the ear. A speaker is built into the small side, and the sound is directed to the ear.
The case is very compact and holds a feeling similar to AirPods Pro. The texture is smooth and matte with less fingerprints. There are three color variations: white, black, and cloud gray, and the white one is being reviewed this time.
The weight is 4.2g, the continuous playback time of the earphone alone is about 6 hours, and about 24 hours including charging the case. Complete with IPX5 waterproof performance. It can be used with one ear, and in the future, a special application will be released that allows pairing and checking the remaining battery level.
It's a little peculiar to wear, but once you put it on, you're free
The most outstanding feature of the "AM-TW01" is its comfort. With normal earphones, just take them out of the case and stuff them into your ears and that's it.
"AM-TW01" is a type that hooks on the ear ring instead of the ear hole, so it is basically worn with both hands (one hand wearing is probably impossible). Pull the upper part of the ear with one hand to flatten the helix, then push in the earphone and hook it on the ear.
It's OK if it looks like this. There is a physical button on the part behind the ear (the one with the larger protrusion), and operations such as play and stop are possible. There is no problem with the sense of stability, and it seems that it will not fall during exercise. If you get used to it, you can wear it in about 3 seconds, and you can wear it while walking. It's structurally unavoidable to have to wear one at a time.
It feels more like an ultra-small personal speaker than an earphone
The sound quality is good, but unlike earphones, you can block your ears and deliver sound directly to your ear holes like the "Xperia Ear Duo". I feel that it is lacking in terms of bass and power. On the other hand, high-pitched sounds such as female vocals, hi-hats, and guitars can be heard clearly. The feeling is similar to the way smart glasses that play music, such as "Bose Frames".
The volume is normal at 50% when connected to an iPhone, slightly noisy at 70% and can be heard faintly by people around you, loud at maximum and super sound leakage. For normal use, 40% to 60% is enough. I've tried it in cafes and on trains, but it seems that you don't have to worry about sound leakage unless you're in a quiet environment.
If you can't hear as well as you can with earphones, why not? Actually, it's not like that, even though the music is faintly ringing in my ears, my ears are not blocked. This balance is quite comfortable, as if you are playing your own BGM. It feels like you are monopolizing the background music in the store. If you use it in a shop or at home where there is no music, you can reproduce the way you hear in-store BGM. You can relax more than ordinary earphones because there is less strain on your ear holes and hearing.
Because I was listening to music for 3 hours before I knew it, there was no problem with wearing it. "Earphones that make you forget you're listening to music" is kind of weird, but it might make more sense to think of them as speakers rather than earphones. This is the "AM-TW01", which allows you to hang an ultra-compact personal speaker on your ear.
Thanks to the cover, your ears won't hurt
Because of the structure that pinches the ear, the burden when wearing it varies depending on the size of the ear. However, here are the elements that I felt were okay about the discomfort in the area where the earphones and the skin come into contact.
The main body is covered with a thin cover (silicon?). It's a bit different from normal earphones, and it's also good for hygiene.
I tried to remove the cover completely. You can see the physical buttons and microphone behind the ear.
There is a speaker hole on the front side that comes to the ear hole. If there was no cover, I think that the adhesive part of the parts and the texture of the plastic might be a burden on my ears, so I felt that it was a good consideration. It is also good to be able to clean only the cover if you are concerned about dirt.
Earphones for relaxation that allow you to enjoy music without feeling blocked
It is not a playback device for listening to music in a quiet place like a general headphone or earphone. Therefore, it will be an unsatisfactory listening response for those who want to listen to music.
On the other hand, the sound is just right for working BGM, and you can enjoy the relaxing feeling of listening to music through speakers in situations where you want to listen while doing PC work, playing games, cooking, jogging, etc. I was. I listened to the "slow commentary" content while doing simple tasks in the game, and I feel like this is the strongest.
So, it can be said that these earphones are the exact opposite of the recent noise-cancelling wireless that pursues silence. It is also good for listening to music while feeling the comfort of nature and environmental sounds, such as walking, camping, and parks. It's comfortable to wear, so you can leave it on all day long. If you want to enjoy it as an accessory, you should rather leave it on.
Where wireless earphones tend to compete with specs such as noise canceling and batteries, the AM-TW01 has changed its approach from the beginning. There is a new sense of omnipotence that you can always listen to your own BGM.
Check out our 71 second review on Gizmodo's YouTube channel. Are you smiling too much?
Source: ambie official site
August 23, 2021 Correction: Corrected because the product model number was incorrect
