On the front is an LED that shows current charge at a glance. Its rubbery underside is a clue to its wireless charging ability, while around the back is a USB-C connection. The charging case carries the same angular motif and is larger than most. A long press on the left and right bud when audio is playing sends volume down or up respectively. Controls differ for each bud: the right handles playback and calls the left deals with the Ambient mode and voice assistance. The touch controls are responsive, despite the angular shape of the touch surface, with only a few prods – usually double- or triple-taps – interpreted incorrectly (the best place to press is at the point). Like the Devialet Gemini, they don’t look as handsome as other products from Astell & Kern, lacking that shiny sheen I’ve come to expect but they’re distinctive and striking in their own way. The touch surface carries the Korean brand’s penchant for angular surfaces, light reflecting off the surface in a way that casts shadows. Five ear-tip sizes are provided, from small to XXL, to find the best fit, although surprisingly there’s no IP resistance for the buds, so they wouldn’t be recommended for gym sessions or use in wet weather. While sounds still get through (a throng of people milling about, or musicians playing along the Southbank), not by enough to become a distraction, and when music is playing these sounds fade away even more. Wind noise is also curtailed very effectively.
Their passive noise-isolating design targets sound in the high to mid-frequency range, and ambient sounds are diminished by a substantial amount. Having used them on the underground and walking in public areas such as the Southbank and Trafalgar Square, they put a stop to most noises that come my way. Nevertheless, I can’t fault the impressiveness of the noise isolation. Their dimensions are chunky and pentagonal, and while I wouldn’t call them uncomfortable to wear, they make their presence felt as soon as they’re placed into their ear.
Like a plug in a sink, the AK UW100 block your ears with a tight seal that makes it difficult for passing sounds to impact your music sessions. More importantly, can Astell & Kern bring its pedigree for high-quality sound to an area of the headphones market where convenience and compromise are often watchwords? Let’s find out. Up against the likes of Bose, Sennheiser and Sony, this is a market where noise cancellation has grown in popularity, a feature the Astell & Kern buds forego for their “best-in-class” passive noise isolation. Of course, Astell & Kern has history in the headphones market with its premium in-ear monitors, but a true wireless pair is a different kettle of fish.
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