Ausounds AU-XT ANC Review

Delivering sound with enough of energy and zip, the Ausounds don’t offer equally much in the value for money stakes as other models with regards to their characteristic set up, plus build quality is on the creaky side.

Introduction

California-based sound brand Ausounds’ rollout of its headphones continues on in the Uk with another fresh confront in the
AU-XT ANC.

These over-ear headphones are predominantly aimed at the lifestyle segment, with their mid-market toll and inclusion of noise cancellation looking to scoop upwardly those listeners whose budget falls short of the Bose QuietComfort 45.

The AU-XT ANC are ane of the all-time-sounding efforts among their cost subclass, only a few issues spoil the overall performance.

Pattern

• Plain, simple appearance
• Excellent fit and comfort
• Physical buttons

Black. It’s the just colour in which the AU-XT ANC are available, and that gives these cans a manifestly appearance. If you like your headphones to be a representation of you, then AU-XT ANC would suggest you’re a discreet person.

Only this isn’t something I’d hold against these headphones. Of more concern is the build quality, which is not the most reassuring. The hinges display more creaks than a door in a haunted firm; collapsing the headphones to put them in a bag or case produces unnerving cracks every time.

Still, the Ausounds laissez passer the muster for comfort. The retentivity foam ear pads are overnice and soft, the clamping force of the headphones is sufficiently tight to keep them in place, and the adjustable headband provides some leeway for different-shaped heads. The silicone headband eases the force per unit area on tiptop of the head, too. It’s just a shame that the hard plastic build doesn’t live upwardly to the expectations for a £200 pair of headphones.

At that place are no bear upon controls – the AU-XT ANC stick with physical, tactile buttons. You’ll find an ANC switch on the left ear cup, with volume, playback and ability on the right (you tin can too command calls and summon vocalisation assistants, likewise). There’due south a 3.5mm jack for a wired connection, plus a USB-C charging port. There’due south a slightly retro and understated look about the AU-XT ANC’southward appearance that I like – but those stiff hinges are a slight cause for concern.

Features

• Effective noise cancellation
• Short battery life with ANC fashion
• AptX HD Bluetooth support

Similar their advent, the Ausounds AU-XT ANC feature ready tin be described as sparse. Active racket counterfoil is supported, just it’s one size fits all. The features you lot may expect at this price – such as transparency manner, on-ear detection or an app – aren’t included.

Bombardment life is a reasonable xxx hours, but with ANC on information technology falls to a less spectacular 14 hours. Using these headphones over a few weeks, the battery depleted apace with active noise cancellation engaged and when the low battery notification pops upwardly, the gig is pretty much up. Xiv hours is a figure that doesn’t compare favourably with the Urbanista Los Angeles’ 50 hours or the Cleer Enduro ANC’southward sixty hours. Fast charging is supported, with 15 minutes calculation another 90 if you’re in a bind.

Noise cancellation is on a par, if not amend than those models. Noises sideslip through, cars pass by audibly, and the hubbub of train terminals was nevertheless apparent; but train journeys were noticeably calmer and voices are ushed – all without having to heighten the volume.

However, in that location was an outcome with the ANC – an e’er-present electrical fizz. When music was at its loudest it wasn’t noticeable, but in quieter moments it became difficult to ignore. The Ausounds’ noise cancellation is a case of 2 steps frontward and one step dorsum.

The AU-XT ANC support Bluetooth codecs up to aptX HD, which can deliver 24-flake HD sound (if your mobile device supports aptX HD), with Bluetooth 5.0 the tether between the headphones and the source device. In that location’s an IPX4 rating, and since Ausounds says its wireless headphones are designed to exist sweat-proof, you can habiliment these during workouts.

Audio quality

• Smooth, energetic audio
• Assertive bass
• More focused presentation with noise counterfoil on

There’s a Bose-esque quality to the Ausounds performance that makes them one of the more thoroughly enjoyable sets I’ve listened to at this price. Their presentation is crisp in tone, highs and lows land well, and they feature enough of nil, energy and verve.

At least that’s the case with active noise cancellation on. With it off there’s a looseness to the AU-XT ANC’south delivery that makes them less engaging. In this non-ANC mode, they’re a perfectly fine listen – but switch ANC on and they become more than focused, the soundstage is tighter, with detail delivered with more than insight.

Listening to Rage Against the Motorcar’due south Bulls on Parade, the divergence shows in Zack de la Rocha’south vocals defective shape, clarity and feeling afar. With ANC on, nonetheless, in that location’due south better definition and sharpness to his vocals, as well as more infinite inside the track for his vocalism to occupy.

Beyond the frequency range there’due south an entertaining sense of tonal balance – the low frequencies hit with weight and authority in Rick James’ Mary Jane; their punchy and believing in Obongjayar’s Frens. The mid-range is conspicuously conveyed, filled with enough detail, and granted plenty space to effectively convey the tone and texture of instruments and voices.

What the Ausounds headphones don’t display perhaps is clear lines of demarcation in terms of fully separating one instrument in the soundfield from another, as premium priced cans achieve. Nevertheless, the impression the Ausounds leave is ane of smooth, controlled and fidelious sound for the money.

Move up the frequency range and there’s a decent amount of effulgence and refinement to requite the piano notes at the beginning of GoGo Penguin’southward Raven some polish and clarity. They’re a good listen, with fewer holes to find in their operation compared to the Urbanista, and more character about them than Cleer’s more than neutral Enduro ANC.

It’s a pity, and so, that the electrical ‘dissonance’ when ANC is on serves to undermine their delivery, meshing with tracks in a distracting manner. The Ausounds are one of the ameliorate-sounding options I’ve heard at this toll, and if they were a bit more affordable and didn’t suffer from a few quality issues, it would be easier to give them an endorsement.

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