AIAIAI's description of the AIAIAI TMA-2 Studio Wireless+ ultra-low latency and lossless audio headphones
ULTRA-LOW LATENCY AND LOSSLESS AUDIO.
- Ultra-low latency and lossless audio with W+ Link technology. 16h playback time
- Signature AIAIAI bio-diaphragm speaker
- Enhanced comfort with Alcantara®
- Modular headphones – designed to last
- Lifetime trade-in service
Empowering music creators with the freedom to create wirelessly. The TMA-2 Studio Wireless+ is a versatile professional headphone, designed for today’s dynamic creative workflow.
CREATE+ WIRELESSLY. LATENCY-FREE.
This is not a Bluetooth headphone.
With our W+ Link technology we secure a stable ultra-low latency and uncompressed wireless connection.
DEEP DIVE: W+ LINK.
W+ Link has been designed for ultra-low latency and lossless audio transmission, over a robust and stable connection.
In this deep dive, we'll explore how W+ Link outperforms Bluetooth for a latency-free wireless experience over a robust and stable connection.
ACHIEVING STABLE, ULTRA-LOW LATENCY WITH W+ LINK.
In this deep dive, we'll explore how W+ Link outperforms Bluetooth for a latency-free wireless experience over a robust and stable connection.
Robust Lossless Connection: Dual Antennas and Larger Bandwidth
The W+ Link is developed with dual antennas to always secure a stable connection without interference from surroundings. With a larger bandwidth than Bluetooth, W+ Link can transmit uncompressed audio, and transmit it multiple times in parallel. This secures a stable signal without drop-outs.
Bluetooth devices compress and decompress the audio stream in order to send it wirelessly over the limited bandwidth. This reduces the audio quality.The larger bandwidth used by our W+ Link technology allows the audio stream to be sent uncompressed from your audio source to your headphones. The graph highlights the bitrate of typical Bluetooth codecs compared to W+ Link.
W+ Link vs. Bluetooth: Comparing Wireless Audio Technologies
Bluetooth is a broad technology used for wireless communication in many areas such as medical, smart devices, IoT, communication, and more. Bluetooth was not developed specifically for wireless audio. When used for wireless audio, some of the limitations are on latency, stability, and robustness. This is experienced by a delay in the sound, which varies depending on the surroundings, and dropouts or interference in the connection. With its wide support and adoption, Bluetooth is a great option for listening and casual music making, on all Bluetooth enabled devices.
LISTEN TO THE DETAILS.
A critically acclaimed sound stage specifically designed for studio use with a clear and highly detailed sound representation.
The speaker unit contains a bio-cellulose diaphragm made from bacterial cellulose, an organic compound grown using certain types of bacteria. The precision-grown diaphragm from bio-cellulose is stiffer, lighter, and stronger than regular PET speaker units, allowing the sound-producing diaphragm to vibrate without the levels of distortion found in other speakers.
Each of these qualities results in more accurate and detailed sound from the speaker with the ability to retain clarity of sound at high volumes.
DEEP DIVE: BIO CELLULOSE DIAPHRAGMS.
Discover the award-winning sound of our bio-cellulose speaker diaphragms. We explore their unique features and how they deliver exceptional audio performance.
MATERIAL AND PROPERTIES.
Our bio-cellulose speaker diaphragms are made of a bacterial cellulose, an organic compound grown using certain types of bacteria. Bio-cellulose is an interesting material for many reasons; it’s renewable, biodegradable, and has great acoustic properties. If you look closely at the diaphragm you'll see a structure of fine fibres. These fibres construct a very stiff but lightweight material making it ideal for a speaker diaphragm.
HOW BIO-CELLULOSE AFFECTS SOUND QUALITY.
The diaphragm of a theoretically perfect speaker will move like a piston. Moving back and forth without tilting or wobbling or changing shape. This can be achieved by making the diaphragm material as stiff as possible. If the diaphragm material is too flexible, it will sympathetically resonate at frequencies harmonic to the frequency of the sound we are trying to reproduce. This resonating motion must be avoided because it causes harmonic distortion. There are plenty of very stiff materials, but we also need to consider the weight of the material. A heavier diaphragm requires more power to move, so to play music at the same sound pressure level we would need a more powerful amplifier that consumes more battery power. Fortunately, the bio-cellulose diaphragm is able to provide the stiffness we need without weighing more than the alternatives.
UNDERSTANDING HARMONIC DISTORTION.
In short, harmonic distortion is unwanted energy at the harmonics of the sound we are trying to reproduce. The harmonics of a sound is the whole number multiples of the frequencies contained in the sound wave. So if we are trying to play a pure sine tone with a frequency of 200Hz we may also hear energy at 400Hz, 600Hz, 800Hz, and so on. When comparing speaker units, we measure the total harmonic distortion (THD), which is the root mean square of all the unwanted harmonic components in the measured sound.
THE IMPORTANCE OF LOW DISTORTION IN MUSIC PLAYBACK.
If music is played through a poorly designed headphone that produces a high level of harmonic distortion, it will sound wrong and unnatural. This is because the harmonic distortion changes how we perceive the timbre and tonality of the sound, which is obviously problematic when producing music or mixing a track. The bio-cellulose diaphragm on the other hand is able to reproduce the music faithfully with great clarity, even at high volume levels.
INTRODUCING THE S05: PREMIUM SOUND WITH BIO-CELLULOSE DIAPHRAGMS.
For the S05 speaker units, we paired the bio-cellulose diaphragm with a high-grade neodymium magnet, resulting in a speaker unit with a clear mid-range, better dynamics, and a more natural overall tonality. When tuning the speaker unit, we paid special attention to the clarity in the mid-range, without compromising the extension in the bass range. This results in a wide sound stage with great instrumental separation. The listener is able to extract and enjoy every detail in the music.
ALCANTARA CUSHIONS.
Alcantara® is a highly innovative material offering an unrivalled combination of sensory aesthetic and functional qualities. With its extraordinary durability and versatility, Alcantara® is the choice of many leading brands in fashion, automotive and tech products.
The Alcantara material does not only feel and look good. It is 100% CO2 neutral. Which means it has a net balance of CO2 emissions of zero. More than 78% of scraps and by-products are recycled and reused when manufacturing the material. Thereby reducing the need for raw materials.
RESPONSIBLE DESIGN.
Since the launch of our first headphones in 2010, we have been dedicated to responsible product design. We've come a long way and we are just getting started.
LONGEVITY AND MODULARITY.
Since 2010, beginning with the TMA-1 headphones, responsibility has been at the heart of our design philosophy. We create products with longevity and modularity in mind, allowing you to seamlessly upgrade as technology and your needs evolve, ultimately extending the lifetime of our products.
RESPONSIBLE MATERIALS.
We persistently innovate, utilizing superior materials like Alcantara® or vegan leather for ear cushions, and incorporating recycled materials into our speaker units and packaging. Our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint and minimizing waste contributes to a healthier planet.
Our commitment to responsible design helps prevent product obsolescence while minimizing environmental impact through carefully selected materials. Designed to last is our promise.
RECYCLED AND DURABLE PLASTICS.
By using recycled plastics, we reduce our demand for new raw materials, which means less extraction from the environment and lower energy usage.
In 2021, we incorporated 30%-50% recycled plastics in our TMA-2 speaker units, and by 2023 we achieved 100% recycled, post-consumer plastics in our TMA-2 speaker units and UNIT-4 studio monitors.
We’ve been dedicated to responsible product design since the launch of our first headphones in 2010. We are continuously improving and increasing the proportion of recycled plastics in our products.
When it comes to consumer electronics, traditional materials like aluminium, steel, or wood are often the go-to choices. However, since launching our TMA-1 headphones in 2010, we've steered away from these norms. We've chosen what we've found to be a more responsible path, prioritizing the use of recycled plastics in our products.
We know that plastics have a reputation for being harmful to the environment, and mismanaged plastics are indeed harmful polluters. Therefore, we've committed to manage plastics responsibly by minimizing waste, extending product life via modular design and easy repair, and through initiatives like Remixed with lifetime trade-in and buy-used.
It’s also important to differentiate between single-use plastics and recycled, durable plastics. We've found that when handled responsibly, recycled and durable plastics provide a range of benefits that traditional materials can't match.
Here are three of our core design principles to minimise our carbon footprint and promote a circular economy:
Designing for minimal carbon footprint
By using recycled plastics, we reduce our demand for new raw materials, which means less extraction from the environment and lower energy usage.
An easy way to show this is by the melting point of aluminium (660 degrees) and steel (1500 degrees), compared to ABS plastic (200 degrees). Plastic is also much lighter than traditional materials, so less energy is consumed transporting our products to you.
By sourcing recycled plastic, we are not contributing to the growing plastic mass on our planet, and we also help prevent plastics from other industries from entering the environment after use.
Designing for longevity
The adaptability of recycled plastics gives us a creative edge. It lets us push design boundaries, experiment with unique shapes, and develop products that are comfortable, easy to use, and durable.
Lightweight plastics ensure you can wear our products for extended periods without discomfort. Despite their light weight, these plastics are resilient, capable of withstanding daily use and accidental drops.
In many ways, we’ve found this combination of adaptability, comfort, and durability to outperform traditional materials.
Designing for circularity
Even with the best durability and repairability, all products will eventually reach their end-of-life phase. The process of transforming our used products into new ones consumes less energy than traditional materials like steel and aluminium, and plastics can be recycled several times without significantly losing their quality.
This circular economy is further made possible by designing for disassembly and with modular product design so elements can be taken apart and recycled.
With recycled plastics, we strive to create products that not only sound and feel great, but also are a responsible choice. We hope you appreciate this delicate balance we're trying to maintain.
We’ve been dedicated to responsible product design since the launch of our first headphones in 2010. We are continuously improving and increasing the proportion of recycled plastics in our products.
PACKAGING WITH CARE.
In 2020, we transformed our packaging using only recycled and recyclable materials, achieved Cradle-to-Cradle certification of the sleeve, and optimized the design for a smaller form factor, resulting in an 80% reduction of our CO2 footprint.
Our focus on responsible design also include sustainable packaging, which minimize product obsolescence and environmental impact through the careful selection of materials.
In late 2019, we recognized the need to address the significant contribution of packaging to our product's CO2 footprint, primarily due to the use of conventional aluminum and LDPE materials, as well as the overall weight and dimensions.
This realization prompted us to develop more sustainable packaging solutions using environmentally-friendly materials.
Our approach
We focused on replacing conventional materials with sustainable alternatives, such as 100% recycled plastics and FSC certified paper from responsible sources. Additionally, we optimized the dimensions and weight of our packaging to reduce waste and significantly lower our carbon footprint.
The results
We successfully introduced our new sustainable packaging in summer 2020, incorporating the following environmentally-friendly features:
- All materials are recycled and recyclable.
- All plastics are made from 100% recycled plastics.
- All paper used is FSC certified, indicating responsible sourcing.
- The sleeve carries the Nordic Ecolabel (Nordic Swan or Svanemærket), signifying its eco-friendly nature.
- The sleeve is Cradle-to-Cradle certified meaning it is CO2 neutral, produced using 100% wind energy, and made with circular and compostable materials, excluding the neon pigment.
- Anti-moisture bags with activated carbon produced from organic material as alternative to traditional silica gel bags.
By incorporating these sustainable elements, we managed to reduce the carbon footprint by over 60%. Furthermore, the optimization of dimensions and weight led to a total reduction in packaging CO2 footprint by 80%.
Recycling
We recommend recycling the packaging as paper, cardboard, or plastic, depending on local recycling facilities.
Below please find the environmental labels per EU directive:
Black plastic bags: LDPE, material code 4
Sticker on plastic bags: Recycle as paper+plastic, material code 81
Included only in select products where necessary:
Product manual: Recycle as paper, material code 22
Transparent bag for charging cable: CPE, material code 7
Woven bags for speaker units: PP, material code 5
Anti-moisture bags with activated carbon: Carbon, code 50