Audio-Technica has introduced two decidedly wired listening options for two very different crowds. One is for streamers who want to sound professional while yelling at teammates. The other is for people who miss plugging in their earphones and having them work immediately.
First up is the ATH-M20xSTS StreamSet, a lightweight streaming headset inspired by the company’s ATH-M20x professional monitor headphones. Its 40 mm CCAW voice-coil drivers promise a balanced, flat frequency response, allowing creators to hear what their audience hears instead of discovering later that their background music swallowed the entire podcast.
Voice duties are handled by a cardioid condenser microphone borrowed from Audio-Technica’s 20 Series. The boom keeps it close to your mouth while rejecting surrounding noise, and flipping it upward mutes it. Very useful when snack time arrives mid-stream.
The 230 g (8.1 oz.) headset has breathable mesh earpads, elliptical earcups, and a detachable cable terminating in a 3.5 mm four-pole plug. USB-A and USB-C adapters are included for connecting to PCs, Macs, and mobile devices.
For those with smaller heads—or ears, technically—there is the ATH-CKD30C. These USB-C in-ear headphones use 10 mm drivers and a built-in high-quality DAC supporting up to 24-bit/96 kHz audio. No Bluetooth pairing, batteries, or charging rituals are required.
The cloth-wrapped 1.2 m (3.9-foot) cable carries an inline microphone and controls, along with Bass Boost and Clear Voice EQ modes. Four eartip sizes are included, and your color choices are Black or White.
The ATH-M20xSTS StreamSet is available for US$119, while the ATH-CKD30C costs US$24.99. One helps you produce content; the other simply plays it without demanding a recharge first—and, perhaps more importantly, it will not put a dent in your wallet. In fact, in today’s context, it will barely scratch it.
Images: Audio-Technica.
