Great Look, Good Sound, Tons of Competition

Audio-Technica is a company well known for everything from headphones to microphones, but it isn’t as well known for true wireless in-ears—at least yet. The company is aiming for quality affordable true wireless headphones with the Audio-Technica ATH-SQ1TW, which sell for less than $80.

Unlike many true wireless earbuds that hit the market these days, the ATH-SQ1TW have a unique look. That said, Audio-Technica had to cut some features from the in-ears to hit the price point the company was aiming for. It’s here that the company might have a tough time, with competitors offering more features for less money.

Did Audio-Technica go too barebones with the ATH-SQ1TW, or is the company’s audio prowess such that the earbuds are worth the asking price anyway?

Build and Comfort: Great Look, Not-So-Great Feel

• Weight (per earbud): 0.18oz (5.2g)
• Weight (case): 1.2oz (34.2g)
• Accessories included: 12in (30cm) USB-A/USB-C charging cable, ear tips (XS, S, M, L)

While most true wireless earbuds either go for the classic bean shape or the long-stemmed style of Apple’s AirPods Pro, the ATH-SQ1TW take a different approach. The earbuds are a rounded square on the outside, with a protruding fin that points forward to help you properly orient them in your ear. It’s a matter of opinion, but I really like the squared-off look.

Note: The ATH-SQ1TW earbuds come in Licorice (black, as reviewed), Blueberry (blue), Caramel (light brown), Popsicle (red, white, and blue), Cupcake (pink and brown), and Popcorn (light grey and grey).

Water resistance is important in earbuds, especially if you frequently use them outdoors. The ATH-SQ1TW don’t have an IP rating, but Audio-Technica does describe them as splashproof, which would be roughly equivalent to an IPX4 rating. You certainly don’t want to let these drop into water.

Where the ATH-SQ1TW earbuds take a unique approach to the look, they also take a unique approach to the fit. I’ve tried many earbuds over the years, and I’ve never encountered a set that felt like they pushed so deeply into my ear. It was uncomfortable at first, and while I eventually adjusted to it, I never felt as comfortable as I wanted to.

At least Audio-Technica includes four sets of silicone tips sized from extra-small to large, and the charging case has a satisfying magnetic snap to it.

Connectivity: Keeping Things Simple

• Bluetooth version: 5.0
• Bluetooth codec: SBC
• Bluetooth profiles: A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP

The Audio-Technica ATH-SQ1TW feature Bluetooth 5.0, but they don’t really take much advantage of the spec. At least pairing is simple: take them out of the charging case for the first time, and they instantly enter pairing mode. The earbuds also feature Android Fast Pair.

Unfortunately, while we’re starting to see more advanced codecs in wireless earbuds, Audio-Technica isn’t taking advantage of that ability here. The ATH-SQ1TW only support one Bluetooth codec, the most basic SBC codec. When other earbuds feature at least AAC, not to mention newer codecs like LDAC, aptX Adaptive, or the newer LC3, this seems like a baffling decision.

Note: Audio-Technica’s ATH-SQ1TW support multipoint Bluetooth, meaning they can connect to up to two devices at a time.

The earbuds do have a built-in Low Latency mode you can activate, but the latency isn’t particularly high in the first place. It may be useful for gamers, but I’d rather see higher-quality codecs than a low-latency mode.

Controls: Clever and Useful

There isn’t a single button on the Audio-Technica ATH-SQ1TW earbuds. Instead, they use capacitive touch panels on each earbud. This can often be annoying, as you can accidentally pause music or raise the volume when you’re trying to place the earbuds in your ears. Not with these earbuds.

The ATH-SQ1TW have a unique solution to this problem. The touch panels are initially locked when you take the earbuds out of the charging case. You need to tap each panel once before it responds to input, which keeps you from accidentally triggering them.

Once the controls are unlocked, it’s fairly simple. A single tap on the right earbud pauses and resumes playback, while the same on the left earbud answers or ends calls. The controls get pretty deep, and you’ll want to read the quick start guide, as there is no app to control the earbuds’ features in any other way.

Sound Quality: Surprising Clarity

• Driver: 5.8mm dynamic
• Impedance: 16ohms
• Frequency response: 20 – 20,000Hz

With drivers of just 5.8mm, while other recent earbuds have been pushing up to 11mm drivers and beyond, I wasn’t expecting a lot of bass out of these headphones. Combined with only using the most basic Bluetooth codec, my expectations when it came to the sound were also pretty low.

Of course, this is Audio-Technica we’re talking about, so I should have had more faith in the company’s ability to make a good-sounding earbud. While it would have been nice to have higher-res codecs available, even with just SBC, the ATH-SQ1TW earbuds sound pretty good.

Listening to “The Black Light” by Calexico, the earbuds handle the dynamics well, which isn’t always the case. The light hi-hat playing and brushed snare can be compressed and louder on other earbuds, but they’re suitably quiet but still audible here. Singer Joey Burns’ voice sounds like he’s right in the earbuds.

In JEFF the Brotherhood’s “Chilled to Bones,” the drum kit sounds huge, even though it’s quite a dry-sounding recording. I’ve experienced this on speakers, but not often in earbuds. Later on in the song, as more stereo elements start to appear, the soundstage opens up even more.

The ATH-SQ1TW have a prominent upper midrange, so I decided to try out The Upsetters’ “Dread Lion,” a great song that sounds like it has a blanket over it. I thought these earbuds might open up the high end, but it still sounds slightly muffled. That said, the earbuds handle the low end well.

In an odd decision, the ATH-SQ1TW feature Hear-Through mode (basically the Transparency Mode popularized by the AirPods Pro). This is useful for hearing what’s going on around you, but it’s usually only found in earbuds with active noise cancellation (ANC), which the ATH-SQ1TW earbuds do not have.

Audio Technica ATH-SQ1TW Microphone Sample: Indoors

Audio Technica ATH-SQ1TW Microphone Sample: Outdoors

Battery Life: Average but Usable

• Battery life (earbuds): 6.5 hours
• Battery life (case): 13 hours
• Charge time: 1.5 hours (earbuds), 2 hours (case)

Audio-Technica plays it safe with the stated battery life of the ATH-SQ1TW, claiming 6.5 hours of playtime. The charging case adds two more full charges (or 13 hours), making for a total of around 19.5 hours, at least according to the company.

In my testing, I easily got seven hours out of the ATH-SQ1TW. Add two more charges from the case, and you could easily get up to 21 total hours of playtime. This is dependent on volume, but it’s nice to know that Audio-Technica isn’t claiming playtime the ATH-SQ1TW can’t actually match.

The earbuds charge in the case in 90 minutes, while the case charges from empty to full in two hours. This number comes from USB-C charging because, unfortunately, the charging case doesn’t support wireless charging.

If you’re out of juice and looking for some music to keep you going, charging the buds in the case, plugged in, for 15 minutes gets you an hour of playtime.

Should You Buy the Audio Technica ATH-SQ1TW?

The Audio-Technica ATH-SQ1TW aren’t bad headphones by any means, but unfortunately for them, there is a lot of competition. Most of the competition for the same price or lower aren’t going to sound any better, but they may offer more features.

When it comes to the sound, the Audio-Technica ATH-SQ1TW are actually quite nice for the price. Unfortunately, the lack of ANC will be a major issue for many. The odd feeling of just how far the buds extend into your ears won’t be for everyone, either.

If you like the look and don’t need noise cancellation, the ATH-SQ1TW earbuds will work quite well for you, but a little more focus on wireless options would go a long way in Audio-Technica’s next set of earbuds.