The new AK UW100MKII premium wireless earbuds see Astell & Kern upgrading the original UW100 to offer a more detailed, precise wireless sound thanks to a redesigned acoustic chamber, a new full-range Knowles balanced armature driver, an onboard AKM AK4332ECB 32-bit DAC and Bluetooth 5.2 support for aptX Adaptive codec.

A&K has also apparently treated the new earbuds to a more advanced circuit design, which the manufacturer says ensures a more stable connection and reduces distortion and unwanted noise.

The AK UW100MKII has a stated battery stamina of 9.5 hours for the buds, with a total of 29 hours, including the charging case. The charging cradle offers an hour of playtime in exchange for a quick ten-minute charge.

The on-bud touch controls enable you to switch between music playback and answering calls, activate ambient mode, adjust volume and more. The UW100MK II also feature Bluetooth Multipoint connectivity, allowing you to switch between two connected devices seamlessly.

The Astell & Kern app hands you customisation options for the touch controls as well as tweaking the sound to your preference via a ten-band EQ and switching between four levels of the Ambient Mode. The App also shows the earphone's battery life.

As well as the company's eye-catching contrasting surface design, another element that puts the AK UW100MKII apart from its competition is the choice not to include active noise cancellation (ANC). Instead, Astell&Kern has opted for Passive Noise Isolation.

Meanwhile, the new premium buds include Qualcomm's cVc Generation 8.0 (Clear Voice Capture) technology that promises clearer call audio by keeping background noise to a minimum and boosting voices.

The Astell & Kern AK UW100MKII will be available to buy from early October 2023 for £269/ €319.

Visit Astell&Kern for more information