The TMA headphones from AiAiAi have been revered by musicians of all genres, for its sleek and modern design to its superior sound quality. To give this notable pair of headphones a bit of variety, it has released the TMA-2 HD Wireless, which gives the pair some added upgrades to cater to audiophiles who prefer a wireless way of listening. With a price tag of $350, can the TMA-2 HD Wireless provide enough auditory goodness to entice even your average listener?
Design
When it comes to a design scheme, AiAiAi knows exactly what works for them, that’s why the TMA-2 HD Wireless (see it on Amazon) follows the same look and feel as its predecessors. The entirety of the headphone does away with any visible metal parts, hiding it away in a rubberized plastic body. The headband uses a rubber padding for comfort, instead of the typical memory foam that’s found on a majority of the headphones on the market. I found that the rubberized padding feels much more comfortable and conformed to the shape of my head, even better than memory foam.
Sticking to a true minimalist aesthetic, the headphones go with a flat matte black finish that gives it a sleek and smooth look. Keeping things streamlined, AiAiAi opted to place three physical buttons on the headband itself, instead of on the earcups. This gives both earcups a polished look that is symmetrical, but in turn, does away with a natural feel when trying to access the buttons.
Earcups bring in the use of memory foam for comfort, which is wrapped in Alcantara material that adds the luxury feel. The padding is quite thick to maximize its comfort level, while the Alcantara material provides a bit of softness. Overall, the entire headset feels very pleasing on your head and ears, never once giving you an uncomfortable squeezing sensation. One thing that I found particularly strange with the TMA’s design is the placement of the USB Type-C port, which is located inside the headband just above the left earcup. I understand that its placement there compliments the headphones’ overall aesthetic, but it did make plugging in the headphones to charge very awkward and inefficient.
Performance
The TMA-2 HD Wireless is a pair of modular headphones, which means that if anything were to break, it can be easily replaced with newer parts. Out of the box, the headphones do come unassembled, so you will have to spend some time putting it all together. This takes less than five minutes to complete and it gives you a better understanding of how it’s built, so if you did ever need to replace any parts, you’ll be familiar with how to take it apart.
If you’re someone that prefers a pair of headphones that will hit you with deep bass that rocks your ears, then the TMA-2 HD Wireless will not be for you. What the headphones do provide you with is an exceptionally balanced tonal profile that not only makes the lows, mid, and highs sound great together but also makes them shine on their own. When listening to a song such as “Super Zodiac” by The Comet Is Coming, you can really grasp the characteristics of each instrument being played. From the grunginess of the saxophone to the deep pulsating rhythm of the drums, which is then all comes together from the orchestral sounds of the synthesizer. Mid and highs are crisp and sharp, with the lows being deep enough to magnify and drive your music, making it feel very lively.
The headphones do not feature any active noise cancellation, and for its price, that can deter some people from grabbing their own pair. Fortunately, the headphones do get particularly loud that can help block any outside noise, but the drawback is, that it will provide a substantial amount of noise leaking, so people around you will be able to hear what you’re listening to.
Once again, the button placement is a little strange for my personal taste, as a majority of my wireless headphones have the buttons placed on the earcups. When using the TMA-2 HD Wireless in places such as the gym, navigating the buttons feels unnatural and awkward. Thankfully, the buttons are raised and have a tactile response so you know what you’re pressing. I also found it strange that the middle button would turn on the headphones, but it wouldn’t be the same button to turn them off, which made the first couple of uses very confusing.
Real-World Use
During my time with the TMA-2 HD Wireless, I mainly used the headphones during the gym and during video editing. The headphones don’t have any IPX ratings for moisture resistance, but the Alcantara material provided some great air circulation so my ears wouldn’t build up with sweat. This was also helpful while I was video editing, as, after a numerous amount of hours wearing the headphones, my ears would still be essentially bone-dry. For musicians, music producers, or video editors, the headphones are a wonderful pair to use during any of your creative work. It presents you with high-quality audio for pin-point accuracy, which is great for mixing or mastering, or editing content such as music videos.
Final Reaction
When you talk about minimalism to its basic foundation, the TMA-2 HD Wireless from AiAiAi fits that description. These all-black, streamlined, and sleek pair headphones embody what it means to keep things basic. Its lines and curves are clean, which ultimately gives a silhouette that doesn’t have unnecessary bulk, and it’s look matches it’s performance. Audio is detailed, balanced, and accurate, which makes music sound layered and flourishing. The placement of the USB Type-C port and buttons are inconvenient, which in turn makes operating the headphones a tad bit cumbersome and unusual, especially if you need quick access to them.
With an MSRP price tag of $350, it’s hard to identify who would truly benefit from the AiAiAi TMA-2 HD Wireless. If you’re a music lover who wants a feature-packed headphone that justifies its price point, then you might find yourself heading towards other brands. But for audiophiles or musicians who rely on high-quality audio that’s balanced and accurate, the headphones will be an essential piece to your collection.
Score 4/5 Atoms
* A pair of TMA-2 HD Wireless headphones were provided by AiAiAi for review purposes
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