Look, there's no shortage of choices if you're looking to upgrade your earbuds, and there's a new option that's intriguing. Korea-based Astell&Kern launched the AK UW100MKII at the end of 2023, and they're now making their way to India. The lengthy wait comes with a distinct advantage though, as the earbuds are now being sold at a massive discount.
While the earbuds debuted for $299, they're now on sale in India for just ₹4,999 ($58) at Headphone Zone, and that's a stellar value. Astell&Kern don't sell the UW100MKII in other regions any longer, so it's entirely likely that the brand is moving unsold inventory to India and offering it at a discount.
Regardless of the reason, the UW100MKII are among the most intriguing earbuds in the budget category, and the focus on high-resolution sound combined with a great built-in DAC allow it to stand out. The design is distinctive in its own right; the UW100MKII come in a rather bulky case with a hexagonal design, and while it is still pocketable, it is much bigger than what you get with most mainstream audio brands.
It's not just the case that's bulky either — the UW100MKII have a sizeable shell that makes them bigger than just about every other earbuds I used recently. You get a hexagonal design on the face plate as well, alongside a stylized AK logo. The brand says it redesigned the sound chamber to deliver a cleaner sound, and while that is evident when using the earbuds, they protrude from the ear quite a bit.
The bulky design means I never quite got a decent fit, and even doing routine tasks like walking around the house doing chores led to an earbud dislodging. Clearly, these aren't meant for exercising, so if you need a new pair of earbuds that you can take to the gym, these aren't it. There is IPX4 ingress protection, but the issues with the fit prevent the UW100MKII from bring usable in this regard.
You miss out on ANC as well, and that's understandable when you consider the context of where these earbuds are meant to be used. The fit means that these are meant to be used indoors, and I wouldn't recommend using them while traveling, much less involving any activity.
As for connectivity, the earbuds use Bluetooth 5.2, and you get fast pair, giving you the ability to link the buds with your Google account, making it a breeze to connect when switching devices — as I do often. The standout addition is AptX Adaptive; it allows you to stream high-res music over Bluetooth, and it's a welcome inclusion.
The UW100MKII include a Knowles balanced armature driver, so if you've used IEMs that had these drivers in the past, you'll be familiar with the sound signature. It's clear that Astell&Kern wanted to deliver a neutral sound without exaggerating any part of the frequency, and that makes the UW100MKII sound quite different to just about every other option around. You also get an AKM AK4332ECB DAC, and it is a great pairing.
Switching over to the sound, the bass is limited, and you just don't get the same level of energy as other earbuds in this category. The defining characteristic of most wireless earbuds is a rumbling bass that lends itself well to diverse genres, and the UW100MKII miss out on that — the tuning is in line with what you get on IEMs, and while you don't get the same vibrancy, there is good resolution.
The UW100MKII deliver clean mids with a good vocal presentation, and the treble has decent extension without sibilance. There's no distortion or hiss, and I didn't have any issues with the soundstage after a month of use. The AK Control app is available on Android (you need to have a device with Android 15), and it lets you tweak the sound profile, adjust the DAC settings, and tune ambient noise control. I didn't see any issues using it with the Magic 7 Pro.
There's a bass-focused mode that adds a little bit of exuberance to the low-end, but it isn't on the same level as most earbuds. That said, when it comes to the technicalities of the sound itself, the UW100MKII do a fantastic job. I didn't see any issues with battery life either, with the earbuds managing to last six hours between charges. While I didn't have issues with connectivity, the right earbud didn't always sit flush in the case, so it ended up running out of charge earlier.
So should you buy these earbuds? If you need a sound signature that's similar to IEMs and want a neutral tuning, then yes, the UW100MKII are a good choice. But if you need an easier fit, better bass, and water resistance, I'd recommend getting the OnePlus Buds 3 instead.
