AIAIAI TMA-2 DJ Headphones Review

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Have you ever wished you could build your own headphones?

After all, it isn’t easy to find the perfect set of headphones these days. Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to sound quality, comfort, and design. While you might be able to find a good set of headphones out there, it’s unlikely that you’ll feel they are made for you.

That’s where the AIAIAI TMA-2 DJ headphones come in. What makes these high-definition headphones so special, is the fact that you can buy either a pre-made set or make your own solution from a fully modular headphone socket system. 

With AIAIAI, users can design the ideal pair of headphones, choosing from a range of speaker unit cups, headbands, earpads, and cables. You can even choose between Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity or Bluetooth 4.2 with AptX HD. 

Are the AIAIAI TMA-2 DJ headphones any good? (in short)

Not only do you get the wonderful benefits of being able to customize your AIAIAI headphones however you choose with this headset, but you also get fantastic all-around performance. The AIAIAI TMA-2 DJ headphones are slim and lightweight, even though they don’t have a folding function. That means that although they may take up extra space in your backpack, they won’t necessarily be difficult to carry.

Our Video Review

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQw2AAEkGs4

Key Features

Created to offer the ultimate listening experience, the AIAIAI TMA-2 DJ headphones provides a highly detailed and precise sound, delivered through HD 24-bit audio quality.

These high-end headphones make creating your personal set of perfect headphones easier than ever. 

To create the design that’s best for you, you’ll use the configurator on the AIAIAI website.

This allows you to search through the available speaker units, headbands, earpads, and cables to suit your needs. Each component comes with a description that helps you to make the ideal choice.

You’ll even get a full set of features and design elements displayed at the end of the creation process.

As mentioned above, you can choose a pre-selected bundle already made to suit specific kinds of listeners.

However, if you’re looking for the ultimate customized experience, it’s worth using the online software. You simply click on the components you want to visually assemble the headphones of your dreams.

Don’t worry, the solution is quite easy to use.

Features you can expect from all the modular headphones include:

  • Ultra-soft earpads for long-term wear
  • Sleek, minimalist design
  • Easy upgradability or expandability
  • Alcantara versatile material
  • Wireless Bluetooth streaming
  • Up to 20 hours of playback time (Bluetooth version)
  • Sustainable recycled materials

Design

AIAIAI TMA-2
Credit: AIAIAI

The AIAIAI TMA-2 headphones are a unique solution for audio lovers in the modern world. Modular design means you don’t have to compromise on design or functionality.

As you design your own headphones, you’ll be able to choose from a series of 5 speaker units, 6 different headbands, 4 earpads, and 10 different cables.

With the Bluetooth wireless version, your headphones will come with a USB-C charging cable, with a port placed underneath the headband.

The position isn’t ideal for recharging your devices regularly, but it doesn’t mean that you get a clean look overall. 

The battery for your wireless headphones is hidden within the top of the headband, rather than in the ear cups, which is a nice change.

Plus, you can get up to 20 hours of playback. It’s worth noting that there are a few minor issues with the design that may make these headphones a little less appealing.

For instance, although these headphones are modular, you can’t fold the earcups in or place your device into a carry case for portability. That means this headset might take up a lot of space in your backpack.

The good news is that although many of the components are made from quality plastic, this doesn’t make the device feel cheap or unreliable. 

The AIAIAI TMA-2 headphones are extremely lightweight and comfortable, with Alcantara material to ensure that your experience is as comfortable as possible.

One slight issue you may notice is that the pads are a little too small to be completely “over-ear”, so they may rest on your earlobes a little.

Components

AIAIAI TMA 2 Components edited
Credit: AIAIAI

Each component of the AIAIAI TMA-2 headphones has its own features and benefits to consider.

If you’re uncomfortable building your own headset from scratch, you might find it easier to trust the AIAIAI team and enjoy one of the pre-set packages. 

If you’re looking for something more unique, head over to the configurator, and start searching through your options.

Speaker Driver Units

AIAIAI TMA 2 Speaker Driver edited
Credit: AIAIAI

The speaker units in the AIAIAI TMA-2 headphones are likely to be a little more important to most customers than other features, like the headbands, or the cables.

Your speaker units will dictate how your headphones sound, so you can’t afford to take chances. 

Options include:

  • S01: These speaker units offer a more neutral sound quality with a 40mm PET diaphragm, and a fantastic neodymium magnet for delivering balanced sound. This might be a good choice if you like listening to music from various genres. 
  • S02: If you want a punchy sound, the S02 speaker units might be better for you. These feature a titanium diaphragm coated to reduce distortion and are equipped with an internal vent for better middle-level bass. 
  • S03: Offering a warmer sound, the S03 units come with a 40mm titanium coated diaphragm for minimal distortion, and a fully sealed driver for richer sound. 
  • S04: Ideal for people who love vibrant best sound, these speaker units are lightweight and engineered with a Japanese voice coil, neodymium magnet, and a lightweight diaphragm for detailed sound and sensitivity. 
  • S05: Created for detailed sound, this speaker unit comes with a 40mm sound producing diaphragm, made from stiff Bio-cellulose for defined high-frequency details, a better set of dynamics, and a more pronounced mid-range. 

Headbands

AIAIAI TMA 2 Headband
Credit: AIAIAI

Headphone design headbands haven’t always been the best area for AIAIAI. Some of the early TMA-1 sets regularly suffered from snapping and breakage problems. Fortunately, this mid range of headphones is stronger and more flexible than its predecessors.

The headbands come with audio cables built-in to connect them to your speaker cups, and they’re designed to look great. 

With high-grade construction, the headbands aim to provide absolute comfort for long-term use.

You can choose from wired or wireless headbands, depending on your needs. 

The H01 and H02 headbands are the simplest in the collection. The H01 offers a lightweight polycarbonate design, with soft and durable foam padding.

Alternatively, the H02 comes with high-grade nylon, a reinforced headband, and a durable silicone pad for better grip and easy cleaning.

There’s also the H73 rugged headband with a reflective cable from the speaker drivers to the headband. 

For those in search of absolute comfort, the H03 and H04 are the way to go. The H03 headphone band comes with a PU leather finish and plenty of padding so that you can enjoy a more comfortable longer listening session. 

The H04, on the other hand, offers similar levels of padding, but this time with a microfiber finish.

The microfiber coating may last a little longer than leather if you want headphones for regular use.

For those who want a more future-proof set of Bluetooth headphones, the AIAIAI TMA-2 headphones offer two bands equipped with Bluetooth streaming.

The H05 headband comes with 16 hours of battery life, and a high-quality Bluetooth chip that offers HD AptX codec support. This means that you can enjoy wireless transmission that’s like CD quality. 

The H06 headphone band comes with Bluetooth 5.0, for even faster and more reliable streaming. The high-quality Bluetooth streaming comes with 20 hours of playback time, AAC and SBC codecs, and a built-in microphone.

There’s also a USB-C charging cable included.

Earpads

AIAIAI TMA 2 Earpad edited
Credit: AIAIAI

There’s a wide selection of earpads available from AIAIAI TMA-2 to give you a more comfortable listening experience.

These are designed in both on-ear and over-ear sizes. While the over-ear sizes are a little larger, they can be slightly too small for people with slightly bigger heads, so keep that in mind.

Your on-ear options include the E01 on-ear microfiber headphones with an open and direct sound representation. If you’re looking for something slim and lightweight, this could be the choice for you. Alternatively, you can try the E02 on-ear PU leather headphones.

These come with a soft on-ear memory foam cushion equipped with a PU leather finish. The materials and thickness allow for a better quality of isolation and more powerful best sound.

You can expect strong bass low-end dynamics and bass here. 

If you prefer over-ear headphones, the two options available at the time of writing this review were the E04 and the E08.

However, it’s likely that you can find more options depending on when you’re shopping. The E04 is an over-ear set of headphones with PU leather and a soft memory foam cushion.

The design surrounds your ears to allow for useful passive background noise cancellation.

The E08 headphones feature the AIAIAI Alcantara ultra-soft memory foam cushioning with a highly functional finish.

These earpads are extremely comfortable for long-term wear, and they’re CO2 neutral, so you can rest assured that you’re not harming the planet. 

The earpads you choose will depend largely on the kind of wearing preferences you have.

Cables

AIAIAI TMA 2 Cables edited
Credit: AIAIAI

AIAIAI also provides a wide range of cable options to choose from when you’re finishing your AIAIAI TMA-2 headphone build. All the cables seem to be designed to high standards for long-term wear and use.

The 1.2m thermo-plastic cable with a one-button remote and inline microphone of the CO1 is great for anyone who wants a simple solution.

You can also access coiled cables which are great for DJ and studio use and come with screw-in adapters too. 

If you’re looking for something that’s funky, fun, and reliable, the CO5 and C13 are straight 1.2-meter thermoplastic cables available in different colors to suit your workstation.

Apple users can get special lightning cables designed specifically for their needs, and there are cables with remotes built-in for easier control on the move.

You can also get USB-C cables made with thermoplastic or choose woven cables if you’re worried about long-term durability. 

From time to time, you’ll also find some limited-edition cable designs on the AIAIAI store, such as the C76 braindead limited edition 1.5-meter black and white cable, with a screw-on ¼ to 1/8 adapter.

Or there’s the C74 coiled adapter with woven cable and 3.2m reach, designed by Ed Banger.

Performance

Credit: AIAIAI

As a set of modular headphone that you can build and alter based on your needs, the AIAIAI TMA-2 headphones will have slightly different performance factors based on what you choose.

Overall, you can usually expect a very decent quality of sound, regardless of whether you’re choosing your own speaker units to deliver the kind of quality that appeals most to you, or you’re purchasing a pre-made solution.

The soundstage of these headphones is usually quite good too, which each set of headphones and earpads being specially designed to deliver a different kind of performance.

You can get something that’s custom-made to suit the kind of listening and mixing that you do, and even choose different speaker units and earpads for different purposes. 

If you choose one of the AIAIAI TMA-2 headphones designed for you by the brand, then you can rest assured you’ll get an experience that’s reliable, durable, and built to last.

A set of TMA-2 HD wireless headphones, for instance, will come with E08 over-ear memory foam cushioning with Alcantara for a longer listening session.

You’d also get H05 APT HD Bluetooth headphone support with the APTX codec, AAC, and SBC, plus an S05 speaker unit. This speaker unit provides a good range of better dynamics and a neutral tonality.

The cable included in this pre-built package is the C15, which provides 1.5m of reach, a triad hi-fi cable with reduced radio and magnetic radio frequency interference or disruption

There are also various HD variants to choose from too. You can swap to a set of E04 over-ear pads or switch your band out for Bluetooth 5.0.

There’s even a specially built DJ pre-set for the AIAIAI, intended for electronic music creators.

According to AIAIAI, the DJ set is built by DJs for DJs, with PU leather cushions for on-ear listening, precise and punchy bass, and more.

The pre-built options on the AIAIAI website could be ideal for someone who wants to start simple and upgrade their headphones over time. 

Pros and Cons

AIAIAI has created something seriously special with the development of the TMA-2 headphones. These powerful modular headphones come in a range of shapes and sizes to suit any need.

Even if you’re not particularly comfortable with building your own headphones, you can choose from a versatile collection of pre-built options intended to suit different needs. 

For instance, if you want the ultimate wireless listening experience, you can go from the TMA-2 HD wireless. If you want more comfort, choose the TMA-2 Comfort.

Regardless of which option you choose, you can rest assured that you’ll get a reliable set of headphones, designed with quality and durability in mind.

What’s more, AIAIAI is making a significant effort to reduce its impact on the environment with a wonderfully green approach to sustainable materials and recyclable components.

Whether you build your own headphones or get a pre-made pair, you can also add extra functionality to the experience by purchasing additional cables, headphone cups, speaker units, and headbands later.

This would allow you to mix and match the components of your headphones to suit different scenarios. 

Pros:

Cons:

AIAIAI TMA-2: The Verdict

Modular headphone still haven’t taken off as much as you might think, but it’s fair to say that this could be where the future of uncompressed audio is heading. Today’s audio fans and professionals don’t necessarily want to buy a series of different headphones to suit different occasions.

With the AIAIAI TMA-2 headphones, you could simply switch out a component depending on the experience you need.

This convenient modular design makes the headphones highly appealing for people who want to constantly upgrade and improve their technology too. 

The AIAIAI TMA-2 headphones also come with a host of high-quality features to explore, from excellent Bluetooth streaming to state-of-the-art electronic music reproduction and comfortable ear pads.

You’re free to focus on the factor that matters most to you when you’re designing your new pair.

As the Co-founder of DJ Tech Reviews, Rory Tassell also has over 14 years experience within the music industry covering a variety of roles and disciplines such as a DJ, Music Producer, Tutor, and Studio Engineer. He is also the founder of Hyper Production, a YouTube channel dedicated to helping aspiring Music Producers make better music. You can follow him on Twitter @TassellRory or visit his YouTube channel @HyperProduction to learn more.

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