Editor’s Choice Award – AIAIAI TMA-2 Studio Wireless (Gen 2): The Cable Killer, Upgraded
I was a fan of the first generation of the TMA-2 Studio Wireless headphones, especially when working remotely, but they had a few drawbacks in their design and loudness. So in the studio, I still found myself going back to my cabled headphones for mixing or just using my monitors.
Cables have been a standard for a few reasons. Why? Latency and fidelity (many will still argue you don’t get the fidelity of wired with any wireless headphone). Bluetooth lag is the kryptonite of recording and DJing, with delays up to 250ms. Even “low-latency” codecs hover around 40ms — still too slow for tight timing or tracking. Bluetooth has been relegated to the consumer listening experience, and that’s probably where it will stay for a while.
Danish audio lab AIAIAI, best known for their modular headphones and eco-friendly designs, took on the challenge with their first-gen TMA-2 Studio Wireless+. It proved wireless monitoring was possible, but it wasn’t perfect: 16ms of latency, moderate loudness, and all the electronics stuffed into the headband. The second-generation TMA-2 Studio Wireless fixes everything — faster, cleaner, lighter, and now powerful enough for the DJ booth.
This is the one wireless headphone that can do it all —monitoring, mixing, and DJing —so for many DJ producers, this might be the time to consider these wireless beauties.
TMA-2 Studio Wireless – A Smarter Design
The new model relocates all electronics from the headband into the speaker housings. That’s a huge ergonomic upgrade: better weight balance, no head-pressure, and improved durability. The new headband feels solid but featherlight, perfect for long sessions or sweaty club nights.
As always with AIAIAI, everything is modular — from the drivers to the earpads, cables, and transmitter. Blow a driver? Swap it. Want over-ear pads instead of on-ear? Click them on. This modularity isn’t just convenience; it’s sustainability done right, significantly extending the life of your headphones.
W+ Link 2.0 — The Latency Upgrade
At the heart of the upgrade is the X03 transmitter and AIAIAI’s new W+ Link 2.0 protocol. Latency drops from 16ms to just 9.5ms, putting these cans into professional territory. That’s fast enough for live performance, drumming, or tight cueing.
The X03 is also fully portable, with its own 40-hour battery — no external power required. It connects via mini-jack or USB and even doubles as an audio interface. Mac users can plug and play; Windows needs ASIO4All, but you’ll get around 13ms total system latency, which is lightning-quick for wireless audio.
The only trade-off? The X03 uses a 320kbps-equivalent stream instead of lossless PCM. But in practice, it’s sonically transparent. You gain freedom without losing fidelity.
Sound: Louder and More Confident
The new S11 drivers retain AIAIAI’s 40mm bio-cellulose diaphragms but pair them with a stronger amp. The result is a louder, punchier sound with clean headroom — finally loud enough for DJing and live monitoring.
The tuning is classic AIAIAI: tight lows, articulate mids, and smooth, airy highs. The low-end bump adds warmth without boom, and detail stays crisp even at higher volumes. Isolation is superb for closed-backs — ideal for both booth monitoring and vocal tracking.
Compared to the older Wireless+, these sound more muscular and energetic while keeping the brand’s signature neutrality. They’re studio tools that can hang in the club.
Comfort: Built for Long Sessions
Weighing just 227g, the TMA-2 Studio Wireless are whisper-light but feel premium. The new headband design eliminates the top-heavy issue from the first gen, and the padded memory-foam earpads make all-day wear easy.
Clamping pressure is just right — secure for DJ use, comfortable for six-hour sessions. If you’ve worn any earlier AIAIAI models, this feels like the same DNA, just optimized.
Wireless Performance
Setup is automatic — the headphones and transmitter arrive pre-paired. Switching between W+ Link and Bluetooth is a simple double-tap of the joystick.
Range is excellent. I wandered from my studio to my main floor before hearing a single glitch. When it does cut, you get a polite beep, not a sonic explosion, and it instantly reconnects when back in range.
Battery life lands at 20 hours on W+ Link or 40 hours over Bluetooth. That’s all-day studio comfort or a week of daily listening without hunting for a charger.
Pro Tip – If you end up using these for DJ or live performance, make sure you add charging to your preflight checklist. Worst-case scenario, you do have a wired cable as backup.
DSP and App Control
AIAIAI’s companion app gives you firmware updates and a full DSP-powered EQ. Behind the simple five-band interface lies a 12-band EQ engine, with presets for Studio and DJ use.
The “Accurate” and “Detailed” modes fine-tune balance for production, while “Custom” lets you draw your own EQ curve. Settings stick even in W+ Link mode, so your preferred tuning stays locked in wherever you go.
That said, the default tuning is so well balanced you’ll probably leave it as is.
Real-World Freedom
Here’s where these headphones earn their keep. You can finally move — step away from the DAW, tweak synths across the room, or check mixes from a different angle without tripping over cables.
For modular users, that means no more wrestling with patch-cord jungles. For DJs, it’s the ability to prep sets or practice mixes anywhere. For producers, it’s simply creative freedom — because inspiration doesn’t always sit at the desk. Not everyone will care about this type of freedom, but when you experience it for yourself, it’s hard to think about a live performance or DJing with wired cans ever again.
Performance – Wireless That Actually Works
With the TMA-2 Studio Wireless (Gen 2), AIAIAI has finally nailed wireless monitoring. The latency is genuinely low, the sound is strong and clear, and the redesign makes them a joy to wear.
This is no longer a clever experiment that works “well enough” — it’s a legitimate professional tool. For DJs, it’s the first wireless headphone that can actually keep up. For producers, it’s the freedom to move without compromise.
Summary
AIAIAI’s second-gen wireless headphones are faster, louder, smarter, and lighter — a proper leap forward. Wireless studio monitoring isn’t a fantasy anymore. It’s Danish design doing what it does best: making freedom sound beautiful and a proper MK II release.
TMA-2 Studio Wireless SPECS AND PARTS
Driver diameter – 40 mm
Impedance – 32 Ohm
Diaphragm – Bio-cellulose
Max SPL (dB @ 1kHz) – 111 dB
Sensitivity – 97 dB @ 1mW
Rated power – 40 mW
Magnet – High-grade N45 Neodymium
Max power – 100 mW
Freq. range – 10Hz – 40kHz
W+ Link latency – < 10 ms
W+ Link audio quality -320kbps, 48kHz 24-bit
W+ Link playback time – 20 hours
W+ Link transmitter playback time – 40 hours
W+ Link transmitter input – Mini-jack line in, USB-C
W+ Link operating range – 10 m
W+ Link compatibility – S11, X03
Bluetooth playback time – 40 hours
Bluetooth version – 5.3
Charging time – 2 hours
Weight per unit – 227 g
