Atlantic Technology is taking a new approach to headphones. Not just for music on the go, like the usual listening on a plane or nicely at home, but what about using your headphones with nearly every source? Check out what Atlantic has to say about them…

Atlantic Technology FS-BTWS582 Headphones

“Atlantic Technology, innovating in audio for over 30 years and known for outstanding sound quality in music and home theater, leads again with the new FS-BTWS582 headphones. These premium high-fidelity headphones deliver the freedom to do what other wireless headphones simply can’t: they are compatible with any gear for music and can be used for all media including TV, movies, and games – with inaudible audio lip-sync or game lag.

Why invest in other headphones that can only be used some of the time? A recent Nielsen study shows that 69% of media time is spent with TV, movies, and games and 31% with music. Bluetooth wireless headphones are fine for music and phone calls but with their inherent variable latency are unsuitable for most popular media due to unwanted audio “lip sync” and “game lag”.

The FS-BTWS582 headphones are incredibly versatile because in addition to incorporating SKAA® high-fidelity, low latency wireless technology, they also include Bluetooth® wireless giving universal connectivity for music or smartphone calls, and a detachable analog wired cable for unlimited battery-free listening from any analog source.”

Atlantic Technology FS-BTWS582 Headphones Front View

There is a lot to unpack here, not just with the headphones but also with the SKAA tech, the passive mode, something I have not heard of before this review. Plus, the Nielson study is an interesting twist, something you never see in an audio product’s description. Let’s jump right in!

Design

Atlantic Technology FS-BTWS582 Headphones Box

Nothing too out of the ordinary here, included with the headset are a set of nice cables for charging and a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable. The included case is pretty standard for headphones and fits them nicely. My first thought was that they felt a bit cheap, the chromed plastic doesn’t impress given the $500 price tag. The leather padding was generous and comfortable, however. They feel light and easy to wear.

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An interesting feature that caught my eye was that these headphones can be used in a passive mode with a 3.5mm cable which doesn’t use the battery, as well as the active mode with Bluetooth/SKAA. I’ve never seen this type of feature before, a pretty unique design by Atlantic that can be helpful when the battery dies.

In Use

Atlantic Technology FS-BTWS582 Headphones Controls

With this review, I was also sent two SKAA transmitters for connecting additional devices to the headphones. I was quite impressed at how easy they worked, just plug and play, no fuss or other installation headaches. If you’re unaware of what SKAA is, here is how Atlantic Tech describes it.

“SKAA is a close cousin of “PAW” or Pro Audio Wireless which is proven in demanding live concert performances by leading pro musicians worldwide. PAW reliably streams multiple instruments and singers in perfect audio sync with high-quality sound pro musicians and audiences demand.

SKAA solves the weaknesses of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth in sound quality, interference, dropouts, signal range and latency which affect A/V lip-sync and gaming realism. Plus, network set-up and connection processes with routers, passwords, and device pairing can make operating multiple home devices complex, slow and clumsy.”

I am definitely interested in seeing more SKAA in use, its simplicity really makes it a treat to use, and it sounds great, far better than Bluetooth. There is not much to SKAA on the user end, the manual even goes into good detail on how to use it with multiple transmitters with ease. There is also an app (SKAA CMD) that even the manual says, “The app you don’t really need”. It offers simple control and allows you to name the SKAA transmitters (sources) and adjust the levels of each.

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SKAA worked 100% every time I tried it, with every device I tried on. Also, SKAA has a 4:1 streaming capability, meaning you can take one source, like an iPhone, and transmit that to four pairs of headphones, let’s see Bluetooth try that! Not only that, but SKAA also has a feature called “Connect Awareness” where when SKAA is turned on it automatically senses the presence of the headphones being active, SKAA will automatically mute other speakers on the system and play audio over the 1-4 headphones connected. Pretty cool audio automation, I am looking forward to seeing more SKAA devices in the future.

Listening

I am a big fan of headphones and I review lots of different models and brands, the BTWS582 are about average in sound, around mid-pack in the headphones market. I found them to be well-balanced, maybe slightly focused on the upper bass. They did however lighten up after a 12-hour break-in period, with the highs becoming a bit crisper. I found that lighter and soft music sounded spot on, while faster and heavier music had a bit more bass than I was expecting. I would give them a 7 out of 10 for overall audio quality.

Atlantic Technology FS-BTWS582 Headphones Specs
Drivers:

Full range 50mm lightweight Mylar dynamic drivers for deep bass and sonic clarity.

Driver Magnets:

Super-efficient Neodymium

Impedance:

Low 32Ω impedance easy to drive by smartphones, tablets, and portable players

Sensitivity:

114dB =/- 4dB (1kHz/ 1 Vrms)

THD:

< 0.5% (1kHz)

Frequency Response:

20Hz – 20kHz

Rechargeable 2200mAh Battery:

Run time 12 hours. Re-charges from any USB charging source

SKAA Audio:

48kHz x 16-bit stereo, 20Hz-20kHz, up to 150-foot range, 36ms fixed latency

MSRP:

$499.99

Company:

DIRECTORY

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headphone reviews, headphones reviews, reviews 2022, headphone reviews 2022, headphones reviews 2022

One odd thing I found (and this may just be me) but I found wearing the headphones backward to be far more comfortable when listening for extended periods of time. In the normal mode, they sat too far back on my head and felt like they were sliding back, pulling on my head. In reverse, they sit near perfectly at the top of my head. Let me know in the comments if you own a pair and have tried this out.

Conclusions

Atlantic Technology FS-BTWS582 Headphones at a glance

ATLANTIC TECHNOLOGY FS-BTWS582 HEADPHONES

Overall, the Atlantic Technology BTWS582 is a good pair of headphones, a bit steep on the price considering the materials used but the addition of the SKAA and a passive listening option redeems any shortfalls of this model. I’d really like to see Atlantic Technology bring up the quality of construction while bringing the price point down to really make a pair of headphones shine in this highly competitive market, SKAA is a great feature and a leg up on the competition. With some tweaks, these could become an excellent pair of headphones. If these go on sale, grab a pair!