The AKG N200 Wireless are wireless in-ears with a very well-balanced sound profile. They're decently comfortable, as they don’t enter your ear canal deeply and are well-built. Unfortunately, they don't isolate as much ambient noise as other in-ears, which won’t be ideal for commuting or use at the office. However, they don’t leak too much, so you can block more noise when playing audio content at higher volumes without bothering people surrounding you. Most users should be satisfied with these headphones.
Our Verdict
The AKG N200 Wireless are okay for mixed usage. They have good audio reproduction for fans of neutral sound and are well-built headphones, but unfortunately, they don't isolate from ambient noise as well as other in-ears, which won’t be the best for commuting or use at the office. On the upside, they're very stable and breathable, which is good for sports. Like most Bluetooth headphones, their latency may be too high for watching TV and gaming, and their microphone is sub-par for online games with friends.
- Good audio reproduction.
- Breathable and stable for sports.
- Durable and fairly comfortable build.
- Disappointing noise isolation performance.
- Sub-par microphone.
The AKG N200 are good for neutral listening. They have a powerful, consistent, and extended bass and an excellent and flat mid-range. Their treble is well-balanced; however, their mid-range is ever so slightly recessed, nudging the vocals to the back of the mix, and higher-frequencies S and T sounds are uneven. They're versatile for a wide variety of music genres but don’t have an app to customize their sound to your liking.
The AKG N200 are decent for commuting. Their noise isolation isn’t the best, and they barely block out any low-frequency noises like bus engines. However, they don’t leak much, so you can block more noise by raising your volume without disturbing people around you. They will also be easy to carry around and come with a nice carrying hard case. However, the in-ear fit might not be the most comfortable for long bus rides or flights.
The AKG N200 Wireless are great for sports. They're breathable headphones that won’t make you sweat more than usual, and they stay in place inside your ears during physical activity due to their stability fins. Unfortunately, they don’t come with different fin sizes. On the upside, they're very easy to carry around, and their in-line remote offers good and easy-to-use controls.
The AKG N200 Wireless aren't bad for the office. They don’t isolate too much noise but do a decent job against ambient chatter. Unfortunately, their 6-hour battery life might feel a bit short for a full workday and will probably need daily charging. They also can’t be connected to two devices simultaneously. They are fairly comfortable, but some may need to take a few breaks because of their in-ear design.
The AKG N200 are poor for gaming. While their latency might be fine for video content, it's too high for gaming. Their microphone is also sub-par for online gaming with friends. They also can’t be customized like gaming headsets.
Changelog
- Updated Feb 19, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Mar 01, 2019: Review published.
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
The AKG N200 wireless in-ears set themselves apart with their very neutral sound profile. However, their fit doesn’t isolate much ambient noise and isn't ideal for commuting. If you’re concerned about blocking ambient noise during your commute but also care about portability, look at our recommendations for the best noise cancelling earbuds and in-ears.
See also our recommendations for the best wireless earbuds under $100 and the best earbuds for bass.
The Jaybird Tarah Pro Wireless are more versatile headphones than the AKG N200. While the AKG have a slightly better sound quality, the Jaybird have a better isolating fit, which makes them ideal for commuting and at the office. The Jaybird also have unique rotating earbuds that let you wear the cable normally or over your ear. They are also compatible with the Jaybird MySound app which offers a good EQ. The Jaybird also have a longer battery life and a proper IPX7 rating, which is great for sports.
The JBL Endurance Sprint Wireless are more versatile headphones than the AKG N200. The JBL have better isolation performance, which is useful in your daily commute or at the office. Their ear-hook design is great for sports, and you also have a touch-sensitive control scheme, though it seems to be overly sensitive. The JBL also have a better battery life. However, the AKG have physical buttons that offer better feedback and are easier to use. The AKG also feel better-built, even if they don't have an IP rating like the JBL, and they feel more comfortable for most since they don't enter your ear canal as deeply. The AKG wireless range is significantly better and have less latency.
The Bose SoundSport Wireless and the AKG N200 are two similar headphones that have good audio quality, but the Bose have a small edge over the AKG. Their semi-open design makes them more open-sounding, but this also means they barely isolate any noise. Also, the Bose have a slightly more comfortable earbud-like design. However, their cable feels thin and flimsy, and their controls are hard to register. Meanwhile, the AKG feel well-built due to their braided cable and dense magnetic earbuds.
If neutral sound is your most important criteria, then the AKG N200 are the better option against the Sony WI-SP600N Wireless. The AKG have a better wireless range and a noticeably lower latency. On the other hand, the Sony are noise-canceling and will be a better choice for commuting if you need to block out ambient noise. The Sony also have a companion app with a 5-band EQ to customize the sound to your liking.
We've upgraded our Headphones Test Bench to 2.0! This update brings several key changes to our tests and usages, making it easier than ever to interpret our sound results based on your personal preferences. You'll also find a brand-new interactive graph tool featuring multiple targets (including our own!) for you to explore and compare.
For a full breakdown, check out our changelog, which includes detailed commentary from our test designer explaining the rationale behind our update.
We'd also love to hear your thoughts: your feedback helps us keep improving, so join us in the comments!
Test Results
The AKG N200 Wireless are low-profile in-ears that have a very small bud design. They have small stability fins, which gives them a sporty look but without being too flashy. Their cable is braided, but the in-line remote seems a bit more plasticky than the rest of their build.
These headphones are decently comfortable. They don’t enter your ear canal too deeply, and they come with a few tip options. The tips are also color-coded, so it’s easy to find the same size tips. The earbuds are small and fit nicely inside most ears, but unfortunately, you don’t get different fin size options.
The AKG N200's in-line remote is pretty straightforward. You get common functionalities like call/music management, volume control, and track skipping. You can also access your voice assistant by double-tapping the middle multi-function button. The remote is easy to use, and the feedback from physical buttons is good and clicky. You also get audio cues for maximum volume and when you trigger your voice assistant.
Like most in-ears, the AKG N200 don’t trap too much heat inside the ears and allow airflow. You shouldn’t feel too much of a difference when wearing these, even after long listening sessions. They're a good option for sports, as you shouldn’t sweat more than usual when using these.
Like most in-ears, they're very portable and will fit in most pockets and bags. They're easy to carry around your neck as their buds are magnetic and clip together. You can also fit them inside the included case, which is fairly small and fits in pockets.
The AKG N200 Wireless' case is good. It’s a small case that protects the headphones well against scratches, minor water exposure, and impacts. It's compact and will fit in most pockets and bags.
The AKG N200 are well-built wireless in-ears. The small earbuds feel dense enough to survive a few drops without too much damage, and the braided cable seems solid. The in-line remote feels a bit plasticky, but nothing to worry about if you’re careful with them. There’s also a cable cinch that makes cable management a bit easier. Also, the buds are magnetic, which makes them feel more high-end.
The AKG N200 Wireless are stable headphones, and you should be able to run with these without a problem. The fins help for added stability, but unfortunately, you don’t get any size options. On the upside, their wireless design means that cables won't be in your way, which is good.
- AKG N200 headphones
- 4 tip sizes
- Cleaning tool
- Micro-USB charging cable
- Carrying case
- Manuals
The AKG N200 Wireless, like most other in-ears, have fantastic frequency response consistency. If the user can achieve a proper seal using the assortment of tips, they should get a very consistent bass and treble delivery every time they use the headphones.
The AKG N200 have incredible bass accuracy. Their low-frequency extension (LFE) is at 10Hz, which is great. Their entire bass range is flat and follows our neutral target curve very tightly. Overall, their bass is deep and thumpy without sounding heavy or boomy. Some people may find them a little bit bass-light, especially fans of very bass-heavy music.
Their mid-range accuracy is excellent. The response is flat throughout the range, resulting in an accurate reproduction of vocals and lead instruments. However, there's a small 2dB dip in mid-mid, which will slightly nudge the vocals to the back of the mix.
The AKG N200’s treble accuracy is great. The response is flat and even before 5KHz but gets a bit uneven after. Some sibilants (S and T sounds) around 8KHz could feel lacking in detail and brightness, while those around 10KHz could feel harsh and piercing. However, not everyone will hear these frequencies the same way, so they may not be as sibilant.
These headphones have an amazing imaging performance. Their weighted group delay value is 0.21. It results in a tight and fast bass and clear trebles. The L/R drivers of our test unit also showed very good matching, which helps with proper placement and localization of instruments and sound effects (like footsteps) in the stereo image. However, these results are only valid for our unit, and yours may perform differently.
The soundstage performance is bad, like most other in-ears and earbuds. Since activating the resonances of the pinna is a big factor in creating a large and in-front soundstage, the AKG N200, due to their lack of interaction with the pinna, will have a soundstage perceived as small and located inside the head. However, unlike open earbuds like the Apple AirPods (1st generation) Truly Wireless and the Google Pixel Buds 2017 Wireless, these earbuds have a closed design which further reduces the spaciousness and sense of openness of their soundstage.
They have a poor noise isolation performance. In the bass range, where the rumble of bus and airplane engines sit, they achieve about 2dB of isolation, which is barely noticeable. They isolate by 13dB in the mid-range, which is above-average. In the treble range, occupied by sharp S and T sounds and A/C systems, they isolate by about 24dB, which is also above-average.
The AKG N200's leakage performance is great. Like most other closed-back in-ears, these headphones don't leak in the bass and mid-ranges. A significant portion of their leakage is in the treble range and between 3KHz and 8KHz, which is a relatively narrow range. The overall level of the leakage is not loud, either. With music at 100dB SPL, the leakage at 1 foot away averages at 32dB SPL and peaks at around 57dB SPL, just above the noise floor of an average office.
The AKG N200's microphone's recording quality is sub-par. Speech recorded with the microphone will sound thin, muffled, and lacking in detail. This is due to LFE being at 276Hz and HFE being at 2.1KHz. The HFE is lower than most Bluetooth microphones, which usually average around 3KHz. This will hurt the understandability of speech.
The in-line microphone's noise handling capability is mediocre. The AKG N200 achieved a speech-to-noise ratio of 13dB, meaning they'll have a hard time transmitting clean and noise-free speech even in moderately loud environments.
They offer just above 6 hours of continuous playback, which is a bit lower than the 8 hours advertised. This should still be enough for most people for a full workday, but they might need daily charging. Unfortunately, they don’t have any power-saving features. AKG also advertises a 1-hour playback time for a quick 10 minutes of charging, which can be helpful for last-minute commutes or workouts, but we don't test for this.
They aren't compatible with an app with customization options to enhance your listening experience.
These headphones are Bluetooth compatible, but you can't pair them with NFC, which would have been easier and quicker. They also can’t connect to multiple devices simultaneously, which is useful when you want to switch between your phone and work PC.
Their latency with PCs and Android devices should be low enough to stream video without a noticeable delay. They support the aptX codec, which lowers their latency with PCs. They also support the AAC codec, although we don't test it. Unfortunately, they have high latency with iOs devices, so you're likely to notice audio lag if you use them to watch videos or play mobile games. However, some devices and apps seem to compensate for latency, meaning that you may have a different experience.
These Bluetooth-only headphones can’t be used wired.
The AKG N200 Wireless don’t have a dock. If you're looking for headphones with a dock for customization options, look at the SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless. If you want a charging dock, look at the Astro A50 Gen 3 Wireless 2017, and if you're looking for wireless headphones for watching TV, look at the Sennheiser RS 185 RF Wireless.