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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-26 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• aigo True — biggest strength: a complete, ready-to-wear earbud package with a transparent waterdrop charging case, neck lanyard, touch control, IPX4 water resistance and up to 24 total hours of playback.
• aigo True — biggest trade-off: it's a closed system. You get what's in the box, and its noise control is listed as active noise cancellation but there's no transparency mode called out in the specs, which matters if hearing your surroundings is a priority.
• CCA KZ AN01 — biggest strength: it's a Bluetooth 5.4 ear-hook adapter built around four modes — Standard, ANC, Transparency and Gaming — with a 4-mic array and up to 40 hours of total playback via its 400mAh case.
• CCA KZ AN01 — biggest trade-off: it's an adapter, not a finished headphone. It's designed to drive compatible KZ-branded and 0.78mm 2-pin earphones, so it only makes sense if you already own (or plan to buy) a pair of wired IEMs.
• Who each pick is for: the aigo True is for someone who wants to unbox once and go; the CCA KZ AN01 is for someone who already loves their wired IEMs and wants to cut the cord without giving up noise cancelling or awareness.
The aigo True is the simpler proposition. It's a pair of in-ear, stick-style earbuds in a blue ABS waterdrop charging case with a transparent back panel that shows off the internal circuit layout — a design choice that's clearly meant to be seen, not hidden in a pocket. A long neck lanyard comes attached, so you can wear the case around your neck or clip it to a bag. The case itself is small: roughly 1.83 inches long, 2.5 inches tall, and about 22.68 g, so it genuinely disappears into a pocket when you don't want to show it off.
On the audio side, the sheet lists a 13 mm dynamic driver, 25 ohm impedance, a 20 Hz–20,000 Hz range, and 20 ms latency. That's a mainstream, easy-to-drive configuration — nothing exotic, but the kind of spec set that plays nicely with a phone without any fuss. Bluetooth 5.4 handles pairing, and the spec says the buds auto power on and connect when you open the case, which is the behavior most people actually want day to day. Range is listed at 15 meters. Two microphones with noise-reduction call technology cover voice, and you get touch control for tracks and calls plus mono/stereo modes so you can hand one bud to someone else.
Battery is where the aigo True is most concrete: up to 5 hours of music playback, 4 hours of call time, up to 24 total hours with the case, and up to 1 hour of playback from a 10-minute quick charge. The case itself recharges in about 1.49 hours.
CCA KZ AN01: Who It's For
The CCA KZ AN01 is a different kind of product entirely, and it's worth being clear about that before comparing them head to head. It's not a pair of earbuds — it's an ear-hook Bluetooth module that turns compatible wired in-ear monitors into wireless ones. The listing is explicit about compatibility: KZ ZS10 PRO, ZSN Pro X, AS16 PRO X, Castor, EDX Pro, and 0.78 mm 2-pin models like the CRA and C12.
What you gain by going this route is the feature set. The AN01 has AI-powered active noise cancellation, a Transparency Mode that lets surrounding sound back in when you need to stay aware, and a four-microphone system for calls. It offers four switchable modes — Standard, ANC, Transparency and Gaming — and the gaming mode is quoted at 50 ms latency, which is the lowest figure between these two products. Bluetooth 5.4 covers pairing and connection stability, with the same 15-meter range class as the aigo.
Battery is the headline number: up to 8 hours of continuous playback per charge and up to 40 hours total with the 400 mAh charging case. Charge time is listed at 8 hours, which is the one spec that stands out as a slow figure — worth planning around rather than being surprised by. The ear-hook design is built for movement, and the enclosure mixes plastic and silicone for a secure, lightweight fit that's meant to hold through activity. Touch controls handle playback, calls and voice assistants.
Buy it if you already own compatible wired IEMs and want to keep their sound signature while adding ANC, transparency and a much longer battery. Skip it if you don't own compatible earphones, since the module has nothing to drive without them.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for transparency mode → CCA KZ AN01. It's the only one of the two with an explicitly named Transparency Mode, plus a one-touch mode switch to reach it.
• Best for total battery life → CCA KZ AN01. Up to 40 hours with the case versus up to 24 hours on the aigo True.
• Best for quick top-ups → aigo True. A 10-minute charge yields up to 1 hour of playback, and the case refills in about 1.49 hours — far quicker than the AN01's listed 8-hour charge time.
• Best for lowest latency → CCA KZ AN01. Its gaming mode is quoted at 50 ms versus the aigo True's 20 ms audio latency spec — note these are measured differently, so treat the gaming mode as the more purpose-built option for sync-critical use.
• Best for a complete, no-extras setup → aigo True. Everything you need is in the box, including the case, lanyard and cable.
• Best for people who already own wired IEMs → CCA KZ AN01. It reuses what you have instead of replacing it.
• Best for gym and outdoor wear → aigo True. IPX4 water resistance is stated, and the lanyard case keeps it accessible mid-workout.
In my opinion, the aigo True is the pick for most people, because most people don't already own a compatible pair of wired IEMs and just want something that works out of the box. It's the lower-effort purchase: open the case, pair once, and you're done, with fast charging that suits real life.
But I'd genuinely recommend the CCA KZ AN01 to a specific buyer — someone with KZ or 0.78 mm 2-pin earphones already in a drawer. For that person, the AN01 delivers transparency mode, stronger noise cancelling, and nearly double the total battery, which is a meaningful upgrade rather than a sidegrade. If transparency mode is the feature you care about most, the AN01 is the one that actually lists it.
which airpods have transparency mode
Transparency mode is an Apple feature tied to specific AirPods models, and Apple's own lineup documentation is the right place to confirm which generations support it. Neither product on this page is an AirPod, so that feature set doesn't carry over — but it's worth knowing that the CCA KZ AN01 does list its own Transparency Mode, while the aigo True does not.
how to turn airpods to transparency mode
On AirPods, the usual method is holding the force sensor or pressing and holding the volume control in Control Center, depending on the model. Since this page compares the aigo True and the CCA KZ AN01, the relevant note is that the AN01 switches modes through its touch controls rather than an Apple interface.
do all airpods have transparency mode
No — not every AirPods model includes it, which is exactly why this question gets asked so often. If transparency mode is a must-have for you and you're shopping outside Apple, check the spec sheet: the CCA KZ AN01 names Transparency Mode explicitly among its four modes, and the aigo True does not list it.
how to turn on transparency mode airpods
The typical approach is a press-and-hold on the stem or a Control Center toggle, model depending. For the products here, the AN01 cycles between Standard, ANC, Transparency and Gaming modes via touch control — so on that device, transparency is one touch away rather than buried in a menu.
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