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If you want a wired, pro-style in-ear monitor you can plug straight into a MacBook and forget about charging, choose BASN Metalen 4; if you need true wireless freedom with active noise cancellation and app-controlled sound for a MacBook, choose Audio-Technica ATH-CKS30TW+. These two are the same shape but not the same animal at all. One is a studio-flavored tool for people who care about drivers and cables; the other is a pocketable everyday pair built for convenience. Here's how I'd split them.
• BASN Metalen 4 — biggest strength: a four-driver hybrid setup (2 balanced armature + 2 dynamic drivers per earbud) with a 16 Hz–25 kHz range, plus two detachable MMCX cables and a full accessory kit. This is enthusiast hardware.
• BASN Metalen 4 — biggest trade-off: it's wired only, with a 3.5 mm jack, so a modern MacBook needs an adapter, and there's no active noise cancellation — just passive sound isolation.
• Audio-Technica ATH-CKS30TW+ — biggest strength: true wireless Bluetooth 5.1 with active noise cancellation, a hear-through mode, touch controls, and a companion app with EQ presets and soundscape functions.
• Audio-Technica ATH-CKS30TW+ — biggest trade-off: battery life is finite (roughly 6.5 hours per charge, with the case adding more), and there's no wired fallback for zero-latency monitoring.
• Who each is for: pick BASN if you want maximum driver hardware and a cable you can swap; pick the Audio-Technica if you want wireless convenience, noise cancelling, and app tuning.
The BASN Metalen 4 is built around its driver count. Each earbud packs two balanced armature drivers and two dynamic drivers — a hybrid arrangement that's usually associated with separating detail from low-end punch. The stated frequency range runs from 16 Hz up to 25 kHz, wider than the Audio-Technica's 20 Hz–20 kHz, and sensitivity sits at 108 dB with a low 16-ohm impedance. In plain terms, that low impedance means it should be easy to drive from a laptop or phone jack without a separate amp.
The kit is where this thing really separates itself. You get two detachable MMCX cables — one silver-plated OFC cable without a mic, and one fiber cable with an inline volume control and mic — plus a T-shirt clip, S/M/L tips, memory foams, velcro strips, a cleaning brush, a 1/4" adapter, and a carrying case. The housing is CNC-machined metal with an electroplated finish, which is a durability story rather than a comfort story: metal resists wear and corrosion better than plastic over years of use.
Who should buy it? Singers, drummers, bassists, and anyone who wants a wired monitor they can plug into a MacBook and trust for critical listening or tracking. If you're chasing the best comfortable headphone for MacBook use over long sessions, the swappable tips and memory foams give you real fit-tuning options. The MMCX detachable design also means if a cable dies, you replace the cable, not the whole earphone.
Who should skip it? If you hate cables, want active noise cancellation for a noisy commute, or don't want to deal with a 3.5 mm-to-USB-C adapter on a newer MacBook, this isn't your pair. There's no Bluetooth here at all.
The ATH-CKS30TW+ takes the opposite approach: it's a wireless system first. Proprietary 9 mm dynamic drivers handle the audio, with Audio-Technica explicitly tuning for "the punch of enhanced bass," and the app adds an ultra-low-frequency Bass Boost EQ plus four more presets for vocal clarity and gaming. Sensitivity is a high 110 dB at 20 ohms, so it should get loud easily from a phone or laptop.
The feature list reads like a Swiss Army knife. Active noise cancellation for focus, hear-through so you stay aware of surroundings, talk-through to accent nearby voices, and a soundscape function that plays nature sounds, masking noise, or meditation audio. There's a low-latency mode that tightens audio-to-video sync for streaming and gaming, which matters if you're watching video on a MacBook. Bluetooth 5.1 covers roughly 10 meters of range, and the charging case is described as ultra-slim — small enough to disappear in a pocket.
Battery is the honest caveat. You get about 6.5 hours per charge, with the case adding roughly 330 minutes more, and a full charge takes about 2 hours. That's fine for a workday of intermittent listening but not for a marathon session without a top-up.
Who should skip it? If you want a wired connection with zero latency for music production, or you'd rather not depend on battery and an app to unlock features, the wired BASN is the better fit.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for wired, zero-latency monitoring → BASN Metalen 4. No Bluetooth, no charging, no delay.
• Best for wireless convenience → Audio-Technica ATH-CKS30TW+. Bluetooth 5.1 with a slim charging case.
• Best for noise control → Audio-Technica ATH-CKS30TW+. It has active noise cancellation, hear-through, and talk-through; BASN relies on passive isolation only.
• Best for driver hardware and detail → BASN Metalen 4. Four hybrid drivers per earbud versus a single 9 mm dynamic driver.
• Best for app-based tuning → Audio-Technica ATH-CKS30TW+. The CONNECT app offers EQ presets, soundscape, and touch customization.
• Best for durability of the housing → BASN Metalen 4. CNC-machined metal shells versus a plastic case design.
• Best for battery-free ownership → BASN Metalen 4. It never needs charging at all.
• Best for gaming and streaming sync → Audio-Technica ATH-CKS30TW+. Low latency mode is built for exactly that.
In my opinion, most people shopping for a MacBook companion should buy the Audio-Technica ATH-CKS30TW+. Wireless freedom, active noise cancellation, app EQ, low-latency mode, and a genuinely pocketable case cover the everyday use cases that matter — commuting, calls, video, and casual gaming — without an adapter in sight.
That said, I'd steer you to the BASN Metalen 4 if you want a serious wired monitor: four hybrid drivers, a 16 Hz–25 kHz range, swappable MMCX cables, and a metal build that should outlast plastic. It's the pick for musicians and detail chasers. For everyone else, the wireless pair wins on real-world convenience.
FAQ
Start with the smallest tips that still seal, then work up until outside noise fades. Both of these ship with multiple tip sizes — the BASN includes S/M/L tips plus memory foams, and the Audio-Technica includes XS, S, M, and L. A proper seal is what unlocks bass and isolation on either pair.
how to clean in ear headphones
Wipe the eartips and nozzles with a dry cloth or a soft brush after each use, and remove the tips periodically to clear any wax buildup. The BASN kit actually includes a cleaning brush, which is handy. Never soak the earbuds or run water through the driver housing.
how to open in ear headphones
There's nothing to open on either model — they're sealed in-ear designs, not foldable over-ears. "Opening" here means pairing: on the ATH-CKS30TW+, take the earbuds out of the case and connect over Bluetooth; on the BASN Metalen 4, just plug the 3.5 mm jack in (with an adapter for a newer MacBook).
how to ear headphones
If you mean wearing them, the rule is the same for both: insert the tip into your ear canal at a slight forward angle and twist gently until it sits snug. The Audio-Technica's rounded tips suit quick in-and-out wear; the BASN's memory foams reward a few seconds of squeeze-and-hold for a deeper, more stable seal.
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