96Neko earbuds: Popular utaite gets exclusive AVIOT collab
Japanese audio brand AVIOT opened pre-orders Thursday, Oct. 1, for the TE-V1R-96N, a special-edition pair of true wireless earbuds made with the online singer 96Neko, according to a press release from parent company Preseed Japan. The 96Neko earbuds cost ¥18,700, tax included, and are set to ship in late October.
The collaboration is built on AVIOT’s TE-V1R, with a case and earbuds redesigned around 96Neko’s colors, logos and motifs.
What sets the 96Neko earbuds apart
The biggest draw for fans is the audio guidance. 96Neko recorded the voice prompts that play when the earbuds power on or off and when they connect, and the set also includes random voice lines made only for this model, the company said.
The box features new artwork by illustrator REO showing 96Neko wearing the earbuds. AVIOT is pitching the 96Neko earbuds as a collector’s item for her fan base as much as a set of headphones.
Specs carried over from the TE-V1R
Under the custom shell, the hardware matches the standard TE-V1R. AVIOT lists up to 19 hours of playback from the earbuds alone and up to 62 hours with the charging case. Adaptive Hybrid Noise Canceling adjusts its strength to the surrounding environment, and the company’s Hybrid Dual Driver 2.0 pairs a 10 mm dynamic driver with a balanced armature driver.
Other listed features include:
- LDAC, AAC and SBC codec support over Bluetooth 5.3
- Wireless charging and USB-C charging, about 1.5 hours for a full charge
- About 120 minutes of playback from a 10-minute quick charge
- Multipoint connection to two devices at once and single-earbud use
- IPX4-equivalent water resistance and a weight of about 6.5 grams per earbud
As with the base model, silicone ear tips in small, medium and large come in the box.
Price and how to order the 96Neko earbuds
Pre-orders for the 96Neko earbuds are open through AVIOT’s Japanese online store and a separate pre-order page for U.S. customers. Shipping starts in late October.
Who is 96Neko?
96Neko is an utaite, a singer who built her following by posting cover songs online. Per AVIOT, she has more than 1.33 million followers on X, more than 1.21 million YouTube subscribers and over 300 million combined views across YouTube and Niconico. She is known for a flexible voice that moves between feminine and boyish tones.
AVIOT launched in 2018 as Preseed Japan’s in-house brand and relaunched in 2023. The company says its V Series, which includes the TE-V1R, has sold about 250,000 units as of the end of March.
For more on earbud tech, read about the Google Fast Pair Bluetooth flaw. Fans of online performers may also like our story on VTuber Kizuna Ai’s arrival in Fortnite, and more hardware news lives in our Gear & Tech section.
Reporting from Anime News Network contributed to this story.