Evaluation: Technics AZ100 Earbuds simply beat the likes of Sony and Bose

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Until you are an audio nerd, you won’t be conversant in Technics, which is celebrating its sixtieth anniversary with the launch of recent flagship earbuds — the EAH-AZ100 wi-fi earbuds. The buds debuted on the CES 2025 present in Las Vegas, and I have been testing them for the previous few weeks.

Technics made the turntable utilized by DJs for the reason that earliest days of hip-hop and digital music. Extra just lately, the Panasonic model has centered on HiFi merchandise for audiophiles. They make studio-quality wired earphones for skilled musicians and engineers, in addition to luxurious audio system, amplifiers, and turntables.

With the AZ100s, Technics needs to carry true high-fidelity, reference-class music high quality to an on a regular basis product. However you do not have to be a pretentious audiophile (and I say that may all due respect to the pretentious audiophiles of the world) to understand these new wi-fi earbuds.

As a result of, rattling, do they sound good.

Technics EAH-AZ100 wi-fi earbuds specs

You can begin listening to music with these buds minutes after unboxing them. I’ve had no points with pairing, dropped connections, or lag — even whereas utilizing multi-point connections. They’ve additionally bought a powerful characteristic set:

• Speaker Driver Unit: 10mm

• Frequency Response: 20 to 40 kHz

• Adaptive Energetic Noise Cancellation

• IPX4 water resistance

• 10 hours of battery with ANC / 28 hours of battery with charging case

• 15-minute fast cost offers 90 minutes of ANC listening

• Helps LDAC lossless audio

• USB-C and Qi wi-fi charging

• Charging case dimensions: 69 x 36 x 27 mm

• Earpiece sizes: XS, S, M, M/L, L

• Colours: Black and silver

Unboxing the AZ100 earbuds from Technics.
Credit score: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

The AZ100 earbuds with eartips.
Credit score: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

The Technics Audio Join app can be tremendous user-friendly, and the customized ANC, EQ settings, and Voice Focus AI options are easy to arrange. Personally, I discovered the “Dynamic” audio setting labored finest for music. When utilizing the buds, I discovered the contact controls responsive — however not so responsive that I by accident paused or skipped tracks.

Customizing the contact controls.
Credit score: Screenshot: Technics

Customizing the adaptive ANC.
Credit score: Screenshot: Technics

The AZ100s produce high-fidelity audio for music lovers

In December, Panasonic invited a gaggle of journalists to the Technics Design Studio in Kyoto, Japan, the place we bought to demo these new earbuds forward of their CES debut. They ship richer, fuller, extra detailed sound than any earbuds I’ve ever examined. The one buds I’ve tried that achieved related readability and sound separation had been next-gen in-ear displays that used ultrasound expertise.

Which means once you’re listening to a very layered observe — suppose symphonies from Beethoven or “National Anthem” by Radiohead — you may distinctly hear all the varied layers of sound. As an alternative of notes blurring into one another, you clearly hear every particular person chord simply because it was recorded.

Principally, they cross the “bop” check. As in, how a lot do I bop my head and play air drums whereas utilizing them? It may be exhausting to articulate precisely why HiFi music sounds so a lot better, however you realize it once you hear it.

I discovered this to be true throughout your entire audio vary, from bass to treble. I’ve seen some Reddit critiques that complain these buds have weak bass. In actuality, they’ve extremely clear bass, whereas too many audio merchandise merely blow out the bass past all motive.

These buds are so good they even examine favorably to over-ear headphones and luxurious audio system.

Carrying the AZ100 earbuds.
Credit score: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

The distinction is clear when switching backwards and forwards between the AZ100s and different buds. Music simply sounds extra full. In addition they produce unimaginable resonance, providing you with an actual sense of area.

And when you wish to crank up the amount to 11, these earbuds get loud. (Loud sufficient that sound leaks barely to the individuals round you.)

These earbuds made me surprise how shut we’re to attaining peak earbuds. Past incremental enhancements to battery life, noise cancellation, and luxury, the place can we go from right here?

Introducing the Magnetic Fluid Driver

The brand new Technics AZ100s use a proprietary Magnetic Fluid Driver to supply high-resolution, low-distortion sound that is as near the unique supply as doable.

What’s a Magnetic Fluid Driver? Per Technics, the motive force features a ring of oily magnetic liquid between the motive force magnet and voice coil (the a part of the speaker that strikes the diaphragm that produces sound waves). This creates extra steady motion, larger readability, and decrease distortion. The brand new driver additionally makes use of an ultra-thin aluminum diaphragm for improved element and sound separation.

I bought the possibility to demo this tech at a Panasonic demonstration in Kyoto, Japan in Dec. 2024. Here is what the brand new driver seems to be like in motion:

This Magnetic Fluid tech beforehand appeared within the Technics EAH-TZ70 in-ear displays — skilled displays with a $1,199.99 price ticket. The brand new AZ100s characteristic a miniaturized model of that tech, plus a way more affordable $299.99 price ticket, the identical as Bose’s flagship QuietComfort Extremely earbuds.

I beforehand reviewed the QuietComfort Extremely earbuds for Mashable, and I’ve persistently rated them as the most effective wi-fi earbuds of the second. So, how do they examine in a head-to-head check with the AZ100s?

Evaluating the AZ100 to different headphones and earbuds

I’ve reviewed numerous audio merchandise for Mashable and different publications. I used to be surprisingly impressed with the audio high quality of the Dyson OnTrac over-ear headphones, and I’ve beforehand praised the Bose QuietComfort Extremely line.

Now, premium over-ear headphones have benefits over wi-fi earbuds — a extra snug kind issue (and no ear wax gumming up the buds), a tighter seal round your ears, and bigger speaker elements. However until you splurge on $1,000 in-ear displays made for professionals, I do not know the place you may discover better-sounding earbuds.

That stated, I discovered the Bose QuietComfort Extremely earbuds to be extra snug for prolonged use. After three to 4 hours of carrying the AZ100s, I skilled some ear fatigue. The Bose buds are lighter and use a novel stability band that hugs the contour of your outer ear, and I discover this offers a tighter seal and higher match. On the plus aspect, the AZ100 buds do not stick out an excessive amount of out of your ears, making them comparatively snug when leaning towards a pillow or floor.

A take a look at the AZ100s’ match.

Credit score: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

Credit score: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

By way of energetic noise cancellation, the AZ100s are pretty much as good because the very finest noise-cancelling earbuds I’ve examined. They filter out human voices extraordinarily effectively. Whereas testing, I could not hear my companion unlocking, opening, and shutting a door simply seven toes away from me, nor did I hear her yelling my title. They dampened the clamor of the New York Metropolis subway, too.

Extra options justify the excessive value level

When you have an Android smartphone or suitable digital audio participant, the AZ100 buds help the LDAC codec, aka lossless audio. Now, I am only a lowly iPhone and Spotify person, however when you’re a real connoisseur of sound, you may respect this.

The AZ100s additionally help multi-point connection on three Bluetooth gadgets without delay. In my expertise, a lot of manufacturers declare to supply multi-point connection, however in actuality, you must do numerous annoying guide switching. Right here, multipoint works seamlessly. As I write this, the buds are linked to my iPhone and Macbook, and I can change backwards and forwards to audio on both machine.

Absolutely, this would be the customary within the years forward, and I can solely hope different manufacturers determine it out.

There are two different options I’ve to name out.

The buds with their metallic charging case.
Credit score: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

The charging case and USB-C port.
Credit score: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

First, the Voice Focus AI. These earbuds use AI to isolate the sound of human voices, which is useful when listening on ambient mode. It is also very helpful for cellphone calls and on-line conferences. Really, it made different sounds disappear like magic on calls. You may activate it on both finish of a name, or each.

Lastly, the adaptive side of the energetic noise cancellation is far appreciated. We have not actually seen customized tuning obtainable for ANC for the reason that Bose 700 noise-cancelling headphones disappeared. With the AZ100s, you may fine-tune the ANC to your liking, offering a good higher audio expertise.

I have not even talked about the Dolby Atmos, the 10-hour battery life (with ANC engaged), or the IPX4 water resistance.

For those who’re curious, listed here are among the tracks I used to check out these buds. I listened to those songs repeatedly with the Technics buds and different premium buds and headphones.

The decision: Wow.

Personally, if I am being requested to pay $300 or extra for a product, I count on greater than plastic. And in line with the premium tech inside these buds, the AZ100s use a metallic charging case and metallic accents on the buds themselves. The precision-cut particulars are a pleasant contact, particularly in comparison with the all-plastic design of the competitors.

In fact, what actually issues right here is the sound high quality. Whereas Bose retains an edge on general consolation, I am not conscious of any wi-fi earbuds on the earth that supply higher, fuller, extra correct sound.

The Technics Reference Class HiFi Wi-fi Earbuds are priced at $299.99 and can be found now at Amazon, Crutchfield, and Panasonic.