Technics EAH-AZ100 True Wireless Earbuds

What Hi-Fi? praises the Technics EAH-AZ100 True Wireless Earbuds as a significant step forward for the brand, highlighting their comfortable, lightweight design and excellent fit for a wide range of ear shapes. The review enthusiastically notes the earbuds’ superb sound quality, characterized by clarity, spaciousness, and expressive detail, with improvements brought by the innovative magnetic fluid driver. The AZ100 also impresses with strong, customizable active noise cancelling that rivals top competitors like Bose and Sony, alongside a robust Bluetooth connection and industry-first three-way multipoint support. The comprehensive app customization and long battery life further enhance the user experience. Some criticisms include the somewhat unnatural “Voice Focus AI” call feature and a weaker charging case magnet compared to rivals. Despite fierce competition, What Hi-Fi? concludes that the AZ100’s balanced sound, refined ANC, and thoughtful design earn it a well-deserved five-star rating and position it as a true contender in the premium wireless earbuds market.

Matthew Lopes, Nicholas Lim, and John Peroramas from RTINGS highlight the Technics EAH-AZ100 True Wireless Earbuds as a premium, well-engineered flagship option with a warm sound profile and impressive noise isolation. They praise the earbuds’ long 12.2-hour battery life, effective ANC that excels at blocking mid-bass and higher frequencies, and multi-point Bluetooth connectivity, making them versatile for sports, travel, and office use. The review notes the earbuds’ deeper in-ear fit, which may cause discomfort or a cabin-pressure sensation for some users, representing the main caveat. While the microphone is described as unremarkable, the innovative “Voice Focus AI” feature helps maintain call clarity in noisy environments. Compared to competitors like Sony WF-1000XM5 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, the AZ100 holds its own in noise cancellation and battery life but offers a distinctively warm sound that may not suit all listeners. Overall, the review conveys a balanced, thoughtful appreciation of the earbuds’ strengths and limitations.

Simon Cohen from Digital Trends highlights the Technics EAH-AZ100 as a compelling evolution in high-end true wireless earbuds, blending refined comfort, advanced features, and exceptional sound quality. Praising the earbuds’ smaller, lighter design and improved noise cancellation, Cohen notes their superb audio fidelity, especially for critical listening with lossless sources, thanks to Technics’ innovative magnetic fluid driver technology. The review emphasizes standout features like Bluetooth LE Audio with Auracast support (though limited to Android), best-in-class Multipoint connectivity, and extensive customization options. While the earbuds excel in call quality and battery life, Cohen points out minor drawbacks such as the slightly bulkier fit in the ear concha compared to the AZ80, fewer eartip sizes, and the absence of Auracast support for iPhone users. The spatial audio implementation is praised for its naturalness and seamless head tracking, despite some reservations about its effect on fidelity. Overall, Cohen regards the AZ100 as a solid upgrade and a top contender for audiophiles willing to invest in premium wireless earbuds.

Simon Lucas from TechRadar highlights the Technics EAH-AZ100 as premium true wireless earbuds that impress with their balanced, detailed sound and excellent comfort, especially when active noise cancellation (ANC) is enabled. The review conveys a measured enthusiasm, praising the earbuds’ extensive feature set—including multipoint connectivity, adaptive ANC, and a sophisticated driver design—and their refined, ergonomic fit with five ear tip sizes. Lucas emphasizes the earbuds’ sonic strengths, describing them as musical and insightful with a unified frequency response, though he notes a clear drop in low-frequency richness when ANC is off. Battery life is solid but not outstanding, and while the ANC is effective, it doesn’t quite match the best-in-class Bose QuietComfort Ultra. The review offers a thoughtful, nuanced perspective, balancing strong commendations for sound quality, design, and features with candid critiques on noise cancellation and battery endurance, making the AZ100 a compelling choice for those prioritizing audio fidelity and comfort over absolute ANC supremacy.

Christian de Looper from PCMag highlights the Technics EAH-AZ100 earbuds as a remarkable upgrade over their predecessor, delivering sublime sound quality that audiophiles will appreciate. He praises their rich, detailed audio with tight, distortion-free bass and excellent instrument separation across diverse music genres. The earbuds’ noise cancellation is notably strong, nearly matching Bose’s top-tier QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, though Bose still leads slightly in blocking out sound. De Looper also commends the improved battery life, compact design, and highly customizable touch controls, including multipoint Bluetooth connectivity. However, he points out fit issues, as the earbuds can feel loose during vigorous movement despite multiple eartip options, and notes the microphones, while clear, sometimes sound unnatural. The app’s EQ is robust but somewhat buried in menus. Overall, the review conveys a very positive, enthusiastic tone, emphasizing the AZ100’s exceptional audio performance and thoughtful features, while fairly acknowledging minor drawbacks in fit and noise cancellation compared to the competition.

Christian Thomas from SoundGuys highlights the Technics EAH-AZ100 as a distinctive and capable set of true wireless earbuds that stand out with their metal aesthetic and high-bitrate codec support. While the earbuds are somewhat bulky, their unique nozzle design and multiple ear tip sizes offer a comfortable fit for most users. The review praises the earbuds’ excellent active noise cancellation (ANC), effective passthrough modes, and long battery life of over 10 hours, making them well-suited for commuting and travel. The AI voice focus feature for calls is noted as a thoughtful innovation, enhancing usability in noisy environments. However, the reviewer points out some drawbacks, including the lack of spatial audio features, limited microphone performance in noisy settings, and the absence of Auracast support. Priced at $299, the Technics EAH-AZ100 competes with premium models like the Sony WF-1000XM5 and AirPods Pro 2, and while recommended for Android users seeking top-tier ANC, the reviewer advises experimenting with EQ settings to optimize sound quality.

James Pero from Gizmodo highlights the Technics EAH-AZ100 as a standout in the $300 wireless earbud market, delivering truly next-level sound quality thanks to innovative magnetic fluid drivers that minimize distortion and reveal nuanced audio across genres. He praises their impressive 10-hour battery life with active noise cancellation (ANC) on, comfortably long for extended use such as flights, and finds the earbuds comfortable for prolonged wear. While ANC performance is solid, it doesn’t quite match top competitors like Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra, and the touch controls and pairing process feel less intuitive. The design is functional but not particularly stylish, a trade-off for the advanced driver technology inside. Overall, Pero emphasizes that these earbuds excel where it matters most—sound, battery, and comfort—making them a compelling choice for audiophiles willing to invest in premium wireless earbuds that prioritize audio fidelity over flashy aesthetics or perfect ANC.

Chris Welch from The Verge highlights the Technics EAH-AZ100 earbuds as a compelling choice for audiophiles and multitaskers willing to invest in premium true wireless earbuds. He praises their fantastic audio quality, enhanced by innovative “magnetic fluid” drivers that reduce distortion and deepen bass response, building on the strengths of the previous AZ80 model. The earbuds also impress with three-way multipoint connectivity and a more comfortable design, making them versatile for users juggling multiple devices. However, Welch tempers enthusiasm with critiques: the active noise cancellation isn’t best-in-class, the design feels somewhat bland compared to competitors, and the app’s many options can overwhelm users. While the AZ100s offer meaningful improvements, especially in sound depth and comfort, the reviewer suggests the upgrades may not justify an immediate switch for existing AZ80 owners. Overall, the review conveys a balanced, moderately positive tone that appreciates the earbuds’ quality and innovation while acknowledging some trade-offs.

Max Freeman-Mills from T3 highlights the Technics EAH-AZ100 as a significant and welcome upgrade over its predecessor, the AZ80, praising its refined design, improved comfort, and notably enhanced battery life. The review conveys clear enthusiasm, emphasizing the earbuds’ smaller, sleeker form factor and adaptive noise-cancelling that performs reliably across various real-world scenarios like flights and trains. Unique technical innovations, such as the magnetic-fluid driver, deliver a fuller, punchier sound without distortion, appealing to a wide range of music genres. The AI-driven “Voice Focus” microphone feature is noted as innovative, improving call clarity on both ends, though it sometimes sounds artificial. While the charging case is criticized for being prone to scratches and minor fit inconsistencies, these are minor quibbles in an otherwise glowing assessment. Overall, the AZ100s impress as comfortable, versatile, and sonically excellent earbuds that have even displaced the reviewer’s usual go-to, earning a rare 5-star endorsement.