These Technics earbuds prove that smaller brands can still beat the heavyweights

Once you’re looking for new earbuds, it’s straightforward to reside with blinders on and repair most of your consideration on the heavyweight manufacturers like Sony, Apple, Samsung, Bose, Sennheiser, and others. Meaning lacking out on some interesting funds choices like these from EarFun, Soundpeats, and Anker’s Soundcore division. But it surely can also result in you glossing proper over some premium earbuds which might be value critical consideration. Over the previous few weeks, I’ve been reviewing one such product — the Technics EAH-AZ80 — and it’s turn into clear to me that these have earned a spot within the “greatest wi-fi earbuds” dialog. 

For $300, you’d hope that Technics (a model of Panasonic) would be capable to ship one thing worthwhile. It is a worth tier the place mediocrity in anyone class can doom your prospects. However I’ve but to run into something about these earbuds that feels middling or second price. They sound terrific, provide prolonged battery life, and embrace genuinely distinctive capabilities like three-way multipoint; you possibly can pair the AZ80 to a few gadgets on the identical time — typical multipoint-capable buds have a restrict of two — seamlessly hopping between them as you pause music on one gadget and play one thing on one other. 

The buds themselves, obtainable in silver or black, look sharp and would really feel at dwelling subsequent to certainly one of Technics’ venerable turntables. There’s aluminum trim on the outer floor, with the Technics emblem engraved in concentric circles. However the facet that matches into your ear concha has been designed for consolation for prolonged listening, and I’ve by no means observed any soreness or fatigue when utilizing the AZ80. There are seven completely different sizes of silicone ear ideas within the field, which is much extra beneficiant than what you’d get from, say, Sony or Apple. Technics is actually paying thoughts to these of you with smaller ears; the tip sizes embrace XS1, XS2, S1, S2, M, L, and XL. The buds have a water resistance ranking of IPX4 — par for the course amongst flagship earbuds — however the case, which helps Qi wi-fi charging, lacks any such safety towards rain or sweat, so that you’ll need to maintain it dry.  

Leaping proper into sound, the AZ80 maintain their very own towards the perfect of what’s in the marketplace in the present day, resembling Sennheiser’s Momentum 3 Wireless and Sony’s WF-1000XM5. The ten-millimeter drivers produce wealthy, enveloping audio with a pure heat to the sound signature even for those who by no means trouble touching the EQ sliders or hopping between the presets. Boygenius’ “Not Sturdy Sufficient” is an effective instance of this, with every of the three voices coming by means of distinctly with glorious readability throughout the “all the time an angel, by no means a god” bridge. These earbuds shine with multilayered tracks, whether or not it’s pop (Olivia Rodrigo’s “Vampire”) or rock (Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit’s “Dying Want”), the AZ80 produce an in depth and spacious soundstage. These are about as constantly pleasing as wi-fi earbuds get by way of dynamics and general presentation.

Technics additionally presents energetic noise cancellation that’s greater than respectable. It falls in need of the perfect contenders, like Sony’s newest 1000XM5 or Bose’s QuietComfort Earbuds II, however isn’t drastically behind. And the audio constancy high quality makes up for being a step behind in ANC. The hole is wider in terms of transparency mode. I really feel like a damaged document at this level, however the ambient sound passthrough right here isn’t as natural-sounding as Apple’s AirPods Professional 2. It’s value adjusting the extent of out of doors noise that comes by means of through Technics’ cellular app for the perfect outcomes. You’ll be able to select the usual ambient sound mode or an alternative choice that focuses on voices — helpful if you wish to hear an announcement at a prepare station or airport. 

Battery life is greater than adequate at round seven hours with noise cancellation enabled and upward of eight hours for those who’re someplace quiet and may depart it off. That longevity can shrink for those who’re listening at loud volumes or ceaselessly streaming at LDAC high quality, however even in these instances, I didn’t really feel shortchanged, and the AZ80 by no means reduce out unexpectedly. Voice calls proved passable, and Technics’ JustMyVoice isolation know-how will help remove a loud background so different individuals can hear your voice even for those who’re in a loud atmosphere. Your speech can sound a bit clipped when utilizing JustMyVoice at full power, nevertheless it’s a useful software to have when wanted.

The three-way multipoint, which Panasonic claims is an business first for earbuds, works surprisingly nicely. I don’t have a pill at the moment, so I examined it with my laptop computer and two telephones. The Technics earbuds had no hassle following me alongside to no matter gadget had my consideration at that second. The one tradeoff that comes with triple multipoint is that you would be able to’t use the higher-bitrate LDAC Bluetooth codec on the identical time; you can stream over LDAC by sticking to common two-way multipoint or, in order for you most audio constancy and connection stability, the AZ80 might be configured to attach solely to a single gadget at a time. 

All of those settings can be found within the companion cellular app, which is stuffed to the gills with options and changes for a variety of the earbuds’ capabilities. The app can allow you to hear a preview of how your voice sounds on calls with Technics’ JustMyVoice filtering energetic. You’ll be able to optimize the noise cancellation for the perfect efficiency wherever you’re by adjusting a slider that makes it goal completely different frequencies. There’s a slew of EQ choices; I caught with the default, however “dynamic” additionally sounded very good to my ears. And the app enables you to dial in precisely how a lot ambient sound you need to pipe by means of each time transparency mode is engaged.

Cramming this a lot into an app can shortly show detrimental if the software program is buggy or has connection points, however I didn’t run into any issues with the Technics Audio Join app when testing throughout each Android and iOS. The deluge of preferences can really feel just a little overwhelming, nevertheless it all works, which is the essential half. Nonetheless, there’s no denying that simply as with different standalone earbud makers that lack a {hardware} ecosystem, Technics can’t match the seamless cross-device methods of Apple and Samsung.

Dropping $300 on a pair of earbuds is not any small funding. However for those who’re on the lookout for one thing off the crushed path and aren’t feeling enticed by the big-name manufacturers, Technics has produced a worthy set of flagship buds with the EAH-AZ80. They sound fantastic, have ample noise cancellation, and include sufficient ear ideas that I can’t think about anybody being left with out the proper match. And the three-way multipoint is a completely distinctive promoting level that not even Sony, Apple, Bose, and different main opponents can match. When you’re a heavy-duty multitasker, that could be cause sufficient to attempt one thing new. 

Pictures by Chris Welch / The Verge