Customer Ratings & Reviews

I'm quite pleased with the sound quality and the build quality. With my normal head shape and size, they were quite comfortable. I've only had it for a day, so hopefully the battery capacity is as good as given in the specifications. The app is intuitive and easy to use. The specs (here on Best Buy as well as Technics' own site -- you always have to double check Best Buy for errors) say Maximum Wireless Range is 33 feet, but using this with my Galaxy S23+ phone in a room at the rear of my house, I had no issues when I roamed to a room at the front of my house (distance was approximately 46 feet with several walls in between).

Technics makes top tier audio hardware, but I can’t remember it ever being acclaimed for its headphones. The A800 changes that, at least it should. For the features that matter most in wireless headphones at this price they do almost everything either great or well: long wear comfort, acceptable active noise cancellation, and stunning battery life. My only disappointment is its wobbly, poorly designed and located buttons. Equipped with the recent-enough Bluetooth version (5.2), It’s LDAC compatible. Audio quality is on point with a filling, yet low processed, presentation. For me the sound is “Goldilocks.” I’ve yet to be disappointed regardless of what genre I’m listening to, provided the recording is a decent quality. Here are some more in-depth impressions after “testing” them for a couple days following a day of break-in to loosen them up. AUDIO QUALITY I’ll start with sound quality since that’s the prime reason to buy one pair of headphones over another. I get the concept of sound quality in this context is more personal than universal. For me, my library is 60s- early 80s rock, mid 80’s and forward “alt rock,” plus big band jazz and classical. I have no hip-hop genres, so definitely, I don’t have an ear for what “good” extra-heightened bass tuning should sound like. What I want out of headphones is a faithful, minimally processed, rendition of whatever song I’m playing. In my experience so far, the A800 delivers this -- provided the source audio is quality. To test the A800’s capabilities and limitations, I sampled a variety of different genres with the app’s sound profiles off, noise cancelling at 50%. All but “HIP HOP” were with 320kbps AAC on an iPhone Pro Max 14 at 60-70% volume in a quiet room. I’ll explain my hip hop experience in that section. ROCK: Rush, “YYZ.” This is a challenging bass-centric instrumental and one of rock’s all-time best. The A800 passed with ease. The bass was crisp with no distortion except for what Rush intended. The drums were tight and the windchimes distinct. It made me want to grab my air guitar out of my front pocket and strum along. Admittedly, when I turned down the volume to 50% it lost some tonal excitement, but neither YYZ nor anything Rush is intended to be background music. This is arena rock meant to be played loud. VOCALS: Brandi Carlile, “The Stranger At My Door.” Her vocal range and storytelling mixed with an emotional guitar thumping are a perfect match for the A800s neutral stance. There was a presence and clarity like I was on Row 1 at an unplugged concert. Ironically, the distortion-for-effect at the end of the song sounded too clear. HIP HOP: Here I had to resort to Spotify Free for some samples. My mistake. A 128kpbs stream can’t provide big bass hip hop justice. It needs more bandwidth. At this bit rate these songs sounded lifeless. With nothing to lose I went to YouTube and found a collection called “Gangster Trap Mix 2023.” I don’t know what the bit rate was but as soon as “Candy Shop,” started I knew I was on the right track. Literally. I felt musical excitement. The tight boomy bass and quick, but clear, lyrics made me want to go clubbing… at 4pm, and I’m well past my clubbing days. The next song, “Drift,” had the same emotional effect. Again, hip hop isn’t my genre, but the A800s offered plenty bass to get me going. It may be the A800s are not super-bassy, but I don’t find them lacking at all. If you find them flat check the quality of your recording. DESIGN & FIT The A800 ships inside a zippered semi-rigid synthetic leather case worth keeping. It appears to be durable and protective unlike many of the “throwaways” some companies utilize. Inside, the A800 is neatly folded into the headband to save space. This is an unsung feature that minimizes its storage footprint. When I travel I’m grateful for every inch I can save. Additionally, the earpads extra agility allows it to fit closer to the ear than ones that only fold flat. Technics also includes a USB-A to USB-C charge cable, an old-school airplane adapter, a 3.3’ 3.5mm headphone cable for wired listening, and a card explaining the various buttons “IKEA pictogram style”. The A800 is handsome with a mix of matte and semi-metallic looking plastic. The headband and earpads are covered with a buttery-soft leatherette. While the plastic bits feel average, the leatherette areas that actually touch your ears and head feel luxurious. The memory foam padding is thick, but not firm, and responsive enough to give hours-long comfort. The earpad hole is approximately 2.5” by 4.5” so it should accommodate even the largest of ears. I have small ears and did not find them too big either. The headband can vertically extend an additional 1.5”. The headband’s flex is good. I stretched it about 7.5” wide before fearing I might damage them. The A800 weighs nearly 11 oz but doesn’t feel heavy when worn (I’m not a big person). They are neither “light and airy,” nor “boat anchors” pulling your head down. The earpads are comfortable over hours of continuous wear. I didn’t feel them ever slipping when moving around or feeling too tight. The do get a bit hot after a while. SETUP & USAGE Setup is semi-automatic and does not require registration or use of Technics Audio Center app. Simply go to the Bluetooth control on your device and select the A800. To pair an additional device, press the power button for 7 seconds to enter pairing mode. The app’s main use is to adjust the amount of noise cancelling (didn’t do much for me), to customize sound frequencies, turn LDAP on, and, most importantly, to turn off the annoying blinking “on” LED indicator on the right earpad. BTW, unlike similar apps from other manufacturers the app still works if you don’t agree to the privacy policy. Thumbs up for that. Controlling the A800’s varies from frustrating to tolerable depending on how you are doing it. I have mine paired to my iPhone and Mac, so fortunately my devices volume buttons work here. The A800’s volume and transport/mic controls and their placement are terrible and seriously deduct from the user experience in my opinion. These three buttons are butted up next to each other with only a tiny nub separating them. For added awkwardness they are on the far back of the right pad. Not only is this an uncomfortable reach, but invariably when go to these buttons it erroneously activates the touch sensitive “noise cancellation/ambient noise” switch on the side. Touch sensitivity can be turned off but then you lose the ability to toggle noise cancelation on the A800s and have to do this in the app. So, here’s an example of this nonsense. I’m walking down the street and a loud song comes on. I reach to the back of my ears to lower the volume. Because the buttons have no separation between them I have to feel around so I don’t hit a button by mistake. Oops, too late. My palm just flipped the earphones from ambient mode to noise canceling. I could go on but, hopefully it’s a good enough illustration. As a side note, the buttons themselves are thin and flimsy and feel more appropriate for a $39 pair of headphones. ACTIVE NOISE CANCELLATION A headphone’s ability to block out airplane cabin noise is, I feel, the best way to judge the effectiveness of noise cancelation. Unfortunately, I had no flight plans this week, so I did a noise simulation using my TV’s volume. The average cabin noise at cruising altitude in a commercial jet is 70 dB. So, using my Apple Watch to measure, I raised my TV’s volume to an ear damaging 88 dB. This to replicate takeoff and landing noise. I had to walk 30 feet away before I could no longer hear the TV. Next I decreased the volume to 66 dB for cruising altitude levels. Here all outside noise was immediate blocked out once with the A800s at 50% volume. So my guess is, and it’s only that, the A800 noise cancellation is perfectly fine for the majority of a flight but expect some leakage at takeoff and landing. I also did a “real world” test wearing them for a walk down my noisy street – lots of cars, buses, etc. In this instance all outside noise was 100% blocked out at 50% volume. Of note: the noise cancellation % wheel inside the app didn’t seem to have any effect ever though I did hear more “white noise” at 100% than 0 or 50%. BATTERY LIFE Battery life (noise cancelling on, LDAC off) is rated at an impressive 50 hours. That crushes its competitors by a lot. In my use I’ve found this to be right on target. Incredible one could fly to Australia and back on a single charge. Wow. But if the battery dies at the wrong time a 15 quick charge supplies 10 hours of listening. A full charge takes about 4 hours. BLUETOOTH Almost as important as battery life is Bluetooth range. I tested range vertically and horizontally. First I left my phone in the lower level of my 4-level open floorplan townhouse and went to the top floor 30 feet up. The signal remained solid the entire trip up. Next, I left my phone in the lower level and walked away from my house until I started to get dropouts. This happened at about 30 feet as well. This is in-line with BT’s range so I’m happy with this performance. The A800 can connect to two devices simultaneously for multitasking. So, for example, you can wear them for TV audio and instantly switch to your phone if a call came in. Oh, and the A800 has 4 beamforming microphones that yield good voice quality and background noise removal for phone calls – based on comments I received by people I talked to with the A800s. From my end, the voice quality was OK, though a bit thin and hollow.

Technics has released some impressive hardware as of late, and these A800 headphones continue that streak of impressive products. The A800 ships with a teardrop shaped rigid carrying case, 3.5mm aux cable, airplane cable adapter, and a USB-C to USB-A charging cable. The body is constructed of metal and plastic, with brushed aluminum end caps on the cups. Build quality feels sturdy with solid construction and a premium feel. I have not observed any cracks, creaking, nor excessive flex along stress points while folding, putting on, or taking off the headphones. They fold easily for storage, and the interior case bottom has a printed diagram illustrating the proper folding position of the headphones. The ear cups have comfortable foam padding covered by faux leather, and the length adjusts with a ratchet style movement. The pads are soft and remain comfortable even during long wearing sessions. The headband is similarly constructed with soft foam and faux leather, and remains mostly inconspicuous during use. There is no pressure on my head from the band and the lightweight headphones remain comfortable even after hours of continuous wear. I also never feel any excessive heat, weight or pressure during wear. The A800 has a snug fit that feels secure, but not constricting. I have a large head, so these are suitable and comfortable for larger heads. Controls are housed on the right ear cup. There are four physical buttons along the rear that control power, volume, track selection, and call functions. Commands are confirmed by voice prompts through the headphones. The side of the right cup can be tapped twice to enable or disable ANC. The noise cancelling works extremely well most times but occasionally misses the mark. When I first placed these headphones on with ANC enabled, I had a nearby washing machine making noise and pipe noise from running water. Immediately all the sounds went silent and I was blown away impressed. I was ready to crown these the ANC king right then and there. However, on another occasion I was surprised to realize I could hear voices speaking nearby and television sound effects when I paused my music. I was perplexed to say the least, but it seems like the ANC is better at handling less dominant background noises than sharper, more pronounced noises. Music sounds terrific through the 40mm drivers. I’ve listened nonstop to several hours of music spanning across multiple genres through these headphones. The sound profile is warm, with clean impactful bass with no muddiness. Highs and mids are clear and pronounced without sounding shrill or flat. Voices project nicely among instruments and all tones balance nicely with no overpowering notes. I can hear every instrument clearly, even in complex arrangements with heavy bass. Every song I listen to has good balance and even sound. Whether it’s hip hop with deep sub-bass, classical with a powerful crescendo, or jazz with numerous wind, string, and percussive instruments delicately balancing among each other, everything sounds excellent, especially in Hi-Res. The headphones also have good loudness. The four-mic array has beamforming and noise suppression for clear conversations. I’ve verified through several calls that I sound clear with minimal background noise while speaking through the headset. During one call, there was a nearby television playing an action movie at moderate volume. The remote party advised they only heard my voice until I increased the television volume to loud to test the limits of the mic noise suppression. The Technics Audio Connect companion app allows additional fine tuning of sound through a choice of either manually tuning using a five-band equalizer, or using one of four presets emphasizing bass, vocals, treble, or dynamic. The app also allows firmware updates, switching the Bluetooth LED indicator on/off, toggling the auto-pause feature on/off, and displays battery status. I can also adjust noise cancelling sensitivity and test microphone quality through the app. Overall, this is a nicely crafted set of headphones with very good sound quality, an excellent quality mic array, and enough extras to provide an enjoyable listening experience. It has outstanding battery life and even announces battery status when I power it off. It’s also lightweight and comfortable, even on large heads like mine. ANC can occasionally allow more sound in than desired, but most of the time it is excellent, especially while music is playing.

The Technics EAH A800 Headphones are an outstanding device, highly configurable/customizable to adjust to your needs/preferences. The noise cancelling function is superb, from blocking ambient sound to configuring how much of the ambient noise to allow. Its connectivity option to multiple devices allows one to move from device to device with no effort. It has preset and “manual” sound configurations to enjoy music and videos, it also includes voice enhancement, useful in work or home environments where you need to be alert to voices. And much more. The only complaint so far, and it mainly stems from me not wearing over-ear headphones in ages, is that after some time it starts feeling too hot and uncomfortable. The weight of the device doesn’t seem to help either, but I understand that the features present in this device carry some “weight” with them. - Pros: highly customizable, multipoint pairing, transparent mode, great sound. - Cons: a little heavy. There are several things that can be said about this device, I elaborate on a few of them. >> Technics Audio Connect App To get the most out of your new headphones, download the Technics Audio Connect App. In fact, it should be the very first thing to do (even before connecting it to your cell phone.) With the App in hand, you can configure: - Noise Cancellation. - Sound, predefined settings as well as custom. - Auto power off after some period of time (or not.) - Fitting sensor to detect whether phones are being worn, and what to do when that happens. - Multi-point connectivity (multipoint pairing.) - Giving preference to connectivity as opposed to audio quality. - And others. >> Multipoint Pairing Multipoint Pairing allows more than one device to connect to the Technics A800 Headphones. You need to configure the Multi point option using the App as it doesn’t come pre-configured with it. It only allows 2 devices to connect to the headphones; although, I read somewhere you could have more than 2, but I have yet to find how to configure it as the app only states two devices. Take note, it mentions that the LDAC quality to just be “Best effort” when two devices are connected. If there is any Audio quality lost when in this mode, well, I haven’t noticed it, the headphones are just that great. My two main computer/phone configurations while at home or at the office are: - Laptop and desktop (s) - Phone and laptop For the laptop and desktop(s) configuration, I keep my laptop separated in case I need to jump into a call or conference, and I use one of the desktops to remote into the other machines/desktops/laptops. The multipoint pairing capability comes in handy in this configuration; for example, I can be listening to some music on my desktop and if suddenly I need to jump into a call/conference on my laptop, I don’t need to take off my headphones, I just switch them from one device to the other. One could argue that I only need the laptop to remote connect to all the others; well, I find it more productive using the laptop on its own and the main desktop with all the monitors connected to it. Now, I find it very satisfying when using my laptop and phone on-the-go. For example, in the living room, some shared space, even a coffee place, etc. Wearing the headphones, I can switch from laptop to phone when desired effortlessly; music is interrupted in the laptop while I take care of business with the cellphone, after finishing, I press play again on the laptop and I can hear the music playing again. >> Noise Cancelling If you need to focus on work while listening to some great music without getting the annoying ambient “noise”, the Technics EAH A800 does an awesome job in that department. Only for that I’d buy these headphones, it just outperforms whatever I have in hand nowadays. And you can even customize: - Allow less or more ambient sound. - Allows transparent mode (sounds around are allowed with no change.) - Has an “Attention” setting to allow voices around to be emphasized. I’ve seen some of these features in other in-ear headphones, but I must recognize, the Technics EAH A800 outperforms those others by a good margin. A must-have indeed. >> Comfort In general, the device is very comfortable; however, as a heavy in-ear headphones user for the last couple of years, I cannot stand the headphones for a long period of time. I feel the pressure of the device on top of my head and on the sides, which eventually becomes a nuisance, to the point I prefer to take them off and continue without music. I think the weight of the headphones contributes to this problem, and it is going to take some time to get used to them. >> Couple of observations - It has great battery life (perhaps also a contributor to its weight.) - I have the headphones configured so that when I take them off the music stops playing. But it is not always the case, if you take them off slowly with care, they keep on playing your favorite music! - I’ve had an intermittent issue where music would stop playing on one device when in multipoint mode. I still need to determine what is happening, it could be me touching something inadvertently.

The Technics EAH-A800 are great new headphones that combine style, comfort, and outstanding sound quality all in a 10.5oz package. As an audio enthusiast, I had high expectations for these headphones, and they were simply exceptional. The first thing that caught my attention when I unboxed the EAH-A800 was their beautiful clean modern look. The brushed metal accents and smoothly rotating well padded ear cups are some of the premium features that stand out. The build quality is exceptional, with sturdy yet lightweight construction. The band and ear cup swivels look and feel extremely durable and capable of withstanding daily use. The conservative Technics branding is welcome. Technics includes a beautiful hard case that holds the headphones and accessories A USB A to USB C charging cable, a mini 3.5mm RCA input cable and an airline dual mini 3.5mm RCA adapter. The PEEK/Polyurethane ear cushions are soft with just the right amount of firmness to provide an excellent seal without exerting too much pressure on the head or ears. The headband is adjustable and well-padded providing a secure and comfortable fit for different head sizes. I found that I could wear these headphones for hours without any discomfort. The EAH-A800 delivers on sound, the Technics reputation for Audio shines through here. The 3-Layer Diaphragm 40mm driver dynamic drivers faithfully reproduce audio, allowing you to pick up subtle nuances in your music or movies. The bass is deep and impactful without overpowering the midrange and highs. The profile is adjustable in the Technics audio connect app. The Audio is 96 kHz/24 bit LDAC when connected by Bluetooth. These headphones have exceedingly well-balanced expansive sound, making these headphones great with all types of music. The EAH-A800 features active noise-canceling (ANC) technology, which effectively reduces ambient noise, I found this very effective. Whether you're in a noisy office or on an airplane, the ANC on these headphones is quite impressive and makes a noticeable difference in sound quality when enabled. You can adjust the ANC level in the app. There is initial setup then manual adjustment is possible. There are 8 mics to help with wind noise reduction, superior call quality is provided by 4 Mic Beamforming and Noise Suppression Technology to clearly convey your voice to the listener. The electronics in the headphones combine Dual Hybrid feedforward & feedback noise canceling with analog & digital processing for immersive listening. You have two modes that let ambient sound in Transparent mode comprehensively captures voices and other surrounding sounds and Attention mode that reduces unwanted external noise to make it easier to hear people’s voices. You can also turn off ANC. The Technics audio connect app lets you set the touch control to switch between ANC and your selected ambient sound mode. These headphones support Bluetooth 5.2, ensuring a stable and fast connection to your devices. With Multipoint connectivity you can connect to 2 devices at the same time. This headphone has Alexa Built in so you can select music, adjust the volume, and make phone calls, with your voice. The battery life is respectable, offering 40(LDAC, NC on) to 60 (ACC, NC off) hours of playback time on a single charge. It takes 3 hours for a full charge and 10 min for a “quick charge”. The inclusion of a USB-C port for charging is great. Now I can use my smartphone charger to charge it. The headphones will auto power off after a period of silence you set in the app or can be set to stay on which is the default. I recommend turning on the auto power off during the headphone setup. The Technics audio connect app has a dizzying array of options and handles firmware updates and custom sound profiles as well. The manual is also available from the app. The Technics EAH-A800 headphones combines style, comfort, and exceptional sound quality. I feel the investment is well worth it for audiophiles and anyone who values top-notch audio performance and comfort. Whether you're using them for music, movies, or gaming, the EAH-A800 headphones will elevate your audio experience to a whole new level. Technics has truly delivered an outstanding product with these headphones; I highly recommend them to anyone seeking the best in audio quality and style.

UNBOXING: Before I’ve even opened the box, I’m surprised at how insanely light everything is. It was shipped to my house and I was surprised at how light the shipping box was. Inside the box, you’ll find the standard documentation as well as the headphone zipped up into the travel case. Opening the travel case, you’ll find the headphone as well as a USB-C charging cable, a 3.5mm cable, and an airplane adapter. BUILD: Right off the bat, picking up the headphones you will realize how light they feel. I weighed my pair at 299g which is still heavier than the most popular options from other brands in this price segment. The plastic on the Technics has a bit of a cheaper feeling compared to some other active noise canceling headphones in its price bracket. That being said, it doesn’t seem like the material used is actually structurally worse. I’m not sure if I should have any concerns regarding its structural integrity, but for the asking price I do think the build quality could have at least been better feeling. The included case is also quite light, has a soft texture, and has space for the included cables and airplane adapter, and also has labels to make it obvious how to fold the headphone when stowing it away in the case. COMFORT: Different people have different needs when it comes to comfort, but I think the Technics EAH-A800 does some things well while also needing improvement in others. Out of the box, the ear pads and the headband were a little bit more stiff compared to the competition, and while over time I do feel that the ear pads eased up, the clamping force was still enough to cause some discomfort over time (especially since I wear glasses), and the headband padding caused a hotspot of discomfort at the apex of my head. That being said, I’m pretty sensitive to headband pressure, so this isn’t a headphone I could wear for hours without taking a break. That being said, I brought these to work and used them on and off with breaks throughout the day and didn’t consciously think about pain as long as I was taking breaks. But for a longer flight, I don’t think these would be particularly great for me, but your mileage will certainly vary. I would recommend Technics revise their headband material, and I think their clamp force is less of a problem after a break-in period, but I also noticed it’s easier to break the seal which can trigger the CONTROLS: The controls on this headphone are simple, but honestly just not distinctly placed for easy access. Even across the days I’ve been using it, I still fumble to press the play/pause button and sometimes accidentally press the volume down button or the power button. Because the volume and playback controls are grouped so closely together, it’s just inevitable you’re going to make mistakes pressing the buttons. I think if they had used some sort of protruding dots like braille on the play/pause button, this could have made finding the controls much easier when they’re on your head. You can double-tap on the right ear cup to toggle between the active noise cancellation and ambient sound modes. And taking the headphone off your head can pause playback and resume upon putting them back on your head. However, I’ve found that this has more delay compared to the competition, and Technics advertises it as resuming within 60 seconds which is absurd for claiming it to be a “seamless” operation when other products will reliably resume in less than a few seconds. APP: The app includes numerous customization features for controls, ANC strength, toggling the “headphone fitting sensor”, “touch sensor”, a basic 5-band EQ, and microphone noise reduction strength for calls. You can also enable/disable LDAC if you have a supported device, change between signal strength and playback quality, and also enable multipoint connectivity. Overall, I found the app to be of good quality—especially for a brand that isn’t known for headphones. I was surprised to find such a large number of features and customization. SOUND: As an audiophile, I try to lower my expectations regarding the sound profile of active noise canceling headphones. However, Technics is also a brand that is better known for their high-end Direct Drive turntables, so I think it’s fair to think that they want to appeal to those with a discerning ear—especially when their price is competing with some of the most well-known ANC headphones. The stock sound signature was pleasant out of the box. It delivers a fun bassy signature without the midbass bloat that a lot of other consumer-grade ANC headphones tend to impose. It also delivers a good midrange that isn’t too accentuated or fatiguing but also not so recessed that it sounds dull or muffled. You can make some tweaks with the 5-band EQ in the app if you have deviating preferences, but I’ve been very happy to find that Technics is delivering an enjoyable audio experience that lets me be immersed in my music. Whether it’s Pop, R&B, Metal or Electronic, I never really felt like I was getting a dulled experience on the EAH-A800. ANC / AMBIENT SOUND: I’ve reviewed numerous ANC headphones from cheap $50 truly wireless in-ears to my $800 audiophile pair of ANC headphones, and I think Technics has ANC performance that rivals the most popular competition. The ANC on the EAH-A800 can exhibit more of an ANC “pressure” feel compared to some other options, but the noise cancellation performance is very good. Playing rain sounds, white noise or traffic noise on loudspeakers, the Technics is able to suppress an incredible amount of low-end and midrange droning noises. If you’re not listening to music or other content, you’ll be more likely to hear noises like speech or intermittent sounds, but if you listen to music at relatively low volumes, it will certainly do wonders to negate outside sounds and keep you immersed. I most often used the Technics at my workplace which is an open-office floor plan with plenty of people chatting, keyboards clacking, etc. These headphones let me ignore all the noise and chatter around me and be focused on my work while listening to music. The Ambient Sound mode can also be surprisingly good. The app lets you switch between “Transparent” and “Attention” profiles for this mode. In my experience, the Transparent profile is clearer with just a bit of muffling, but the noise floor is surprisingly low compared to other headphones with transparency modes. Overall, it’s pretty clear, and you can hear yourself pretty well, but with a minor volume decrease. The “Attention” profile on the other hand I was not a fan of. It has an emphasis on voices, but I actually found that it was harder to depict what was being said if too many other voices or noises were also present, since this mode amplifies those noises, as well. So depending on the circumstance, it can be much more harsh. So I think the “Transparent” profile will be better for most situations. One thing to note, however, is that these headphones are a little bit more sensitive to quick movement such that they might induce strange popping noises if you’re walking, chewing, etc. There were times where it was much more reproducible and others where it was not; so your mileage may vary. MICROPHONE: The EAH-A800 boasts 8 MEMS (microelectro-mechanical systems) microphones in total. 3 external to each ear cup, and 1 internal to each ear cup. This plays a role in the aforementioned ANC and Ambient Sound modes, but the external microphones are also used for calls and for reducing microphone noise on calls to make your voice clearer. In my testing, I found that the microphones did an impressively good job at blocking noise. I tested the microphone by recording myself in the app using the “Call Quality Test” and talking over background voices, TV shows, droning noises, etc. I found that the best performance was by setting the background noise reduction setting to “Strong” instead of the default “Normal”. That being said, there’s definitely some improvement to be made in terms of clarity, but I didn’t encounter issues with distortion. Overall, I feel like it would be a good choice for taking calls in noisy environments. BATTERY: Technics claims up to 40 hours if you use a device with LDAC enabled, and up to 50 hours on AAC or SBC codecs. In my experience, I feel comfortable agreeing with this claim, and you can always set it to turn off when it idles. And in a quick pinch, a 15 minute charge can yield 10 hours of listening time. CONCLUSION: The Technics EAH-A800 is a pretty impressive ANC headphone for the price. My biggest critiques are in regards to the comfort and build materials—which aren’t bad, but I do think could be better. That being said, I do think the sound quality can be appealing for more discerning listeners who want a controlled, balanced bass response and plenty of midrange energy without being fatiguing. But the biggest surprise for me is how good the ANC is. You don’t often find ANC of this performance on a brand’s first ever over-ear ANC headphone. And its “Transparent” mode and call quality is also quite good thanks to its 8 onboard MEMS microphones. I look forward to any firmware updates that Technics might deliver, and would be very optimistic about future ANC headphone endeavors they consider based on community feedback. If you find this headphone on sale for a price below the competition, I’d say it’s especially worth your consideration if audio performance and ANC is your primary concern.

The Technics A800 over ear wireless cans are really nice. Like, really nice… They are loud and proud, detailed without being fatiguing, and are very comfortable for long listening sessions. LDAC compatibility is a huge surprise here, not something you see very often in a set of Bluetooth cans, but very welcome for those that have an Android phone or LDAC transmitter. It allows for 24/96 wireless transmission of audio and really makes the A800’s sing. A surprising omission by Technics is the lack of AptX support. I know AptX is not as desirable to audiophiles as LDAC is, but for some of us that have a wireless turntable with AptX capability, it would have been nice to listen to it over the A800’s. The A800’s support the old school SBC codec, as well as AAC and the coveted LDAC. Most of my listening was done using a phone with AAC support, although I did break out an old Android device I had and streamed Hi-Res files using the LDAC codec. In addition to the excellent sound quality, the A800’s also come with noise cancelling capability and talk ability. This last one came in really handy, as I connected it to my work computer and used the A800’s to attend meetings on Teams. Everyone I talked to told me that my voice came through loud and clear, and even though there was plenty of background noise (I intentionally played loud music on my stereo during the conversations) they only heard my voice. Pretty cool. The noise cancelling function was pretty good. I have had better noise cancelling in other over the ears made by a company that starts with a ‘B’. But the sound quality of the A800’s blow away any other over the ear can I’ve had. First set of Bluetooth headphones that actually got loud enough for me to turn the volume down. For music listening, I started out with an AAC lossy version of Fleetwood Mac’s Never Going Back Again. Several acoustic guitars and bass play throughout the track. On a lesser set of cans, this song can sound convoluted and harsh. Not so on the A800’s. The sound of the pick striking the strings could be heard before the string itself, and the warmth and midrange detail was excellent. Very surprising from a lossy Bluetooth stream! I moved onto Fleetwood Mac’s Tusk next, listening to the slap of the drums and the growl of the bass. Very impressed with what I heard. I turned up the volume to max, and at no point did the A800’s sound like they were struggling nor did I hear a DSP kick in and start filtering out some of the low bass. I moved on to another genre, playing an old Neil Diamond song I like to use for listening sessions called Soolaimon (in lossy AAC). This song on the wrong set of cans can literally make you rip the headphones off. It can be very thin and harsh. The A800’s handled the sizzling top end beautifully. The percussive instruments sounded full and deep. Again, I was extremely impressed. This coming from a lossy Bluetooth codec and lossy AAC file. I switched over to LDAC, synced the cans to an old Android phone and streamed Marco Polo (24/96 resolution) by Loreena McKennit. This song has over 40 instruments in it, and on many headphones can just be a big mess. Not so with the A800’s (which seem to love the LDAC codec, providing sound that bettered wired cans that I have). When Loreena began singing, her voice sounded like it was rising up from among the instruments and floating in the air. Truly amazing. The deep bass resonated without being bloated, and the midrange was warm and full. Wow, I can’t believe Bluetooth cans can get this loud and sound this good! I finished off with a 24/44.1 stream of System of a Down’s ‘Attack’. This song is full of shredding guitar work; yelling, screaming, and vibrant vocals; and a thunderous drum line. Serj Tankian’s voice was heard clearly over the insanely fast beat, there was an awesome growl to the guitar, and I could clearly hear the bass line under it all. I don’t know if you can tell, but I really, really liked the A800’s. I am bummed about the omission of AptX and AptX HD. There is no Dolby Atmos support for Apple listeners either. But, the noise canceling function and the ability to use the A800’s for talking are just added caveats to an amazing sounding over the ear headphone. You can download the Technics app and access EQ functions and noise cancellation setup. I tried some of the EQ settings (Dynamic really let it rip!) but ended up just sticking with no EQ. The A800’s sounded that good. Highly recommended.

The Technics EAH-A800 promises flagship quality and performance for the over ear headphone segment. Given the competition in this space, there are many headphones to compete against, including well-known brands. With solid noise cancellation, sound quality, and battery life, the Technics has a lot going for it but does fall short in a few areas compared to other headphones in this segment. Let’s look at what the A800’s has to offer. In the Box: - Headphones with carrying case - Short USB-A to USB-C cable - 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable - Airplane 3.5mm adapter - Warranty Info, Quick Start Material Setup: Pairing the headphones is done like most other devices on the market. Hold the power button until you hear “pairing” and then go to your desired device and finish the setup process. These headphones do support quick pairing but not on the first setup from my experience with the Pixel 7 Pro. Downloading the Technics Audio app will allow for additional setup and configuration as well as software updates when available. One can control ANC, EQ settings, touch sensor controls, voice assistance settings, etc. I was expecting to see a software update out of the box but so far, I haven’t seen one for these headphones. The A800’s support Sony’s LDAC codec which allows for one of the highest quality sound transfer methods available for wireless headphones. When connecting to my Pixel 7 Pro, it automatically sets LDAC and uses Bluetooth 5.2. The streaming quality seems to be great. Sound Quality/ANC: The A800’s use 40mm drivers, which are a common size for premium, over ear headphones. Out of the box, the EQ is very close to what I like. The bass is punchy at medium to high volumes and the highs are clear. Tweaking the EQ can be done through the app but for most of my listening I left it right where it came from the factory. Overall, I would say the headphones provided class competitive sound quality and what I would expect from the price point these are competing within. The ANC has several different levels to choose from as well as automatic settings based on your ambient environment. This is one of the highlights of these headphones. Overall ANC performance was extremely good with a little “white noise” to be heard while the headphones were idle or not playing music, but this is normal for ANC headphones. The amount of background noise able to be cancelled out rivals some of the best in the industry. Comfort: When it comes to comfort, this was one of my biggest issues. The headphones do not have great comfort over long periods of listening. After just 30-45 minutes, I found myself needing to take them off for a break. The cushions on the headband and earcups are not as soft as some of the competition. In addition, these headphones are 15-20% heavier than some of the others in this segment which was felt in the neck over time. The additional weight likely has to do with the additional metal pieces on the outside of the earcups and overall build quality, but the additional weight created a comfort issue for me after a short time. Features: Following others in this space, the A800 has a touch sensor on the right side of the headphones. It works very well and can control ANC mode and calling features. I am not a fan of the automated voice used for the mode changes and battery levels. It seems very rough and not pleasing to listen to when changing ANC modes or checking battery level. Battery: Technics claims these are good for up to 40 hours using LDAC and up to 50 hours on AAC or SBC codecs. With my time using them, I think they are good for roughly the quoted length of time. These do support quick charge where a 15-minute charge can yield up to 10 hours of listening. Issues: After just a short time of using these with a Pixel phone, I had issues where playback would automatically pause randomly. Well, this would happen every couple minutes and I determined this to be an issue with the wear sensor in some fashion. When it happened, you could either play using the device (phone) or take the headphones completely off and put them back on and it would resume. I ended up turning the feature off in the app and it never happened again. Hopefully they can fix this with a software update (and it isn’t a hardware fault). Pros: - Active noise cancellation (among the best) - Sound quality - Bluetooth 5.2, LDAC codec - Color choice (Black and Silver) - Quick charging capability - Attractive design Cons: - Poor Comfort (Heavy, Stiff Cushions) - Wear sensor issue (Software?) Overall, I was impressed with what the Technics A800 has to offer. With solid sound quality, amazing ANC, and a competitive feature set, they have the potential to be near the top in the, premium, over ear segment. With the few glitches I experienced, and a serious comfort issue compared to others in this space, I would have a hard time recommending them as my first choice. With that said, they are a solid option to consider.

If you are looking for a pair of wireless over the ear headphones that can deliver amazing sound, block out unwanted noise, and a battery that seems to last forever, you might want to check out the Technics EAH-A800. The sound quality of the EAH-A800 is impressive, with a detailed, dynamic, and balanced performance. You can hear every detail, every instrument, and every voice. They also support high-quality audio formats, so you can enjoy your favorite songs in the best possible way. They also have a hybrid noise-cancelling system that uses feedforward and feedback microphones to reduce ambient noise. The noise cancellation can be adjusted using the Technics Audio Connect app or the touch sensor on the left earcup, allowing you to choose how much of the outside world you wish to hear. The battery life of the EAH-A800 is outstanding, with up to 40 hours of playback time with noise cancellation on, and up to 60 hours with noise cancellation off. They also support quick charging, which gives them an extra 2 hours of playback time with just 15 minutes of charging. The Technics EAH-A800 are not cheap, but the premium price comes with premium build quality and an exceptional listening experience. They are stylish, durable, and easy to use and more importantly I found them quite comfortable to wear for extended periods. The noise cancellation performance is acceptable, but doesn't quite equal the offerings of the best noise cancelling headphones on the market. I would highly recommend them as worthy of a look. The Technics EAH-A800 come with a 3.5 mm cable, a hard storage case, and a USB-C charging cable.

Light and really comfortable these A800 can easily be worn for hours without any issues. Foldable and easy to store in its small footprint strong case. Buttons are well spaced and placed making adjustments very easy and natural. ANC and transparency modes while not top surely more than satisfying. Call quality again whilst not top is good for both sides. Connectivity is top as is its battery life. Where Technics A800 shines is sound quality offering one of the cleanest and true sound vs any competitors. Sound signature is close to perfect and can be adjusted at will the EQ via a very well organized and efficient app. What sets A800 apart from its direct competitors is the volume scale. Many top competitors needs 10-15% higher volume to meet A800 possibility. While Sennheiser M4 is very comparable I’d prefer the Technics sound profile and its volume possibilities as well as its slightly lower price.

So far so good. I’m bald with a big head so headphones like this I usually don’t care for. These types of headphones usually make you sweat profusely around your ears when you remove them. Things I really like: Comes with a case. The case stores all the accessories as well as the headphones, very easily. The ear pieces are clearly marked “L” & “R”. (see photo) How many times have you grabbed over-ear headphones and had a heck of a time finding out which side is which. NO guessing here. The case is also marked showing how they should bend and sit, in the case. (photo) Sound quality and noise cancelling ability, is very good quality. Ability to use these for work. I work from home two days per week. I usually use my ear pods, but swapping the Bluetooth on them from the pc audio, back to my phone is a hassle and delayed. With these Technics, it’s pretty effortless, you just have to set up the Bluetooth in the app to use 2 devices at the same time. Things I didn’t really like: Aforementioned app. The app could’ve been a little less involved in my opinion, and more user-friendly. Button functions on headphones. Not the most intuitive, and not the best to get used to Still rate these 5 out of 5 due to the sound quality, thoughtful little details like the case, easy storage, easy to tell which side is which. I bet they would be on Par for sound, with most big name players in the over-ear headphone game.

Had these for about a year before one of the hinges broke. Good sound, battery life, and connectivity. Just cheapo construction. I filled a replacement claim and the company initially refused. After I went to a consumer board, they finally asked to see the headset and eventually replaced it. Basically, the company goes out of their way to prevent helping you.

Material quality score 8,5 , because you can tell it's not made of cheap plastic, and the ear cups are extremely comfortable and have plenty of depth and space for large ears. Noise cancellation score 8.7, because I used them at the gym and they eliminated more than 85 percent of the noise. Sound quality score 9.3, very good instrument separation, very high volume and no noticeable distortions, it gets a very good dynamic range. The bass is very good, rating 9 too , very clean bass . Conclusion: All that was missing was a resistance to sweat and dust, because if it had it would be a 9.7, but since it doesn't have it, the final score is 9.

Very nice and high quality material, no plastic!Good sound!Bluetooth works good!Battery life is great.

The sound pretty good, very comfortable, decent for phone calls as well. Would recommend.

Amazing headphones. Noise canceling is awesome. Love them.

Sounds better than my Bose and bower Wilkins . I would recommend these above any other

Best over the ear headphones! Better sound quality and fit as compared to Beats. Highly recommend.

Technics is making a play and looking for a seat at the big table with these bad boys. Seriously - where did this come from Technics? I expected a good, quality product from the Technics brand. What I did not expect was a pair of OTE headphones that places itself right up there with the more expensive, elite players. I'm going to start though by pointing out the two things that kept me from giving this a 5-star rating. While these are comfortable in all areas, the headband has an odd feel on the top of the head and wants to move a bit more freely than other OTE brands I've used. Not enough to slide off my head or to be annoying, but it is noticeable. Second, is the automatic audio pause when removing one or both cups from the ear(s). This feature is noticeably lacking. This should be automatic, and not something that has to be activated or toggled, but this feature never worked for me. I'm not sure if I have a defective pair with a bad sensor, or if this is a systemic issue. Now on to the good stuff... Connectivity is very straightforward and reliable. The device is easily discoverable, connects quickly, and stays connected. Noise cancelling with and without passthrough works quite well. It's not quite to the level of the top tier OTE devices on the market, but it is far from the worst. Overall comfort is above average. I do not use any headphones, earbuds, etc. for hours on end, but if I did this would not be my first choice. They do not hurt, but after an hour or so I'm ready for a break. These are rather light, which initially made me wonder about the overall quality. However, the overall build is better than the weight may make you think. Solid joints and moving parts, nothing seems loose or flimsy, and they have held up well so far. I use these headphones somewhere between 3 or 4 hours per day and charge them once every three to four days. So for my use case the battery life is sufficient. Charging seems quick, although I generally place mine on the charger in the evening after I am done using them for the day. Audio is pretty excellent. Yes, you can find better, which will come at a cost. However, for the vast majority of users, it will be hard to tell the difference between the Technics brand and the others. Crisp, clean audio and a great volume range. During calls people have stated my voice is clear and easy to hear, so the internal mic seems to do a decent job. Overall I am quite happy with these OTE headphones. There are a few minor improvements I would like to see. However, these are a solid choice.

So far Best sound quality, I recommend this product…