The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products, promotional considerations or entries into drawings for honest, helpful reviews.
Page 1 Showing 1-20 of 40 reviews
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Probably the best Earbuds you can but today!
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This is probably my 15th set of wireless BT earbuds. Why, because they keep getting better. My current top 5 in order from best to worst: Denon Perl Pro, B&W Pi8s, Sennheiser Momentum 4's, Sony's WF-1000XM5, Bose QuietComfort Ultra. Among these Bose have the best noise reduction, no one else is that close, but they lose musically to all the others. The first 2 are the most expensive and the Denon are the only ones with BT 5.4. These Technics surprised me in how much they changed from the AZ80's. Which I tried and returned, largely because of fit. The New AZ100's are smaller and lighter than their predecessor. Now with 10h listening time, (28 with the charging case). Others have longer battery life, but I honestly never use them more then 5-6 hrs at a time. Even on transpacific flights I won't wear them continuously. The biggest change is the AZ100's now have a 10mm Free-edge Magnetic Fluid Driver, up from a full range 8mm driver. These drivers set them apart from their competitors. The bass, mid-range and highs are exceptionally full and effortless. And best yet the fit and weight is excellent, they do come with 4 other size tips. Technics claims the frequency range is 20Hz - 40,000Hz; I doubt I can hear above 20K, but I can say they have the clearest treble I've found. They also support Dolby Atmos with Head Tracking, which works eerily well, you turn your head and the music stays in front of you. It's a neat effect, I'll probably never use it. Their Auto Adaptive Noise Cancelling uses 3 microphones to best determine where ambient sound is coming from, from their app you can see how aggressive it is. In my opinion the earbuds work best with Adaptive Noise reduction enabled. You can turn it off or enable the Ambient Sound mode to better hear the external sounds, in which case the earbuds will amplify the ambient sounds so you can hear what's going on without removing the earbuds. The app also has a 8 band graphic equalizer with 6 presets and 3 user settable custom curves. They also have a novel function called Voice Focus AI. It uses you phone and the 3 microphones in the earbuds to intelligently tune the quality for voice recognition and for taking phone calls. Using my phone even with background noises had an excellent effect, in that the person I was talking with could hear me much more clearly, even on an airplane they could not tell I was calling from a plane. This is the best earbud I've tested for phone calls, no one else is even close. It was pretty amazing. I tested the battery life and got almost 8hrs with noise cancelling enabled at about 75% volume.
I installed the Technics Audio Connect App. The earbuds were immediately recognized, and my battery level showed 100% on each earbud and 100% on the case. I also ran throught a firmware upgrade. I had no problem pairing them with my iPhone 15 pro and a HMD SkyLine (Android Phone). Technics allows you to pair the earbuds with up to 3 sources (the first to offer this feature I believe). I then ran them through Tara Labs Noise burn in overnight (they lasted ~7h 52m) and then I recharged them. The software provides an equalizer (an 8 band, 100, 250, 500, 1K, 2.5K, 4K, 8K & 12K that you can adjust +/-10db; very nice), you can save your own curve to any of 3 custom profiles (which you can rename). The spatial Audio mode (Dolby Atmos) has you enable head tracing and run a test turning your head. This then detects how well you hear as you turn your head, it only takes a few seconds for this test to be done. You can't use this mode with Prioritized LE Audio (their name for HiRez). As your head and the music stay put, the effect is pretty wild. Leaving little doubt how well it works! It's quite interesting.
Now to the music, Pink Floyd's classic; DSOTM. Speak to Me sounded tremendous, from here I knew I was in for a treat. The volume level was wonderful, the bass had a bit too much presence, which I dialed back from the EQ settings. The subtle sounds in the opening of the song were perfect now. I had the earbuds to 75% volume and that was fine (for now), but knowing they could drive them higher later., I did leave the Spatial Audio mode on and with every head turn the a sound stage moved with my head movement. The subtle tones were absolutely superb as the song builds; it had real oomph that you could feel, that higher volume went. The high notes (treble) in Time were surrounding and most excellent, these earbuds provide a sharp/crisp clear airy high end. I turned off the Spatial Audio and enabled LE mode. Then came the Great Gig In the Sky's ethereal voices, wisp around the soundstage, with highs higher than I'm accustomed to hearing and with the bass building as it should have, just superb, a fantastic soundstage. Money got me drumming, it sounded so real, the tom-toms had a real kick to them, and it was even better a little louder. Us and Them was tremendous, it kept me turning my head, like I could tell where each of the different instruments were coming from , not just a flat sound stage the music came from all around me. As we ended with Eclipse I felt like the little voices in my head would persist, and there would be more. Wow, a real contender for the best earbuds.
Then I quickly listened to Genesis Live (Seconds Out), with The Musical Box; the vocals all came from different locations, and I could literally visualize the guitars moving in front of me. Again the sound stage with live music is much better than I expected from ear buds. I then moved to Boston's first album; More than a feeling was very, very crisp, and the bass had real thump to it with very crisp highs. On Foreplay/Long time the fade in/out fade had great separation it was completely surreal. The subtle build up was possibly better than expected. The bass was very deep, perfectly boomy. Here I tried changing to Dynamic mode versus my Custom mode. The change was subtle but noticeable. I tapped the earbuds to change to disable the Noise Cancelation;I like the earbuds much better with Noise Cancelation enabled. I double tapped to advance the song, it worked as I expected. The touch controls can be programmed as you desire (a nice feature) 1,2,3 taps and double tap and hold, so 4 different options on each earbud. The app software can also control ASC (Adaptive Sound Control), On and Off. Outside I could barely hear my A/C running with it on, and it was noticeable with it off. A big difference, so it works pretty well. But I don't think it is as good as Bose is in doing the cancellation. And I do really like their Ambient mode that lets you hear the external sounds clearly, and as it mutes the music if you are talking (it detects automatically).
I wanted to compare my iPhone 15 pro to a current Android 15 release (both with BT 5.3). I used PowerAmp Pro on the Android and Apple Music on the iPhone. I listened to Deep Purple Smoke on the Water on both, as synchronized as I could get them, with very similar volume levels. As I went back and forth the iPhone had a generally smoother overall tone. The android was a little kickier on the low end. Both sounded very good; I'd have expected the iPhone supposably with a better DAC to clearly sound better. But the Android Phone held its own, I like the PowerAmp features much better. And my Android phone has better battery life than the iPhone. I listened to some Kansas Live and thought the Android it might have had an edge in presenting better highs. I could go and tweek either the EQ, but I was content to say that the latest Android phone, w/Snapdragon CPU was just as good as an iPhone's audio. Since I was testing, I thought I should try them side by side.
All told I think that these are the best or close to the best I've ever heard (at any price). After listening for several hours, I found them very comfortable. I just spent over 5 hours with them, and rarely thought about it (other than how good they sounded).
Technics has built a real winner (and anyone that buys them). I have to say I did not expect to be so impressed. These are clearly one of the best sets of earbuds that you can acquire today. I do wish they supported BT 5.4. Technics previous generations of earbuds did not have the comfort or sound quality that these have, these are a huge improvement. As a bonus they are pretty, the case and earbuds are elegant. They are what I've been looking for. I doubt it will stop me from further research, but the bar has been raised.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
We’re overjoyed by your 5-star review! Thanks for letting us know how much you’re enjoying the product. -C
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
High-End Buds with Great Features and Sound
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The Technics AZ100 are a great set of wireless earbuds. They sound great, they’re comfortable to wear, they have good battery life, and they’ve got all the other features you could ask for in this price range and I think they’re worthy of consideration against what Sony and Bose are offering. There really isn’t much I can say against them.
The earbuds themselves are on the slightly bigger side compared to others I’ve used, but I wouldn’t call them overly large and they don’t stick out of my ears at all. There are 5 different sizes of silicone eartips included. Fit is obviously going to depend on the person, but for me they nestled right in with the medium tips and stayed securely in my ears even after vigorously shaking my head. I don’t know if I’d go for these if the primary use case is exercise, but they are IPX4 water resistant and could fill that role. Comfort has been great and they haven’t caused any discomfort in my ears in the 1-2 hour sessions where I’ve worn them.
The charging case is very compact and is shorter than an AirPods Pro case while only being slightly wider - it fits easily in my small jeans pocket where Ilike to keep my earbuds. The case seems to be made of aluminum, at least for its outer shell. The buds are plastic with a metallic accent piece on the part that shows out of your ear. If I had one gripe with these earbuds it would be that they can be kind of difficult to remove from the case due to its smaller size and how slippery the buds are. The case can be charged both wirelessly and via USB-C.
The pairing and setup process with the Technics Audio Connect app is about the same experience as most other earbuds and besides a firmware update the setup process took less than a few minutes. The app has a lot of options for controlling and customizing the AZ100, including an 8-band customizable EQ. There are also options for changing the audio codec, multipoint connectivity, spatial audio, and sound delay, among others. These options often conflict with each other and can be hard to parse at times, but the app does a pretty good job of showing what goes with what. For codecs you can choose from LDAC, AAC, SBC, and LE Audio, depending on what your phone supports, though the Dolby Atmos spatial audio only works over AAC and if you do 3-point multipoint connectivity LDAC is also no longer an option. LE Audio requires a complete repairing of the earbuds and disables a lot of features that I don’t think makes it worthwhile. I ended up going with a single-point connection using LDAC for my use to get the best sound quality, but there’s a lot of room to play in the app.
The headphones support Dolby Atmos. They also support Atmos-encoded content if your phone supports it; unfortunately my Pixel 8 Pro does not, so the Dolby Atmos I was left with was more or less a filter applied on top of general audio. In general Dolby Atmos audio sounded okay to me, but a little too “air-y”. I mostly prefer the original stereo signal. The effect might be more impressive though on actual Atmos content.
The sound quality on the AZ100’s is great, especially in the bass response. Even on the flat EQ curve the bass is probably the best I’ve heard on any wireless earbuds I’ve used. And it’s not to the detriment of the mids or the highs either; those also sound great. With my previously mentioned settings I didn’t experience any interference or signal drops with my phone. For gaming with the sound delay set to automatic there is a noticeable latency, but this can be reduced to a still noticeable but acceptable level by changing it to “Suppress sound delay” at the potential cost of a little bit of LDAC bitrate.
The noise cancelling and transparency modes are both great. The noise cancelling does a really good job of blocking out almost all the ambient sound from a room. The transparency mode is not the very best I’ve ever heard and it seems like it can amplify certain environmental sounds more than others, but in general it sounds pretty natural and will keep you aware of your surroundings without being a distraction.
The earbuds are controlled via singlet tap, multi-tap, and hold combinations on each of the earbuds. These can all be customized in the app, but the default ones are what you’d generally expect with a single tap for play/pause and then double/triple taps for moving a track forward or back. Tap and hold on the right bud will toggle between noise cancelling and transparency modes.
The battery life depends on the audio codec being used and whether or not noise cancelling is turned on. I am generally using the most power-hungry option of noise cancelling with LDAC and for that the buds are rated for up to 7 hours of listening time and the case offers an additional 11 hours of charge. This is not top of the pack battery life, but it’s far from bad and it’s generally going to get me through just about all my scenarios.
Overall I’m really happy with the AZ100 earbuds. There isn’t much in the way of compromise with them and I think anybody looking at the best of what others have to offer would be making a mistake not giving these a look too.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
We're truly grateful for your 5-star review! Thank you for choosing the Technics AZ100 and for taking the time to share your detailed and thoughtful feedback. We're thrilled to hear that you’re enjoying the sound quality, comfort, and customization options. It’s great to know that the earbuds are meeting your expectations in terms of performance and features. We appreciate your insights and hope they continue to serve you well. -C
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Perfection once you find the right setting
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The buzz for Technics AZ100 during/after CES caught my ears attention with talk about high resolution audio and magnetic fluid drivers. Well, they dropped as the kids say, and I could not wait to try them for myself and find out if they were better than the other hoard of buds I already own. Better, yes, the AZ100 sound fantastic and have many advanced features I require for daily use. Best bass thump from any earbuds I own or tried since ever. Voice Focus for calls is magic. Watching movies and online content, also great, once you find the latency setting (Settings - "Suppression of sound interruptions and delays", crazy long name for audio sync). Bonus feature, the buds connect to up to 3 devices, 2 was my limit to keep the best audio codec for my Pixel (LDAC). These probably are the best sounding earbuds I currently own and think size is the only improvement left to conquer.
Sound quality:
There is no way to test these earbuds in Best Buy, or any other public sales location, ear hygiene issues. So, if the price is acceptable. Get them. Once setup, this takes time, mine did not sound great out of the box. Phone audio, streaming, PC (select Atmos for headphones), or whatever you connect these to sounds really good. Audio is loud and crisp at only half volume. Bass is best in class for such small buds (I used custom EQ, both preset bass profiles and dynamic were still a bit weak and less lively to my ears). Sound quality will also vary greatly if you do not have higher bit rate tracks to play, 320kbps or a lot better. That means "free level" streaming services are probably not enough. Sadly no promos for HiRes audio is included.
If you require ANC, who doesn't. Technics did far more than on, off and transparent. You can use those settings, but the "Ambient Sound Control" dial is genius. Run it on auto and it does the work to keep your ears isolated, or just "dial" in the exact amount for the ANC you want so you can still be present, just slightly on your own like walking through a mall. You hear the music, but still carry a conversation. Again, a lot of options in settings.
Call quality and Ai:
Yup, there is a little Ai magic here too, if you choose to use it. Its good though. Being able to substantially eliminate your background noise and oddly a bit of the other caller is weird. But it sounds really good and it only matters that you can hear each other, and that works better than most previous buds I had on during phone calls. Even if I don't make calls with buds on too often.
Comfort:
The default tips (M?) were not comfortable after about an hour of listening. I switched to the smallest tips and it is far more comfortable (still locks in ear) and I don't think it compromises the ANC at all. Still sounds as if I am isolated in my own audio cocoon. Be sure to use the various settings to make sure the ANC is able to work to its best level or lowest if you need to hear surroundings.
Sleep:
And for those who sleep with earbuds in, these would not be the best choice. They protrude too much. Think, "super bounce" rubber ball in ears. As soon as you roll onto either ear, you will say nope. I did not find it doable. Maybe a recliner nap could be done.
The app:
Most feature rich app ever, total control over the buds. This will take many awhile and could be too much for some if you struggle with choices and/or tech. There are quite a few options and settings under the hood of these earbuds and many setting have (to me) odd labels. The one for latency took the longest to find. If you just want to open the case and insert buds in your ears and hear your music, it does that. Time in the app will yield much better audio if you test all settings and codecs available to your devices. Example, Atmos and Spatial sound very good, but LDAC thumps stronger over all. Pairing is straight forward, follow the app and voice prompts in the earbuds. Pairing a second/third time is just touching both earbuds on the sensors for 5 seconds till you hear, "pairing". Luckily the app has a built in guide and many descriptions to help make the best choices to get the earbuds sounding their best. Customizing taps/function on the very responsive, and sizeable touch sensor is far better than many other brands. Taps can be quick or a bit slower, and still get what you want done. No reason to forget what tap does what, make it what you want, left or right ear. LOVE IT. You can also choose 4 of your most used functions to be on the home page of the app. No skin options, dark theme with yellow accents has to be good enough. Maybe future updates will add color/skin options to the app. Also no track playing info in app.
Tips:
Audio for video was instantly bad sync. Use this setting:
Settings - Connect - Suppression of sound interruptions and delays - Suppress sound delay. Fixes latency when watching videos, people talk and you hear it a second later, fixed.
Best audio on Pixel 9 Pro since we don't have Qualcomm chipset:
Settings - Connect - Connection mode - Prioritize sound quality. Turn on LDAC if supported or maybe Spatial. Atmos works well on PC.
In the Technics app, the current audio codec is in the upper left corner. Google best codec for your device and try to get that in the left corner.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
Thank you for the excellent rating! We're delighted to know you're satisfied with your purchase. We’re thrilled to hear you’re enjoying the AZ100’s sound quality, especially the bass and adaptive ANC. It’s great that the app customization and comfort adjustments are to your liking. Thank you for your feedback in regards to the latency settings and coded adjustments. We are looking forward to making your experience even better in the future. - S
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Resounding 5-Star; homerun earbuds, AWESOME!
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Verdict: The Technics AZ100 deliver exceptional sound… The best sound from earbuds I have heard in the last few years… Out of six medium-to-high-end earbuds I have owned in that time frame. Noise cancelling is quite good, and control customization through the app is fantastic! The app is powerful but navigation was not super intuitive at first, but easy to overcome.
First impressions. The packaging is nice and provides a premium feel. The earbuds come with eartips on the buds, plus four additional sizes, which I really appreciate since perfect fit is important for comfort and for passive noise cancellation. Also included is a USB-C charging cable and manuals. The case feels heavy and looks nice. I like the silver color a lot.
Setup. Upon unboxing the earbuds, the packaging recommends scanning a QR code for setup instructions and to download the app. Setup instructions are easy to follow. The app install and earbuds detection was easy, without any delays or issues. The earbuds needed an update immediately after connection with the app.
App. Once the earbuds were connected in the app, I explored the app to understand the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) settings and to adjust the controls. (1) The ANC settings are prominent and easy to find. I LOVE the option to decide what happens with the Ambient Sound setting… Thank you for letting the users choose to stop the music/sound or to keep sound playing when activating Ambient Sound. When I press for Ambient Sound, it is because I need to hear what is going on, so I want the music to stop. I am able to do this with these earbuds. With many other earbuds, the music stays on by default with hear-through mode, and it is not adjustable. (2) I did not like the default touch controls so I tried to find the custom controls. I was a bit worried at first because I couldn’t find where to do that. It turns out that it’s in “settings” (of course…), but there are 7 sections and 27 different categories of settings, so a bit confusing at first. However… I LOVE that Technics empowers the users with ample settings to personalize their earbuds. I now have the controls exactly how I want them: 1 tap on left to get ambient sound and stop music, plus volume up/down, and on the right, play, skip, go back. Super easy and convenient. The app actually adds a lot to these earbuds: ability to auto-pause the music when the earbuds are removed, find my earbuds, spatial audio, equalizer (with Bass+ and Super Bass+), customizable home screen, and so much more! Most powerful sound app I have seen from any manufacturer.
Design. These earbuds are on the larger side. They are quite visible in the ears, but they still look pretty nice. Fit is very good and comfortable, even after several hours. I worked out with them too, and they never came out. Touch sensors are quite sensitive; I sometimes accidentally activate the button by brushing against it. While touch controls don’t have tactile feedback, there are beeps (1, 2, or 3 beeps) that let you know what the earbuds registered (1, 2, 3 taps); that’s a nice implementation. Range has been impressive; I leave my phone in one place in the house and walk around, go upstairs, walk outside, and I don’t lose connection. Also… the case can charge wirelessly!
Sound. Unbelievable experience for music listening. I believe they are the best in class… certainly the best I have ever used in the last few years, and after using six other earbuds from other manufacturer. Bass is rich and powerful; I didn’t think this quality was possible in earbuds. I am more than happy with the bass on normal, but there are also options for Bass+ and Super Bass+. Mids are balanced. Highs are crisp. Sound is full, sharp, and immersive. The earbuds also support LDAC high-res wireless audio. On top of all that… the Dolby Atmos spatial sound is very cool! Not sure if I will use it regularly for music, but I am excited to use it for other compatible content, and for things like podcasts.
Things I love:
- Exceptional sound; I would say best in class
- Unbelievable bass
- Most powerful app I have used in years
- Fully customizable controls and customizable settings for some features
- Small case that enables 28 hours of play
- Nice looking earbuds
- Up to three connected devices!
- Great battery life: 10 hours of playback on one charge
- Great fit, good passive noise cancellation and excellent ANC
- 3-year warranty!!!
- IPX4 water resistant for rain or hard workouts
Things I don’t love:
- The app has a lot of options. It’s overwhelming at first, but so worth it. Once you figure out where options are, it’s the most powerful app on the market
- They look big in my ears… but that’s my problem
Conclusion. The Technics AZ100 are the best earbuds I own, and the best I have tried in the last few years. They deliver exceptional sound, supported by the most powerful app I have tried in a few years. While perhaps on the high-side of earbuds prices, these are a home run. Definitely must have earbuds. I most highly recommend these if you want exceptional sound and full control of your earbuds settings.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
Thank you for taking the time to provide us and the community with your thoughts! We appreciate the five stars and are happy to hear you like the product. It's great to know that you appreciate the sound quality, the effective noise cancellation, and the customizable settings in the app. We’re also glad the design and comfort are working well for you, and that the multi-device connectivity has been seamless. We look forward to hearing from you again soon! - S
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Top Contenders
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
These guys come with all the bells and whistles one is looking for from a premium tiered wireless earbuds. For the most part they deliver. But unfortunately, I still have yet to find the “perfect wireless earbuds” that does everything right. But these do nearly everything right and should certainly be in your running’s if you’re looking for a new pair.
SOUND 10/10:
This to me is the most important part of any audio product. The are probably some of the best, if not the best earbuds I’ve heard. They are excellent for all types of music and media. I primarily listened to music and some audiobooks. But also watched some shows and YouTube with it. I had no problems hearing people talk. All of the sound seemed balanced (highs, mids, lows). I was able to tell apart the different parts in songs. Bass is pleasant and not overbearing. Vocals resonate well. When I want great sound quality but in a small profile these are the ones I reach for regarding all my different earbuds. For sure over my Apple AirPods Pro 2. Those magnetic fluid drivers are neat and work great. I did not test out the spatial component.
COMFORT 9/10:
Earbuds themselves are lightweight despite being medium in size. For my ear shape they bump up against my concha making seal more difficult. So I have to use larger earbud tips to get that part done. Which also doesn’t always fully work making it so sound, noise cancelling, hear through, etc not as good as it could be for someone who doesn’t have that problem.
NOISE CANCELLING 7.5/10:
They support adaptive noise cancelling which should adjust to your surroundings. It works well but not as good as Apples AirPods Pro 2 which to me is the standard. You can also choose to manually adjust the noise cancelling if you so choose. It does well at eliminating the hums or consistent sounds that aren’t super loud. But less good at other more dynamic things. Again, the AirPods Pro 2 are better in this regard.
HEAR THROUGH MODE 7/10:
Similar to most of the others on the market. It works well enough that I can have a conversation with someone. Also, can hear what is going on around me well enough that I don’t feel like I’m deaf. However, it sounds processed. I do like how when you switch from noise cancelling to hear through it announces which mode you are on with vocals. Along with allowing the media to continue to play in the left ear while it announces in the right is awesome.
CONTROLS 7/10:
Touch capacitive. Which I’m not a fan of personally. Thankfully, it works well. I won’t go through them all. But essentially all of the ones you can think of (skip, go back, pause, noise cancelling, hear through, volume up/down, etc.). Which you can fully choose and setup inside the app.
PORTABILITY 9.5/10:
Earbuds themselves are medium in size. I’ve definitely seen smaller, but usually with this increased size you get better sound quality which I’ll take. The case its excellent. Very light weight with plastic bottom which can make it feel a bit cheap, but has a metal top which makes it feel more premium. Very easy to fit in your pocket. Earbuds magnetically attach inside. Cap to open is satisfying but not as good as others.
BATTERY LIFE 10/10:
I haven’t had the chance to fully confirm or deny these numbers. But the claims of 10-hours playback w/noise cancelling and up to 28 hours with the case is excellent. Much better than my AirPods Pro 2.
OTHER FEATURES:
3-point multiple point connection is really neat. As you can connect to three devices at the same time. Then whichever one is playing audio takes priority. Works well. Helps compete against the AirPod Pros but for non-Apple (and Apple) devices. Earbud tips are also fancier than others. Which I appreciate. But makes it harder to replace or get third party.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
We are extremely grateful that you took the time to send us your observation about our product. Thank you so much for this detailed feedback! -C
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
They'll make you love music again.
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
There’s a reason DJ’s love Technics and that’s because they make excellent audio gear. These Reference Class AZ100 noise cancelling earbuds are a shining example of that, and the gratification begins once you press play. Tone check? Smooth. Bass check? Punchy. Soundstage? Open. It easily passes the basics, but what really makes the AZ100 stand out is the balance of sound. Nothing seems to overpower another, not vocals, strings, drums, you name it. It’s harmonious like music should be and an absolute pleasure to listen to. If you’re in the market for earbuds and sound quality is your priority, don’t even hesitate. The Technics AZ100 has sublime sounds for your ears.
SOUND
Everything sounds good. Every genre. Kendrick, Wiz, Curren$y, Migos, Ariana Grande, Michael Jackson, U2, Kenny Loggins, Bob Marley, Dengue Fever, it doesn’t matter the music, the detail and balance of these earbuds are remarkable. Oh, you like bass? Play “Drip Too Hard” by Lil Baby & Gunna and you’ll be greeted with a deep kick that commands presence. Want a soulful rejoice? Andra Day’s voice in “Rise Up” will stir your soul. Something about her voice with the chorus and open soundstage makes it an experience I couldn’t help but repeat. For high fidelity, these are LE audio capable, support LDAC, AAC, and are Dolby Atmos compatible. Personally, I think they sound better without the spatial audio on, but that’s your call. If you love, or used to love music though, the AZ100 is for you.
NOISE CANCELLING
Excellent noise cancelling while playing music. When not playing anything you can still hear voices, but at a much quieter volume. Supposedly there’s Ai programming that automatically adjusts it, but all I can say is that it works well. Fan noise is pretty much eliminated. For ambient sound pass through, there’s 2 modes: regular ambient mode, and an Attention mode that focuses on boosting voices.
DAY TO DAY
The earbuds are controlled by touch and are thankfully responsive. I honestly prefer actual buttons, but the sensor is good here and I've never found myself struggling to get it to recognize 1, 2, or 3 taps. I love how small the case is, which should fit in most pockets. Maybe even the little one on your jeans. The case itself carries 28 hours of battery life with supposedly 10 hours of playtime in the earbuds themselves. You can recharge via USB-C cable, but to make life easy they’re also wireless charging capable. And if you have a lot of devices, you’ll be happy to know that you can connect up to 3 different bluetooth signals at one time. Super convenient if you like to frequently switch between your phone, computer, and tablet. The only knock I have on these headphones is that the case feels a bit cheap compared to the earbuds and sound quality. It actually seems nicer on the inside than outside for some reason, but that’s just me.
PROS
- Outstanding sound quality
- Detailed and well balanced sound
- Musical bass with punch
- LE, LDAC, AAC lossless capable
- Sounds good playing everything
- Excellent active noise cancelling and ambient sound modes
- Multiple EQ presets and 3 user customizable ones
- Touch controls are responsive
- Can modify all touch controls in app
- Multipoint capable (can connect up to 3 bluetooth devices at a time)
- Lives up to the Technics audio reputation
- Atmos 3D head tracking is pretty neat
- Case and earbuds fit easily in pocket
- Case is wireless charging capable
- Long battery life 10 hours earbuds (28 hours with case)
CONS
- Hard time deciding on ear tip size
- Earbuds not as low profile as others
- Case feels cheap compared to earbuds and sound quality
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
We're truly grateful for your 5-star review! Thank you for choosing us and for taking the time to share your positive thoughts. It's great to know that the noise-cancelling and ambient sound modes are working well and you enjoy them, and we’re glad you find the touch controls and multipoint functionality convenient for your day-to-day use. Thank you so much for taking the time to send this! - S
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Earbuds that won't let you down
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Technics AZ100 offers a true wireless noise canceling earbud that is certain to keep up with your active lifestyle. Offering superior sound and noise cancellation all while providing a secure fitment means that this set up is a absolute necessity for those that live high impact lifestyles.
I have to say my first impression of these earbuds was I love how the sleek and simplistic design makes this unit look good without being overly done. Charging took about 20 mins to fully charge on a dock that came in at 50% battery life. The first thing I noticed and I have to honestly say is what drew me to this set up was the fitment of the earbuds. My biggest gripe with all earbuds is the fitment and stability. I love to lift weights and do cardio and my biggest problem is how the earbuds always slip out when running on the treadmill. These earbuds came with 4 different pair of tips, for proper placement, but also utilize a pretty nice twist feature. What you do is insert them in an angle then twist them to a 45 degree angle which locks them securely into your ear. When I say these ear buds are secure I mean they are very secure. I tried running in at max speed, jumping jacks, weight lifting, heck I even tried wrestling with them on and not once did they feel like they were gonna fall out. I have tested over 10 different style earbuds and this unit is the only one that makes me feel like I could jump out of a plan and still have them securely fitted. What about sound quality you say? Sound quality is superb, with a built in equalizer that can be accessed through the free app, you set your preferred sound quality to match your style of music. Like listening to the heavy bass of hip hop? These ear buds can focus on heavy bass tracks which make you feel like you have two 10" subs in the background. The nice thing about it ramping up the bass is it feels natural. What I mean by this is, is that most small earbuds will over work the drivers trying to push out large amounts of bass which can distort the sound and almost make it feel like the speakers are blown out. Never once did I hear any distortion or feel like the drivers just could not keep up. All vocals and mids came through flawlessly with everything being properly distributed. Battery run time on a full charge yielded me about 12 hours. The dock was able to provide 3 full charges off a dead ear piece which is phenomenal to say the least. A dead docking station only took about an hour to bring it up to full charge again. Both earbuds have quick access tap features which can be set up for different features via the app.
At the end of the day this is hands down the easiest purchase to make. Rather your looking for a secure ear bud that wont fall out, or a noise cancelling set up that can also produce great sound and voice quality then pick this unit up. This ear bud is now my number one go to for my everyday needs. All my other earbuds seem to fall short when compared to this unit.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
Thank you for your feedback! We're thrilled to hear the Technics EAH-AZ100 is working so well for your active lifestyle, with its secure fit and superb sound quality. It's great that it’s become your go-to choice for everyday use. We appreciate your support and look forward to serving you again! -C
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Reference class best describes these earbuds!
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The Technics division of Panasonic has created one of the best in-ear headphones I have ever listened to, improving on their previously top-rated EAH-AZ80 earbuds. These new EAH-AZ100 earbuds feature a slightly smaller and more rounded design, both which improve wearability and comfort. I must admit when I first listened to them, I wasn’t sure I could sense a noticeable difference in sound quality from the AZ80 model. In fact, I was expecting more, especially based on early favorable articles announcing the new EAH-AZ100 earbuds. Not until I switched to the next size up on the interchangeable ear cushions did I realize what these earbuds were capable of sounding like. With the improved earpiece fit, I was immediately blown away…everything seemed to suddenly fall into place, with astonishing deep bass and crystal-clear treble. You can even feel the kick of bass drum. To my surprise, the music seemed to come alive and my excitement of just relaxing and listening to my favorite songs (a life-long hobby of mine) was elevated to a whole another level. In fact, I heard things in songs I had never heard before, including hearingJohn Lennon coming in early in the ending refrain of Paperback Writer. If you want to experience some incredible bass from these earbuds, just listen to “Havana” by Camila Cabello. You’ll think you are listening to a 12-inch subwoofer!
Features don’t really matter if the sound isn’t there, but in addition to their great sound, Technics loaded these earbuds with just about everything you can think of in a premium earbud. Battery life is outstanding. I have been listening to mine for several hours a day for almost a week without recharging. Of course, access to most features requires installing the Technics Audio Connect app on your smartphone. With the app you can tailor most settings to your personal preferences, including the degree of noise cancellation, an 8-band frequency equalizer (with presets or saved custom settings), sensor touch control settings, and more. Spatial audio was probably one of the more interesting settings I ran across in exploring the app, with an option to either shift the sound stage as you turn your head, or keep it stationary so that when you turn your head, the music will shift from ear to ear as if you were actually sitting in the audience listening to a real stage performance. The feature is called “Dolby Head Tracking”. To make setup simple, there is a User Guide that will walk you through initial and recommended settings step-by-step. Noise cancellation can be set manually, or it can be set to adaptive, which optimizes settings to get the best performance.
I can enthusiastically recommend the EAH-AZ100 earbuds from Technics. I think you would be hard-pressed to find a better sounding pair of earbuds that also offer long-wearing comfort and extended battery life.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
We're so happy that you enjoyed our product! Thank you for the positive feedback, it means a lot to us. We're thrilled to hear that after finding the right fit with the ear cushions, the audio quality really came to life for you. It’s fantastic that the deep bass and crystal-clear treble made such an impression, and we’re glad you’re hearing new details in your music. We look forward to hearing from you again soon! - S
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Surprisingly Good
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I luckily had the honor and pleasure to listen to a lot of earbuds. For the sound quality, this, I would say is probably one of the best surprises out there.
The look is okay; it is nothing to rave about. The case, however, is nicely slim with the right amount of edges on the design to have a safe grip on it, plus have the ease of placing it in your pocket without the bulk.
Connectivity, to touch on it in a few words-- is a breeze. Like most bluetooth devices, discovery is fast, firmware updates are a good option. The app is intuitive with easy to tweak settings to almost every feature-- not just EQ settings on presets and custom balancing. On the app homescreen, you can put your top 4 setting options so you can easily switch what you usually tweak. One example is, you can tweak ambient sound levels and also have automatic music pause option if it detects talking, but I don't do that all the time compared to the other settings. So I can fix my app homescreen to what I want as quick settings. I just don't like that they did not intuitively name the app itself, so you can't type "technics" and find the app easily in the million apps I have on my phone. One of the notable settings for me is, button presses are fully customizable, on either bud, which makes it very easy. And it helps a lot that the bud press levels are with the right sensitivty and feedback, not just on the presses but with the vocal feedback. There is so much to customize on the buds and I am glad they thought about all these options.
Calls are okay too; nothing special. The app has this feature that you can record your output so you will experience what it sounds like for the person on the other line. It is decent sounding using the Voice AI as it works on reducing background noise on my end or the one on the other end, but it does tend to clip the starting or ending audio. Without the AI, it seems to perform well-- mic has good pick up and I sound clear.
Now for the best part-- THE AUDIO. These buds blow it away. I used to check only for how clear the highs go-- without static and hearing those pins with real crisp and then focusing on the bass, on how it feels more than how it sounds. Then I listen to how dynamic the highs and lows work together. What surprises me is the mids on these buds are great too-- the mids which I hardly notice are really good, like there is so much space in between sounds. Now altogether, the sounds mix with great balance-- no muffled cheap low ends, good scripy highs and a very very spacious mid. Overall, the soundstage is so wide. It is such a huge surprise for me and I won't usually refer to Technics for sound, but these are just extremely impressive.
These are very good earbuds and I think these are just my new favorite ones. I get lost in them when I listen to it. That I think is the mark of real quality audio., and I definitely recommend this pair!
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
We’re thrilled to receive your 5-star feedback! Thank you for being a valued customer and sharing your experience. We are delighted to know that you enjoy the sound quality, the customizable button options and noise reduction the earbuds have to offer. We are looking forward to hearing from you again! - S
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Fantastic Sound That Is Fully Customizable.
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
For the last week, I've been testing the Technics AZ100. Overall, they are a great set of premium noise-canceling earbuds that are not only good-looking but also have great sound and a fantastic app that makes them fully customizable.
In the package, there are the earbuds, charging case, five sets of eartips (one pre-installed), and a charging cable. The earbud case has a satin metallic finish, but in the hand, it feels like plastic. The size of the case makes it pocketable but the shape makes it feel awkward in tight jeans. The buds are held in place by magnets that are strong enough to keep them securely in the case, but not strong enough to pull the buds into their proper position without looking. While wearing the earbuds, the pre-installed eartips were the perfect size for my ears.
The batteries on these earbuds feel infinite. Outside the case, it is advertised to last 10 hours and with the case it can go up to 28 hours.When it is time to charge I appreciated that it can be charged by either USB-C or wireless charging.
As for performance, there is minimal sound leakage when the noise-canceling and ambient modes are off. When noise canceling is turned on, the earbuds do a great job of canceling out most frequencies without diminishing music quality. With Ambient mode turned on, I was still able to hear my surroundings, and the music quality was still excellent. Highs, mids, and vocals were all top-notch. Bass is good and can be made better with the bass boost EQ. Volume can get loud but seems to be limited for hearing protection.
The Technics app is a highlight of these earbuds. It provides all the sound customization I need in a premium set of earbuds. There are five pre-tuned EQs that sound great, and if I want to create my own sound profile, I have three programmable EQ options. The ambient sound controls allow for full customization of noise canceling or ambient sound. Meaning, I can tune ambient sound out or allow more in. Furthermore, I can customize the touch sensors of the earbuds.
With that said, I think these are a great set of premium earbuds for someone that wants full customizability, great sound, and excellent ambient sound modes. I highly recommend them.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
Your 5-star review means a lot to us. Thank you for taking the time to share your rating with us and the rest of the community. -C
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Technics returns with a vengeance
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I'm sure many of you recall that Technics started as a reasonably high end audio brand, but as it aged they started to release some fairly awful entry level things before being entirely phased out.
Technics has returned and they've done so with some panache.
Packaging:
To start it's packaged in a relatively small, unassuming box as many high end true wireless headsets are. Inside is the headset, some ear gels, a minor amount of literature and not much else.
Setup:
It's pretty straightforward. If you'd like your can just pair them to your device and off you go. There is an app (of course) which allows you to control some of the advanced noise cancellation features, but it is rather pushy with trying to get you to sign up for an account and register the device. Fortunately you can skip all that and just get to the audio settings.
Use:
There's "some" adaptive noise cancelling out of the box, but it does better with the app. Strangely though the "max" noise cancelling seems to be less effective than the adaptive noise cancelling, not entirely sure why that's a thing. Hear through (transparent mode) and focus (voice through) are decent enough. However I've had a number of equally priced headsets that the noise cancelling is a fair amount better than these. So if noise cancelling is your requirement, they do alright but they aren't the best
But really, it's a headset, so how's the audio quality. In a word, excellent. I am constantly impressed with how small drivers in wireless headsets can deliver bass. But in a sea of wireless headsets that "can" deliver bass, these stand out without having distortion. Turning up the bass in the app is a rather nice treat. Now of course these can't compare to a true studio level full size headset, but they really do sound great. The custom equalizer in the app is also excellent. Really worth your time.
Overall:
For noise cancelling they are honestly just a touch above average, but for audio quality and true wireless earbud level bass they stand out. To me if audio quality is your desire, these are more than worth a look.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
We’re overjoyed by your 5-star review! Thanks for letting us know how much you’re enjoying the product. We're really glad to hear that you're impressed with the audio quality, especially the bass performance and the custom equalizer. It’s great to know the app features have added to your experience with the earbuds. We truly appreciate your feedback on the noise cancelling. We are looking forward to making your experience even better in the future! - S
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Exceptional sound and comfort from premium earbuds
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I’ve used many different types of headphones and typically earbuds are my least favorite. I was surprised when I tried on the Technics AZ100 headphones because they are super comfortable. They come with five sets of ear gels so that you can get the best fit for your ears. They are made with a soft silicone material, which adds to the comfort. The earbuds are designed so they fit almost completely in the ear canal. This helps with the sound quality, which is exceptional.
Getting the headphones set up is easy. There is a QR code included on the wrapper that covers the charging case. This leads you to a walk-through on the Technics website and directs you to download their app. From there, the app takes you through connecting the earbuds to your device. It’s a standard Bluetooth connection and I didn’t experience any issues with that connection once it was made.
The noise cancelling feature is very strong. When I first got the headphones connected, they were already in noise-cancelling mode so I turned it off so I could experience how much ambient noise was being muted. I was very impressed with how well the noise-canceling feature worked. While I had ANC turned off, I started listening to a movie soundtrack. It sounded good, but I thought it was also a little hollow. So, I turned on the Ambient Noise Cancelling setting (Transparency mode) and then the sound equalizer to Dynamic. And, wow! That really punched up the depth of sound with those tracks.
Overall, these earbuds are fantastic. They do have a premium price tag, but they are worth it.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
We appreciate your 5-star rating! Thank you for sharing your positive experience with us. -C
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Good sound, great battery life = a win for me
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This review is for the Technics reference calss AZ100 ture wireless noise cancelling earbuds.
Unboxing you will find the earbuds and case, along with four different size earpieces, that you can change out on the earbuds to help you find the perfect fitment. The earbuds also come with one size ear piecce installed on the earbuds, so that is five different sizes in all to help you find the perfect fitment. You will also find a chraging cable but no brick, to plug in to the wall. And some pager work
Setup was easy, after scanning the QR code and downloading the app. It walks you right thought the setup step by step.
On to the performance.
They have impressive battery life compared to my other big name brand earbuds.
The noise canceling feature works great, still allowed me to hear dogs barking or car coming towards me while out walking the neighborhood, all while still allowing me to hear audio book or music.
And the sound quality is good. I will still use my over the ears pair when I want better sound quality. But when on the go or its to warm out, I like to use earbuds and these will be my new go to.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
We're truly grateful for your 5-star review! Thank you for choosing the Technics EAH-AZ100 and for sharing your thoughtful experience. We're thrilled to hear that you’re enjoying the fit, noise-cancelling feature, and impressive battery life. It’s great to know that they’re becoming your go-to earbuds for on-the-go use. We truly appreciate your feedback and hope the earbuds continue to serve you well. -C
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Great sounding and customizable
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
These Technics Digital Wireless Earbuds EAH-AZ100 are optimized for Dolby Atmos and are Noise Cancelling. They are a high end set of earbuds that sound superb.
What comes in the box: The Technics Digital Wireless Earbuds, Charging case, USB Charging cable, earpieces extra small, small, medium (comes installed), medium large, large sizes.
Setup: Setup was very easy. There is an app you download the instructions. Once you download the app, it instructs you on how to pair your new earbuds to your devices. You can pair up to 10 devices and up to 3 simultaneous devices at the same time, like a smartphone, tablet, and laptop. You can make adjustments to the sound, such as Spatial Audio, Bass, Super Bass, Vocal, Treble, Dynamic, and custom settings. These are completely customizable.
Operation: The operation of the earbuds are straightforward as well. Most everything you do, can be done on the earbuds themselves, except for the custom app settings. The volume, answering calls, ending calls, skipping songs, moving forward, stop, and all the normal functions. You can even operate the earbuds one at a time if you need to use them a long time without charging them or the case. Just use one at a time.
Sound: The sound quality is good on music, movies, and games.
Fit: The earbuds feel good in my ear, but no matter which earbud earpieces I use, these won’t stay in my ears. If only they would stay in, these woule be perfect.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
Thank you for sharing your detailed feedback! We're glad you’re enjoying the sound quality and ease of use with the EAH-AZ100 earbuds. We’re sorry to hear that the fit hasn't been perfect for you—your comments are helpful, and we’ll certainly keep them in mind for future improvements. We appreciate your support! -C
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
Decent sound quality but phone calls are iffy
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I like the style of these earbuds quite a bit. They look pretty solid and the combination of metal/plastic really looks sharp in my opinion.
I've used a number of different earbuds over the years and these seem to hold up well with just about any other ones I have.
Like the fit of these buds as well. I have "normal" sized ears I guess and I usually encounter some earbuds that are too small and wiggle around when using them; even after swapping out different sized ears plugs. Straight out of the box, these fit really snug and don't wiggle around which is great.
Sound quality is OK. There doesn't seem to be a bias between highs/lows so it's just kind of "normal" sounding? I listen to a lot of bass heavy music and these don't really quite hit the lows I'm accustomed to.
Biggest con I had with these was the sound quality when using them on a call. I found the volume very low and distant sounding. The person I was calling had to ask me to speak up a few times during the call so not sure how the mics on these are. Seems like they're not sensitive enough?
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
We're glad you took time to leave a review! Your feedback helps us identify areas where we can make positive changes. If you are experiencing issues with the sound quality, please ensure that the volume is adequately increased on both your earbuds and the connected Bluetooth device. The size and fit of the ear tips can significantly impact volume and sound quality. If the volume seems lower in the earbud, try using a different ear tip size to not only improve the fit but also to optimize sound delivery. Please note that some devices have settings that may affect audio output. If you are using and iPhone, please verify the "Reduce Loud Sounds" setting under "Headphone Safety" in the Technics Audio App Settings menu. Hope this helps! - S
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
Has Potential with Good Audio, Bad on Calls & NC
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I wanted another pair of earbuds to use while traveling, to be used mainly with my work laptop and phone. I wanted a feature rich pair that focused on sound quality but could be used across multiple devices such as laptops, phones, and tablets. Additionally, I was looking for something that had the newer low latency modes that would support high fidelity audio, so I could listen to recordings or edit on the go without wondering if the distortion I heard was just my earbuds. I picked up the Technics AZ100 True Wireless as it checked off all the boxes on paper.
Pros:
- Full of features.
- High quality audio with low latency modes.
Cons:
- Noise Cancelling doesn’t work.
- Plastic feel on case and ear buds feels cheap.
- Didn’t fit my ears well.
Setup:
Setup was made easy with a 2-step picture guide provided on opening the package, including a QR code to get started with the Technics Audio Connect App. Download the app and follow the prompts to connect the earbuds. I had no issues getting the AZ100’s connected and setup, even the LE Audio Connection and LDAC modes connected with just a few taps. There are a lot of settings that can be adjusted after setup, all depending on your device and preferences.
Though my first impressions of the setup were good, my first hands on were not as good. While taking the earbuds case out, the first thing I noticed was how the case material felt. It was a plasticky feeling that didn’t feel good in the hand, like a cheap brittle plastic. Unfortunately, this same plastic is also used on the earbuds themselves. I’m sure the intention was to make the case and earbuds light weight, but this material does not fit the premium feel for a high-end brand.
Fit:
The default ear tips installed were the “ML” size, but I had to change them to the “S” as the “ML” were too big for my ears, which wasn’t comfortable at all. Once switched to the smaller size, the ear buds fit snuggly in my ears and stayed put, but the way the bud sat in my ear still didn’t feel quite right. I’ve had issues in the past with using earbuds due to my ear size and shape, so this isn’t anything new for me. It was nice to have multiple ear tip sizes beyond big and small; to help adjust the fit but I’m not sold on the overall fit in my ear.
Sound:
The LE and LDAC modes hands down made a big different in sound quality. I could feel the difference even compared to an over the ear headset I use for gaming, the quality of the music came through on a whole other level. Highly recommend turning on LE at least, if you have a device that supports LDAC then try it out as the quality is just better. The limits to connect only one device at a time is a bummer, but the sound quality gain far out weight the limited simultaneous device connections.
Pairing the LE or LDAC modes with the 10mm magnetic fluid drivers really delivers on the clear and full sound. Plus, turning on Dolby Atoms on your device for an added level of dimension, then sit back and enjoy. This is one of the first pairs of earbuds that I’ve noticed a major difference between the connection modes probably due to the quality of the drivers and connection.
Noise Canceling/Ambient:
Unfortunately, I found that the Noise Canceling just didn’t work well if at all. Even switching up the connection types and turning off the adaptive noise cancelling resulted in the same effect. I could easily hear the background noise from keys being typed on and the horn of a passing car, it didn’t matter. It sounded more dulled out but was still very clearly heard. Ambient mode didn’t do much better in that you could easily hear everything around you, but the sounds were distorted a little bit and not reduced. I’m very disappointed that the noise cancelling doesn’t work as it was one of the main features I needed while traveling if I was to use the AZ100’s as my main earbuds. This might be due to the shape of my ear or even maybe I got a dud of a unit, either way, this was a huge let down.
Call quality:
I was very surprised that people noticed I was using a different headphone, but not for a good reason. The call quality suffered greatly on both cell calls and Wi-Fi calls, it seems the microphone distorts the sound in a metallic way. I had multiple people over different calls comment on how my sound was tinny or metallic. I adjusted different settings but couldn’t get the tinny sound on the receiving end to go away. This very much makes this not an ideal earbud for calls on the go.
Conclusion:
Honestly, I cannot recommend the Technics Reference Class AZ100 if you are looking to make calls or use the noise cancelling as both didn’t perform well enough for me to recommend them for either. The sound quality and low latency modes were amazing, providing clear and high-quality sound, but with all the background noise due to the noise cancelling not working I just cannot add these to my list of favorite earbuds. I’ll keep these around for listening to some good music, but that’s about it.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
We are sorry to hear that your experience did not match your expectations. Your feedback helps us do better! If you are experiencing issues with the noise cancelling, please optimize the noise cancelling to your desired level using the app. Open the “Technics Audio Connect” app and tap “Settings” Under Operations/sound select “Optimizing noise cancellation (pre-adjustment)” Adjust to the point where the Noise Cancellation is most effective to you. If you are still experiencing issues please try adjusting the ambient sound control by turning it off or selecting the attention mode. For the issues with the call quality please note that some devices have settings that may affect audio output. If you are using an iPhone please verify the "Reduce Loud Sounds" setting under "Headphone Safety" in the Technics Audio App Settings menu. Make sure to check the audio balance settings on your connected device to ensure both channels are equal. Hope this helps! - S
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
My favorite buds.
|
|
Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Great sound. Comfortable fit. Decent battery life. I sleep in them so I have them on noise canceling mode. I usually get about 5 1/2 or 6 hours before I have to recharge. A couple things though -1 be careful when placing them in the case to make sure the blue light comes on the front or the bud will no charge. It will flash for each bud. 2- you will notice that the buds lose power at different rates. When I put the buds back in the case, the right bud may be at 20% but the left bud may still be at 50 or 60%. Technics has a notice in their app that this is normal.
The app itself is pretty helpful setting up what you would like each bud to do - from changing listening modes to setting eq to answering calls etc. The eq section is pretty nice with several presets with an additional 3 settings that you can customize and save. I use them in the flat setting and across the board everything I have listened to sounds amazing. I have probably 5 or 6 different types of buds. These are my fave by far. And I have had Bose QC, Beats, Sennheiser. Buy with confidence.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
Hello Bob! We’re overjoyed by your 5-star review! Thanks for letting us know how much you’re enjoying the product. We’re thrilled to hear that you’re enjoying the sound quality, comfort, and battery life. It’s great that you’ve found the app features helpful, especially the EQ settings, and we’re happy to know that these buds have become your favorites over others. We look forward to hearing from you again soon! - S
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Good headset
|
|
Posted . Owned for 2 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I've been using this headset for a few weeks now, and I couldn’t be happier with my purchase! The sound quality is crystal clear, with deep bass and balanced mids and highs. It’s perfect for both gaming and listening to music. The noise-canceling feature works amazingly well, blocking out background noise even in a busy environment.
The build quality feels sturdy, yet it's surprisingly lightweight and comfortable, even during long sessions. The ear cushions are soft and breathable, which helps a lot during extended use. Plus, the adjustable headband fits perfectly without putting pressure on my head.
The microphone is also top-notch — my friends say my voice comes through loud and clear, without any distortion. It’s easy to mute or adjust the volume with the in-line controls, which is super convenient.
Overall, this headset is a fantastic value for the price. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a reliable and high-quality audio experience!
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
Hi Matthew! Thank you for the positive feedback, it means a lot to us. We're thrilled to hear that you're enjoying the headset and that it’s delivering such a great experience for both gaming and music. It's fantastic that the sound quality, noise-canceling feature, and comfort are working well for you. We are looking forward to making your experience even better in the future! - S
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Keeps my head spinning like them OG turntables
|
|
Posted . Owned for 2 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Everyone will have their preferences in regard to preferred sound presets, focused in-house tuning, and brand loyalties. In this price bracket, you see bose, airpods pro/max, beats by dre and so on.
If you read some reviews on this product alone, you see how in depth some people get. I think that speaks for itself alone at what the target audience is: people who appreciate sound.
In technics early days, rhe name carried weight in sound engineering. It was synonomous with turntables and rich sound processing. The AZ100 are calleed reference buds. True to original mixer's intent. Everything else is boosted according to the manufacturer's intent. Those who know, know.
Hey there! Thank you for the wonderful review. We're thrilled to hear you appreciate the depth and quality of the EAH-AZ100 reference buds. Thank you once again for sharing your thoughtful insight with us! -C
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
THE BEST !!!
|
|
Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The Best earbuds I have ever owned . Find the right EQ setting for yourself and immerse yourself in music . They make me feel like I’m listening to a vinyl record on a technics turntable. Such clarity and realness on each song !
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Panasonic Team
Posted .
Hello Ricardo! Your feedback means a lot to us. We're glad you're pleased with our product and the 5-star rating you've given us. - S