Technics EAH-AZ70W review: Top-notch noise canceling earbuds

I cannot keep in mind the past time I reviewed a Technics product or service — it is really been that numerous years — but the venerable audio model, which Panasonic brought out of retirement in 2014, seems on the company’s line-topping sound-canceling earbuds. The Technics EAH-AZ70W’s listing cost of $250 (£220, AU$449) puts them squarely up against Apple’s AirPods Pro ($250), Sony’s WF-1000XM3 ($230) and Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wi-fi 2 ($three hundred). Even though they’re a very little significant, they stack up perfectly against that rigid competitors, with amazing sound and sound-canceling purpose.

They have a identical glance to the Sennheisers and in shape in the same way, nevertheless not fairly as comfortably. In that feeling, they’re a very little even larger than your normal real wireless earbuds and stick from your ears a little bit farther. Sennheiser managed to shrink the second-gen Momentum True Wi-fi design as Jabra did with its Elite 75t, so this Technics would preferably be smaller. (As it is, it may well not in shape those people with smaller ears.) But that, alongside with a considerably large cost tag, are its only notable downsides.

Study more: Most effective sound-canceling real wireless earbuds of 2020

I was ready to get a at ease in shape and restricted seal with the medium-sized ear ideas. That restricted seal is important for best sound quality and sound-canceling effectiveness. These never have a activity fin to lock the buds in location, but they did in shape securely and would be fine for routines at the health club. Like the AirPods Pro, they have an IPX4 water-resistance rating, which implies they’re sweatproof and splashproof.

The integrated carrying case isn’t really the most compact, but it is really not too significant and has a top quality really feel, as do the buds themselves, with their aluminum shell. Regrettably, there is no wireless charging. The case costs by way of USB-C, with battery lifestyle rated at 6.5 hours of use when the charging case provides one more 19.5 hours of playback. Those people are decent quantities for sound-canceling real wireless earbuds — the AirPods Pro are rated for 5 hours — but the quantities have been creeping up for real wireless earbuds with no sound cancellation. 

The Technics EAH-AZ70W have “twin hybrid” sound cancellation, making use of two devices of microphones: feedforward sound cancellation (FF-NC) and suggestions sound cancellation (FB-NC). This hybrid method is becoming more common, but Panasonic’s rendition is decent, proper there with that of Sony, Apple and Sennheiser. And as with a good deal of top quality earbuds, there is a transparency mode that permits sound to leak into the buds so you can listen to the outdoors earth.

You can toggle via a few modes — sound canceling on, ambient sound on and off — by tapping and holding the proper earbud. Also, the degree of sound-canceling and ambient sound can be adjusted in the Technics Audio Join companion app for iOS or Android. Tapping and holding the still left activates your phone’s voice assistant or you can substitute that for Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant.

In all, I observed the touch controls responsive and these do have quantity controls — you tap the still left bud 2 times speedily to turn the quantity down and a few occasions to turn it up. The earbuds never have a sensor that automatically pauses your new music when you acquire them out of ears, but you can have them automatically turn off if you go away them out, say on a desk (outdoors the case), just after a set interval of time.

My wireless connection was pretty a great deal rock solid. Panasonic states these earbuds have a “Remaining-Proper Independent Signalling Program that assists manage a stable connection with suitable sound balance concerning proper and still left channels.” In upcoming, more earbuds will have the earbuds join independently to your system but this is amid the initial models to tout the feature.  

The buds are geared up with 10mm drivers with a graphene-coated PEEK diaphragm which is designed to minimize vibration and distortion, Panasonic states. The ultimate end result of all those people attributes, as I explained previously, is that the EAH-AZ70W earbuds sound good. They are at the upper echelon for real wireless earbuds for sound quality. They produce specific, rich sound with perfectly-described bass and a pretty wide soundstage so the sound does not really feel stuck in your head. They work perfectly with a assortment of new music and sound reasonably all-natural for Bluetooth headphones (by that I indicate new music and vocals never sound extremely processed). They assist the AAC streaming codec but not aptX. 

The Sennheiser Momentum True Wi-fi 2 earbuds are warmer and I preferred their sound more. The EAH-AZ70W very easily beats the AirPods Pro on the sound entrance, having said that, nevertheless the AirPods are appreciably lighter and more at ease.

Sony’s WF-1000XM3 has even larger bass and I observed it more at ease, though it sticks out from your ears even more. But the Technics buds ended up a satisfaction to pay attention to. The only exception was some situations when I felt there was a treble force in the large mids, which designed some female vocals sound a touch too dazzling. It truly is truly worth mentioning that there is an equalizer for tweaking the sound in the Technics companion app for iOS and Android. It does not make a big change but it will change the sound profile.  

These earbuds work perfectly for earning calls, with good sound reduction that does a decent task muffling the qualifications sound around you. Callers explained my voice sounded apparent. The only factor lacking is a sidetone feature that permits you to listen to your voice in the earbuds so you can modulate it superior when conversing. You can use a one earbud to make calls. 

Panasonic sells a step-down design, the Panasonic RZ-S500W ($180), which delivers identical attributes, like sound cancellation, in a significantly less-top quality deal with smaller 8mm drivers (the case does really feel a very little low cost). That design is selling on Amazon for around $one hundred fifty five proper now and is almost certainly the superior value, but the Technics EAH-AZ70W is obviously remarkable. 

I do assume the EAH-AZ70W’s cost will have to occur closer to $two hundred for it to compete as a newcomer in the top quality real-wireless arena (I do count on to see some bargains heading into the holiday break shopping for year). That explained, aside from its measurement, it performs perfectly and does justice to the Technics model.