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Aug 10, 2023

Technics EAH

Ryan Waniata If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more. Please also consider subscribing to WIRED 9/10 When you think of

Ryan Waniata

If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more. Please also consider subscribing to WIRED

9/10

When you think of the best wireless earbuds, Technics may not be high on your list. Let’s face it, the Panasonic-owned hi-fi brand may not be on your list at all. The legacy audio imprint has been working hard to change that in recent years, and the new EAH-AZ80 are the culmination of that journey.

These buds offer tons of features, great noise canceling, and sparkling sound. Their design is comfy and stylish, offering a spread of ear tips to tailor your fit and a tempered touch of premium flash. Features like three-device multipoint pairing help set them apart from rivals like AirPods Pro (9/10, WIRED Recommends) when it comes to multitasking in the work-from-home era.

At $300, the AZ80 are pushing the envelope considering you can often get top choices like Sony’s aging WF-1000XM4 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) on super sale these days. But these buds prove Technics deserves to be a part of the conversation alongside Sony, Bose, Apple, and others.

The AZ80 are a little large, but they’re the best-looking buds I’ve tried this year, especially stylish in the silver/gray version. While the faux brushed aluminum on the case’s lid looks a little glitzy, the metallic caps on the buds themselves offer just the right sparkle, immediately recalling Technics’ glimmering turntables and receivers.

In the box you’ll find a QR code for the handy Audio Connect app, setup instructions, and seven pairs of ear tips. Google Fast Pair is one of the few big features the AZ80 lack, meaning both Android and iPhone users will need to dive into the Bluetooth menu, but they connect in seconds. The app lets you choose between your phone’s voice assistant or Amazon Alexa (or neither) and refine a few other setup options.

If I have to complain, I don’t love how Technics’ voice prompts blurt out connection status. But like most AZ80 features it’s adjustable, so I simply turned it down. Other adjustable options include everything from a multiband EQ to noise canceling, transparency mode (there are two versions, including one designed to target voices), and even ambient sound suppression for phone calls.

Speaking of adjustments, the AZ80’s mound of ear tips helps you find just the right fit. When combined with ergonomic housings, even at a relatively weighty 7 grams per side, the earbuds are comfortable for multiple hours of wear. It’s a major improvement over last year’s AZ60, which was a fantastic overall package that was simply too bulbous for smaller ears like mine.

You can also rearrange the touch controls, though the default seems to be the best option. The layout is a bit odd at first; single taps for pause/play are mirrored on both buds, but other controls are spread between the buds via a series of multi-taps and long holds. Most important, though, you get access to all major functions, including volume, without the need to fish out your phone. That’s something you can’t say about plenty of competitors, including Sony’s WF-1000XM4.

There are lots of other features to futz with, but three-device multipoint pairing is arguably the biggest get, setting the buds apart from virtually every competitor. The feature works pretty well, letting you swap between a phone, tablet, and computer with relative ease. That fulfills most use cases for the AirPods Pro’s Auto Switching feature, but instead of being chained to iCloud devices, you get the freedom of mixing and matching gear across ecosystems.

Technics EAH-AZ80

Rating: 9/10

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Battery life is also solid, offering around 7 hours with ANC (a bit less if you’re heavy on the volume) and 24 hours total with the case.

Fair warning: The AZ80’s noise canceling will likely have your family or significant other accidentally sneaking up on you and/or scaring the bejesus out of you.

In other words, it’s very good, melting away virtually everything around you with a bit of music. You can do better, but only a few pairs I’ve tried offer notable improvement, including the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) and the aforementioned AirPods Pro (9/10, WIRED Recommends), which are generally graded as the best and second-best noise-canceling buds you can buy, respectively.

Bose’s first-gen QC earbuds, which are still a top pair, also outdid the AZ80 when tested back-to-back in controlled conditions; blasting my airplane drone test through studio monitors revealed more audible white noise in the AZ80. In real-life testing, though, the Technics buds are about as good as most of us need, wiping away everything from the din of the city to passing cars, bird songs, and even dogs barking (at a distance, anyway).

Their transparency mode is also relatively solid. The world around you sounds more tinny and plugged up than the AirPods Pro, but that’s the case with just about everything else on the market. Call quality is similarly solid. Callers were clear, and I had no complaints about ambient sound from my end in a variety of settings.

When it comes to audio performance, the AZ80 provide sweet resonance matched by a crispy attack. This provides a satiny touch to instruments like synths, horns, and strings while offering a fun pop to boxy percussion, distorted guitars, and saw-tooth waves. Bass is rich and foundational, easily digging up subtle textures like the difference between a directly wired-in bass guitar or a mic’d amp.

The AZ80’s mix of clarity and punch makes these buds extremely versatile, offering a fitting complement to everything from lo-fi punk to clean electronica and smooth jazz.

The buds also offer good instrumental separation, carving out plenty of space in the stereo image for nifty details you’ll miss in lower-quality buds. Eddy Van Halen’s whaling guitar solo in the white-hot ’80s hit Jump usually takes all the glory. With the AZ80 I was able to follow the intricate synth melody on the left side (also played by Eddie Van Halen) without even leaning in.

There are some buds I like to listen to more, including the WF-1000XM4, which may just be my favorite wireless earbuds around for sheer audio chops. The AZ80 also skip features like head tracking for 3D sound fields (if you’re into that). But Technics has done a great job with the audio here, and I’d happily use them as my daily sound machines.

The EAH-AZ80 may not be cheap, but they serve up an excellent mix of style, usability, and performance. If you can afford the $300 price tag (or hold out for a sale) you won’t regret picking up a pair.

Technics EAH-AZ80

Rating: 9/10

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