Are the Technics AZ100 some of the best earbuds you can get? Well, that’s what the next 1,000 words are for: Me to know and for you to find out. But if you want me to let you in on a little secret, come closer… Yes. Yes, they are.
With powerful, yet balanced bass, emotive and natural mids and clear treble, the sound quality is worth the $300 price tag. If you only listen to heavy genres like grunge you might be a little disappointed by the slight lack of detail in super muddy tracks, but for most people, I’m sure this isn’t a huge issue. I only noticed it in two of the many songs I listened to during testing. The clarity and control in every other genre more than made up for it.
So, ready to find out more about these premium earbuds? Of course you are.
Premium sound quality with a capital P
To test sound quality, I listened to a variety of genres on Qobuz, our best music streaming service for audiophiles. Obviously, I listened to much more music than I’m going to discuss here, but I’ll choose three standout tracks from different genres.
First, I played “Violence” by Grimes using “Dynamic” EQ. This electronic track has a stuttering, string-like synth motif with pulsing bass layered under Grimes’ iconic floaty vocals. The bass sounded phenomenal: controlled yet powerful, all-encompassing yet balanced, indomitable yet complementary. Grimes’ vocals were brought to the focus of the track, and I could hear the texture in her voice, and the delicate synths weren’t overpowered. This track sounded utterly divine. I was immediately in awe.
I switched it up to “Celebrity Skin” by Hole. I switched to a custom U-shaped EQ, which highlighted the sub-bass and super high-end. This brought out the cymbals in the right ear and warmed up the crunchy guitars in the lower-mids. This didn’t sound quite as clear as the Grimes track, so I played “Moaning Lisa Smile” by Wolf Alice, another grungey female-led track (but much newer). I couldn’t clearly hear the sliding guitar during the chorus, so I upped the treble, but it still eluded me. I was a little disappointed by this — it’s there, but quiet.
Overall, though, the sound quality is sublime. This is what wireless earbuds should be about — clever, controlled sound that takes itself seriously and has a whale of a time while doing so.
Actually useful companion app
The Technics Audio Connect app boasts a litany of customization and control options. You can do literally everything you could think of. If I were to describe every function, we’d be here all day, and I know you’re all busy people — so let’s just discuss the standouts.
There’s an ear tip fit test that uses mics to analyze which ear tip suits your ears. I was told to use “Small”, but I found “Extra Small” fitted me best.
You can also activate Conversation Mode, which will activate transparency mode with one tap of the earbuds. The app can also decrease environmental calls if the person you’re speaking to is in a noisy environment, which is cool.
Of course, you’ve also got the usual suspects: EQ adjustment, ANC customization, and there’s the user manual, too.
As you can see, the Technics Audio Connect app looks sleek, is easily navigable, and has a ton of helpful features. I’d recommend downloading it and checking it out if you get these earbuds.
But a polarizing fit
However, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows over here in Technics land. The bubble had to burst eventually, right? And in this case, it’s my concha (figuratively) bursting from the sheer size of the earbuds. Technics claims the AZ100 are smaller and lighter than the AZ80, and I don’t disagree. They are, technically, smaller and lighter than the predecessor.
But they’re not smaller enough. I could only wear these earbuds for around an hour before needing a break. I have super small ears, which I acknowledge and take into account when I review earbuds, but it’s not just me this time. I gave them to my boyfriend, who has normal man-sized ears, and he said they were too big. This is with the XS ear tips, by the way.
I know high-quality drivers need space (like that random guy you met online), but there’s a limit. This was a similar issue with the Denon PerL Pro — the earbuds sound lovely, but I could only wear them for an hour at a time. Conversely, I can wear my AirPods Pro 2 for six hours (until the battery runs out; yes, six hours is pathetic) without my ears aching.
I think you’d be fine if you have large ears, but small-eared folk: heed my warning!
Would I recommend the Technics AZ100?
In short: Yes!
I’m a huge fan of the controlled yet balanced bass, the faithful treble, and the clear mids.
There are only two downsides for me: the overly large concha fit and the slight muddling in heavy genres. If you have medium-to-large-sized ears and you don’t really listen to grunge, these won’t be problems for you at all.
I recommend the AZ100 for anyone who wants premium-feeling earbuds without going for the usual big names of Apple, Bose, and Sony. If you value lovely sound and a premium vibe, then the AZ100 are definitely for you.
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