Technics - EAH-AZ100

Great review! I recently got and tested both. Although I am a biased B&W fan due to their loudspeakers and prefer the brightness of their overall sound, I wanted them to win. I take business calls and would need to use the earbuds from time to time. Calls in a noisy place with the MyVoice AI, and transparency mode unfortunately beat out the sound quality as the deal breaker. I'll sadly return the Pi8s and happily roll with the AZ100s.

I've only had the 100s for a few days and didn't have the 80s but think they must've fixed that because I'm using the 100s at low volume consistently, like 25% lower than other headphones even when using 1 bud with no ANC

My rankings based on what I own. My criteria are big soundstage, tight articulate bass, and comfort. 1. Noble FoKus Prestige 2. Master & Dynamic MW09 3. Devialet Gemini II 4. Noble Fokus Rex5 5. Denon Perl Pro 6. Technics AZ100 7. B&W Pi8

They are good but have been relegated to my “work” earbuds since all the others suck on phone calls. The Technics are small, lightweight, and easy to quickly connect for a conference call and don’t sound muffled like the Gemini II’s. For music, anything else is better. The Technics have a weird muddy flub to the bass I can’t put my finger on.

I'm in the exact same boat as you! 1-2 hours is all I get out of my MTW2s. I recently purchased the MTW4 and the technic 100s I will get them between the 12-14th and I can report back with my thoughts if you'd like?

Will do! I should get the MTW4s tomorrow, and the technics AZ100 a few days after. I'll be sure to pop back in and let you know my opinions! I will say I am no audiophile though

Az100 are amazing and the best ear buds of 2025

A vote for Pi8. I bought the Pi8 and was incredibly happy with its performance but kept reading that AZ100 and Gemini II had better bass response. This left me unsatisfied with my purchase so I ordered AZ100 and Gemini II while within my return window for Pi8. After in numerous AB tests between the three I have to say I am incredibly happy with the Pi8. The quality is on par with the other two, including in the bass response. When using the case as transmitter the quality surpasses the other two and any other. pi8 with the case transmitting sound, wipes the floor with the other two. The soundstage is insane. It’s like they are performing in front of you. Clarity and detail is crystal. Compared to the Pi8 the AZ100 sound a bit muffled and not the most clear in highs and mids. The low end is a bit muddy too. Similarly for Gemini II which are better in highs and mids but they are all over the place in lows. Still I wouldn’t recommend Pi8 or any other. What I realised is that one may fit for your ear better than the other. The Az100 is fat around the cushion and doesn’t fit into the ear canal. Pi8 is slim and slides right into my ear. It’s lightweight and hugs it snugly. No leaks. This was simply not the case with Az100 or Gemini. I strongly suggest buying atleast two, or even three and test it out yourself.

For me personally I felt the sound is better and above the other two brands. I like the clarity and the bass is very refined. It’s going to last me four to five years hopefully. To pay 100 extra for better sound for half a decade seems a good deal for me. The only thing AZ100 has going for it is the app. Its app is much better than B&w. But again, narrow it down to two and get both. Then AB it and return the one that doesn’t work for you.

Hehe az100 is far superior, but i like ear 2024

Yes i agree 👍 bose 2024 is my top choice when I am outside, but az100 is better product overall 

Ok that's your opinion 👍, 2024 is good with sound personalization, but az100 secret: you need to set 250 band to -2, az 100 is then miles better.. i am currently using az 100 as i am writing , will now switch to 2024 to check it again.

I'm currently listening to 2024, they're phenomenal, I must say. The sound is very sharp, but the AZ100 gives me a fuller and more rounded sound.

Current opinion on az100 vs m4? 

Thank you very much! just ordered az100

Technics Az80s Az100s can connect to three devices at once. Works great.

Los Technics EAZ100 son fantásticos para hacer llamadas, lo digo porque los tengo. También tengo los Bosé. Los Technics hacen todo mejor que los Bosé excepto la cancelación de ruido y la sujeción a la oreja. Technics son muy buenos.

Yeah.. they kind of hurt my ear 2- whats up with that ? :( I have to think very hard if i can justify to keep them. Just going back to the az 80s that fit perfect in my ear. Am i using them wrong?

Thx for review. Now I'm using AZ100 also AZ80. Noise cancelling not as good as XM5,but wearing is more comfortable

I too hate airpods. I think the sound is horrible. I tend to prefer earbuds with the most clarity and the best base. But I do need to talk on them so mic quality is a must, which kills a lot of recommendations. Right now I have AZ 80s from Technics and clarity-wise they are top notch. The mic also works great and unlike other people I find that the noise canceling is exceptional. Perhaps they need to change their ear tips or they need to make adjustments in the app for their hearing. Technics now has az100s, but the 80s were the previous flagship and are only 160 bucks now. Well worth it. The noise canceling is on par with the Bose quiet comfort Line and the mic is on par with airpods. Battery life is quite good in my experience. The Sony X4 and X5s will have similar but not quite as good clarity but super excellent bass. I do prefer excellent base as a mostly prefer Rock metal Etc., but the mic quality on the Sony's is terrible. So overall Technics is my favorite. And I will recommend either the AZ80 or the AZ100

I'm TOTALLY with you. Like, exactly. The left feels fine, the right hurts my ear canal. I've played with changing the tips and still, ouch. I own many earbuds (I've got a bit of a problem) and these hurt the worst. Just this morning I tried changing the tips again because I WANT to love these. But right now, my Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra, Bose Quiet Comfort 2, JBL Tour Pro 3, OnePlus, Sony, Google, Nothing... ALL feel so much better. I'm going to start googling third party tips now, if I find a winner, I'll let you know and I'd appreciate it if you did the same. I really want these to work as they are supposed to be my best "sounding" earbuds.

So of the higher end earbuds I’ve personally used there seem to be 3 differentiating factors: new technology, increased playback adjustments/options, better/more codec support. For instance the B&W Pi8s allow you to send the signal through a special chip in the case that lets you use aptX, 24 bit at 96kHz; whereas the Technics EAH Az100s have tons of adjustability; and the one Auravana Ace2 with BT W5 adapter uses the new xMems tech with aptX codec. I’d say best all around is the Technics, but best bang for your buck is Auravana even without the adapter if you’re okay with AAC or mp3. Either way with both you’ll immediately hear improvement in sound quality (with all) over say iPod Pro or Sony WF1000XM5s. With iPod Pro and the Sony though you get better peripheral stuff, like ANC and call quality until you get to the Technics and the Pi8 where the Technics exceeds and the Pi8 matches with better sound quality. For pure balanced sound though with some real stage to the instruments I think the Auravana is probably the sweet spot on price, but it’s App is lacklustre compared to the Technics especially if you’re looking at a wide variety of genres

Technics AZ100 are >10hrs with LDAC and ANC.

I loved the xm5 as an all rounder too but technics AZ100 took the crown for now as they have higher sound quality , comparable ANC , can connect to three devices , Dolby Atmos works with every track and streaming service .

I use it at the gym and running , very effective ANC , also I use the Fiio bt11 Bluetooth adaptor for LDAC with my iPhone 15 pro max for best sound quality , also it sound epic out of the box without EQ tweaking .

I have the techincs AZ100 and they are epic in every way , sound quality, connections to 3 devices and Dolby atmos with Head tracking, if you have the option to return the PI8 back if they have issues with the connection try them 1st as they might have the top sound quality but they have bad history with faulty items

Well I didn’t try the AZ80 but for me the AZ100 were load enough

AZ100 and Sony wf-1000xm5 for music and gym AirPods Pro 2 for zoom calls

By the way the xm5 and the AZ100 still sound better than the AirPods Pro 2 over AAC as the XM5 use the DSEE extreme algorithm to upscale the sound to near high res , don’t forget that AirPods Pro 2 was launched in 2022 so it have older chip , may be this year AirPods pro3 will catch up

Technics AZ100 are my favorite for now , may be lesser sound quality than the PI8 but more reliable

I say if budget is not a problem then b&o eleven. I got the AZ-100, Pi8, and the elevens. If you want bass then i say eleven is the best out of them. When AZ-100 sounds better with lower bass and the same with Pi8s. Elevens has the best sound quality with the bass boosted in my opinion. Just make sure the ear tips fits your ear well

This. Despite it's oh so muddy bass

Opposite for me. I literally can't hear shit when playing music. Best ANC I've heard.

They're both great. I prefer AZ100, but others will say differently and you can't go wrong either way.

Love using my jbl tour pro 3s with comply tips for the gym. I also have galaxy buds 2 pro, galaxy buds 3 pro and technics az100s and the jbls are my go tos.

Absolutely agree with you on that . I currently have xm5, mtw4, AZ100, Galaxy buds 2 pro as well as my DPP and overheads, and the sound the Perl Pros put out is beyond fantastic.

I use mine on aptx, and SBC when watching TV. I can say without question, that they are the best sounding buds I have ever owned. I even prefer to wear them to sleep. And I currently own them, az100, xm5 Overheads and buds, Sennheiser M4 and tws, galaxy buds 2 pro, xm4 overhead, and QC ultra overhead. Gave away my tozo A1 golden. Anyway my point is my perl pro are my go to!!

Tried all the above minus the Sennhesier and JBL, I have an S24 Ultra. My personal daily driver is the Samsung buds 3 pro, ANC is up there but a bit behind Sony and Bose, if you are on a newer Samsung you get their decent codec, a bunch of features for example I used mine to translate recently was great, they sound alright out of the box but EQ well if you search for some on here, there are some great EQ takes and I find them the most comfortable on that list which is Subjective. These I feel image as well as the AZ100, I honestly prefer them, but at the flagship level of buds the differences are so fine, I would accept general opinion the AZ100 sound better. Bose are king of ANC, but without a dongle you miss out on HD codecs as Samsung dont carry Aptx lossless/adaptive. They sound kinda ok, not the best, but no complaints either. Very comfy for me personally, sit in the ear even power walking down a hill. Great buds just not ones I reach for unless I need the best ANC (AuDHD so it does happen). Being on AAC codec isnt that big a deal, but if you are spending flagship money, losing a big feature doesnt make sense to me. Sony are top of the list from reviewers even this year. They are the absolute all around gods if you dont have an eco system to jump into like Samsung or say Apple. The foam tips are love or hate, I love, many hate, but what they do do, is help with the already decent ANC and make them up there with Bose. They are only comfy if you can deal with foam, if you dont like foam, do not buy them, they lose a lot of ANC with silicon tips. Waste of money in that case. Sound however, they sound great, highly recommend their "find my EQ" feature in the app, its quite interesting to see how you prefer sound, made me realise I quite like a bright sound when I thought I liked more dark or warm. These are the second choice for me regardless of order. Technics AZ100. Best bud I have heard personally up until the premium stuff like Gemini 2 etc. The 100 ANC far better than the 80, its up there now maybe above Samsung a hair, but just under the 2 top dogs Sony and Bose. They are comfy in the ear in fairness, look nice, LDAC supported by Samsung like the Sony buds, app is decent, they EQ well. This is the joint top pick for me as long as you are not sensitive to in ear pressure like me. So of those, my personal rec, Buds 3 pro if Samsung features and aesthetic appeal, AZ100 if not. WF1000XM5 if ANC takes priority more but a balance with good features ONLY if you can use the foam tips, ANC different is minimal at the top. Bose if ANC is the absolute most important to you. The JBL are reviwed really well, so as much as I cant comment, I also dont think you'd miss out on anything with them from the above. Seem to be very similar to the AKG N5 which I do have and adore. Worth also waiting for sales, I got my buds on a heavy discount. Also if you can get from a place you can definitely return, like Amazon, also do that just incase.

Technics az100 blew me away and I came from Beoplay h9 and jabra elite active 8 gen 2.

And don't forget Technics az100 😁

Technics az100 and I absolutely love them ☺️ And Jabra elite active 8 gen 1 for gym and sweaty stuff.

Yeah, I second that! They are amazing and I'm love with mine!

This is probably the most helpful and solid review across the Big 3 I’ve seen. I don’t have experience with the Bose, but your reviews across the Xm5 and 100 feel very, very spot on in my experience, too.

I hear highs and nice non-bloated lows, and overall some details I’ve never heard before with wired iems. I am not grossly exaggerating. They are that good.

There's a lot more to sound quality than just number of drivers. The quality of the driver, the quality of the DAC, the fit of the earphone can all make a huge difference. I'm a very seasoned audiophile and find the AZ100 phenomenal, especially for the price. Very even frequency response, not overly bright, and good bass reproduction.

The JBL Tour pro 3 and the AZ100 are both really good. If you can get them both from Amazon or Best Buy, compare them, and keep the one you like the most.

In order For 300: AZ100 For 150: Perl Pro if they fit For 130: one plus buds 3 pro (also didn't fit my ear but sound is good for the price) You could also go for the AZ80 since they are below 200€ now. Please note that I rate them for sound only.

I’ve tried prestige’s, B&o ex’s, B&W Pi8’s in extensive listening sessions. After a few songs the Az100’s have handily outclassed them. I’ve been an advocate for the AZ-80’s for as long as they’ve been out and now I’m in it for the long haul. Such crazy separation from these. IMO the prestige’s mid’s were muddled and bass was uncontrolled and overpowering. Vocals lacked the snap of technics. The pi8’s are impressive in their tuning but the driver in them have a hard time keeping up with the sheer speed of the AZ-100’s and even the AZ-80’s. I tell everyone the Pi8’s out of the box beat everyone, but a parametric eq’d AZ-80 ascend above all. I’m convinced the technics are so natural sounding for their high frequency ceiling. That is, until the AZ-100 pops into the mix. Just plain better in literally every regard. Such impressive texturing that matches the Pi8 and the full bodied sound of the AZ-80’s. I believe the Pi8’s lack deep bass notes entirely and for that reason their driver isn’t busy enough to distort mids or highs. I think that’s far easier than what technics have achieved. I couldn’t encourage a trial run with a pair enough. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the very worst.

Just used Az100 at the gym for the first time and they were amazing, definitely a step up in ANC from Az80 and blow buds2 pro out of the water (which I had prviously to az80)

No problems yet but only had them a week. Really enjoying the sound and bass, haven't used for calls yet.

Az100, amazingly good sound, fit in ear and battery!! New bluetooth codec for better sound and battery, LC3

Make sure to see az100s in person. They are pretty bulky. Great sound, but the fit is not great for everyone. For me my right is not super tight no matter what I do. Could easily fall out on an airplane or something.

My headphones died on my last flight, so I've been exploring an in-ear wireless replacement. While I don't consider myself an audiophile, I am very particular... I'm a classical musician and want high-quality sound. I need great ANC since I travel frequently, and long bike rides introduce lots of wind noise. I'd like them to replace my desktop headset for calls if the mic is good enough, and being able to customize the controls is a must. So far here are the ones I've tried: * **Sennheiser MTW4:** Love the sound (one of the best), controls are customizable enough for me, the fit is amazing right out of the box with max isolation. ANC is excellent and wind reduction is amazing (the best). I was riding about 15 mph into a headwind and it sounded like a weather channel reporter in a hurricane. Turned on wind reduction and if not for feeling the wind, I could've been in a concert hall. App is easy, intuitive, simple, and fast. Unfortunately the mic and call quality are atrocious. * **Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2**: Great sound (not the *best*, but very good (although they do *not* support aptX). Controls are customizable enough for me. I feel like the fit would be amazing if they went just a touch further in. Again, if I could get a better fit, I think the ANC is outstanding. The wind reduction isn't as good as the MTW4, but I suspect that's mostly due to poor isolation: I'd welcome recommendations on replacement ear tips. Call/mic quality is the best. The app is a little confusing, and has some neat features. My first pair was defective--constant static in the left earbud. Customer service was phenomenal and I had a new pair with next day shipping for free. * **B&W Pi8:** Overall sound quality is amazing. I'd consider these the best. ANC is on the better end, but leaves quite a bit to be desired with ambient noise. Wind reduction is pathetic, but this isn't marketed for an active lifestyle. The controls are not very customizable, and there's no way to enable/disable ANC without going through the app (which doesn't help me if I'm listening from a laptop). The app is straightforward, though a little bloated, and it took me three attempts to get them paired with my devices. Mic/call quality is very good. Apart from lacking good wind reduction, my chief complaint--and it would have been enough to send it back regardless of everything else--is the obnoxious (and obnoxiously loud) haptic noises when using the controls. I couldn't figure out how to adjust them, so even when listening at low volume to a quiet section of a song, you get acoustically assaulted by a chime. These were sent back, and I'll add their customer service is horrendous and slow. * **Bose QC Ultra:** Outstanding ANC in the low and low/mid range. Doesn't work as well for intermittent sounds or higher frequencies. Fit is so-so even with the wings, sound quality is what you'd expect from Bose: an inauthentic representation of highs and lows to make the illusion of superior sound. I was sufficiently turned off by the fit, sound, and controls that I didn't test anything else. * **Apple AirPods Pro 2:** Quite honestly, I hate white and was reluctant to even try them. I couldn't get these to fit comfortably any which way, so they went back. I'll confess some of this may be personal bias, so don't write them off on my account. My wife uses hers all the time and I know from being on the receiving end the call/mic quality in noisy environments leaves a lot to be desired--even worse than the MTW4. * **Sony WF-1000XM5:** The default sound really (I mean *really*) emphasizes the lows and highs. For classical music lovers, I'd advice against these. The balance of ANC, wind reduction, and controls makes them all-around a good product. Controls are good, but I couldn't get a great fit that truly isolated the sound and made them feel secure. Since everything else was "good" I didn't bother with other tips and sent them back. * **Denon PerL Pro:** Takes a little bit to personalize the sound, at which point they sound pretty good. Not the best, but they pass my tests across multiple genres. Something feels a little "off" with the default frequency response curve, but I don't have the equipment to test it. Fit is great right out of the box. The wings fit in my ears perfectly and they feel the most secure out of them all. App is straightforward, wind reduction is good; not great, but good enough. Controls are the most customizable of them all. Worth noting: you can also customize whether they pause automatically when one or both earbuds are removed. Call quality hasn't been tested yet. Also, and this is a real annoyance: they're really hard to get out of the case. I have to turn it upside down and shake it to release the earbuds, so one-handed use isn't possible. I'm going to hang on to these a while longer--they definitely make the final cut along with the Jabra and MTW4. * **Technics AZ100:** Out of the box, the sound was... weird. There's definitely some heavy bass, but also a really pronounced high end. This was immediately striking me as a turn-off and would be exhausting to listen to all day. The fit was good--it took a little finagling to get them firmly in place, but once I did, I barely knew they were there. App was pretty buggy for me. Despite supporting multipoint connections, I couldn't control the EQ on the earbuds from my phone while listening from my computer. Controls are highly customizable. ANC works on all frequencies (unlike some others which are more effective on certain frequency ranges). but it's effect isn't as dramatic as Bose or Sennheiser. Haven't tested the mic/call quality or wind reduction yet. What other earbuds should I be considering? (Before anyone jumps on it: yes, both my computer and Qobuz are sending via aptX.) ETA: Updated with description of pros/cons of each.

AirPods went back. Jabra is still in the running as long as I can get some new tips that fit better. I don’t get enough seal for isolation. The mic is far superior, the ANC is on point, and the fact that it still has a button is terrific for avoiding accidental presses. The AZ arrives today.

Agree: the AZ100's outperform the Pi8 on everything *except* sound quality. I tinkered with them for a couple *hours* and couldn't get am EQ setting that was anywhere as close to ideal as the B&W was out of the box. How do you find the call/mic quality on the Technics, though?

Damn it seems like quality is down everywhere. I’m returning my az100 since I’m hearing white noise in the right earbud. And sometimes the left one doesn’t charge. Thanks for saving me from the Senns

Bose may still have slightly better ANC and it supports volume control on individual earbud like AirPod pro 2, but other than that, AZ100 is so much better in any other aspects, longer battery life, better sound profile, multiple point connection of 3 devices and support wireless charging.

I bought AZ80 because of all these \*REVIEWS\*. Sound quality is not better than EarFun Air Pro 4, it is a slightly different (little less bass, so little more voice). Of course, I have used LDAC 900kbps profile with both models. Sound quality can't be physically better, both models has single dynamic driver. I was hugely disappointed and returned AZ80 back to Amazon. AZ100 still have single dynamic driver, sound quality could not be better than AZ80. It is an limit of the technology.

Your words are not supported by theory or practice. It's just your words. Theory: show me at least few loudspeakers with SINGLE driver, lol. Quick example, my loudspeakers Wharfedale Jade 7 has 4 drivers for different frequencies. Practice: single driver Technics AZ80 sound quality similar to single driver EarFuns Air Pro 4. New AZ100 still have single driver, so there won't be any changes.

Technics AZ-80 really good sound quality and comfortable. They just released the AZ-100 which are a bit smaller and with better sound quality. They both have 3 device multipoint connections which I really like

Yes. ANC is better on the Sonys and I also like the sound on the Sonys better. AZ100 has excellent soundstage but the sound is veiled and lacks clarity in the upper mids and treble.

I just bought a pair. Have gone from Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds to the AZ100's and the sound quality knocks them out of the park. ANC Bose has a slight edge, testing stood next to my air fryer on full whack, but then their sound quality is trash in comparison, so I'm happy overall. I'd say they're worth the hype and can understand the marketing push at this price. Completely honest review and not paid for 😂

Technics AZ100 - Just over a month, I adore them. Method 360 ANC - A couple of weeks, I like them quite a lot!

On par with Nothing Ear and Buds Pro 3 is amazing! I like the AZ100s but they hurt my ears 😭 Plus they are a bit more thin sounding than I would like. How is the comfort on them?

Denon PerL Pros or AZ100. You can get the Denons for about $100-150, the AZ100s for $285. For me, in terms of sound, they are not $150~ better at all. In fact, I love the Denons. Remember that on their release about a year ago the DPP price was $350, so they compete in the big leagues like the AZ.

For pure engagement and fun I really enjoy the B&W Pi8. For a full featured, everyday user with well above average battery runtime that sounds great, the AZ100 are a good choice. If you'd rather spend less the Sony wf-xm5 are also very good.

Tbh, this is a very fair and accurate assessment of both as I’ve tried them as well. Nice job!

Mine have awful white noise. :/

Exactly. The ANC is not that good. It’s a MINOR step up from the AZ80s.

I can’t stop raving about these as well. Never heard earbuds this good. I can

Just got Technics az100. Reviews say best under 300. Sound better than any ear buds I have personally listed too. That’s my suggestion

I personally have the technics az80 but the az100 are better

To preface, I am not an audiophile. However, I love music and am constantly looking for new ways to experience it and have been for quite some time. That being said, I have been browsing this sub for a while. After reading numerous reviews about what the best earbud on the market is, I ended up purchasing the Technics AZ100 about three weeks ago. While debating which earbud to get, my top 3 were the Technics AZ100, Sony WF-1000XM5, and Bose QuietComfort Ultra. Although I got the Technics, I was browsing through Walmart today and saw both of the other two I had considered were being sold there. So I had to purchase both and compare. If anyone was in my situation between these three, here were my thoughts comparing all three for many hours. I did not re read or check my grammar after reviewing so sorry in advance haha Bose QC Ultra Noise cancellation 10/10 Transparency 7/10 Bass 9.5/10 Sound quality 8/10 Fit 10/10 App 7.5/10 I am so very impressed by the noise cancellation and I LOVE the fit. The app is nothing special, I’ve been used to it for my QuietComfort (gen. 1) earbuds. The immersive is cool but nothing I would use regularly over the default mode probably. Bass stand out on these. The sound quality is good, it doesn’t feel quite as clear and completely lacks the detail the Technics and Sony have. And to me, it’s not that close. The volume level on these are much louder than the Technics. Technics AZ-100 Noise cancellation 8.5/10 Transparency 9.5/10 Bass 8.5/10 Sound quality 10/10 Fit 8/10 App 9.5/10 Sound quality is much more “open” and detailed than Bose. The sound quality on these remind me more of the Sony’s than the Bose. However, the sound quality still better than the Sony. Bass doesn’t quite have the power as the Bose but is still very good. The bass isn’t muddy at all, it’s just less clear than the Sony’s, if that makes any sense. The app and especially the detail of the in-app EQ makes it much better. I like the fit, but prefer the design and fit of the Bose. The volume level is definitely improved over the AZ-80s. (I got the AZ-80s for Christmas but was unaware of the AZ-100s being released weeks later so I exchanged them) Sony WF-1000X5 Noise cancellation 9/10 Transparency 8/10 Bass 9/10 Sound quality 9.25/10 Fit 8/10 App 9/10 Sound quality is very very good. Better than the Bose but not quite on par with Technics. Regardless, still impressive sound quality. Bass is good. Very clear and punchy. Had a very similar punch as the Technics but are slightly more clear, IMO, so the edge goes to Sony. Bose still has more powerful bass than both. Fit is similar to the Technics. Ive never tried foam tips before but I actually like these. Don’t know which I prefer. The app has many features and customization options along with other analytics. The edge goes to Technics due to the in-app EQ being more customizable and detailed. Other notes: The Sony and Technics are much more similar in terms of performance than the Bose is to them. The things that stand out about each: Bose’s fit & design, noise cancellation, volume level, and bass. These earbuds would be EXCELLENT for the gym. However I already have Bose QC (gen. 1) so I will just continue using these for the gym. If I didn’t have these, however, I could see myself keeping the QC Ultras. Technics’ soundstage, sound quality, transparency mode, and in-app EQ customization. Nothing else about the Bose or Sony’s really blow me away like the sound quality does on the Technics. The only other thing I would say that is very impressive is the Bose’s noise cancellation. Sony’s sound quality is extremely good. Nothing else stands out over the other Technics and Bose. That being said, these are not bad at all! These earbuds are great. They do many things very well, and are very balanced. I would recommend Bose to someone looking for earbuds for the gym or other loud environments, Technics for someone looking for the best listening experience and sound quality. Sony for someone looking for excellent all around earbuds. They are all great in their own way. However, I still believe the Technics are the best listening experience.

I just switched to a Technics A100. Great sound and fit. Comes with a few tips to choose from and walks you through a fitting test to check the seal.

I just got the AZ100s and I've only had them for a few hours, but they're fantastic. I would say the Denon Perl Pro, Pi8, Devialet Gemini 2, and BeoPlay EX still have a slight edge in terms of sound quality, but the AZ100 sound pretty fantastic and aren't that far behind, at least in LDAC (which is all I've tested). The AZ100 are better all-arounders than any of those, although I have no real complaints about the Devialet and Denon. My initial impression is that they've dethroned my beloved Sennheiser MTW4 for best sound in the $300-ish range, but I need to spend some more time with them to know for sure. I preferred the MTW4 over the AZ80 but so far I think the AZ100 has them both beat.

The Technics have more features and a more fully-featured app, and LDAC, and I tend to find them a bit more user friendly, definitely more than the B&O and B&W. As far as the Denon and Devialet, they're actually pretty good all arounders too and I have no real complaints about them. The Technics have better battery life and I'm more comfortable wearing them out and about: I don't bring the Devialets with me everywhere because they're too expensive to risk loss/drop/weather/damage, and I don't bring the Denon with me everywhere because they're big and bulky (although I do find them comfortable and the size doesn't bother me much). The primary benefit of these buds is their amazing sound, and that doesn't really matter as much when I'm listening casually in public and not focused on sonic detail. I haven't had a lot of time to compare closely, but I think the Devialet ANC is still better than the Technics ANC, although the Technics is much improved from the AZ80. So in general I find the AZ100 to be a bit better all around, but really the Devialet or Denon are perfectly fine too.

I haven't had much chance to compare them side by side but my initial impression is still that the AZ100 win. It's a close call but definitive enough from my perspective. AZ100 win in terms of size and comfort. (I personally have no complaints about the MTW4 size/comfort either, but if I have to compare the two I'd say the AZ100 has the edge). AZ100 win in terms of sound but it's a small margin and somewhat subjective. I think I'll find I still prefer the MTW4 on some music, but the AZ100 is a clear overall winner for me. I like Sennheiser's sound personalization tests a lot, and there's more you can do to tweak the sound of the MTW4, but in terms of the final result I'm happy with the AZ100 sound using just its standard EQ. I've only tested in LDAC and don't know anything about LC3 /LE audio so I can't speak to that. ANC is comparable, which is an improvement because this is one area where the AZ80 clearly lost. I think the MTW4 ANC is still *slightly* better, but I haven't compared them closely enough to be certain. Either way, I'd say that the AZ100 have jumped up a league in terms of ANC. Transparency seems about equal too but I haven't compared closely. I don't really use earbuds for calls so I'll have to defer to others on call/mic quality. The MTW4 wind noise reduction feature is pretty good, but I haven't tested the Technics in windy conditions yet. AZ100 battery life seems to be better. Again, no major complaints about the MTW4 but it seems like I'm able to wear the AZ100 longer before getting battery warnings. I haven't tested this scientifically, just impressions. I don't know enough about Bluetooth versions to say whether the difference between the Technics version 5.3 and Sennheiser's version 5.4 will make an appreciable difference. I haven't tested Auracast on either device (does Auracast actually exist anywhere yet?). The AZ100's Atmos and head tracking seems to be well implemented but I don't really use it, so it's not a major selling point over the MTW4. If that's a feature that is important to you, then this is clearly a big win for the AZ100. Similarly, I don't really care about some of Sennheiser's unique features (e.g. "Sound Zones") so their absence from the AZ100 isn't a problem for me.

**Top tier sound under $350**: * Pi8 when they're on sale. * Denon Perl Pro (which have dropped dramatically in price lately) * BeoPlay EX (the Eleven are out now but they're $500 and I haven't tried them). **So Close to Top-Tier that You're Unlikely to be Disappointed**: (and these are generally better all-arounders than the top tier list) * Sennheiser MTW4 * Technics AZ100 * (Maybe) JBL Tour Pro 3 (I had these briefly and was initially underwhelmed, but the sound grew on me)

I have most of the best earbuds except the ones from Noble. Excluding the Noble, the best sounding are Devialet Gemini 2, B&W PI8, BeoPlay EX (and I'm assuming the new BeoPlay Eleven), and Denon Perl Pro. I'd consider the Devialet to be the overall winner for sound quality, but they're all pretty close. The Pi8 are the winners when you use the case transmitter function. AZ100 sound fantastic but they're not quite at the same level sonically as the others on this list.

Yes, I own the BeoPlay EX. I find them to be in the same league, sonically, as the Devialet, Pi8, and Denon, although I admit they're probably my least favorite of this bunch. I consider this league to be a bit better sounding than the next league down, which includes Technics and Sennheiser earbuds--also fantastic sounding earbuds. I do most of my mobile listening using high res streams through Tidal and the best-available codec, which for the BeoPlay is, I think, AptX adaptive. I have a custom EQ curve set just the way I like it, and I find the BeoPlay sounds best best on punchy, drum-heavy rock music, although it sounds quite good in other contexts too. It's been a while since I've listened to subtle, quiet, classical or cinematic music on the BeoPlays, so you may be right about its dynamic resolution. I find the Gemini and Denon really excel in terms of subtle dynamics (which is interesting because I think the Gemini don't even support 24-bit), and I tend to gravitate to the BeoPlay for crisp and aggressive music. I love the new AZ100 and think they may be one of the best overall earbuds on the planet at this point, and they're *almost* in the sonic league with the others I listed--close enough that it doesn't really make a difference unless I'm actively listening. The main thing holding them back, for me, is that they're a bit more reverberant than I like. I don't know if it's in the tuning/processing or if it's just the way they resonate in their own chamber/tips or in my ear canal, but it slightly washes out the sound and obscures the detail a tiny bit. The other buds, particularly the Devialet and the BeoPlay (and also the much cheaper Nothing Ear 2024) somehow manage to have a much more dry sound. The reverberant sound adds some fullness/lushness and excitement, but a drier sound brings out more detail and crispness, especially in transients. This is me being incredibly nitpicky: as I said, I think the AZ100 are still one of the best sounding earbuds, and they have no shortage of clarity and crispness, I just think the other earbuds do it a bit better. I'm a pro musician too, and part of my career involves recording and mixing, so I'm accustomed to pro gear and my ears are fairly well attuned to the details of musical timbre and production techniques. I'm not saying this to pull rank or suggest that my opinion is more valid, I just want to let you know I'm not a rube spouting hype I don't understand. From what I'm reading here, our difference in opinion is more a matter of differing personal preferences.

My original comment was based on your first list. I've owned most of the earbuds in your edited list, and I'd consider them *all* among the best sounding earbuds out there. I'd probably say the Gemini, Denon, B&W, and B&O are roughly tied for "best sounding," and the winner comes down to personal preference. But if I had to choose only one set, I'd still probably go with the Sennheiser MTW4 or Technics (AZ100, which I like better than the AZ80). The Gemini and others may have slightly better sound but the Sennheiser and Technics still sound fantastic: they're not far behind, and you wouldn't be missing out on some mindblowing sonic experience. But I consider these two to be better overall, in terms of functionality, app, features, etc.

>If you don't mind, could you share your ranking list for best overall and one for sound quality? Thank you in advance! Of the ones listed in your post, my personal rankings would be: BEST OVERALL: 1. Sennheiser, Technics 2. Denon, Devialet 3. Bose, Sony 4. Pi8, BeoPlay BEST SOUND: 1. Devialet, Pi8, Denon, BeoPlay (in roughly that order if I *had* to rank them, but I consider them more or less tied, and my preferences might change from day to day or song to song) 2. Sennheiser, Technics AZ100 3. AZ80 4. Sony, Bose I've never used the EQ or the Eleven.

In that price range, the best sound is the Denon Perl Pro or Sennheiser MTW4. The MTW4 and the AZ80 are in the same league when it comes to sound quality, but I find the MTW4 to be the clear winner. It's a closer call with the AZ100--I change my mind frequently about which sound I prefer between the AZ100 and MTW4, but both slightly beat out the AZ80. But the AZ100 is out of your price range, and I don't think there's any need to stretch your price to get the AZ100 when you can get the MTW4 instead.

The Sennheiser and Technics are like Coke and Pepsi (or vice versa). I consider them almost exactly tied in terms of sound quality, and the difference mainly comes down to personal preference. I have both, and if I compared 100 pieces of music, I'd probably prefer the Sennheiser on 50, and the Technics on 50. They're both among the best sounding earbuds available in their price range so you can't really go wrong with either choice. Both sound better than the Bose.

They're more or less tied in my book, but I think the Technics have a *slight* edge in battery life and ease of use. They stick out a bit less from the ears, so maybe they'd be less likely to catch accidental touches? I've never had that problem on my MTW4 so I can't say definitively that it's better on the Technics. The MTW4 are basically identical in size, shape, and touch controls to the MTW3, so any physical issues you had are unlikely to change. The MTW3 had a notorious battery problem causing one or both buds to die prematurely, but supposedly they switched to a new battery and battery supplier for the MTW4, and they did put in some battery-preserving features, like the option to auto-stop charging at 80% (which is, evidently, better for long term battery health than charging to 100% every time). I haven't had any battery or dropout problems in the year and a half I've owned them, and I definitely haven't seen complaints about them at nearly the quantity of the complaints there were back in the day about the MTW3.

Coke vs. Pepsi. I have both and--for my needs and tastes--they're about as tied as two earbuds get. They have different sound signatures but both are among the best sounding earbuds after the more "boutique" offerings from B&W, B&O, Devialet, Denon. I thought I preferred the AZ100 sound during my "honeymoon period," with them, but now I'm pretty much split 50/50. If I were forced to choose, I'd probably pick the AZ100 for their slightly better battery life, smaller size, and *slightly* better comfort. But I wouldn't give up my MTW4s without a fight. :)

I second the JBL Tour Pro 3 (my current daily driver), especially when they are tuned properly using EQ. ANC is incredibly practical enough to use them in Gym, Commute (even better with foam tips), AZ100 did not deliver that punch with EQ's for me might be because I came from B&O EX. (I don't know why, but EX has that audio magic and bass response which I still miss in all earbuds I tried )

FTiW - I’ve tested mic quality on both with folks, and the Technics seem to have the edge. Wife and coworkers it said my voice came through clear and no BG noise (loud car and busy office environments).

Mine broke so I went with the Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro. The fit is not as good as Jabra but the sound quality and ANCare far superior. I also tried the Technics AZ100s, but the fit was really awful and the performance was marginally better than the Liberties Pro Price to performance, the Liberties were a winner for me. Costco is selling them for $99 right now. That’s $50 off

New for 100£ is great Technics AZ-80 and 100 are good too or Denon Pearl pro, but the pi7 for that price is crazy new

Technis AZ-100 and B&W PI8 are the 2 best ones you can get, no debate

I have a pair. They sound pretty good, but the volume is way too restricted for my "blow my ears out" listening habits.

Currently trying to decide between Denon perl pro and soundcore liberty 4 pro. These are to replace the AZ100s, which for the money I wasn't that impressed with. The app for the soundcore is definitely better, and the sound quality on both is extremely good. I do like the personalised sound profile on the denon's and it equalises the music to how I enjoy my music. I also have the Nothing Ear (2024) and the sound quality is excellent, but unfortunately don't get loud enough for my liking. I've also had the Melomania M100s and I struggled to get the music to sound how I liked it. I also returned the OnePlus buds pro for the same reason.

Here's what I've tried in the last 6-12 months and in order of preference based on sound: Denon Perl Pro Sennheiser MTW 4 Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro Nothing Ear 2024 Earfun Air Pro 4 Technics AZ100/Technics AZ80 The above are all excellent choices - The top 2 stood out for me but decided on the Perl Pro's. Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 Huawei Freebuds Pro 4 Couldn't find a sound that suited one on these 2 above.

I will say that my AZ100s arrived today, and man I am in love. I’ve used AirPod Pro 2s, Sennheisers, Bose Soundsport Frees (my previous favorite), Moondrop 1979s, Sony XM5s. These Technics have such a gorgeous warm sound without sacrificing clarity. Very very comfortable, too. If you have the means, I highly recommend giving them a whirl.

I don't rate Airpods particularly highly. They are effecient, easy to use, and easy to find a good enough fit that stays put. To me their sound is somewhat narrow and a little thinner than the Sony or Senns. Mind you, they're still very good compared to the majority of TWS options, but I'd put them around a 6 or 7. My initial impression of the 100s is rather glowing. Broader sound, much more warmth and depth of sound without turning into some Beats-like muddled bass monster. They're like a 9 to me. These opinions may very well change once I can sit down and spend some time A-B'ing them against the Airpods and others. It could just be a case of "ooooh, new shiny stuff is always better" and I'll come to rate them lower. But right now, I'm just a big fan.

These are amazing. I love my pair.

And now the Technics AZ100 for android...upping the game

If this is how you're using, I would take the Sony XM5s off the list. They're not comfortable and, for me at least, they fell out constantly when doing anything but sitting. They hit the ground one too many times and are now in the trash. I liked the ANC on the Technics, and the wheel that allows you to adjust the ANC at multiple levels is really nice. They're also comfortable. I wasn't overly impressed with sound quality. They are loud but sound doesn't have the clarity I think it should at that price point. Also, if you want to take a call on them, forget it. The mic quality is awful. I think your best bet from this list is Bose QC or Sennheiser Momentum 4.

MTW4 is one of the best earbuds for its sound and stuff but the reliability is absolutely ass, makes sense that they broke down on you twice, when anyone mentions them I try to let them know they’re NOT RECOMMENDED due to high risk of it dying. If you have a high budget like that the top performers are Technics AZ100 and JBL TOUR PRO 3. I can vouch for the technics, JBL never tried but it has good reviews.

Currently experiencing this now. This month, I’ve tried - EAH-AZ100, Sony XM5, Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2, Jabra Elite 8 Gen 2, Pixel Buds Pro 2, OnePlus Buds Pro 3, Nothing Buds. I could not agree more. I’m currently testing the EAH-AZ100s against the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 and Nothing Buds, and was going to make a post about it myself. I’m not sure what to think. The hype and price almost ‘ruin’ the AZ100’s. They’re just nowhere near as mind blowing as people make out, especially when you compare them to buds 1/2 or 1/3 of the price. As you said, If you put a gun to my head and asked me to pick, yes, I’d probably say the EAH-AZ100s are probably ‘best’ for the average person, but do I think they’re always the most enjoyable or best, absolutely not. I’d honestly say if I listened to 10 songs, maybe 4 of them sound best on the EAZ-AZ100s, 4 on the OnePlus Buds Pro 3, and 2 on the Nothings, and the difference between the Nothing Buds having 2 points and 4, is as you said, literally, literally like 5%. I found it very hard to decide between buds, it was one of the reasons I ended up testing so many. Similarly, I thought the XM5’s were literally the worst of all the ones I mentioned above, despite being near the top in their perceived premium’ness’. I genuinely would pick the Nothing Buds 10/10 times over them. That said, I am hoping to learn how to get more out of these EAZ-AZ100’s with the EQ, I’ve tried playing around with them but not really hearing this ‘mind blowing’ ‘blow your head off’ ‘rip your head in half’ quality tbh.

Yeah sorry man! They are comfy, and they are relatively secure, but I definitely dont think they compare to the Googles, if you had problems with the pixel buds pro 2 (bearing in mind all our ears are different so take this with a grain of salt) then I dont think the AZ100's could be better. They definitely sound more clear than the GPBP2 though! They're pretty close to the Jabra Elite 10 gen 2 or the Jabra Elite 8s I'd say, like very close in terms of comfort/security.

It’s funny you compared these two because I bought both to do the same lol Mostly interested in the 1mm bigger driver for the Nothing Ear. For me: Technics AZ100 -Pros •Longer Battery •Better Latency for gaming •The soundstage is wider and more immersive to me. •The bass feels more buttery/smooth than Nothing ear •Dolby Atmos setting is great for tv shows and movies. It also makes the soundstage for music wider and deeper. Sounds cool. •Better ANC •Better ease of use for touch controls than Nothing Ear’s weird grip controls •The clarity of the highs are so crisp and clean -Cons •Cheap looking case that also feels cheap. I expected more for the $300 price •App is ok but not as good as Nothing Ear •Dolby Atmos for music is cool, but drowns out the mids and highs a bit. Seems to lower the volume •Dolby Atmos head tracking is pointless. Yeah it’s cool but I don’t ever see myself using it •The db volume is much lower than Nothing Ear Nothing Ear -Pros •Cool aesthetically pleasing case that doesn’t feel cheap •Really awesome app with very detailed EQ options •The bass boost option is so awesome for a bass head like me •The personalized sound EQ feature amplifies frequencies that my ears couldn’t pick up as well before •More affordable price •Db volume is much louder than Technics. I have sensitive ears so I have to lower the volume quite a bit •The mids and highs do seem to be a bit cleaner and louder when having the right EQ setting •I would say the 1mm bigger driver does win against the Technics since the volume and bass are louder -Cons •ANC is not that good compared to Technics •Weird grip controls on earbuds •Soundstage does sound less open and wide to me. This sounds more “together center forward” for me •The bass is great but not as smooth satisfying as the Technics •The square case is an odd design choice •Less battery •No 3 point connection like Technics •There’s an option in the settings to help with game latency but when I switch it on it doesn’t really help and it causes the sound to skip every now and then

To me at least, over ear are a waste of money. I would only have 2 or 3 of them. And then never use

Over ears make your ears sweat. They cover your ears and wrap around your head. So they are not better for everything. Plus, these az100 will sound better than most kf not all popular over ear headphones.

Technics: best all round. Sony: with those foam tips there is no way i can recommend them as a good "all round".

I would still pick technics. I would recommend the gemini to nobody.

Technics EAH AZ80 are still the winners in my view. AZ100 lost some sonic neutrality and WAY over-pumped the low end. AZ80’s are absolutely superb for sound: balanced, full, intimate and sonically on-point. I also think they are incredibly comfortable. ANC is not class-leading but it is still excellent. Voice calls are better than AZ100 which makes one sound like a robot.

I totally second the Geminis. I listen to edm, trancy daily and out of your list, the Geminis would be the ideal choice followed by the AZ100. Both have excellent bass responses and lively mids, with good imaging and separation.

You should find a store to demo all the ones or buy and return the ones you don't like. I think the best way to choose a bud is to listen to it using your phone or music source to music you normally listen to. Depending on review don't always work because everyone uses different sources be it a dap, a dongle, naked phone etc and musical tastes vary. Some buds like the AZ100 sound great on edm and hiphop but may not live up to your expectations in jazz or classical. If budget isn't an issue, the Gemini 2 is your best choice as all types of music sounds good, its small and comfortable for all day wear especially if you add an aftermarket foam tip. Some features aren't as good as others but totally excels st sound quality. The Rex5 is good too but requires a lot of time to tweak the eq to fit your musical tastes.

If you're looking for all around buds for ios, including multipoint, best call quality, seamless siri integration, and decent sound the AirPods Pro 2 is your best bet because of the H2 chip it has, just simply works better with ios. Now if sound quality is more important and you are using mostly for listening to music. For $250, best bet is the AZ100, nothing else in the price range can touch it as far as sound quality. In a recent discovery, there are these Japanese made buds on Amazon for only $69.99 called the Aviot Q3 and they sound phenomenal for the price. The tuning is quite similar to the Geminis, they have 10+ hr battery, small form factor, and smallest charging case Ive ever seen. Good to test since Amazon allows for returns.

Honestly $300 is average for high end buds nowadays. The better ones go up over 400 close to 5. The XM5s are kinda old now although they sound great compared to conventional buds, the tech is a little old. The XM6s are supposed to be coming out soon. The best for $300, would be the Technics AZ100 for bass heavy music with excellent sound quality but not great if you need excellent anc. If you want to talk about the best of the best, you can only look at the Devialet Gemini 2 and the B&W Pi8. I personally use the Geminis and its great for bass and exceptional clearity and staging. The Noble Rex5 mentioned are good but overrated at close to $500. I have these too and you need to have the patience to tweak the eq to make them sound good. Out of the box, they're just ok. Out of box using eq presets, you will have excellent results with both the AZ100 and the Geminis.

For me, its always and only about sound quality. All the other features, while good to have isn't what I look at as I hardly ever use them. I have a huge collection of tws and iems. I have the rex5, Gemini 2, and AZ100. If you can afford it, Id would wholeheartedly recommend the Geminis. The music quality and bass response is better than anything else in the collection and on par with several high priced iems. If I had to pick one set to listen to the rest of my life, that would be it. Added bonus is they are smaller than all the others and extremely comfortable for all day wear.

Lol sound is subjective. I can't say for sure its better, just sound better to me. Ive had all 3 for awhile now and Im always listening to the Geminis over the others. Smaller buds for sure so its much more comfortable. Sounds are clearer and bass is more pronounced. The AZ is like bass in your face, a bit more suitable for hiphop. If you started on it maybe it would be different but your ears have already been spoiled by the Geminis you will be disappointed. Rex5 sounds great if, and only if, you have the time to really eq them out. I couldn't find any presets online to use so I started using the poweramp eq for other noble iems and spent almost 2 hours trying to get them to sound better. The clarity and separation is there but to get the bass to hit right took some time. I mean the Geminis using poweramp rtings presets sound great to me. As good as my $500 iems and I haven't found anything that sounds better. You want to upgrade, I think the only possibility is the Geekfly Legend 6 lol I haven't heard them yet but from what Ive read, either those or wait for the Gemini 3.

I currently own over 10 sets of tws from budget to one of the most expensive. Hands down for sound quality alone, Gemini 2 are the best sounding and small form factor for comfort listening for long periods of time. Out of the box, without any eq would sound like $4-600 iems. Once you find a tune you like, it can sound even better. My current top 3: Gemini 2, Rex5, and AZ100. I've heard lots of good things about the Tour Pro 3 but it's never on sale in my country. Retails for around $350 for me. For just a tad more, I would just get another set of Geminis as backup.

Thanks for your review! I went for the technics and in really happy with them! Only down side is transparency mode on transparent wont pause music but inattentive mode does. Also, they feel loose in my ear but are holding really good, probably need to get used to it.

Well I now have them and what do I think, well colour me impressed, using bass+ they have a nice rich tonality very relaxing to listen to Bass is good, enough thump to have fun with, and the treble is quite resolving If I didn't have oracles, I'd be quite happy to settle for these they have such a pleasing sound, and they'll hit sub bass levels though unlike the oracles it doesn't have the same punch One thing I will say, though they're not quiet, equally you do need to turn up the volume a bit, I ended up switching on dolby atmos and that improved things for me Only trouble is, my xm4's have now been demoted to tv watching duties Much like the song I'm listening to 'there's a new kid in town' 😄

They're pricey, but my az100s and JBL Pro Tour 3s work great. The Technics mic is great and multipoint works great too. The JBL are *super* comfortable (ymmv), has *great* ANC, and the fact that the case plugs in and acts as a transmitter is so helpful. I just plug the case in when I'm jumping on a meeting and don't even have to change any mic settings in Teams/Zoom.

For $250-$280 you should look at the az100 (10% off on Technics site) or JBL Pro Tour 3 (on sale for $250 from $300) both superb sound quality and better QC than Denons from what I see here. I have the az100 and JBL, but not the Denons, full transparency.

I've been checking out a lot of stuff lately, and I went with the AZ-100. The sound is awesome, anc is good, it fits nicely, and it doesn’t fall off when I’m running or eating, unlike Nothing or Apple Pro.

I will have my AZ 100s tomorrow. This is the first even SEMI- not amazing review/writeup I have seen of them. I like comparisons. I hope they are my perfect earbuds, as I have been searching for over 3 years now. The 100s SEEM to be top class in everything I have heard/seen/read so far. My main concern is mic quality, transparency then battery life. Audio quality then ANC would not be next. I have had the Huawei Freebuds Pro 3 and they blow everything else out of the water for call quality but the battery life is weak at best at 4-5 hours MAYBE. I hope the mics on the AZ 100s are as good as I have seen on reviews but I will have to wait another day or so to test for myself. If these aren't "the ones" for me then the Huawei Freebuds Pro 4 just came out but they aren't exactly easy to get in the states. And after Monday it will be even harder.

First impressions...similar to what u/sayingTigg33 has said. The best. I am actually mind-blown. Best call quality. Best controls. Best sound. I have only been using them for about 8ish hours at this point, so I will have more later...but...a couple issues I have seen.... For me the left earbud has drained a bit more than the right. Not sure why...I believe past Technics have done the same. If I have triple multipoint on, there seems to be a delay in audio sync when watching videos. I use XPlayer. Not sure about other sources. No delay when not using triple multipoint. I haven't yet actually connected to three devices at once, but only having it turned on there is a delay. I may just need to factory reset the earbuds to fix it. I also haven't even tried LDAC or LC3. I never really use them...this is just with AAC. They sound amazing without the higher end codecs, which I never use anyway. I listen to podcasts mostly. Also...and this is a big one with a lot of people...I slept with these in last night...I had no issues as them being "sleeper" earbuds. LOL. They are significantly smaller than the AZ80s, and so is the case. Calls, battery. transparency, ANC, so far everything is amazing. Initial impression is that, barring any firmware or strange issues...these are the best of the best RIGHT NOW. As in...I am sure something will beat them in a few months, which is what happens in technology-land. But you can't go wrong with them, I would say!!

They actually also have a "super-power" as well. I had both the AZ60s and AZ80s in the past, and I have a few tests that earbuds must pass for me to give them a "go." Both the 60s and 80s had mediocre transparency in my opinion. While the AZ80s did have better transparency, they still had a major issue. One of my tests is the "doing dishes" test for transparency. I do dishes in my household, along with the wife...but there is obviously a lot of clanking going on when doing dishes. The AZ60s and AZ80s would both AMPLIFY the clanking so much is was actually deafening!! It was HORRIBLE. I had them both for a couple weeks, so I am not sure if Technics ever had a firmware update to fix that. HOWEVER!! The AZ100s have a superpower that will actually turn on ANC for a SPLIT SECOND (like a tenth of a second!!) when they detect a loud sound like a clanking, or even my kids screeching and screaming...it is AMAZING!! I don't recall any other earbuds that have done this, and I have tried most major brands in the past 3+ years. While I wouldn't suggest it...I actually wonder if they would work on a shooting range?!!?

Yes but I am specifically talking about transparency mode! It is always on in transparency, a secret "hearing saving " mode. It also has an adaptive ANC as well, which I haven't even really tried yet. I have read that works well as well though.

I ended up returning the AZ100Ss because my wife said the calls had "too much AI" basically. But other than THAT...I loved EVERYTHING about them. The transparency is second only to the Airpod Pro 2. Maybe the Pixel Buds 2 Pro and Samsung Buds 3 Pro are better as well, but not by much. The AZ100s are the overall best earbuds you can get. The battery life is nuts, too. Like 10+ hours with ANC on. I don't use LDAC though. I don't think it is necessary.

Technics az100 or the Huawei freebuds pro 4. The Huawei don't have necessarily top notch sound but they sound decent after EQ. But most importantly, (imo) they have the best call quality I've tried on any tws in this price range. Great voice clarity and background blocking. The Technics are only a tiny bit behind in call quality but sound is much better in terms of soundstage and imaging.

In that case, I would probably recommend the Jbl tour pro 3 or Technics az100. But if you have smaller ears cancals, I would go for the az100 because the Jbl are sort of chunky. Some other options worth considering are the Jabra elite 10 gen 2 if your looking for the best comfort (subjective) or the OnePlus buds 3 pro (a cheaper option)

Budget under 100, Roseselsa Earfree I5, Soundpeats Capsule 3 Pro Plus HM: Moondrop Moca, Budget for 100-200 Denon perl pros, Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 HM: OnePlus buds pro 3, Nothing Ear, Technics az80, Jlab Epic lab Budget for 200-300, B&W Pi8(when on sale) HM: JBL Tour Pro 3, Technics Az100, Sennheiser MTW4 300+ Noble Fokus Rex 5, Devialet Gemini II This would be my suggestions for audio quality, I base these off their performance in soundstage, imaging, seperation, and things similar to that. As for tuning it really comes down to personal preference, most of them will suite anyone's personal needs with their custom EQs. I've tried countless amount of earbuds in all price ranges (20 to 300+ dollars worth) but these come out to be my top performers. I might have missed some since I have so many but I'll probably come back if I missed some. (I'll get into more details if you really want, like durability/longevity, battery, ANC, transparency, etc)

Nice review. I've tried most earbuds (including these) and I think (at the end of the day) fit is going to be the deciding factor. They can be the best on the market at this or that, but if they don't fit well, it's a moot point. Example. The AZ-100's are very good, yes... but the fit was terrible for me (so I returned them). I've always had issues, though, with getting something to fit right (AirPods Pro, Sony's, etc.). For some reason... Bose fits me perfectly (I returned the QC Ultra's, however, since my QC 2's were as good; the immersion thing didn't impress me and Apple's spatial is better)... even though the sound quality is a bit lackluster. Like someone else mentioned, the Pi8's are fantastic (and if you use their case trick, it skyrockets to #1 as far as great audio). I'm heavily wedded to Apple's ecosystem, so I use AirPods Pro for most things... but if I'm trying to block out noise (which I'm sensitive to)... Bose all the way. Always. Every time. I haven't tried the super pricey ones (Devialet Gemini, B&O Beoplay, etc.), but I'm not spending $500+ on earbuds. While I know everyone hates them, the AirPod Pro's do the trick most of the time (for me).

I have all of them, apart from OnePlus. You will see that AZ100 will be the best one in the end. But, if you love bass, you will fall in love with Denon; the downside will be its size. The Pi8 is great as well, but the app... Also,I believe I must buy a memory foam ear tips for them.

The Pi8 is better than the AZ80, but the AZ100 is better than the Pi8.

Technics AZ100 , best earbuds ive used.

I had the blues as well, returned for the black 100s

I had it at like 70% volume and that was more than enough, can’t imagine it being louder but I did actually end up buying the az100

In that case I would be worrying about hearing damage or levels of tinnitus but I’m also very anal about those things. I bring custom molded earbuds to concerts, double up when drumming, as well as when shooting guns indoors. I’m excited for the az100. The brief time I had with the az80 was very enjoyable.

I've been going back-and-forth for the last couple of weeks deciding whether to keep the Sony's or the Technics. Sound Quality: For what it's worth, I think my ears are pretty sensitive to detail as I'm an orchestral musician and I'm particularly tuned into the timbre of instruments as well as imaging and soundstage. Although I enjoy the wide soundstage of the Technics, I feel like that wide soundstage sacrifices detail and accuracy. The Sonys remove a layer of artificiality and let you get closer to the intention of the recording. The Sonys sound more refined and I can better hear the details of transients and decays of all sorts of instruments like cello, voice, guitar, percussion with the Sonys. ANC: This may be location-dependent, but sitting in a cafe right now, the Sonys do a better job of blocking out sounds across the frequency spectrum compared to the Technics. Lastly, the "connected" voice on the Technics is really annoying compared to Sonys sound. I haven't found a way to disable that yet. If there is, please let me know, but I'll likely be returning the Technics in exchange for the Sonys which are almost half the price on amazon now anyway. I hope this is helpful to others! Thanks for the original post, too.

I see a lot of good advice here. I find they get more comfortable as you wear the ear tips in. Give them more time.

I use AZ100 for a similar use case. I replaced AirPods Pro with them.

Move from AirPods Pro to AZ100. Crazy difference. Even €20 Moondrop Space travel sound better then AirPods though.

The sound definition is levels above due to the ldac codec. You can change settings in Apple music for High def audio. The only W for apple in the comparison it the transparency more is better on the airpods.

They fixed that with the 100s

I sold my Bose Quiet Comfort ultra and I'm now trying the AZ100 - the sound is noticeably better but the ANC is definitely worse

The Az100 has awful ANC. It does sound pretty good though.

Idk what you’ve used before but their ANC is worse than APP, Gemini II, Jabra 85, and Pi8. I’ve used them all in the same setting and it’s terrible in comparison.

I’m probably keeping them because they’re extremely comfortable and have a really good mic. I like them a lot overall and don’t really need ANC as I work from home, but I’ve worn them all in the same environments (supermarket, gym, etc.) and they’re the worst performing of them all for ANC.

You've all been fantastic with your feedback. Ultimately, I went with Technics AZ100. Overall, I am quite happy with the choice. Here are my impressions: Sound is amazing. It's a bit warmer than Sony's (I have WF-1000XM4 and WH-1000XM3), but I like it. Battery life is amazing. Connectivity is without any issues. I have them connected to the smart TV, a desktop PC, and an Android phone. The comfort and fit for my ears is great. The ear tips sizes are plenty and I much prefer the silicone than foam (that Sony's have). I was having a really hard time with WF-1000XM4 after the first hour of usage. Technics AZ100 feel like a natural extension of my ears. Software is just fine. I've configured them initially and rarely used it since. No gripes. Noise cancelling is just OK. Sounds definitely get through, even on Noise Cancelling mode. Ambient mode is OK. The only thing I wish it did better is wind noise. I use them while cycling and am getting "the speed hum". If I change my head position from looking straight forward to down a bit, as if I am watching the tip of the front bicycle wheel, the hum goes away. Sony's didn't have this issue. Finally, even with wind noise management issues and imperfect noise cancelling, I still think it's was a very good buy.

Might I suggest the Technics Az100

Personally I like them. In terms of both sound and ANC performance, they’re pretty good. You can check out pickyaudio on YT for his review on this. You can try getting them at a pretty good price from vee gadget on shopee during 6.6. I believe it’s Japan import set.

AZ100 is best at the moment

AZ100s are best when you want to be mobile but don't want to compromise on sound quality. I use it mainly around my office/home. Shockz OpenRun is best when I am out and about riding my scooter and/or running errands. They stay on with no issues and it's easy to take on and off being "one-piece" instead of two so you don't fear losing it. Sony XM6 has the best noise cancelling, best for flights and loud areas. OnePlus Buds pro 3 is for being mobile but you don't want to risk losing/damaging your expensive AZ100s.

Same with my XM4s, after years of daily use though. Now they last about an hour. I recently replaced them with the AZ100, which are kinda fine.. Just fine. The sound is fine (fine by my standard of dailying H95 and PX8 recently), but the ANC is average and the wind noise cancelling is... non existent. I also demoed the Pi8 or whatever the B&W are called, also the Denon and a few others. Oh and I also have soundcore p40i. The Denon were just meh, the B&W were on the same level as the AZ100 for double the price. My soundcore sound impressive for the price but the ANC turns on and off as it pleases, unuseable. I got the AZ100 because the ANC is usable, not great but OK and the sound isnt wow to me but there is nothing to complain about. I'll get the MX6 whenever Sony release those if the ANC is a little better than the XM5s.

Technics AZ100

Its fine for me, but everyone is different. Actually I rarely ever find IEMs that don't fit well.

AZ100 are probably next best for transparency. Very high quality

I used the AZ80 for two years before buying the AZ100 and never had any durability issues beyond the case getting scratched up but that’s me being nitpicky

I found ANC on this earbuds really bad, they cant cancel outside noise like car traffic sucessfully, they even amplify that same high pitch noise for some reason, really strange but a lot of AZ100 users from r/Earbuds can confirm that, but they sound amazing when there is no noise around and spatial audio is next level.

I found ANC on my AZ100 weak no matter what I try, even my Jabra Elite 7 Active blocks outside noise better (bus rides, car traffic, people talking), having a jacket hood on makes ANC on AZ100 even worse for some reason, but they do sound really nice when there is not much noise around you.

I got this 2 weeks ago. Love these so muchhh

Im a producer and a lover of sound and TWS buds I have to say that FINALLY!!! some decent TWS, I have to say that they are the first TWS that you could produce whenever you travel without taking the card and the 660s or the Clear MG, top sound quality in AAC, you do not even need to use the LDAC, they last me with ANC 10h:30 with 64% of volume, are 3 charges and charge the headphones in 1 hour. I have had the xm4, the xm5 and I returned them, not only because of fatigue but because when you equalize with SoundIDReference it eats frequencies when you increase the 200hz, I also had the Pixel pro 2, and they have a sound of 80 euros, the Nothing have almost the same sound worth 200e less, but it gave me fatigue and fatigue is the worst thing that can happen using headphones. Also the Jabra Elite 10 but it gives fatigue and eats frequencies, also the Samsung buds 3 pro, the stick ones give me fatigue. We are getting closer and closer to the Shure SE846G2CL at a more affordable price and without cables, the Technics not only give a spectacular sound but you can spend 10 hours with them 'working'. If you are an editor it is the most recommended for work and more than enough to listen to everything in detail. They are the best TWS that exist today 2025 of the entire market. Sony, Nothing, Samsung, you better get your act together and the stick TWS is a mistake, if you generate fatigue the TWS are useless.

Technics AZ100 is the best overall package. Sony's sound is super veiled in comparison to any of the heavy hitters. Strictly Sq: can't go wrong with the devialet Gemini 2 or even the bowers & wilkins pi8 (if you're not a basshead). Also heard the Rex 5 are like the pinnacle of tws for bass lovers, but I haven't heard them myself yet.

I have AZ100s, they are brilliant; but ANC could have been better. Soundwise, no complaints whatsover!

this seems the best middle ground of everything... love mine so far!!!

I bought the AZ100 and to be honest I really liked them.

I had MTW3 in the past. They broke down within a year. I think Sennheiser has some quality issues with their MTW series. Recently purchased Technics AZ100’s. They sound very good in my opinion. There are some EQ presets, but you can also tune the EQ to your own taste. ANC and battery life are very good. They have something called: voice focus Ai, on calls disturbing noises are filtered away. My home is being renovated, lots of drilling and stuff. When on a phone I call the other side hears nothing of the construction noises. Only remarks I get are: You sound like you have a cold or being congested. A bit of a nasal sound apparently. They are on the expensive side, almost 300,- euros.

I like the AZ100’s. It takes a bit of time to find the right tip. When you have the right ones they do sound amazing. At least to my taste. Voice focus Ai is something special I think. My building is being renovated; a lot of contractors working (drilling, yelling etc a.k.a. construction noises). When in Teams meetings all that outside noise is filtered away. The only comment I get when in Teams is that I sound a bit congested. The charging case is fine. The closing magnet could be a bit stronger though. The ANC is quite alright, maybe not the strongest out there. But at least there is no ANC humming or buzzing. I would take the AZ100’s over the AirPods Pro 2 any day of the week.

There’s a huge difference. The stock seem to be harder and less flexible. The spinfit are much softer and makes the earbud feel lighter. At least for me it’s a night and day difference. Was thinking of returning the az100 cause it doesnt matter how good the sound quality is if you can’t stand wearing them. I’m pretty sure I’m keeping them.

I was in the same boat. Fit was uncomfortable, played with the stock tips didn't work. Got Spinfit Neo and fixed it.

The only ones available for the az100 are the Neo. You can check their website. I totally agree with you that AirPods Pro 2 are the most comfortable. And they will still be. But at least to me the az100 with the spin fit Neo are very comfortable, not as the AirPods but close enough.

They actually are returnable. Sizes have big variations on the spin fits unlike the stock ones. Keep the ones that fit return the rest. I’m pretty sure it’s good business for them at almost 20 USD a pair.

I had the same problem with the bass, that’s why I stayed with size M; little tighter but full sound spectrum. Regarding fit; try twisting the earbud a little to the front instead of to the back. That helped me get a comfortable fit. It’s not there with the AirPod pro 2 but it doesn’t bother me at all And the sound is well worth it.

I agree the AZ100’s are overrated if purely based on “best sounding”. Lots of people will jump from low tier earbuds to the AZ’s and crown them as the best without trying anything else. They do a lot of things well but are not the best. The question is what exactly are you looking for? What do you value more? What music do you like? Devialet Gemini II’s, Denon Perl Pro’s, Noble Fokus Rex5 are better in sound. And if sound is the most important, than none of these even come close to IEM’s. Sony and Bose are far superior in ANC. For bassheads lots of other options such as Nothing Ears, Noble Mystique.

From the AZ100, it sounds robotic but it removes almost any background noise. They annoyingly force ANC while using the mics though which I don’t like.

I have the Sony's and the Jabra's , While the Jabra's have the best fit I've ever had in a pair of earbuds ( the Jabra elite 8 active have the same fit and better sound). I found the call quality of the 7's massively below par, and my Sony's stopped making calls about a week after they ran out of warranty. I still use the Sony's for music though I find the touchpads are hugely oversensitive and my hair touching activates them.The other good thing about the Jabra's are the excellent touch/press controls. I'm finding the new Technic 100s to be a much more reliable all-rounder at the moment. Good sound, fit and great call quality.

Great comparison, of note I see you mention call quality on the AZ100s but not the Pi8s. How do the Pi8s stack up in call quality?

Some of the videos I've watched have really highlighted those same points. I need these for work and conference calls as well as general listening so I will likely be going for the AZ100s as more of an all-purpose tool. Thanks for putting in the work! I'm really just torn between the black and silver

https://preview.redd.it/8tgl24cb71qe1.jpg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a61a6c6f1d0cd4a8efefdef20d349583d99cc7c9 # Introduction So, first, I am not an audiophile, but I do like audio. As much as an audiophile would, I'll get directly to the point: **do not trust any review**—Technics is better than Nothing Ear, brah, bah. Clearer sound, more detail, bra bra, and ignore those who defend; I will give my direct opinion. And no defending any, so since music and sound preference are subjective, I will compare based on **instrument separation** and **who has the clearer sound—not muddy**. **Hell fking no**, I am very, very disappointed at this point. The Technics bass is **boomy** even when I set the treble **+ which no bass**. # Initial Impressions I got the Technics **10 days ago** after seeing that both reviewer and user reviews were very hyped about it, so I ordered and tried it out. The first balance is **very boomy** with bass that sounds **warm and a little muddy**. The **soundstage** is the same as Nothing Ear—not wider or anything. # Part 1: Battery Life # Technics * **Battery Performance:** Technics is the clear winner in this category due to its **10-hour ANC on + LDAC capability**. This is great for people who wear them for a long time and do not take them off. # Nothing Ear * **Battery Performance:** For Nothing Ear, it's not bad and not great either, with **5-hour ANC on + LDAC**. This isn’t ideal for long-term use—if you use it for over 6 months, the performance will surely degrade. Personally, I don’t use ANC much because I listen in my room. # Part 2: Secure, Fit, and Daily Use # Technics * **Fit & Case:** My ears are small. Technics wins for daily use. The case of the Technics earbuds is really good—small, easy to fit in my pocket, and quick to use. Even when I walk in the park, I can easily pick them up from my pocket, open the case, and get them out to my ear. # Nothing Ear * **Fit & Case:** For Nothing Ear, the case is luxurious for sure, but it’s hard to get the earbuds out. The case is big, and I don’t know why I can’t get them out when I try to pull the earbuds from the case; the earbuds slip from my hand and fall every time 😅. So for daily use, it may be a draw, I think—Nothing Ear wins for me when it comes to fit in my ear and security, but Technics wins for easy retrieval of earbuds and a smaller case. # Part 3: Software, EQ, and Control # Nothing Ear * **Software & App:** In software, Nothing shines so hard, I can’t believe it. The Nothing app is a clear win in this regard due to its ease of use. It is a rich application—what I like the most is the EQ sharing and equalizer, which is the best I’ve ever tried. I even had fun going to Discord and finding somebody’s EQ to import for 10 EQ presets; it was very fun, easy to import, and easy to share. It even has a hearing test and fit test. * **Controls:** But! For control, the **pinch control is stupid and hard to use**. I don’t like it—I even hate it. I don’t use it at all, so most of the time I spend time in the app to change ANC, LDAC, LDHC, and volume control on the phone rather than using pinch control. # Technics * **Software & App:** Now, for Technics, the app seems okay—not bad and even good too—but for some reason, I find that the app looks very cheap for an expensive product like this. The settings are only in text—no signs or emojis to indicate if this is spatial audio or which setting to use—so it feels a little cheap in terms of, say, the app’s 8-band EQ. * **Controls & Functionality:** I guess I will cover sound quality for EQ in another part, but it has many functions like spatial audio, low latency mode, etc. Touch control is very fking good. One thing I don’t like about the app is that when selecting spatial audio or a different EQ, **why the fk do the earbuds need to self-restart every time?** When I set the EQ, I want to hear the difference fast—Nothing Ear has no issue with this. For me, I like the Nothing app better, but Technics is okay and very good. # Part 4: How the Earbuds and Case Look # Technics * **Case Appearance & Build:** Despite being expensive, one thing I don’t like about the Technics case is that it looks cheap—like cheap plastic. For those who think the lid is aluminum because it looks that way, no—it’s plastic, and the joint of the lid wobbles a little. When you shake it a little, you can hear the plastic sound. That is so cheap, bruhhh, omg. The magnet is also not strong; you can shake it and the earbuds fall out, even if the lid is still off. I use very low force to shake it, and since the case is small and the earbuds are easy to pull out, I’ll skip all my blame here. # Nothing Ear * **Case Appearance & Build:** Nothing Ear has a rich, translucent case with a strong magnet that looks like better quality plastic, even though it shakes. However, the case is square, and when you pull the earbuds out, it is so hard. The positioning of the earbuds in the case is weird—as heck. Nothing Ear users will know what I mean since it sometimes gets confusing when placing the earbuds back in the case. * **Earbuds:** For the earbuds themselves, I kind of give it a draw, but I like Nothing Ear better due to the shape and its transparent design. # Part 5: ANC and Transparency Mode # Technics * **ANC & Transparency:** In short, Technics is far better in this area—Nothing Ear has no chance to win this part. If you ask me, compared to Bose QC Ultra (Bose ANC is so good I will not talk about it—it is the best): * **ANC:** 8.5/10 * **Transparency:** 8/10 # Nothing Ear * **ANC & Transparency:** * **ANC:** 5/10 * **Transparency:** Useless/10 # Part 6: Sound Quality # Technics (Treble+ and Dynamic) * **General Sound Quality:** The sound quality of Technics is on the warmer side while the bass is bloated and the overall sound is muffled. This comes down to the 8-band EQ , which is not that great because the earbuds respond to EQ adjustments (like + or -) with only small changes. * EQ Settings & Presets: However, when using app presets like Treble+ and Dynamic, the sound improves. Even with good tuning, the presets still work best with Treble+ since it boosts mid and high frequencies to counteract the overwhelming bass. Note: Other presets are not good, but Treble+ and Dynamic are the only ones that sound good, even though EQ tuning still doesn't work as well as Treble+ and Dynamic. * The best preset for Technics is **treble+** because all other presets in the app are too bass-heavy except for vocal and treble+, which seem okay to me. * **Song Testing:** I mostly listen to J-pop and regular popular songs (Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, Taylor, etc.). I started with "Sunny" from Yorushika, "Perfect" (Ed Sheeran guitar version), Bocchi the rock song "Guitar, Loneliness and Blue Planet," and Bruno Mars’ "Just the Way You Are" using LDAC on a good streaming music app. * **Detailed Observations:** * The Technics sound is somewhat blurry—guitar is very hard to hear; you need to focus to catch it. * The bass comes too much from the left and right, making the vocals (especially female vocals) seem behind the lead instruments, causing muddiness. * The kick and snare sound very lifeless and do not feel as clean as on Nothing Ear (using a reference EQ like the Sennheiser HX EQ—I copy from somebody, ignore the name as it’s not the real Sennheiser). * Overall, the instrument separation is about 15% worse than Nothing Ear (EQ), and the sound quality is 18% worse than Nothing Ear overall. * The app also looks cheap. # Nothing Ear (EQ) * **General Sound Quality & EQ:** Nothing Ear has an EQ that is extremely responsive—you can adjust Q, factor, Hz, etc., and see changes directly. Even though the stock EQ on Nothing Ear is very bad, when you fine-tune it (using EQ presets from Reddit or Discord), it can become top-market quality—potentially even better than MTW4 or Technics when adjusted properly. * **Treble, Mid, and Instrument Impact:** * The treble in Nothing Ear is good but not the best—it doesn't sparkle as much as I want. * The mid is the best—the guitar and snare drum sound right, and I can feel the impact of strumming, bass, and kick after EQ. * After EQ adjustment, the instrument separation is excellent, and the soundstage is clearer than Technics or even better than Technics' best preset. * What I really like about Nothing Ear is that I can boost my bass to make it bloated like Technics—or even turn off the bass EQ entirely for clarity. I can also tune it like Harman, which is very amazing and fun when sharing EQ settings. * **Comparison Summary:** * **EQ:** Nothing Ear’s EQ is extremely responsive; no other wireless earbuds offer such detailed adjustments. * **EQ Sharing:** The ability to share and import EQ presets is among the best—finding EQ settings via Discord or Reddit is very fun. * **Treble:** The treble is about 10% less sparkling than Technics. * **Sound Stage** * These two earbuds have the same soundstage, and it's quite wide. From my point of view, the soundstage of these two earbuds feels like a triangular cut of cheese. While they both have a 3D image, your head is positioned in the middle of the "cheese." The bass and low-frequency instruments stay in the left and right ears, while in the front, you have some kick and snare drums. The vocals are positioned in front of the drums. * For those wondering, I feel that the vocals in the Nothing Ear are closer compared to the Technics. In the Technics, the vocals seem to blend with the drums, whereas in the Nothing Ear, the vocals are positioned in front, with the drums and snare behind them. This results in the Nothing Ear having clearer vocal and mid sound. # Conclusion !!!!So if you have Nothing Ear, DO NOT switch to this product. Your product is already better.!!!!! Technics Summary: * EQ does not respond much—useless for me. * ANC and Transparency mode are better. * QOL (Quality of Life) is better. * Cheaper look. * Touch control is better. * Only the dynamic preset and treble+ are better than the other EQ options. * The sound of the electric guitar, drums, guitar is not as good as on Nothing Ear, even with Technics’ EQ. * Instrument separation is about 15% worse than Nothing Ear. * Overall sound quality is 18% worse than Nothing Ear. * The app looks cheap. Nothing Ear Summary: * Worse control. * Bad ANC, USELESS Transparency mode. * Richer look. * Case is big. * EQ is extremely responsive and adjustable in detail (Q, Hz, etc.). * EQ sharing and import features are among the best, allowing you to achieve top-market sound quality, even better than the MTW4 or Technics. I would confidently say this after listening to the Nothing Ear myself. After tuning and with the help of the Discord and Reddit communities, which themselves are like monsters when it comes to fine-tuning EQ settings for these earbuds, the Nothing Ear has become a true powerhouse in terms of sound quality. * The treble is good but not as sparkling as Technics; however, the overall after EQ impact—especially for guitar and drums—is clearer and more detailed than Technics all EQ. * Nothing Ear lets you boost or turn off bass EQ for clarity, offering amazing tuning flexibility. Disclaimer: I talk about what I experience. I don’t care who will blame me or anything. I only compare earbuds from my experience. I have also listened to Sennheiser Momentum 4 and Technics. For Bose, I already talked about ANC, not sound quality. I am not an audiophile. Any audiophile who shows me a curve to defend Technics—I don’t care. I already talked in all 6 parts about why I think like that. Also, since I'm still at a B2 level in English, I use ChatGPT to help review and improve my writing.

I am very sad that the Technics AZ100's bass tuning is bloated compared to the AZ80; it sounds worse than the AZ80, in my opinion. Yes, I mostly listen to J-Pop, which mainly requires clear and energetic guitar, midrange, and drum sounds. The AZ100's bass-heavy tuning makes my music sound muddy. I also didn't return the AZ100 because I mainly use it outside, but I listen to Nothing ear at home.

Pi7 don't, just don't. If you want B&W, go with pi8, one of the best sound, good anc, no bugs after firmware update, good fit. But price tag is higher. Devialet Gemini 2 are also good, technics az100 more budget friendly but not cheap.

You totally missed best sound earbuds pi8, az100, Gemini II, pearl pro, noble. Actually I will not replace pi8 with any other buds from this topic, in respect to sound. When price is not an object and you looking for best sound, this is what you test, no bose:)

Technic AZ100. Great sound and ANC is fully adjustable from 100% down. Also fully programmable for ear bud taps to control everything.

**Technics AZ100** There are already many reviews of it, but I still want to quickly share my thoughts. **True Wireless Background:** * Previous experience with AZ80,Samsung Buds Pro. * Long-term listening (over 3 hours) with AirPods Pro 2, XM4, XM5. * Short-term experience with CAM M100. **Noise Cancellation: 7.5/10 (Best true wireless option)** When I switched from Buds Pro to AZ80 early last year, the difference was obvious. The noise cancellation on the AZ80 was decent but still just passable. You had to turn the volume up to at least 55% to block out noise. It couldn't block wind noise while cycling, and it was barely usable for loud noises like trains or the subway. When I tried the AZ100 on the 20th, it was obvious that it could compete with AirPods Pro 2. I even let a user who’s had AirPods Pro for 4 years try it, and they agreed it was on par. However, since current noise-cancellation technology isn't fully mature, I’d only rate it 7.5/10, on the same level as Bose and AirPods Pro. I won't compare it with XM5 because for me, the foam ear tips cause too much pressure and the noise cancellation isn't any better (I saw some people on forums saying XM4 outperforms the AZ100, but I don’t really know what they mean). **Sound Quality: 8/10** As everyone else has mentioned, there’s a noticeable upgrade. I would say great as Pi8 bt kinda worse than Noble rex 5 But honestly, in this price range, the sound quality of most headphones is pretty much the same—it's all about minute differences. I’ll leave the detailed evaluation to the audiophiles. **Comfort: 8/10** To be honest, the smaller size of the earbuds actually feels less comfortable than the AZ80. I might not be used to it yet. The touch panel is smaller, and the stock ear tips are a bit too tight, so I’ve switched to XS tips, which is a bit better. I’ll see if I get more used to them over time. **Battery Life: 9.5/10** The battery has improved a lot—really a lot. I remember when I unboxed the AZ80 last year, after updating the firmware, the battery drained a few percent right away. This time, after listening to 10 songs over 3-4 hours while writing this, it still shows 99%. I thought the battery indicator was broken! **Overall: 9/10** I’m giving this score because the improvements in noise cancellation and battery life are very noticeable. Plus, the price is incredibly good, especially in Japan. It’s more like AZ80M2 than a new model. They’ve improved the battery, noise cancellation, and fixed several other issues. For this price, it’s definitely the best value. I’m very confident in it. *If you want the black version, I’d recommend going to Big shops like Bic Camera(Japan). I checked with several small shops in Japan, and they’re already out of stock. Basically the AZ100 is well-stocked, much more reliable than Fuji cameras.* The other updates honestly don’t make much difference for regular users, so I won’t go into them. https://preview.redd.it/eepiniqnl3fe1.jpg?width=1620&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8041b5df91df6f0d10e2f8e900158dbcf776782c

Sitting here with both of these auditioning them. Initial impression is along the lines of what others have said. The AZ100 are a bit warmer & bassy. MTW4 is a bit more neutral. At least out of the box with no customization. MTW4 tips flip inside out when I pull them out of my ears. That’ll get old quickly. Could care less about Dolby atmos and head tracking. If you want that get an iPhone and AirPods (which i have and have always hated). Might be nitpicking, but the AZ100 case is nothing special. Very plasticky. The MTW4 is $80 cheaper right now.

Bought mine at the beginning of December and they are working fine. I enjoy the sound quite a bit. I agree with the ear fit not being the best and the ANC being kind of meh. Just purchased the AZ100 buds and have been trying them out the past couple days - very very nice. I do prefer the Denons as they are louder.

Technics eah-az100 No contest.

And since they cost the same, it's a no brainer for me.

I tried apple air pods pro 1 and sony's xm5. The sony is pretty good. But when i tried Techics, it was like hearing in HD for the first time. There are no bad earbuds for 300$, so it's more subjective at that price point.

Should i get these az100’s or should i just buy over ear headphones like the bose QCs?

Should i get these AZ100 over Bose QC over ear Headphones or other headphones? I haven’t had much experience with headphones but the wholeness of sound with over ears, bass, fit at the gym, anc. With earbuds i’ve been accustomed to them and i like them because they’re very versatile, easy to wear.

Hi thanks for the response, yes ive tried them both and the earbuds were great but i really dont like how they look 😆, and yea it is pretty hard to choose id buy both options if i really could. Among all the reviews the AZ100 is just being recognized as the possible best for this year ( though there might be a real game changer) i just wish i could test out the fit for the gym because i get into high movement activities ( and yes i need an all arounder not just sport earbuds) if someone does know how the AZ80 fits for gym it’d be great.

Just sent the az100 back. Then got the mx5 and i like these better.

The sound is perfect for me. There's lots of detail and it's a wide soundstage and more than enough bass. The Az100 didn't have these, weirdly enough. The only issue I had was that the foam tips are completely useless for my ears, they just don't isolate, they move around. I have big ears. So I swapped them out for regular silicone ones.

Agreed! I have a bunch of “premium” earbuds (Denon PerL Pro, Beats Fit Pro, Technics AZ100, Sennheiser Momentum 4, and the Bose QC Ultra) and the noise cancellation on the Bose is easily the best. In terms of sound quality, the Denon Perl Pro are my favourite, but not by much (I really also like the spacious sound of the Sennheiser Momentum TW 4s). The Bose QC Ultras have a hyped sound, but its quite immersive so in terms of excitement they’re also good. I don’t love the Technics, got them cause of all the hype, to my ears they’re somewhat ordinary (good in every department, not great in any), but that could also just be me and my preferences/physiology. In the end, none of these will match a great set of headphones in terms of sound quality, so you’re best advised to try a few out and see which one you like best (if you have that available to you of course). Fit & comfort are also very important and highly personal, as well as extended features (eg mic quality, weight, IPX rating etc etc).

I just got a pair of technics az100s they’re pretty amazing so far.

One thing to know is that sound is subjective. All the ones you a re looking at are competitive with one another in the higher end consumer segment. The momentums might be a good choice for your music needs as they are a bass forward earbud with good sound. I love the Technics but the fit might not be the most comfortable for everyone. I can tell you this the AZ 80 earbuds are not the most comfortable for my ears BUT I have used more comfortable earbuds. Also the Perl Pro are comparable imo for sound but I had the experience and have seen a lot of people says they are uncomfortable. As for the Sony they are decent but the others produce a better sound profile. The best thing to do if you are able to is look at some reviews YouTube. If you want some good sources I can help with that. Also try the others if you can and return what you don't like. Unfortunately it's a big trial and error type situation especially with fit. One thing that will help with the fit is some eartips from Spinfit. I've found that I've gotten better sound and fit from earbud using theor eartips. Hope this helps some

AZ100 without hesitation, MTW4 returned

So I had the XM5 buds and they died after 1.5 years (battery issues). And I treated them well. there's also a lot of stuff you can't customise which drove me mad (ie if you take an earbud out it goes into transparency mode). Otherwise enjoyed the sound and ANC.  I've now bought the AZ100s and i Like em. I use comply foam tips which blocks more noise and the ANC is equal to the xm5 (i think better on lows worse on highs). Sound quality is great (similar to xm5. better for hip hop and jazz. slightly worse for guitar heavy stuff)  but they have amazing battery (literally all day at work without going into the case), can customize everything, and are comfy.  only complaints. I can't figure out how to "pull" connection. ie I have 2 devices paired and want to connect a third and bump off the 2nd automatically. no idea how to do this. and the case magnet isn't as satisfying as xm5s

Just bought Az100. Sound quality is great, build is great, app is great. ANC sucks ass.

Don’t get the Bose QC Ultra. Their sound quality is bass-heavy and they have severe connectivity issues and bugs. I’d also throw another pair in there to consider: the JBL Tour Pro 3. I’d go with those over both Sennheiser and Technics. I wasn’t a fan of either, mainly the fit and lack of ANC with the Sennheiser and the overall sound quality and lack of ANC with the Technics. I think tbt Tour Pro 3 walk the line the best between having ANC that is better than Sony and right up there with Bose along with audio quality that can be as accurate or fun as you want with EQ’ing. They don’t sound great out of the box, but neither do any of the other true wireless earbuds. They all require EQ’ing.

There’s a bunch and they all stand out for different reasons. You’ll find the Technics AZ100 get recommended a lot here, I think they’re overrated. ANC is b-tier for earbuds that cost so much and I never liked the lack of punch they have. I prefer the JBL Tour Pro 3. ANC almost on par with Bose but none of their bugs. You can tune them to be as accurate or fun as you want using JBL’s app and they’re packed to the gills with features. Since you’re just starting out; search this sub and read through the reviews. It’s ok to rely on website reviews.

It’s clear you shouldn’t make assumptions because I spent an hour each day across 4 days trying to EQ them with music I listen to and they never sounded how I wanted. Edit: If you’re going to respond to me, at least do it intelligently enough for your post not to be automatically deleted. Don’t let the door hit you on your way out. Keep hyping the new thing until the next pair of whatever comes out. I didn’t like the way they sounded, deal with it. I know exactly what I’m talking about because it’s my preference after 4 days of trying to EQ them. They also have subpar ANC for their price, it’s measurably behind other earbuds in the same price region (and those that cost much less), deal with it.

That's a tall order. Any earbud out now that is rated for 12 hours with ANC is going to have terrible ANC. Even with something like the Technics AZ100, it's ANC is garbage for its price and competitive with Soundcore earbuds often priced $40-$50. You're better off recharging mid-day or going with headphones.

Since 3.5mm jack got ditched, I only had 2 pairs of BT earbuds. JBL UA True Flash X and apple airpods pro 2nd gen. The JBL True Flash X were good, but not the best (more bass than audio quality in my opinion) Apple airpods pro 2nd gen. are great with crisp sound quality and nice features, but for that price, you can definitely find something better. One of my friends bought Bowers & Wilkins Pi8, audio quality amazing, but battery life is so awful. If I was you, I'll pick Technics EAH-Az100, cuz all the technics products I had, I have never been disappointed.

Here's another: \> This is one of the bigger generational leaps I've experienced while testing earbuds or headphones – the AZ100 are tangibly better than the AZ80 in every way. They sound excellent, look much better, solve the battery life issue and upgrade active noise-cancelling (ANC) to make for a pretty complete package. An easy 5-star recommendation that's outside the normal headline-hitters from Sony, Bose, et al. [https://www.t3.com/tech/headphones/technics-az100-review](https://www.t3.com/tech/headphones/technics-az100-review) I have plenty of earbuds, but it's sure going to be hard to resist an early purchase.

Direct from Technics. [**https://us.technics.com/products/premium-hi-fi-true-wireless-earbuds-with-dolby-atmos-and-noise-cancelling-eah-az100**](https://us.technics.com/products/premium-hi-fi-true-wireless-earbuds-with-dolby-atmos-and-noise-cancelling-eah-az100)

Yes. Sounds like the az's are equal to or better than the Sonys.

Everyone's ears are different but I hear a significant difference between the air pro 4's and my AZ100 and my Jabra Elite 8. Closer to my Sennheiser Momentum TW 4, but still the soundstage and clarity of all those is at least a step above the earfuns. I've tried tuning the Earfuns, but they're considerably harsher, sibilant in the highs, and kind of compressed from 1k through about 5k. But that's just me.

Me too, though I'd probably go 80/20 to the Technics because I prefer their warmer almost more analog sound (though they're still very clear and precise and you can get them both pretty close with eq). But I agree that another person might be 80/20 the other way. I personally think the Technics are slightly more comfortable and have better mic technology. ANC is pretty close. I also hate the fact that to customize the "sound personalization" on the Sennheisers you have to listen to a built in sound file instead of fine tuning while you're listening to your preferred source. So all those things tip me toward the Technics.

So many threads about this... but since I have both, I'll give you a quick rundown. I think sound quality is slightly better in the AZ100s, but not by a ton. The AZ100s have more bass, and a warmer, almost analog-like sound, but with plenty of clarity in the highs. They're a pleasure to listen to. The MTW4's are still very nice, but a little more "standard" / reference feeling, with perhaps a *little* more splash in some parts of the higher ranges (though the soundguys review says that there's an underperformance at about 2 kHz). AZ100s are far more comfortable to me, being much smaller and easier to fit in the ears. The MTW4s are boxy and bulky, and I really wouldn't want to exercise in them. AZ100 and MTW have relatively the same touch controls and they're similarly customizable, but the AZ100 waits to give you beeps until after you've repeatedly tapped. So, for example, if you set double tap to next track, you have to tap twice before the AZ100s beep twice (indicating a double tap). You're left wondering if you tapped twice until your tapping is done. The MTW beeps every time you tap, so you know it's been registered. That leads to fewer misfires. AZ100's call quality is much much better. MTW's ANC is probably a little better than the AZ100s in the highs, but is equal in the lows. The AZ100s have a cool voice-centric transparency mode which works pretty well. MTW's case is much nicer, with its tweed-like finishing and strong-as-nails magnet to keep the lid closed. The AZ100's case has a nice brushed metal cover, but is otherwise basic plastic (though sturdy feeling). However, its lid and magnet are pretty weak, meaning that any drop will result in the earbuds spilling out. But it is very very nice and compact. MTW's app kinda stinks IMO. You can create a personalized sound profile (which is awesome) but to tweak it the Sennheiser app *plays its own internal music.* So you can't tweak the eq while listening to the music you want to EQ. The Technics app isn't perfect (I think that honor belongs to Nothing) but everything's there and very customizable. MTW4 has AptX codecs, which I prefer to the LDAC in the AZ100, but for connectivity and usability rather than sound quality reasons. For battery life, I think the AZ100s specs are better (Whathifi says 10 hours per charge for AZ100 vs. 7.75 for the MTW4's). I frankly haven't listened to the MTW4's for that long. AZ100s have 3-device multi-point (if you don't use a hires codec or LE audio), MTW4 has 2-device. AZ100s have Dolby atmos with head tracking, but I think turning it on really washes out the music. It might be OK if you're watching movies, but definitely not worth it for music. (However, listening to Dolby mixes from Apple music on the AZ100s with Dolby OFF on the earbuds is a joy.) AZ100s have an IP4 water resistance rating (not very good). Technics has an IP54 (slightly better). Still, I wouldn't want to risk either being exposed to anything more than light sweat. Of course, the MTW's are also $80 less on Amazon right now.

Technics AZ-100 > AZ-80 \>B&W Pi8 recommended I haven't owned the Pi8, but I've listened to lots of audio samples. My favorite reviewers claim that on audio quality, the Pi8 is the top of the heap, but they're TRULY AWFUL on everything else, especially their mic pickup. Similarly, the PerL Pros have great sound, but they're uncomfortable, the app is hard to navigate, ANC is mid at best, and they're hard to get in and out of the case. So those are two buds with grteat sound, but bad "everything else." (The Denons get the nod because they are often really cheap on Amazon. They're back up to $200, but I bet they're going to go on sale for Prime Day. Even through I returned them before, I might snag a pair if they're $125 or less.) \>top-tier ANC That goes to the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra (2?). \>Are premium options worth it?  I mean, it depends. I can hear a significant increase in quality between my AZ-100s and everything else I own. I'll put in a pair of budget buds, like the Baseus BP1 Pros, and think, "oh, this sounds pretty good." Then I'll listen on my AZ-100s and I'll think "*that* sounds good." Less harshness in the trebles (regardless of EQ), more clarity, better instrument separation, bass presence without booming or bleeding... But if you've never heard top-ear TWS earbuds, and you listened to $100 pair like the EarFun Air Pros, or the Liberty 4 Pro, or even something like the Nothing Ear (a) or Nothing Ear (2024) or one of the CMF Buds lineup, you'd probably thing they're amazing. Law of diminishing returns certainly applies. You have to pay exponentially more for small improvements. \>Share your top picks Of the buds I've tried, my favorites are the Az-100s. They're warm, and not harsh, but still have clarity. They're not the best ANC (I've not tried Bose, but they're the undisputed king there, and I think my EarFun Air Pro ANC is just about as good for 1/3 the price), or the very best microphone (they have this AI tech which makes your voice easy to be heard but can sometimes get a little distorted), or the best app (that goes to Nothing), or the best controls (again, nothing's squeeze controls), but they're the best package of everything. And I just love the sound signature, especially for the music I listen to (jazz/fusion, indie rock, pop, classic rock, classical, some electronic/"focus" stuff.) My No. 2 buds are the Jabra Elite 8 active. Indestructible (I think you can shower with them!) , physical buttons, SUPER comfy, great for exercise, just-fine sound quality, AND you can hook their case up to a non-Bluetooth source as a transmitter (great for flying on airplanes!) Nothing (2024) are good for how customizable they are. If their sound quality was just a little bit better they'd rival the AZ-100s. Denon PerL Pro have a beautiful soundstage. I just wish they were better at everything else. Technics Momentum Wireless 4 are... fine. They're not as comfy, and they're too harsh for me. People rave about the EarFun Air Pro 4s, but frankly I just don't like their sound very much. Good features in a good price.

Out of the box the l4 pro sounds better sure, for metal and rock. Az100 with eq is better imo, but out of the box I think the az80 is much better sounding.

Sony xm5 is great and has a versatile eq. Technics az80 sound great out of the box with dynamic preset, much better than the az100, that one takes a bit of tinkering to sound normal and not nasally. Cambridge m100 are amazing for the current price of $99, they used to be $250.

EarFun air 4 pro is a good budget pick. Otherwise you could go all out on noble rex5. Technics az80 or az100 are great middle ground, and have good anc/passive and very reliable.

Yeah the xm5 is fantastic once those foam tips soften up. I still haven’t tried any of my aftermarket tips, I’m pretty satisfied. I think I prefer the xm5 over the az100, but for movies the az100 is amazing with Dolby.

Try pulling up in your ear while you twist the az100 in.

I also got az100 and think bass is a bit uplifted. I own a custom JH16v2 and if you compare them to BAs, the stage is wider but the bass is kinda overwhelmed for me. I'm not a basshead but listen to dnb, I prefer balanced bassline. Maybe because I was spoiled by more expensive iems. For $300 they are great, details are really good btw!

Their reference level is already with lifted bass. They do that to decoy more people. I put everything on 0, so no EQ and bass is more noticeable than mids and kinda boomy. I know you can't compare it, but I also own close and open back (Clear MG and Celestee) Focals and full size headphones have less amount of bass.

I'm not saying they can't reach as low as 3hz or bass is not detailed but whatever is in the bass range is kinda lifted. I've tried many great IEMs in the price range up to $5k and trust me, they are not as bassy at all. I think that's why those are not for everyone.

I'd do -3db to 100hz and down by default.

I'm not sure what city you're from but I'd really recommend you to go to CanJam and listen to some good iems including Sony Hong Kong. 18 - 19 January 2025 New York. 22 - 23 February 2025 Singapore. 5 - 6 April 2025 Shanghai. 14 - 15 June 2025 London. 19 - 20 July 2025 SoCal. 13 - 14 September 2025 Dallas. 8 - 9 NOVEMBER 2025

Technics EAH-AZ100. Can connect to upto three devices at a time seamlessly. Offers LDAC Codec, and has great bass response.

Lmao, dude, I am a Sony fanboy. You have no idea what it means when a Sony fanboy raves about Technics' new flagship!!

I tried this with default AAC code with spatial audio(even in apple music), spatial audio is as good as airpods pro 2, but the sound quality difference was night and day on AAC codec (which is default, since spatial audio doesn't work on LDAC), that would carry over to iphones, even if I use Pixel 9 pro xl.

True! I also took them to the gym and they were amazing in Noise cancellation, compared to my Sony flagships!!

Just try it once with the largest ear tips. It's insanely better.

Lmao, if you think airpods sound good compared to any other brands, you're way wrong. They don't have bass, their highs are so boosted. The open soundstage is the only good thing about them. And the transparency mode.

I chose this over pi8, since these recently came out and reviewers said pi8 had no good anc compared to Sony or Bose, and these Technics top them all (with the correct and largest eartips)

Noise cancelling is the best in class, compared to Sony xm5 (with largest ear tips), sony couldnt cancel 100% noise for me, these do. You need to try these to believe me. I tried these yesterday in an Uber for the first time, it was mind blowingly silent, like I was deaf.

No sound leakage in az100 (that anybody complained of)

I use these more than my sony flagship headphones now, they're that enjoyable. Try them once and if you don't like these return them.

With ANC and biggest ear tips, no wind noise for me. I used to have a lot of wind noise issue with XM5 earbuds and Airpods pro 2, but this is way better than those with biggest ear tips seal for me. (For mic: no wind noise, I tested mic recording and asked my friend to use it and call me)

No white noise, its as silent as all my other noise cancelling devices.

I talked to my mom just now with AZ100, and asked her if she could hear tap water while I was doing dishes, she said she thought I'm lying on my bed, doing nothing, its that good!! I had this happen to me on my XM5 HEADPHONE (not earphones), people couldn't hear me properly on xm5 earbuds to the point I had to speak louder. And for airpods pro 2, they have a very good mic quality on iphone, a little worse on Androids. (Quality very bad when you're on public transit, they can't cancel noises)

Everyone will say AZ100 so they'll sound smart and part of the "cool" group. Sound quality is top notch but ANC definitely not the best. They will never recommend Airpods Pro as that is so mainstream. Just scroll through this subreddit.

Same here my right ear hurts

AZ100’s are a solid new release but the JBL Tour Pro 3 are the best TWS out now and can be backed with objective data … [https://www.soundguys.com/jbl-tour-pro-3-review-123276/](https://www.soundguys.com/jbl-tour-pro-3-review-123276/)

Because there is no objective data proving otherwise yet. So as of now, the Tour Pro 3 are the best TWS. But subjectively, I didn’t find the AZ100’s sound all that great. Quite veiled sounding. Will be waiting for objective data to be published from Sound Guys or RTINGs.

I go by the overall rating. The Tour Pro 3 has a higher overall rating than the XM5. I am sure once the AZ100 is reviewed by Sound Guys, you will see that their frequency response is far off from ideal.

They're awesome! Great sound quality and ANC. Great fit and very comfortable. Right now I'm torn between rebuying them or the JBL haha

This is exactly my experience, with my high end headphones only slightly beating the 100s. Also, the EQ settings actually affect things quite significantly.

Wind suppression has been solid on my end, I also went XM4 to AZ100. See my other comment

I decided on the Technics AZ100. See my comment comparing a bunch of models [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Earbuds/s/da9pAcW8Gw). Edit: Also see my comment [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Earbuds/s/JkYNWkCpYU).

Id go one plus buds pro 3 or nothing ear 2024, for clean bass, momentum tw4 or technics az-100

Bass is cleaner imo

I got mine for 269 + Tax from Technics website. They have a 10% off coupon. I ordered late Monday night and they will be here Friday.

Yeah I just put im am Amazon return for my Momentum 4s I got Monday...LOL I didn't like the fit. I saw the AZ100s came out after I ordered the M4. I was deciding between those and the AZ80s and when I saw rhe 100s came out, it was a no brainer.

I think I saw az100 for 250e on a German website even though it was 300 on some other ones, so maybe you can find them for around 250? I got them and I'm extremely happy with the sound. Coming from huawei freebuds pro (1st gen) and I was blown away by how big the difference is

Exactly, was a MTW4 user, and after i've changed to AZ100, my wife was asking me, are you really driving? or u were are at somewhere else?

AZ100 is the winner under 300. Denon Perl Pro has great sound but the anc is mediocre.

If you're only aiming for sound quality the best are Denon Perl Pro (best for bass) the pi8 (the best balance and mids) AZ100 (best for details) and the Gemini 2 (best overall but more expensive and subjectively the best because of their unique sound). If money is tight i'd go for the Denons, the difference in price with the others is way bigger than the difference in sound quality.

Technics az100. Just get em. You won't be disappointed. ANC is very good. Sound quality is fantastic. The ANC is best if you dial it to the noise your around. They are night and day better than the az80s and the Sony xm4/xm5.

I thought I might have gone crazy, with everyone on here praising the ANC of the AZ100. I tested the buds for a couple of days and always found the ANC underwhelming. Weaker than the MTW4 or even the Perl Pro. The sound is still nice though.

If you can, do go to the shops to try them out first before buying. I was really into getting the Denon pearl pro a few months ago but they won't fit comfortably in my ears. After trying the rest of my list in the shop, I got myself Technics AZ100 and am in love with them ever since.

I switched from Sony XM4's to Technics AZ100 and love them! Better sound but worse on ANC... could be caused by the fact I used foam eartips with Sony and now silicone eartips on Technics. Sony had connectivity issues and after just over 2 years battery in right ear piece was gone (apparently common issue).. also they were bit bulky and very comfortable.

The AZ100s sound great for bass-heavy contemporary music.

AH-AZ100E-Technics EAH-AZ1OOE K have a DEEP fit and are awesome I tried my friends and am now saving up Technics EAH-Az80s are on sale on Amazon but aren't quite as good otherwise I would recommend trying some foam ear tips

TECHNICS AZ-100. It's amazing. I was using Sennheiser CX True Wireless previously and Technics is so much better

I’ll admit that I bought into the hype since I know that there were likely a lot of paid advertisers pushing the AZ100s but I’m not disappointed. I was previously using the Jabra elite 7s that I owned for 2 years. If you’re looking for a cheaper option for the gym these have great bass and sound quality with okay ANC. I switched because I just wanted something new and the call quality was dogshit. If you wanna splurge a little though, the AZ100s blows everything I’ve used in the past out the water, from sound quality, bass, ANC, and call quality. I highly recommend.

This is great! Thanks for sharing your exp with these earbuds! I love my AZ100. Can you share you EQ settings?

It's clearly u dk how to equalize the az100 because they slap like crazy if yk what to do lol

Probably Gemini 2. Then pi8. I have both and Gemini definitely better. Az100 are good aswell. But they are too big. Rex 5 if you want the absolute best sound quality

I just the technics az100. They are absolutely amazing. Definitely best ambient mode. Amazing mic and sound quality. Also very good ANC with both adaptive and manual NC. They just came out in January !

Almost all earbuds mentioned have really poor call quality despite being a primary concern. Huawei freebuds pro 4 is the best option hands down from that aspect and overall great buds. AZ100 might be the best allround earbuds right now but if they aren’t available that’s no option. If you can find jabra elite gen 2 still sold somewhere they are also a great allround option, even Gen 1 are great buds.

Seems very suspicious to me that also the ear with which I'm struggling to wear them for more than 30 minutes is the right one. To me it creates a feeling of soreness that ruins a bit the whole experience, I'm just hoping this wears in a bit with use since other than that I really am in love with this earphones. I don't think this discomfort is caused by the ear tips since I would say I feel it slightly outer where those are supposed to be placed it, but I might be wrong.

Yup. These 3 are in a class of their own and which u pick is just based on budget. Cant go wrong with any

I concur with your assessment; I possess 2x Ultra earbuds, Qc 2024 earbuds, Ultra headphones, and Qc headphones. I enjoy the audio, comfort, and design, but the application is awful. I also have 7 other earbuds, but my top choice is FiiO Fw5 (no ANC, chosen for sound). The FiiO app is significantly inferior, plus they produce some crackling noise; however, the sound quality is incredible. Additionally, Melomania M100 offers fantastic sound, decent ANC, and transparency, great comfort, and excellent battery life, with a working app. Sony offers decent active noise cancellation and okay audio quality, but the battery in the earbuds is poor; it's best to avoid Sony. I evaluated AZ100 and Gemini 2; they sound good, but I wasn't impressed otherwise. I believe their prices are too high. AZ80 offers better vocals, which I find clearer. This is just my perspective; don't trust all that you hear. People quickly become attached to brands and tend to exaggerate. Comfort and sound are subjective. If you desire active noise cancellation and good sound, consider Bose. However, if you're looking for affordability in earbuds, the Cambridge M100 will impress you with its sound, comfort, and incredible battery life.

I believe they have a street date of the 21st. Ordered mine the moment they were announced and that’s the estimated shipping date and also what showed up on Amazon as well.

Interesting, still showing the 21st for me on Amazon. Might be based on location. Just confirmed with Technics the embargo date was actually the 7th. So they’re probably just preparing to ship to consumers.

I picked up the white/silver model. Will report back when they arrive.

Mine come in early next week! Glad yours arrived. My shipping date jumped up to the 13th.

My ranking (pictured [here](https://imgur.com/a/tws-ranking-left-to-right-MBqgKk5)) based on sound quality, battery life, app, and features: MTW4 (w/ Sound Personalization) > Technics AZ100/AZ80 > Denon Perl Pro (w/ AAT) > B&W Pi8 > Devialet Gemini II > Sony XM5 > APP2 > Bose QC Ultra Sound quality isn't an empirical measurement. It will be based on preference. Most TWS within a certain price range aren't going to suffer from "qualitative" issues and will all perform well, but will be tuned very differently from one another. Recency bias also plays a major role in recommendations within the community, so keep that in mind. MTW4 with SP was the best balance of tuning, battery life, features, and user experience for me, and is my typical go-to. I'm also a fan of rock/metal and hip hop, thus a set like the AZ100, which excels in many other areas -- including battery life and ANC -- and beats the MTW4 in some genres, gets ranked lower as the timbre and tonality in genres with high gain guitars is lacking. It's as if Technics applied a high shelf filter and rounded off the treble, which diminishes some of the dynamics and energy/attack of guitar-based tracks. AZ80 is better in this regard, but a downgrade in ANC and battery life. The Perl Pro sound stellar with AAT, but AAT can be hit or miss for some and is very tip dependent. AAT *should* be used in conjunction with EQ to get the most out of the Perl Pros -- something many users miss, as AAT is correction, not intended as a replacement EQ -- and I'd recommend looking at alternative tips like the Dunu S&S, Divinus Velvet, Spinfit Omni/Neo, etc. B&W Pi8 sounds very good, but is a bit too neutral for my tastes. It was also plagued with connectivity issues. I replaced my original unit, and had the same problems, so that set is rarely used. I know a lot of users that swear by this set, but it was not near the top of my list even without considering the connectivity issues. EQ could not fix my issues with the tuning; in some cases, it introduced sibilance. Outside of ANC, the Bose QC Ultra is at the bottom of my list. And to be fair, that list is much larger than what was pictured above as I have tested dozens of TWS sets. The tuning of the Bose is just not for me, but I know other hobbyists that swear by it. The ANC is world class, however. One of the few sets I quickly returned as I had no interest in keeping it around, even to collect dust. TLDR; this is very subjective, and I wouldn't recommend basing your buying decision on one user or reviewer's opinion unless you know your preferences align -- and even then, you may be disappointed with the results. If sound quality is your one and only goal, there are better options. Even the best TWS in my rotation will rarely beat out a dedicated IEM, running on something like the Q5k, iFi Go Pods, or the FiiO UTWS5 -- the former and the latter both have access to EQ. Unless I need ANC or TWS features, this is what I use the majority of the time.

Sony and Bose are still the leads if ANC is your main priority. However, they are much further down the list if you're prioritizing sound quality/tuning. My current list consists of the Denon Perl Pros, Technics AZ100s/AZ80s, Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4, Bowers & Wilkins Pi8, and a few other budget options. The Devialet Gemini II and Noble Audio Rex5 are both pricier sets, but the Gemini II -- while it's an excellent sounding earbud -- had several issues that held it back for me. The deal breaker in my case was latency, which was quite high even for a TWS. The Rex5 is the best earbud Noble has put out thus far, but they need to make improvements to their app and overall user experience. My current rotation looks something like the AZ100s, MTW4 and Denon Perl Pro, as each provides a good overall balance of battery life, sound quality, and features. The AZ100s have excellent ANC, that gets close to competing with Sony and Bose, but is a slight downgrade in some areas of the frequency response compared to the AZ80s. The battery life is excellent, however, which makes them a contender as my main travel earbud. The Denon Perl Pros with AAT can be one of the best sounding buds on the market, but AAT can be hit or miss for some and is very tip dependent -- and I do suggest you change the tips, to something like the Dunu S&S. The Perl Pros also offer an EQ over the top of the AAT correction, which is a nice touch. I still reach for the MTW4 a lot of the time as well; with Sound Personalization it is still one of the best sounding earbuds on the market, with very solid ANC and transparency. I was not as sold on the Pi8, although I found the "case as transmitter" feature much more useful than I originally thought. I preferred the bass response of the Pi7 S2. In general the Pi8 feels a bit safer, and a bit more boring, for lack of a better word. It is still an excellent sounding earbud if you prefer a more balanced, more neutral tuning that prioritizes clarity and detail. I tend to lean towards warmth and energy, and so it didn't quite make the top of my list. TLDR; if money is no object, buy a BT dongle DAC/Amp or ifi Go Pods/FiiO BT ear hooks and a pair of dedicated IEMs. For now, this market is still juggling a "winner" and you'll be hard pressed to decide what is the best for the price -- no matter if it comes at a premium.

Sound: Sennheiser's Momentum lineup, Denon Perl Pros, Technics AZ80/AZ100, and B&W Pi8, in that order (taking into account Sound Personalization and AAT are being used). Everything else on the market, from the typical brands, falls below that line -- APP2, XM5, Bose QC Ultra, etc. Longevity, having tested dozens of these sets, the AirPods Pros are likely to outlast most of the other brands (my first and second gens are still charging well without any discernible issues). I've had battery and charging issues with the XM4s and XM5s, Sennheiser's MTW3 (MTW4 hasn't been on the market long enough to know whether there are any battery longevity issues); Denon is already showing serious battery degradation issues; Technics are in the charging issue camp as well (one or both earbuds often do not charge and need to be reseated often, similar to the Sony's); Pi8 has intermittent connectivity issues. The list goes on. There are outliers like the JLAB Epic Lab Edition, which have excellent battery life and seem to hold up well over time. Surprisingly, these are some of the best sounding and longest lasting buds on the market, for sometimes half the price of competitors. It can't compete with the top brands on tuning, but it gets damn close for the price. At some point, chasing sound quality (and longevity) begs the question, should you just sacrifice wireless connectivity and choose a traditional IEM? Despite owning most of the current premium earbud lineup, I find myself recommending and often daily driving the Epic Labs -- just due to the convenience of the battery life alone. And if that battery starts to degrade, there's enough overhead where I could still potentially get a good amount of time out of them before the issues are untenable.

Apple AirPods Pro are near the bottom of my list for sound quality. Their value is in feature set and ecosystem integration. It no longer owns the top spot in ANC, which goes to the Bose QC Ultra. If you want the best earbuds for sound quality and balance of features, Denon Perl Pro with AAT, Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 with Sound Personalization, Technics AZ100, Technics AZ80, Bowers & Wilkins Pi8, Pi7 S2, and the Sony WF-1000XM5. In that order. If you need a cheaper option, the JLab Epic Lab Edition is a great “budget” option. I don’t own the JBL sets, but I’ve heard good things. Which buds you choose should be based on personal preference. If I preferred a more neutral tuning, the Pi8 would probably be higher on my list. I prefer JM-1 or V-shaped tunings, with strong low frequency emphasis, and bright, clear treble. The best overall performer if you places ANC and sound quality on the same scale would be either the AZ100 or MTW4. Both have solid ANC, with the AZ100 coming out ahead, but the MTW4 beating the Technics in tuning due to the AZ100s strange upper mid/treble timbre. Anything below the JLab, you’d need to reassess your expectations. Some sets have decent enough sound quality, but below a certain budget you’d might as well shoot for a dedicated IEM and something like a Qudelix 5k for your wireless connection.

This is a repost, but is still relevant. Sony and Bose are still the leads if ANC is your main priority. However, they are much further down the list if you're prioritizing sound quality/tuning. My current rotation consists of the Denon Perl Pros, Technics AZ100s/AZ80s, Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4, Bowers & Wilkins Pi8, and a few other budget options (JLab Epic Lab, Beats Fit Pros, etc.). The Devialet Gemini II and Noble Audio Rex5 are both pricier sets, but the Gemini II -- while it's an excellent sounding earbud -- had several issues that held it back for me. The deal breaker in my case was latency, which was quite high even for a TWS. The Rex5 is the best earbud Noble has put out thus far, but they need to make improvements to their app and overall user experience. My current rotation looks something like the AZ100s, MTW4 and Denon Perl Pro, as each provides a good overall balance of battery life, sound quality, and features. The AZ100s have excellent ANC, that gets close to competing with Sony and Bose, but is a slight downgrade in some areas of the frequency response compared to the AZ80s. The battery life is excellent, however, which makes them a contender as my main travel earbud. The Denon Perl Pros with AAT can be one of the best sounding buds on the market, but AAT can be hit or miss for some and is very tip dependent -- and I do suggest you change the tips, to something like the Dunu S&S. The Perl Pros also offer an EQ over the top of the AAT correction, which is a nice touch. I still reach for the MTW4 a lot of the time as well; with Sound Personalization it is still one of the best sounding earbuds on the market, with very solid ANC and transparency. The new Smart Control Plus app finally allows you to disable ANC, which was the only real weak point of this set. I was not as sold on the Pi8, although I found the "case as transmitter" feature much more useful than I assumed it would be. I preferred the bass response of the Pi7 S2. In general the Pi8 feels a bit safer, and a bit more boring, for lack of a better word. It is still an excellent sounding earbud if you prefer a more balanced, more neutral tuning that prioritizes clarity and detail. I tend to lean towards warmth and energy, and so it didn't quite make the top of my list. If you’re a neutral plus bass boost lover, it doesn’t get much better than the Pi8 in this price range. TL;DR: For now, this market is still juggling a "winner" and you'll be hard pressed to decide what is the “best” for the price -- no matter if it comes at a premium. Of all the major brands, I lean heavily toward the MTW4, Denon Perl Pro, AZ100 (unless you enjoy metal/rock, then replace this with the AZ80), and the Pi8, in that specific order. If you want a more budget conscious set, you can often find the JLab Epic Lab for half the price of the aforementioned brands, and it’s a set that’s not recommended enough. Excellent sound quality and decent ANC for the price.

[Here's](https://imgur.com/a/tws-ranking-left-to-right-MBqgKk5) how I rank them in order of sound quality, with ANC and additional features being close behind. Couple of notes: I don't recommend the Fokus Rex5 unless sound quality is your one and only priority. Noble's app is subpar, and hasn't evolved much. This is actually their 4-5th TWS, and each one has suffered from the same issue. Great sound, poor overall user experience. Devialet Gemini II is another TWS that prioritizes sound quality over everything else, to its detriment. It is unequivocally one of the best sounding TWS I've tested, but I buy TWS for the other features, connectivity, codec support, etc. My very candid opinion is if sound quality is that important and TWS features suffer as a result, you might as well pick up a good midfi IEM and run it with something like the Qudelix 5k or any of the FiiO BTR devices. Or if you need TWS, spring for the iFi Go Pods (Lite) and a pair of lower midfi/budget IEMs, which in many cases are still going to sound as good as if not better than the higher priced "premium" TWS. I still rank the Sennheiser MTW4 above most options, given the strength of Sound Personalization and it being as close as we've seen one of the typical TWS manufacturers get to a true parametric EQ. From there, the AZ100s, given the improvement to battery life and ANC performance over the AZ80s. Although they're not ranked higher due to call quality. The Denon Perl Pro with AAT and EQ are close behind the AZ100 and MTW4, but their other features (ANC and transparency) aren't as good as its competitors. The Pi8 gets a lot of love in the community, and if your preferences lean neutral, they're going to rank much higher than I have them in my list. I prefer energetic tunings (JM-1, Harman, etc.); compared to the other sets on the list, Pi8 has superior technical performance, but is otherwise a boring listen -- although if you need volume, these are the TWS to buy. Sony's XM5 is on the list due to the strength of its ANC, which is still right behind the QC Ultra -- still the best ANC performer on my list, alongside the APP2. The AZ80s are still solid, and in some cases (genres that feature high-gain guitars) they're better than the AZ100s, but in overall performance the AZ100s still win out. TLDR; depending on your genre preference, MTW4, Denon Perl Pro, AZ100s, or Pi8. Avoid the Rex5 and Gemini II -- if sound quality is more important, consider increasing budget for a BT dongle or BT ear hooks along with a budget/midfi IEM (Meze Alba, Letshuoer S08, Hype 4, Crinicle Dusk, many of the recent Ziigaat or Kiwi Ears sets).

Miles away from being the best. 

Huge sound leakage on the AZ100.

Not every and not the best. Be realistic. 

You misunderstood me...I'm not saying the AZ100s don't sound good. They do. All I was trying to point out there is no best.

Over the past month, I’ve tested several earbuds across multiple work trips to evaluate ANC, transparency, voice quality, and music performance. Since trying the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8, everything else has struggled to dethrone them as my #1 choice. They deliver the best sound quality, especially when paired with high-res audio from Qobuz, Tidal, and Deezer (24-bit or higher). At the same time, Apple Music and Spotify were great for casual listening during workouts or flights. One uniquely cool feature of the Pi8 is its transmitting case, which allows you to extract audio from non-Bluetooth sources without sacrificing fidelity—a fantastic option for home Hi-Fi setups or in-flight entertainment systems. **Earbuds Tested:** • **Bowers & Wilkins Pi8** • **Technics AZ100** **(**Tested and liked, but not worth a longer write-up, but happy to address deeper in comments)• **AirPods Pro 2** • **Nothing Ear (2024)** • **OnePlus Buds Pro 3** • **Technics AZ80** • **Technics AZ100** • **Sennheiser Momentum 4** After extensive testing, I’ve narrowed it down to the **Pi8** and **Technics AZ100**, as both are exceptional. Here’s how they compare: **Where the Technics AZ100 Excel:** • **Transparency Mode:** Outstanding for all-day wear. With eight+ microphones and ‘MyVoice AI,’ voices come through with crystal clarity. They even offer a priority mode to amplify voices while drowning out background noise • **All-Day Listening:** While not as comfortable as the Pi8, I never need to remove the AZ100 to hear clearly. This could make them a top choice for people who prioritize transparency over ANC and total disconnect • **Microphone Quality:** Calls sound super clean, even in noisy environments. • **Design Note:** Unfortunately, the AZ100 only comes in silver/white, which feels less premium than the midnight blue AZ80 or the Pi8.(personal preference) **Where the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 Shine:** • **Sound Quality:** Simply unmatched, no question. Ridiculously good. My wife doesn't care about any of this crap, and she was also blown away, lol. The exceptional audio performance has set a new bar for wireless earbuds • **Comfort:** Perfect for extended listening sessions without fatigue. For me\* these were the most comfortable by far! • **Case Features:** The re-transmission case is a game-changer, allowing high-fidelity audio extraction from any source. Also, not boxy and comfortable in a front pocket. • **Design:** Sleek and premium, outshining most competitors in aesthetics. While the AZ100 has the best transparency and strong all-day usability, the Pi8 dominates in sound quality, comfort, design, and versatility. Unless I find significant value in the transparency features of the AZ100, I’ll most likely finalize my earbud journey with the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8. Here's where Earbud reviews don't apply to everyone. We all have different ears and preferences, and your priorities may differ, but for me, the Pi8s are the pinnacle of wireless earbuds. I snagged mine for $319 during the recent holidays, while the AZ100s were $299—both well worth their price for what they offer. Hope that helps ¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯ Also, I found a great comparison document online that helped me begin this project to categorize and narrow down what worked best for me. Like my review, the rankings and numbers reflect my own, and this doc demonstrates his perspective. This document was linked in the comments of a YouTube post from creator PickyAudio on YouTube. If you've read this far, give him a follow. His content is top-tier in this tech [category.YouTube](http://category.YouTube) Video - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qtit0nKrvfs&t=627s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qtit0nKrvfs&t=627s&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0q7ubaiZtTS-i0g5iwun7DYMUaSTg0plcHQcI2qUOS694mFTN9I3zObt0_aem_C1BWWLUPUZFUBhSlryqAgg)Spreadsheet Link: [https://ko-fi.com/s/9dccc9b9c9](https://ko-fi.com/s/9dccc9b9c9)

I just got the technics az100 this week actually. Superior sound (highs and especially lows) and ANC. Very comfortable too for being earbuds with decent battery life.

I totally thought the AZ100s were being artificially pushed, but I got some and absolutely love them. End game for me.

Went with Technics AZ100. Upgraded from the AZ80. I chose it because it’s one of, if not the best all-around earbud across all areas combined. Comfort, size/weight, compact, sound quality, features, ANC, Transparency mode, mic. All great. My only complaint on them is they are a bit slippery to handle/grip with my fat fingers combined with the smaller compact design and material used. The az80s were easier to handle/grip in this regard. Love them otherwise. Good luck!

Technics az-100s are my pick for best “all-around” earbud…If you’re looking for a good all around earbud. I had the az80s which were also great but the az100s are a better enhanced upgrade. Better comfort, sound, battery life, ANC etc. if you’re looking for best sound quality, the az100s are no slouch but probably not absolute best in sound. I would say they are close to best but not quite.

I don't have most of those. I do have pi8s (and they are my favorite in-ears that I've ever owned) and just received the AZ100s, and I think they stack up VERY well against the B&Ws. The sense of extremely accurate separation of sounds is as close to the B&Ws as I can imagine. The Pi8s have a slightly more natural sound to my ear on some high frequencies, but I have a hard time stating definitively that one is better than the other. Soundstage feels wider on the AZ100 which is a point in their favor, and I pick up on some subtle textures on familiar songs that I haven't noticed on the Pi8, which may be largely related to the bass response enhancing some natural resonances like big acoustic guitar or bass. There's just something more tangible there. They also get substantially louder than the Pi8s which suggests they could have more dynamic range which might be their advantage here. Have only listened for an hour or so, need to evaluate more. I will say, that in my current and past collection of wireless buds, with my current lineup being: Momentum TW3, Sony XM3/4/5, JBL Tour Pro 3, B&W Pi8 - listening to the AZ100 is the first time I've EVER looked at the EQ and thought "maybe I could turn the bass down just a notch." Not that it's necessary, just that it's SO ample that with a really bass heavy track they're definitely capable of being overwhelming even at moderate volume.

I really don't think the TP3's give up anything in sound quality to the AZ100s. Bass rendering is DIFFERENT but down to personal preference, and the TP3s are more dynamic in the upper ranges. For musicality I like the Pi8s better but for all around use, office/gym/calls... the TP3s are my favorite set on the market right now.

I don't see a huge difference in soundstage between the two... Pi8s beat them both for me, but they're all solid. JBL app has hands down the best EQ of any I've seen and overall they have a crazy comprehensive feature set. Case transmitter/receiver is a game changer also. I use them plugged in even when I'm just doing calls, the connectivity is so much cleaner than BT.

If you want to prioritize voice isolation for calls, the Huawei Freebuds Pro 4 (and 3 which are known to be pretty close to the 4s in voice isolation) are class leading, period. See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2Tyw8TCq9U (I own several of the major flagships that would be competitive here, the Huawei Freebuds Pro 4, Apple Airpods Pro 2, AZ100, Galaxy Buds2 Pro, Galaxy Buds3 Pro, and EPOS Adept E1) And see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUgPW7MRfS8 These have stems, but the stem design tends to have better voice isolation because it can position the mic closer and towards your mouth.

You'll want to check out these two channels that focus on voice quality and voice isolation (and not just ANC): * Weekend Gear Guide https://youtu.be/rUgPW7MRfS8?t=404 * Aaron X Loud and Wireless https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uee8M8jEpV4 In short, if money is no object, (and I've tested several high end earbuds myself including the JBL Tour Pro 3, Galaxy Buds Pro 2 and 3, AZ100, ADAPT E1) I think the best earbuds with noise rejection (wind and otherwise) are the Huawei Freebuds Pro 3 or Pro 4.

Damn I just bought my AZ80s last month. If I'd known this I would've held out a bit longer for the AZ100. What a shame.

I'm exactly the same? Has yours improved? Did changing bud size change anything? For me it's the casing too... In that recess of the ear

That’s surprising I’ve only heard the opposite (az100s better than az80s in every way) I have the az100s and they’re by far the best earbuds I’ve ever used, top of the line in every category, besides anc which is probably the last thing I look for in earbuds

Can't find any retailers that have them up for sale yet. These are an insta buy for me. I love my AZ80 but call/mic quality sucks.

They just popped up on Amazon, too. https://a.co/d/2nys1q5

Nice! 10% off my first order too. I'm going in.

I ordered from Amazon with a January 14th delivery date.

Silver is available too. Technics Reference Class Hi-Fi Wireless Earbuds, Dolby Atmos with Head Tracking, Adaptive Noise Cancelling, 3 Device Multipoint, 10-hr Battery, Wireless Charging, Improved Fit - EAH-AZ100-S (Silver) https://a.co/d/2VThtPI

Hope you get it sooner. I ordered black and they're scheduled for delivery on the 14th as of just now.

Mine got delivered today!

Honestly, I've resorted to using Shokz OpenComm2 with a boom mic for phone calls set to "calls" only in BT settings and using my preferred earbuds set to "media" only in BT settings. Not ideal but guarantees good audio quality for people on the other end of the phone call/meeting. But to answer your question more directly, the JBL Tour Pro 3 have been the best for phone calls followed by the Technics AZ100.

I can answer that question accurately. What I believe is this is a product of newness. I have both and there is no way you can objectively walk away and hear better frequency responses from the Az100. It's hyped up product that punches above its predecessor weight in almost every way but what it isn't, is better the rhe Gemini 2 sound quality. Now if you want to buy something that has better battery life and great sound that gets you on the dance floor with the Pi8s and Gemini 2's sound quality and you don't want to spend the $400-$500 to get on the floor ...then this is the earphone. I'm impressed with the Technics az100 and if I got them and heard the difference between them and the $500 devialet geminis 2 before I got them ...I might have found it harder to ever pull the trigger but what I wouldn't do is walk away thinking it was tied or better in sound quality. As a note though. I personally would  take them over the pi8s and their issues with drainage of battery life though. Because the Az100 has better battery life, quicker charging , better touch controls, better ANC, cost less, sound quality that is just under it, and better Hear though. So to me they check more boxes against the pi8 even if they don't tie or beat them in sound quality. 

That's a loaded question. Cost focused options (no order)  1. Earfun Air pro 4 ( 50 hours total in battery with over 8 per listening charge, very rich sound, comfort is just like all airpods like shaped earphone, good ANC, good phone call quality and under $100. 2. Bose 2nd Gen QC with over 10 per charge, greatest ANC, amazing hear thru, good phone call quality, and good sound, good fit under $180 3. Denon perl pro.. Will get you at least 5 hours of battery life, decent ANC, decent phone call quality, but the best sound quality under $250, could argue higher. Under $180 If you don't care about prices.  1. Az100 easily!  Beast battery life, good comfort, nice ANC, good hear thru, one of very best timbre, mid range, and bass quality out there. A very nice phone quality with the best ANC phone call noise block ever seen in the world. 3 device connection,. Amazing app and pen point touch control that can customized.. $299 one of the world's greatest dependable, zero problem devices in Bluetooth.  2. Noble Rex5... One of the best complete range audio experience you can get. Comfort a little on the chucky side but still nice for me, ANC is OK, hear thru is OK, but the phone call quality is one of the very best. ...can be a little tricky to get the perfect sound for some people due to the 3 level EQ system. You have to know what you are doing to get the best. But once you do... Its hard to beat it's sound $449  Honorable mention:  3. PI8'S.. They are Kryptonite and the sun at the same time. I would suggest this hands down as the best period in sound and comfort. But because they have horrible ANC and bad phone call quality I don't think this fits your list. But if just sound and comfort.. They are "inevitable"! Oh.. They have a battery drainage issue if you don't used them regularly they drain every day of none use. But omg, I can't stop picking them up to listen to my music. 

JBL Tour Pro 3 and Technics AZ100. Both are fantastic for multipoint.

For me, this is the big 5 in endgame audio TWS earbuds. 1. ($449) Noble FoKus Rex5 2. ($499) Devialet Gemini 2 3. ($399) Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 4. ($249) Hifiman Svanar Wireless 5. ($299) Technics AZ100

I gifted my father the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC and he loves them. My daily earbuds right now are the Nothing Ear (2024) & Technics AZ100.

Do you actually own the BeoPlay EX? I've had them since launch and they are not close in terms of sound quality. They sound quite thin & have 0 bass or dynamics. I used to think they were great, but many others have impressed me much much more. Devialet Gemini 2, Technics AZ100, B&W Pi8 are all far superior in terms of dynamics, transients, texture, resolution, etc. Btw I come from 16 years of musical experience (played in Carnegie Hall), own many high end headphones & earbuds, and have a very keen ear.

I just went from XM4 to Technics AZ100. Couldn't be happier! The sound is fantastic.

Person who actually listens to music here, and cares about headphones. Technics AZ100s are absolutely stellar - get them. Oppo Enco X3s (when you are able to buy them in the UK) are cheaper, but absolutely superb. The X2s are some of my favourite ever earbuds. Sennheiser momentums are also very good. Bose quiet comforts are decent but quality wise don't keep up with the above three. Airpods are overpriced and are whitegirl apple product bait. The Sony earbuds noise cancelling is weak and the case battery fails after 12 months for a lot of people.

Since that’s the only apple device you have, you can give a try to either of them. ANC might be better on the Sony’s but I believe Sennheiser’s have a much more bass oriented sound if you’re into it. I can also recommend Technics AZ100 based on my personal experience. Absolutely top notch sound quality on these!

Technics AZ100 - Not even a week old lol, but I’ll definitely recommend it! Top tier sound! Jabra Elite Active 75Ts - About 4 years old. Absolutely yes. Very comfortable and bass heavy!

I recently got the AZ100, they are fab! You can have a look at the sony XM5s and the Sennheiser Momentum 4 TW. I have heard a lot of these 3 in this budget.

Recently bought the Technics AZ100, they are really amazing in terms of sound quality with rich and clean bass, clear vocals and a crisp treble and have one of the most impressive apps with an 8-band eq setting along with tons of other features such as Dolby Atmos, spatial audio, LDAC compatibility, each bud’s touch sensors can be customised for different functionality and a lot more (watch some reviews). You can also have a look at the Sennheiser Momentum 4 TW, or the Sony XM5s. Sennheisers from what I have heard have a bass heavy tuning. XM5s have the best in class ANC.

I will get the tour 3 next week and also compare them to my az100. I find it interesting that you find the sound veiled, the first thing I noticed on the az100 was the clarity and sparkle in the highs. What EQ are you using? Also, have you tried using spatial audio?

Technics AZ100, fantastic all round earbuds. Highly recommend, sounds way better than anything else I've used and has a lot of great features

Big fan of the technics AZ100

How JBL Tour Pro 3's are not even mentioned here is baffling. They beat Technics AZ100 in every single category, IMHO. I would also throw Jabra's into the conversation but sadly they're getting out of the earbuds market.

AAC in Apples is fairly good. But not better than Android world's Aptx and LDAC. I always prefer LDAC with Apple Music's ALAC. My ears are sensitive to sound and I can hear the smoothness, crisp notes difference in AAC codec and LDAC. But most of people don't and some doesn't care.  From the buds I've used, I suggest, Bang for buck - Anker models(liberty 3 pro, 4 pro) Best sound quality - Technics az series Flat sound, good anc - sony xm5(my daily driver)

Technics az 80 and az 100, I would say. they sound the best. Please check reviews. I have personally experienced az80 and they handle heavy metal like magic. Gives me goosebumps. next one is Sony xm5 buds. They have a balanced sound with a good sound stage. Rumors say Sony will release it's next new xm6 buds in this month.

Sony XM5, Technics AZ100(Better sounding than xm5s), and budget friendly Anker Liberty 4 pro. All of these have LDAC and sound quality is superb!

Technics az series for sure. I'm on sony xm5s. Anything with decent ANC + LDAC or AptX.

I love these! Mine just arrived today and in the first couple of hours they’ve been fantastic. I’ll likely be reaching for these over my other buds/phones all the time.

I listen to 99% EDM, mostly uplifting trance and progressive trance, followed by melodic techno and hard techno. I went with AZ100 and couldnt be happier.

I couldn't find an earbud that was number one in all categories. If I wanted the best ANC, I would have looked more towards the Sony and Bose earbuds. But the sound for them was not as good as the az100. I decided that a little less ANC but way better sound quality was more important to me

I have the AZ-100S as well, and I feel like their ear tip seal test isn't accurate. It recommended the XS tips for me, but I have to go up at least two sizes to the Ms to get a anything close to a proper seal. And even then I can fit the ML tips in relatively comfortably. I'd give them another shot, personally. And maybe get them from Panasonic directly. I did so and they came with a 90 day, no questions asked, return policy

I got technics az100. Best sounding ear buds I've had. Top quality anc too.

az100 by Technics, customize your EQ and dont be turned off by the out the box sound. Havent looked back from these earbuds, best Ive ever had. Amazing battery life, ATMOS and LDAC ready...cant ask for much more

I have the AZ100s currently and I'm enjoying them so far.

Prior to my Sony MX5, used Apple AirPods Pro - still use them. Their ANC is good, however the Sony beats them by far. One thing though, the Airpods switching between Tablet and phone is superior - butter smooth. Whereas the Sony set, struggles somewhat.

Yes but unfortunately no one earbud set contains all of the good things. Best ANC = Bose QC Ultra Best sound = MTW4, Technics Az80/100, Pi8, Devialet Gemini 2 etc etc Best comfort = Bose QC Ultra or Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro imo Best mic and call quality = Galaxy Buds3 Pro imo. Some say Huawei pro 3 Best battery.. Most are 6hrs+ without anc and up to 6hrs with There are prob buds I've forgotten but I have tried a lot and my faves up to no have been the MTW4's. Not the best at everything but the best all round imo.

They're better sounding than AZ80s, pretty much across the freq spectrum, more controlled and precise sounding.

LMAO, wait you really think single dynamic drivers all sound the same. The AZ100 sound very different to the 80s, but you go on using that trash. Hahaha, ahahaha, ahahahhahahhahahhahahhahaa. Wow. Just...wow.