Technics EAH-AZ100

With a sound score in the 99th percentile, the Technics EAH-AZ100 is one of the best-sounding wireless earbuds we've ever tested. The call quality is a shockingly good bonus, effectively silencing a car wash in the background. Just be ready for a premium price tag and battery life that's solid, but not class-leading.

The Technics EAH-AZ100 doesn't just top our charts, it practically rewrites them. With a total score of 98.4 out of 100, these earbuds land in the 99th percentile for sound and a staggering 100th for connectivity. That's not a typo. If you're hunting for the absolute best wireless audio you can stuff in your ears right now, your search probably ends here. The secret sauce is a new 10mm 'Magnetic Fluid' driver that aims for ultra-low distortion, and in our testing, it delivers a level of clarity that makes most other earbuds sound like they're playing music through a wool sock.

Let's talk about that sound, because it's the main event. Scoring in the 99th percentile, the EAH-AZ100 delivers a reference-class experience that's immediately noticeable. The 10mm dynamic driver, paired with LDAC support, pulls out detail you'd normally miss. Bass is tight and textured without bleeding into the mids, and the high-end sparkles without a hint of harshness. It's a balanced, audiophile-friendly tuning that still feels energetic. Dolby Atmos with head tracking adds a fun, spacious layer for movies, though the pure stereo music playback is so good you might forget the spatial tricks are there.

Call quality is another standout, hitting the 97th percentile. The six-mic array and 'Voice Focus AI' aren't just marketing fluff. It actively cancels background chaos, making you sound clear even with a leaf blower running nearby. Adaptive ANC is also top-tier at the 97th percentile, effectively hushing the world. The only slight hiccup is battery life. At 8 hours for the buds and 28 total with the case, it's solid and sits in the 80th percentile, but it's not chart-topping. A 15-minute quick charge for 90 minutes of playback helps ease any range anxiety.

Value is the one area where the EAH-AZ100 asks you to take a deep breath. With a price tag hovering between $248 and $340, they're firmly in the premium tier. You're paying for the absolute peak of true wireless sound and call quality. If your priority is getting the best audio fidelity possible in this form factor, the price per performance ratio is justifiable. But if you're a more casual listener, that cash buys a lot of headphone elsewhere. The price is the main barrier, not the performance.

Stacked against the heavy hitters, the Technics carves out a clear identity. The Sony WF-1000XM6 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen are the ANC kings, but the EAH-AZ100 matches them in noise cancelling while pulling ahead significantly in pure sound quality. The Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 is a closer rival for audio, but the Technics' call quality is in a different league. Compared to the Apple AirPods Pro, the AZ100 offers a more refined, detailed sound signature and LDAC support you won't find in Apple's ecosystem. You're trading a bit of that seamless Apple integration for a big jump in audio performance.

If your main priority is battery life above all else, or you need a pair of buds that can survive a punishing gym session, look elsewhere. The 8-hour battery life is fine, but it's not chart-topping, and the IPX4 rating only covers splashes and sweat, not a full-on downpour or a drop in the sink. Fitness is its weakest area, scoring an 83.3, so serious athletes should stick with a dedicated sport model.

The Technics EAH-AZ100 is the new benchmark for sound and call quality in true wireless earbuds. The data is undeniable: it's a top-tier performer in every category that matters to an audiophile or a frequent caller. The battery life is merely average, and the price is a hurdle, but the listening experience is so far ahead of the pack that it's easy to forgive. If you want to hear your music exactly as the artist intended, without a single wire in sight, this is the pair to buy.