TechnicsPremium Hi-Fi True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds with Advanced Noise Cancelling, 3 Device Multipoint Connectivity, Wireless Charging, Hi-Res Audio + Enhanced Calling - EAH-AZ80-S (Silver)

This long winded review needs to be prefaced with the fact that I firmly believe products should be reviewed on the pretense their marketing and price point set, not personal preferences. For instance, if I value sound quality over other features but there are better sounding buds at a similar price point, that does not warrant knocking these down in score as these are ANC buds that are focused on a unified user experience and a diverse use case portfolio. It just so happens that these are the best earbuds you can buy for pretty much any purpose, barring some extreme outliers.Fitting the example above, I DO value sound quality over every other feature. ANC is an obstacle instead of a selling point to me and I lean heavily into a purist mindset. As many others have noted, I wouldn’t consider myself an audiophile, but rather a fidelity enthusiast. My main genre is alt rock and melancholic metalcore.Perspective is critical. I dislike reviewers that neglect to give theirs, as a grandma that’s only ever heard Bose portable speakers will give anything a 5/5. I’ve listened to a majority of the top players. Bowers and Wilkins pi7’s and Pi8’s (extensively), B&O Beoplay EX’s (extensively) AirPod Pro’s, Max’s, Noble Audio Fokus Prestige’s, Between 3ANC’s. I’ve listened to planar magnetic audeze’s, and moondrop blessing 2’s for good measure. I’ve not heard senheisers offerings, Sony’s newest XM5’s, or the coveted devialet Gemini II’s, which I’ve heard edge these out for some. I have heavy doubts about that. Here’s why.These have aluminum drivers in them. I’m no engineer, but the consensus is that metal drivers have a higher capacity for speed and therefore end up leaning toward use cases with brighter sounding speakers. This is critical for me as crashing cymbals are a cornerstone of my genre. The frequency range for these drivers is 20-40khz. Producing frequencies below 20hz to me is senseless as such a small device is not fit to try to create inaudibly low frequencies. Frequencies that low only serve to add immersive tangible rumble, which would take attention away from audible sounds. Frequencies above 20khz are inaudible as well, but serve a different purpose. Once again, not an engineer, but the consensus from others with far more knowledge than me is that a driver competent and accurate enough to move at such high frequencies will have an easier time producing multiple frequencies within the audible frequency range at once. Now this isn’t true for all drivers. Take the denon Perl Pro’s for instance, which have the same frequency range but lack in accuracy at the high end. At the end of the day, this is just a manufacturer rating for what these will actually be capable of producing. Whether or not the driver will do this accurately is dependent on the engineering prowess of the manufacturer.There are a million tricks in the book in the digital age. For instance, raising the decibel value of distant sounds to increase the perceived level of detail, which I believe the Bowers and Wilkins Pi8’s do. Tuning to eliminate the more straneous and populated frequency ranges, like the lower-mids, to allow drivers with sub par accuracy and inadequate speed to sound remotely good. I stand on business when I say I see nothing but crisp and true to form audio from these buds.In actual use, these sound nothing short of angelic. Their base tune is clearly aimed at a ‘dynamic’ listening experience (corpo talk for a v shaped tune), which works perfectly for me.-The bass is deep where I want it deep, but never disrespecting the other instruments. Bass drums thump with grace and rumble is ALWAYS controlled, never feeling overwhelming or out of bounds. These buds know their limits and don’t try to go too low, which was a problem for the Pi7 S2’s as well as (especially) the Fokus Prestige’s. On the other end, the Pi8’s lack the well represented mid-bass these have, making the Pi8’s feel empty.-The mids are a difficult beast to tackle for any single driver unit. These do not perfect the art, but once again stay within their bounds. They appear carefully tuned to avoid mashing anything up, while still representing the mid frequencies with diligence. Nothing is lost from them, but nothing stands out either.-Highs are where these excel. Barely imperfect, they can smile sparkle shine a little too much if the wrong track is playing. Other than that, it’s a luxurious and crisp experience that is rarely, if ever, laborious on the ears. The Pi8’s would fail this test in a heartbeat, as they’re far too bright without an intense retune. On the other end, the Between 3ANC’s lacked vocal clarity from their muddled high frequencies. I theorize that they weren’t prepared for the endless tweaking a multi-driver in ear setup requires and botched the highs as a result.In essence, these earbuds fill in the weaknesses of the other major players in the market, making them a safe bet. They feature a competent and rapid driver that gives them an excessive amount of clarity while being able to perform as though they have more than one driver. Sure, the Pi8’s edge them out in accuracy in the lows, but with their lack of mid bass, it becomes a moot point. The between 3ANC’s might double their battery life, but 12 hours of mediocre vocals is 12 hours wasted. The Beoplay EX’s might have a wider soundstage, but uninspired tuning that ends up sounding thin anchors them down. Not to mention their lack of raw strength when the bass would be absolutely crashing on the AZ-80’s.ANC is moderately good and impressive for their market position. They’re noticeably handicapped with the bass depth when it is on. Transparency is good barring a windy day. Robotic, but aren't they all (unless you're using AirPods).The fit is unparalleled. They are so comfortable that I’ve had to turn off the automatic power down function so I can find them with their audible ‘find my’ feature when I inevitably fall asleep with them in and wake up lost in a daze.The app is fantastic and aside from a lackluster amount of eq bands, has all the customizability I’ve been able to fathom. Nothing is inconvenient about them after a quick button function adjustment. Being able to set a ‘hold’ function to turn OFF ANC is huge for me.Battery is good not great. I think I was spoiled by the between 3ANC’s, which stayed on green without a single charge session from delivery to return. But they’ve never died when I needed more time. They’re great at conserving their battery when the auto-power off function is enabled. The case is what drains the most noticeably, but it’s small size makes it impressive nonetheless.As a complete package, they’re a safe bet with consistent and reliable functionality, a high quality material set, a combined good battery good life, impressive ANC, and excellent sound quality.From an enthusiast perspective they’re an all round jack of all trades that won’t beat every single competitor in all categories, but won’t let you miss out on the fun in any regard. They’re my favorite audio reproduction device I’ve ever used. I’ll be buried with these.Edit: These will be willed out to my first born, and I’ll be buried with the AZ-100’s. Direct sequel review is being formulated.

**4 months milestone update - still working great! Still prefer this pair over the Apple AirPod. Still wear these while working out. Music still sounds natural and powerful in my ear!Original review-Priced at $299 (I bought these at $279), are the Technics AZ80 better than the Airpod Pro ( MSRP $249)? In many aspects, yes!I truly believe that the AZ80 has great hardware and good software, making these an amazing pair of premium audio earbuds.I personally own a pair of Apple AirPod Pro 1 (short as AirPods Pro below), which I have been wanting to replace. My review should have some some comparison between the AirPods Pro and the AZ80.1. 10mm drive & Technic’s audio technology: the sound is incredibly clear. Sound stage is wide, with instruments in each song can be clearly identified. Warm bass that is amazing straight out of box, and there are plenty of room to customize EQ With the in-app EQ, while it is very simple, it enables customizable profile to tailor the sound. Even though the Technics Connect app seems to have fewer EQ presets than competitors, I found them to be enough for my needs. I stick to Vocal and Dynamic depending on my needs.There is one minor issue: I can feel and hear slight pressure change when I run with the AZ80. Not a major issue for me since I focus more on weight training workout. With its close-back design and large 10mm driver, these are not great if you want to use these for running. The IPX4 rating also is only suitable for moderate workout in mild terrain and weather.2. Amazing ANC: natural and effective. No in-ear pressure feel. Natural transparency mode. Many review sites often compare earbuds next to each other. In my experience, they are simply great on their own. I like that I can customize the strength of the ANC, increasing the ANC in noisy spaces such as the train cabin, or decrease it when at home. Very little white noise when ANC is at max strength. I have above average hearing, and I can only hear the white noise if I intentionally pay attention to it.3. Small case: as shown in the picture, the AZ80 case is amazingly designed. Not that much bigger than my AirPods. Wireless charging capable, with a USB-C port, premium metallic material look, and great ergonomic in hand or pocket.4. Great ergonomics: It comes with multiple eartips to choose from. The earbuds are not intrusive in my ear canal. The AZ80 simply sit in my ear, similar to the AirPods Pro. I have some issues with the AirPods Pro falling out of my ear during workout due to the size and design, as well as the minor moisture and oil in my ear during working out. These feel more secure than the AirPods Pro.5. Great connectivity: Using my iPhone, connecting to either the AirPods or AZ80 are similar simple and convenient. The AZ80 takes 1 sec longer to connect than the AirPods Pro, but it does not require any interaction to switch between devices once multi-point is setup. To switch devices, I simply play audio or video on the other device. AirPods Pro is great when I first got it, but recently it has major issues with connection, device switching, and battery life, despite being on the latest hardware.Lastly,6. Microphone quality. AirPods Pro does have Apple’s industry leading software to create amazing sound quality. I personally prefer the AZ80 as it seems to have better microphone hardware and software. My voice sounds natural, although lack a bit of warmth. With the Technics’ JustMyVoice feature at maximum strength, the person on the other side of the call cannot hear any noise, music, or chatter near me. The clarity of my voice does get cutout if my background noise is larger than me, but that’s the same across competition.P.S. I personally identify as a gear fanatic who likes to do extensive research before any purchase. Before buying two pairs of these premium earphones, one for my partner and the other for myself, I looked extensively into other options such as the Sony 1000XM5, Sennheiser MTWS 3, 4, & sport, Apple AirPods Pro 2, Beats Fit Pro, Bose QC Wireless Ultra, and Jabra Elite 10, as well as Technics’s own AZ60 & AZ60 Mark 2I believe these earbuds to be simply amazing and cannot be overlooked if you have been shopping for something like the Sennheiser MTWS 4 or Bose QCW Ultra.