After spending a month with Technics' new flagship EAH-AZ100 wireless earbuds, I can confidently say they represent a significant leap forward from their predecessors. As someone who thoroughly tested the AZ80s last year, I was skeptical about how much Technics could improve on an already great product. The answer? Quite a lot, actually.

What's New (And Actually Better)

The AZ100s bring meaningful upgrades that address the main weaknesses of their predecessors:

• Magnetic Fluid Driver Technology: This isn't just marketing jargon. The 10mm drivers use ferrofluid technology that genuinely improves sound clarity. In A/B testing with the AZ80s, the difference in instrument separation and bass precision is immediately noticeable.
• Dramatically Improved ANC: The noise cancellation now rivals industry leaders Bose and Sony, particularly excelling at mid-range frequency cancellation where human voices reside. In coffee shop testing, the AZ100s reduced background chatter by approximately 80% without creating ear pressure.
• Sleeker, More Comfortable Design: Both earbuds are lighter (5.9g vs. 7g) with a more ergonomic shape that distributes weight better. This translated to no ear fatigue even after 4+ hour listening sessions during my testing. Comfortable enough to almost sleep with them in, I found their fit plenty secure for running and gym workouts.
• Extended Battery Life: Real-world testing confirmed about 9.5 hours with ANC on (up from 6.5 hours on the AZ80) and 27 hours total with the case – enough for a full week of commuting.
• Voice Focus AI Call Quality: In back-to-back tests with the AZ80s in windy conditions, callers consistently reported clearer voice pickup with the AZ100s, though with a slightly more processed sound.

Design & Fit: Finding the Sweet Spot

The AZ100s strike an ideal balance between security and comfort. Unlike some competitors that rely on ear hooks or wing tips, these earbuds achieve stability through their contoured shape that locks gently into your ear's concha.

If you have smaller ears or struggled with the fit of previous Technics models, the AZ100s will likely work better for you. The more rounded profile distributes pressure more evenly, and I found I could wear them for entire workdays without discomfort.

Pro tip: Take time to try all five included ear tip sizes. I initially assumed medium would work best (as it does with most earbuds), but found the ML size created a better seal that improved both bass response and noise isolation.

The charging case is a bit smaller than the AZ80's case and now easily fits in the small pocket of jeans. However, the case's magnets could be stronger – twice during testing, the lid accidentally opened in my bag. Something to be aware of if you're tossing them loose into a backpack.

Features That Actually Matter

Rather than listing every feature, here are the ones that genuinely improved my daily experience:

Three-Way Multipoint Done Right: The ability to stay connected to my phone, laptop, and tablet simultaneously saved me countless reconnection headaches. Better yet, Technics now lets you control how aggressive the switching is – I set mine to manual switching during work hours (to prevent unexpected audio interruptions) and automatic during personal time.

Truly Customizable Controls: Unlike Sony's XM5s that restrict which functions can be assigned to each bud, the AZ100s let you map any function to either earbud using single, double, triple taps, and tap-and-hold gestures. I configured volume controls on the left and playback/ANC on the right – a setup impossible on most competitors.

Responsive Wear Detection: The auto-pause when removing earbuds works reliably with virtually no false triggers – something I can't say about many competitors. This saves both battery life and your place in podcasts or audiobooks.

Adaptive ANC That Actually Works: Unlike some implementations that jarringly switch between ANC levels, the AZ100s adjust so smoothly you'll rarely notice the transitions. During a coffee shop testing session, I intentionally moved from quiet corner to noisy counter without experiencing any disruptive adjustments.

App Experience: Powerful Without Being Overwhelming

The Technics Audio Connect app strikes the right balance between functionality and usability. The most useful features include:

• Visual ANC/Ambient Adjustment: The 0-100 slider with visual feedback makes finding your preferred noise cancellation level intuitive.
• Sound Customization: The 8-band equalizer offers precise frequency adjustment rather than vague "bass" and "treble" sliders. The Bass+ preset adds punch without muddying mids – perfect for workout playlists.
• Priority Settings: You can choose whether to prioritize sound quality or connection stability – I found the sound quality setting maintained stable connections in all but the most crowded RF environments.
• Multi-Device Management: You can easily see and control which devices are connected via multipoint and prioritize them as needed.

Sound Quality: For Different Listening Styles

The AZ100s have a remarkably balanced sound signature that works well across genres, but they particularly excel with:

Orchestral & Jazz: The wide soundstage and precise imaging make it easy to place instruments in space. Testing with John Williams' "Jurassic Park Theme" revealed subtle string details often lost on other earbuds.

Electronic & Hip-Hop: The bass is tight and controlled rather than boomy. Massive Attack's "Angel" demonstrated the AZ100s' ability to maintain clarity in the low end without bleeding into the mids.

Acoustic & Vocal: Vocals sit perfectly in the mix – present without being overly forward. Female vocals in particular benefit from the clean upper midrange.

For critical listening, switching to LDAC codec with a compatible device (tested with a Samsung S21 phone) delivers a noticeable improvement in detail retrieval and soundstage width. The dynamic range expansion is particularly evident in classical recordings.

Practical EQ Advice: Most users will enjoy the default "Direct" setting, but:

• For noisy environments: Bass+ preset adds impact that helps overcome ambient noise
• For podcast listening: Vocal preset improves speech clarity
• For late-night listening: Clear preset reduces ear fatigue at lower volumes

Noise Cancellation: Class-Leading Performance

The ANC performance rivals and sometimes exceeds both Sony and Bose flagships, with different strengths:

• Low Frequency Cancellation: Nearly perfect elimination of air conditioner hum, airplane engine rumble, and train noise
• Mid Frequency Handling: About 80% reduction of human voices and office noises
• Pressure Sensation: Significantly less ear pressure than Bose QC Ultra Earbuds and Sony XM5s

If you haven't experienced modern ANC in a pair of quality earbuds or headphones, it might shock you how much noise is in our modern world. Slip these in and the background noise floor just drops to levels of silence that reminded me of going underground in a cave. It's eerie but definitely welcome.

The "Adaptive" mode and tuning options are genuinely useful rather than gimmicky. During a 45-minute walking commute through varying environments, from quiet streets to busy intersections, the AZ100s automatically adjusted noise cancellation without any distracting "shifts" in pressure or sound.

Ambient Sound Control gives you a number of additional options for letting the outside world in. The standard setting, transparency, provides a normal, even amount of ambient sound. "Attention" mode, which processes voices, sort of applies noise canceling to frequencies not used by voices. In practice, it works well to help amplify conversations and cut down on background noise.

Call Quality: Business-Ready Performance

Call quality testing in various environments revealed:

• Quiet Environments: Excellent clarity with natural voice reproduction
• Moderate Noise (Coffee Shop): Very good voice isolation with minimal background intrusion
• High Noise (Street/Wind): Good voice prioritization, though with some digital-sounding processing

The Voice Focus AI feature works best in very noisy environments but can make your voice sound slightly processed. I recommend:

• Leave Voice Focus AI off for quiet environments
• Enable it only when recipients complain about background noise
• Avoid using both Voice Focus AI and your phone's own noise reduction simultaneously (creates over-processing)

Battery Life & Connectivity

Real-world battery testing showed:

• ANC On + AAC Codec: 9-10 hours per charge, 27-28 hours with case
• ANC On + LDAC: 6-7 hours per charge, 17-18 hours with case
• Quick Charge: A 15-minute case charge provides about 1.5 hours of playback

The Bluetooth 5.3 implementation provided rock-solid connections in testing, maintaining stable audio even in challenging RF environments like crowded subway platforms. The multipoint connection seamlessly handled switching between devices with about a 1-second delay – faster than Sony's implementation but slightly slower than Apple's H1/H2 chip devices.

Value: Premium Price, Premium Experience

At $299, the Technics EAH-AZ100 sits firmly in the premium earbud segment. However, when compared directly to similarly priced competitors:

• vs. Sony WF-1000XM5 ($299): The Technics offer better comfort for small ears, clearer sound, and 3-way multipoint, while Sony provides better app integration with Android.
• vs. Bose QC Ultra Earbuds ($299): The Technics deliver better sound quality and battery life, while Bose is equal in pure noise cancellation effectiveness.
• vs. Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 ($300): The Technics have better ANC and a more compact case, while Sennheiser offers slightly warmer sound signature some may prefer.
• vs. Apple AirPods Pro 2 ($249): The Technics provide superior sound quality and battery life, while AirPods offer seamless Apple ecosystem integration and slightly smaller case design.

For someone who values balanced sound quality, effective ANC, and seamless multi-device usage, the AZ100s represent excellent value despite their premium price point.

Who Should Buy the Technics EAH-AZ100?

Perfect for:

• Frequent travelers and commuters who need effective noise cancellation without ear pressure
• Music enthusiasts who appreciate balanced, detailed sound across multiple genres
• Multi-device users who regularly switch between phone, laptop, and tablet
• People with smaller ears who find other premium earbuds uncomfortable
• Those who value battery life and don't want to charge daily

Consider alternatives if:

• Budget is your primary concern

Final Thoughts

The Technics EAH-AZ100 earbuds set a new standard for what premium wireless earbuds can achieve. They excel across all critical categories – sound quality, comfort, noise cancellation, and features – without significant compromises in any area. Adding all day comfort to an already strong product really elevates these buds.

What truly separates them from the competition is their versatility. They transition seamlessly from analytical listening sessions at home to noisy commutes to video conferences at work. The thoughtful approach to features and controls makes them adaptable to various use cases rather than optimized for just one scenario.

If you're willing to invest in premium earbuds that will serve you well across virtually all listening situations, the Technics EAH-AZ100 should be at the very top of your consideration list. They represent the rare product that actually delivers on its promises.

The Technics EAH-AZ100 earns our Editor's Choice Award for delivering exceptional sound quality, class-leading noise cancellation, and useful features in a comfortable, refined package that works seamlessly across multiple devices and use cases.