Technics EAH-AZ100 vs AZ80 (2025) Review – Best Wireless Headphones by Sound

Pros
  • Reference Sound
  • Microphone of Decent Quality
  • Good Transparency Mode
  • Feature-rich app
  • Decent Battery Life
  • Comfortable and Pleasing Design
Cons
  • Moderate Noise Cancellation
  • The sound needs to be adjusted.
  • Minor Cons:
    – Minimal lack of bass quantity and quality.
    – Slight lack of vocal intimacy.
    – The microphone could be better.
    – Poor passive isolation.
    – Minor flaws in the app and build.

Technics EAH-AZ100 – these are the wireless TWS headphones I’ve been eagerly awaiting for the past six months, and for good reason, friends. Technics has truly managed to take a significant leap forward. This model, spoiler alert, is better than the previous generation AZ80, and spoiler, the AZ100 is superior to the Realme Buds Air 7 Pro in sound, though not in all aspects. However, the Technics EAH-AZ100 Bluetooth headphones are now the new sound benchmark on MyChooz.

Technics EAH-AZ100 is the 2025 Wireless In-Canal TWS Headphones, officially priced at $299, but the actual price is $400-$420. The Realme Buds Air 7 Pro, at $60, met its final boss. The outcome is very interesting; I thought until the very end that Technics wouldn’t be able to outperform Realme. But Technics managed to outplay Realme, though not in all aspects. Yes, the miracle didn’t quite happen.

The price difference between these noise-canceling headphones is simply monstrous: $60 vs. $400, even if we consider the official $300. Yet the difference in sound turned out to be only 0.6 points out of 10. That’s how good both the Realme and Technics are. There are some downsides to the Technics model, so make sure to read the review to the end. The comparison won’t only be with Realme Buds Air 7 Pro ($60), but also with Huawei Freebuds Pro 4 ($170), OnePlus Buds 4 ($60), and the previous version of Technics EAH-AZ80 ($380).

Technics EAH-AZ100

The most interesting thing about the Technics EAH-AZ100 is what the manufacturer claims:

Technics EAH-AZ100 wireless TWS headphones

I am very grateful to the store SoundMag.ua, which has repeatedly helped with models. They sent both the Technics EAH-AZ100 and Technics EAH-AZ80 at once for comparison. The link to buy Technics EAH-AZ100 and Technics EAH-AZ80 is below if you live in Ukraine. If not in Ukraine, an alternative link to Ali is also in the description.

Realme Buds Air 7 Pro ($60), but also with the Huawei Freebuds Pro 4 ($170), OnePlus Buds 4 ($60), and the previous Technics EAH-AZ80 ($380).

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Содержание

By default, the Technics EAH-AZ100 deliver moderate bass, accentuated highs, and a slight lack of mids. This is the equalizer’s default setting. The connection mode is LDAC codec with sound prioritization. Next, I will describe the sound in sound priority mode and with my EQ setting: a slight addition of bass, a slight addition of mids, and significantly boosted highs. The best preset, if you don’t want to copy my EQ, is Top h+ or Dynamic, but they sound worse than mine. I don’t recommend staying on the default either.

Volume with reserve; 50% with sound synchronization was enough for me.

Equalizer:

Third-party ear cushions = +1 out of 10 points in sound. I decided to test the EPZ M100’s separate silicone ear cushions and realized that the native ear cushions stifle the sound and steal audio information. The native ear cushions also have a foam-like audio fabric. It makes the highs a little softer and muffles the mids.

Technics EAH-AZ100

With the purchase of suitable ear cushions, you can add +1 to the sound score out of 10. With the EPZ M100, where there are no obstacles to the sound wave, the midrange opens up much better, and the sound becomes more detailed and clear. The midrange is 1 point better, with more detail in the sound and more top end. Finally, there’s a clear effect of presence. Sometimes it’s so bright that you might want to slightly adjust the EQ from the setting I showed.

Further, I will describe the sound on the native ear cushions, as it’s a physical customization and you’d need to purchase them. However, remember that if you buy the right ear cushions for $5-$10, you get a +10% improvement in sound quality.

LDAC, AAC, and SBC codecs remain, and there’s a new LC3 codec compared to the AZ80 version.

SBC codec = -4 points out of 10 in sound quality. Without prioritizing sound quality, we lose up to 40% of the total sound quality with SBC. This is the first time I’ve heard such a gap between codecs; it’s usually 10-15%. Highs with SBC sound ripping and hissing—horrible, especially against an LDAC background. The bass becomes less prominent. Midrange is also a bit worse than with LDAC. Details and soundstage are hidden, and naturalness is simply killed because of the highs.

The AAC codec is available, but I couldn’t switch to it manually on Android, even through the Bluetooth Codec Changer app. When testing on an iPhone, the AAC audio loss is 10-15%.

Bottom line on codecs: Buying Technics EAH-AZ100 for a device without an LDAC codec means a loss of 10-15% of quality. If you listen via SBC, you get the sound quality of headphones for $40, and Realme Buds Air 7 via LHDC 5.0 will play better.

Drivers:

The EAH-AZ100’s proprietary 10mm Magnetic Fluid Driver is responsible for the sound. The design features an oily fluid with magnetic particles, filling the space between a rigid aluminum driver in the center and a flexible free-edge bass driver on the outside. The magnetic fluid replaces traditional mechanical dampers, helping to control the movement of the driver coil while reducing friction and improving heat dissipation. Due to the free edge on the outside, this design provides more precise and faster movements of the diaphragm. As a result, the manufacturer promises the highest quality sound.

New drivers are great, but the most important thing is what the headphones can actually do. That’s what we’re going to talk about.

snimok jekrana 2025 06 19 v 11.17.20
Frequency balance is 9.5/10. Moderate bass, accentuated treble, and a slight lack of midrange.
Bass is 9/10 (❗️Realme Buds Air 7 Pro is the benchmark). The bass is textured, delineated, and well-separated. By default, it wasn’t enough for me, and even after adjusting the equalizer, I would have liked a little more bass. This can only be corrected with ear cushions. In my favorite track, Lenny Kravitz – “Low,” the electric bass has a recognizable texture; there’s rocking and punch. But there’s less texture and body than with the Realme Buds Air 7 Pro.
If we compare it with the Technics EAH-AZ80, the picture is exactly the same as in the AZ100; the bass is 9 out of 10. The same applies to the track The Weeknd – “Blinding Lights”; the bass is quite moderate and “diplomatic,” whereas in the Realme, it’s both filling and textural. Michael Jackson – “P.Y.T.” – Same story.
-1 point for insufficiently textural and filling bass; it can be a bit too little even with EQ.
Midrange – 9.5/10 (❗️🌟 new benchmark: Technics EAH-AZ80). The midrange is simply magical; Technics truly excels in the quality and naturalness of vocal transmission. However, compared to Realme, the vocals are a little more distant, and the effect of presence is lessened. My main test, using my favorite compositions Oasis – “Don’t Go Away” and Oasis – “Wonderwall,” showed that the Realme Buds Air 7 Pro wins by 1 point out of 10 in terms of proximity and presence effect. For the naturalness and quality of the vocal itself, I’m adding 0.5 points to the Technics 100m (9.5 out of 10) and deducting 0.5 points from Realme for contrast “dirtiness,” resulting in a parity of 9.5 out of 10. The one that truly gets 10 out of 10 is the AZ80. Unless you compare these models extensively, they all sound on par.
The Realme Buds Air 7 Pro is close, but a little “dirtier” and less natural – 9.5 out of 10. Technics EAH-AZ100 – a little farther away, but clean and natural – 9.5 out of 10. The new benchmark at 10 out of 10, however, is the Technics EAH-AZ80—yes, the previous version. It delivers vocals that are both close and natural, exactly as they should be.
-0.5 points for a noticeable, slight detachment of vocals; in the AZ80 and Realme, vocals are closer.
High Frequencies – 10/10 (❗️🌟 new benchmark: Technics EAH-AZ100).
The highs are soft, bright, and natural, setting a new benchmark. The shaker sounds like a real shaker, and the tambourine has a natural ringing in Oasis – “Don’t Go Away.” The metallic sound of the drums in Daft Punk – “Get Lucky” and “Lose Yourself to Dance” truly sounds like metal. These are probably the best highs I’ve ever heard.
Meanwhile, the highs in Realme, with score correction, are a 9 out of 10.
The AZ100’s highs are 1.5 points better than the previous Technics EAH-AZ80, which scored 8.5 out of 10.
Detail – 10/10 (❗️🌟 new Technics EAH-AZ100 reference). In “Don’t Go Away” by Oasis and “Hurt” by Johnny Cash, the main parts are audible, and the minor parts, third sounds, and after-sounds are excellent.
Realme is 9/10. It has less detail in the highs and mids.
Technics EAH-AZ80 is 9.5/10. It’s slightly better than Realme. Due to the narrower soundstage, many details are a bit muddled, and the highs are lacking.
Stage – 10/10 (❗️🌟 new benchmark: Technics EAH-AZ100). In tracks like Michael Jackson – “Man in the Mirror” and Oasis – “Wonderwall,” the soundstage is wide, with excellent instrument separation. There’s also good depth and a noticeable 3D effect.
Technics EAH-AZ80 – 8 out of 10 – sounds narrower than Realme. Realme – 9 out of 10 – has a wider soundstage, but not as wide as the AZ100.
Naturalness – 10/10 (❗️🌟 new Technics EAH-AZ100 reference). In tracks like Sting – “Englishman in New York” and Lenny Kravitz – “Low,” every instrument sounds simply delightful. The drums sound especially cool; you can hear the plastic of the drum, you can hear it working, whether it’s a tom or a snare.
The treble sounds especially great; the metallic sounds are natural and pleasing, both on drums and percussion, including shakers and similar instruments.
Technics EAH-AZ80 – 9 out of 10. There are some subtle issues with the highs, especially in the treble. Otherwise, it’s generally okay.
Realme – 9.5 out of 10. There’s a slight dip in the top end. The bass sounds simply magical—the best. For vocals, there’s a slight dip in naturalness, which I’ve already mentioned.

Technics EAH-AZ100 sound rating among all TWS headphones is 9.9/10 (we have a new benchmark, ladies and gentlemen❗️🌟 Technics EAH-AZ100).

The main drawback of the sound is the insufficient closeness of the mids and vocals as a consequence. Additionally, there’s an insufficient quantity and quality of bass. The primary strengths of the sound lie in all other audio parameters: reference naturalness, soundstage, detail, and highs. In 4 out of 6 parameters, we’ve found a new benchmark. The overall sound quality elevates your music appreciation to a new level. You’re not just at a live concert; you’re sitting right in the studio, hearing your favorite band play in perfect acoustic conditions. There’s a wealth of new sonic colors, allowing you to listen to your favorite tracks not just for hours, but for days and weeks.

The Technics EAH-AZ100 is the best option for those seeking versatile headphones suitable for any genre, especially those with live instruments like jazz, classic rock, classical, and so forth. It’s ideal if you’re looking for sound without compromise. With a simple ear cushion replacement, the mids improve even further, and at that point, there’s not much more one could ask for from the sound, especially if you connect them to appropriate amplifiers.

  • With score correction, the sound of the Realme Buds Air 7 Pro is 9.3 out of 10
  • Technics EAH-AZ80 sound rating with correction is 8.9 out of 10.

On codecs:

  • The best LDAC option is the Technics EAH-AZ100, then the Huawei Freebuds Pro 4.
  • The best option by LHDC is the Realme Buds Air 7 Pro, then the OnePlus Buds 4.
  • The best option for AAC is Technics EAH-AZ100, then Realme Buds Air 7 Pro, for an iPhone or if you don’t have some kind of codec.

Engaging music is 10/10. It makes you want to dance and listen to whole albums.

Technics EAH-AZ100 - Сравнение с Конкурентами

More comparisons in MyChooz.com’s top rankings

The claimed Voice Focus AI technology is software voice enhancement, achieved by reducing ambient noise and amplifying the voice. In reality, the microphone just got a little better.

The Technics EAH-AZ100 microphone is 8/10; it has improved. In quiet conditions – 8/10. In noisy conditions – 8/10.
Микрофон echnics EAH-AZ80 – 7.25/10. В тихих условиях – 8/10. В шумных условиях – 6.5/10.

Comparison with the benchmark Huawei Freebuds Pro 4 ($170) – 9.75/10. In quiet conditions – 9.5/10. In noisy conditions – 10/10.

Noise Cancellation7/10 (❗️Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is the benchmark). It works well; the headphones effectively suppress low frequencies, are less effective with mids and voices, and perform poorly with high-frequency sounds. The casing has poor passive sound isolation. This has not changed at all compared to the AZ80.
Transparency Mode8/10 (❗️Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro 3 is the benchmark). It’s excellent; talking with the headphones on is comfortable. There’s a faint white noise. The headphones themselves let sound through quite well due to weak passive sound isolation. This has not changed at all compared to the AZ80.
Battery Life – 8/10 (❗️EarFun Air Pro 4 is the benchmark). It has improved. Earbud playback time with noise cancellation engaged increased from 7 to 10 hours, and from 24 to 28 hours with the case. With the LDAC codec and noise cancellation under the same conditions, it’s 7 and 18 hours, respectively. In actual use, it’s 4 hours for the earbuds and 14 hours with the case when active noise cancellation + LDAC are used.
ParameterAACLDAC
Headphones, ANC ON~10 ч~7 ч
Headphones, ANC OFF~12 ч~8 ч
Headphones + case, ANC ON~28 ч~18 ч
Headphones + case, ANC OFF~29 ч~19 ч

✅ Wireless charging (Qi) ✅ Fast charging – 15 min = 90 min. ✅ Auto power off when not in use


Controls – 8/10. Here, everything is old-fashioned. Only taps, no swipes or stem squeezes. All necessary controls are present and can be reconfigured in the app.
-0.5 points for the response delay of 0.5 seconds. -0.5 points for volume control via taps, without swipes. -1 point for the lack of stem squeeze controls.
App – 9/10 (❗️benchmark Realme Link). You can download Technics Audio Connect for Android and iOS. The main things I recommend doing are enabling “sound quality priority” and setting up the equalizer.
-0.5 points for minor issues, such as slow opening and loading, and not showing the case’s charge when connected to a charger. -0.5 points for a complex interface in the app; it takes a long time to find where everything is located.
Connection Stability 10/10 (❗️benchmark). Within 10m, using the LDAC codec, stability was perfect, with no issues. Bluetooth version 5.3.

Important features and sensors:

  • Multipoint – yes, up to 3 devices.
  • Auto pause when headphones are removed – yes.
  • Google Fast Pair support – none.
  • There is no support for Swift Pair for Windows – none.
Overall build rating – 9/10. Comfortable, durable, and aesthetically pleasing. Comfort – 9/10. Comfortable, with a slight feeling of the earbuds in the ears. The case is compact. Durability – 9/10. Reliable build. IPx4 dust and water resistance is for the earbuds only. Design – 9/10. The earbuds look pleasant, though nothing special.

Design comfort – 9/10 (❗️Apple AirPods Pro 2 is the benchmark). Headphone size: 21 x 26 x 25 mm. Case size: 69 x 36 x 27 mm. The headphones are comfortable; however, there is a slight feeling that the earbuds are in your ears, unlike the Apple AirPods Pro 2, where they seem to disappear after a minute. The case is small and comfortable, fitting in your pocket without a problem and not bulging out. However, it is slightly larger than the reference. The headphones are great for sports, and they are most comfortable in the “bud” format.

  • -0.5 points for headphone comfort.
  • -0.5 points for the size of the case.

Material quality and durability – 9/10 (❗️OnePlus Buds 4 is the benchmark). The headphones are made of matte plastic with a metal touch panel. They are monolithically assembled. The case has a thin metal exterior and matte plastic inside. IPx4 dust and water resistance is for the headphones only, making them resistant to splashing water.

  • For disadvantages -1 point – no dust protection, no stated case protection.

Appearance – 9/10 (❗️эталон). Technics EAH-AZ100 is available in black, silver and gold color. The headphones look nice, although nothing special. If you want to stand out, you can get the gold one. They definitely look better than the previous 80th version.

  • -1 point. The most ordinary design; nothing stands out.
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The $404 Technics EAH-AZ100 is MyChooz – 100%. This is the model I will use as a sound benchmark to compare with newer models. Delightful top-end sound, yes with a slight flaw in the mids and a slight lack of bass quality and quantity. Otherwise, reference top end, reference detail, stage and naturalness. The headphones sing, the music flows, it’s already HiFi level.

The model has good functionality, not outstanding, but there are no critical minuses. Good microphone for 8, good transparency and noise reduction, sufficient autonomy 7 hours on headphones and 18 hours in the case. Normal touch controls and a very functional app with a million settings. Yes, a separate plus for the equalizer without which I would not have tilted the sound I need.

What are the downsides? Perhaps only average noise reduction. Otherwise, everything else is good to excellent.

It’s definitely worth updating from the 80th; the sound is a head and shoulders better. The functions are partially better. The design is slightly better.

What are the alternatives?

If you need top-notch sound and have $400 in your pocket, I can’t recommend any alternatives yet. This is the best there is. If your budget is under $400, the Realme Buds Air 7 Pro for $60 will give you slightly inferior but still top-tier sound, or 9+ points. If your budget is under $400 and you love bass, the OnePlus Buds 4 are a great option for $70. If you need a top microphone, better noise cancellation, more comfortable controls, and a format with stems, plus on the LDAC codec, then the HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 4 for $170 is the best model for its money in terms of features and design.

Bottom line: First place Technics EAH-AZ100, second Huawei Freebuds Pro 4 by total criteria, third Realme Buds Air 7 Pro, fourth OnePlus Buds 4. Soon, the rankings on MyChooz will be updated.

Be sure to write what you think about the new Technics EAH-AZ100, I’d love to chat with you in the comments. Have a great sound and see you on MyChooz, bye!

The review was written faster thanks to help from Alexander Moiseenko.

Technics EAH-AZ100 Features:

  • Technics EAH-AZ100 release date – January 2025
  • TheTechnics EAH-AZ100 is priced at $299at launch.
  • Design: in-canal
  • Transmitters: 1 dynamic, 10 mm
  • Codecs: SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3.
  • Bluetooth: 5.3
  • Active noise reduction: Yes
  • Transparency mode: Yes
  • Control: touch screen
  • Autonomy: up to 12 hours, up to 29 hours with AAC case.
  • Charging: USB-C wired, Qi wireless.
  • Application: available
  • Optional: auto pause.
  • Multipoint: up to 3 devices.
  • Protection: IPX4.
  • Materials: brushed metal, plastic
  • Earpiece weight:
    headphones: ~5.9 g each
    case: ~42 g
  • Microphone: yes
  • Headphone size: 21 x 26 x 25 mm.
  • Case size: 69 x 36 x 27 mm.

What’s in the box?

Technics EAH-AZ100 - What's in the box
  • Headphones.
  • Charging Case.
  • Ear cushions (XS, S, M, ML, L).
  • USB Type-C to Type-C cable, 20cm.
  • User’s Manual.

Technics EAH-AZ100 – Popular Questions:

Technics EAH-AZ100 – how to connect wireless headphones?

1. Switch to pairing mode: open the case, do not remove the headphones, press the button on the case until the indicator light starts flashing.
2. Go to bluetooth settings, list of devices, at the very bottom will be Technics EAH-AZ100.
3. Connect the headphones.

Do you still have a question about Technics EAH-AZ100?

Vladimir Papazov
Vladimir Papazov

Vladimir Papazov - Chief Editor. I answer questions, publish news, reviews, ratings and FAQs.

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