Sony and Bose beware – I tried Technics EAH-AZ100 and they're my new best buds

Every tech giant you can think of now has an army of earbuds to tickle your tastebuds. In fact, there are now so many on the market that it’s become a bit of a minefield deciding which buds to buy and which music makers should be left on store shelves. Luckily, choosing a pair of more premium wireless devices has just got easier thanks to the launch of the new EAH-AZ100 from Technics. I’ve been using these latest audio accessories for the past month and I can honestly say they are some of the best buds you can buy.

Popping them out of the packaging, the first that impressed me was the slimline charging case that’s the perfect size for pockets. It has a really nice feel to it, can be refilled wirelessly, features a light to show when it’s charging and gives a satisfying snap when you open and close the lid. It might sound odd to be praising the case but I’ve tested many rivals in the past that have felt hugely cheap and very tacky.

When it’s time to get the tunes started, set-up is simple with the EAH-AZ100 syncing pretty seamlessly with my iPhone. They even beat all of their competitors – apart from Apple – by allowing the option to connect to three devices at once thanks to multipoint connectivity. That’s allowed me to easily switch between phone, laptop and tablet without digging into endless Bluetooth settings.

Plug them into your ears, and you’ll also have no issues with the fit. They come with numerous rubber tips and once I’d found the ideal size, these are some of the most comfortable earbuds I’ve used in a while. Even if you shake your head or go for a gentle jog around the block, they won’t come out and fly across the floor.

Pump up the playlists, and they sound mightily impressive. Technics has taken its Magnetic Fluid Driver technology from its £1,100 wired buds and miniaturised it for the much cheaper AZ100s.

The Magnetic Fluid is an oil-type liquid filled with magnetic particles that is injected into the space between the driver magnet and voice coil enabling low-distortion playback.

The result is audio that is rich in detail and packed with bass without being overpowering. I’ve been listening to a range of music, and it all sounds spectacularly good.

To boost things further, the EAH-AZ100 buds also integrate with immersive spatial audio and are optimised for Dolby Atmos. Plus you get Dolby Head Tracking that responds to head movements, creating a more realistic sound field – it all works really well.

You can also dig into the settings and change things to suit your tastes via the Technics app – this application offers plenty of customisation but it is a bit clunky and looks like it was made in the 80s.

To avoid your favourite tracks being disrupted by background sound, some very good Active Noise Cancellation is included.

I’ve been wearing them around the streets of London, on the Tube, train, and even on a long-haul flight to California and the ANC is superb.

It can even adapt to your surroundings, boosting the ANC when things get noisy and then reducing it again once you arrive at somewhere a little more quiet.

When I was waiting for my flight at Heathrow, a simple tap on the buds switched off ANC, so I didn’t miss the gate being called. There’s a Transparency mode as well which makes sure you can hear your surroundings and Technics has even added a One-touch Conversation Mode which pauses music and switches to transparent mode. This then focusus on voices so you can converse with others without taking your AZ100 out of your ears.

If you spend endless hours on the phone, there is some tech inside called “Voice Focus AI,” which improves call quality and stops interruptions by things such as busy street noise. It also analyses incoming audio and improves the sound of the caller, which is a nice touch from Technics.

Finally, there’s that all-important battery life. I’ve worn the AZ100s for over 5 hours straight and seen no sign of the battery light blinking at me.

When things do run low I’ve simply popped them back in the charging case so they are ready for the next music binge.

I must be honest and say there’s almost nothing wrong with the EAH-AZ100 buds. One of the perks of my job is testing endless tech and I have a drawer full of wireless earbuds to choose from – the AZ100s are now my go-to music makers when I fancy a podcast or tuning into the charts. They really are that good.

The sound is exceptional, they are incredibly comfy to wear, the battery life feels never-ending and the ANC will make sure you only hear your tunes and nothing else.

If I had any criticism, it would be the rather retro-looking app, which doesn’t match the premium feel of the buds. The only thing that could put you off is the price as they aren’t exactly cheap.

Taking delivery of a pair will set you back £259, which is more expensive than Apple’s AirPods Pros or Sony’s hugely popular WF1000XM5.

If you have the cash in the bank and fancy trying something new, I can’t recommend the EAH-AZ100s highly enough. Sounds like Technics has a smash hit on its hands.