Technics EAH-AZ70W
Technics’ first true wireless earbuds are a predictably premium-sounding success
Given Technics’ commitment to the headphone market, the brand’s entrance into the true wireless earbuds world was inevitable. Its debut buds have arrived in the form of the EAH-AZ70WS, and, like their over-ear and wired earbud cousins, they are aimed at the more discerning end of the market. They feature noise-cancelling functionality, built-in Alexa voice control and a decent battery life, putting them in competition with the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2s and Sony WF-1000XM3S.
With their curvaceous, elongated shape, the EAH-AZ70WS don't look much different to the competition. They are about 2cm deep so should nestle into your ear canal without protruding, and we find their fit light, comfortable and secure. They have the reliably tasteful look of a Technics product, thanks to their smart brushed-aluminium look. An IPX4 splash-resistant rating means they should withstand a bit of rain or sweat.
Touch controls
The circular plates bearing the Technics branding provide a decently sized area to control playback. Tapping either earbud once pauses or plays a track and answers phone calls, but each bud has its own specific set of controls too, with a series of taps and presses to launch the voice assistant, cycle between noise-cancelling modes, change volume and skip tracks. We can’t fault its accuracy, although you do have to be fairly definite in your taps to avoid confusion between functions.
You can do away with touch controls altogether thanks to built-in Amazon Alexa support. Pair the Technics to your Amazon account within the Alexa app and you can control playback and get hands-free answers to burning questions.
Battery life is 18 hours from a single charge (six from the buds, 12 from the USB-C charging case), which is adequate in practical terms, though less than the 24 and 28 hours playback time of the
Sonys and Sennheisers respectively. Naturally, you should be able to squeeze more playback hours out of them with noise-cancellation turned off.
The Technics EAH-AZ70W were first unveiled during CES 2020 in January, where the company detailed its three-pronged approach for its first true wireless earbuds – combining excellent noise-cancellation, stable connectivity and class-leading sound quality.
Technics has created its own Dual Hybrid Noise-cancelling Technology, which adds digital processing to the traditional analogue feedback method. Handled by three microphones in each earbud, it reduces background noise, but doesn’t completely drown them out.
Amplifying external noise
The Technics Audio Connect app offers the means to adjust noise-cancellation and is also where you can activate Ambient Mode, a common feature of true wireless buds that amplifies external noise, so you can hear traffic noise or station announcements when you’re out and about. The app lets you select sound modes, view battery status, and help find misplaced buds by revealing their last known location.
To improve the connection stability, Technics has chosen to keep the left and right earbuds independent. Each receives a signal from the music source, rather than one bud passing the signal to the other channel in the more common master and slave configuration.
An acoustic chamber inside each earbud has been designed to optimise the airflow generated from the driver, too, theoretically delivering a spacious sound with deeper bass..
What strikes us about the EAHAZ70WS’ sonic character is their openness and how deep in the bass they go. With Mac Miller's What's The Use?, the bassline is not only deep-rooted but also deft and defined, the Technics capturing its groovy playfulness and the way it drives the track forward.
It’s not too overpowering either, the midrange is solid and punchy and has a good level of detail. His vocal delivery sounds rightfully soulful and buoyant in the chorus and full of his distinctive quips during the rapped verses.
However, the EAH-AZ70WS don’t quite outpoint the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2s, which expand on the Technics’ skillset with greater articulacy and dynamic expression. Listen to a live recording of Fink's Trouble's What You're In, and while the Technics compel with their insightful character, their rivals draw you into the track more by revealing greater nuances – the subtle discrepancies in the finger-plucking, the variations in the vocal inflections.
The Technics may not be the best noise-cancelling true wireless earbuds out there, which costs them a fifth star, but they are still a good proposition. They’re an entertaining listen, pleasant to use and comfortable to wear – and a worthy inclusion on your shortlist.