Technics EAH-AZ60 Review

The Technics EAH-AZ60 are a competent gear up of premium true wireless earbuds that offer excellent bombardment life, reliable ANC and wonderfully precise audio. The only downside is that they don’t quite match the dynamism yous’ll detect on the slightly more than expensive Sony WF-1000XM4.

Introduction

The Technics EAH-AZ60 are the premium earbuds from the Japanese audio heavyweight that have ambitions of ruffling a few feathers at the premium end of the true wireless market.

After a fortnight with the AZ60, they offering a refinement on the Technics EAH-AZ70W rather than a complete rethink of their original truthful wireless offering. For people still to invest in a premium set up of true wireless this is no bad thing.

I’ve found they offer wonderfully detailed audio, reliable battery life and effective ANC (active racket cancellation), making them a valid and worthy alternative to the Sony’s WF-1000XM4. There are a few flies in the ointment stopping them earning a perfect score.

Pattern

• Have a smaller instance than their predecessor
• seven sizes of silicone buds for a decent seal and fit
• IPX4 water resistant, but aren’t designed for the gym utilize

At outset glance the AZ60 looks very similar to the AZ70W. They come in a pebble shaped charge case and the buds share the aforementioned “ear trombone” shape every bit about of the recent premium true wireless to pass through our labs, including the Sony WF-1000XM4.

The design is pleasantly unassuming with the only obvious flourishes on the case exterior of my review unit of measurement’s distinctly 70’s Sci-Fi silverish colouring, is a front facing LED calorie-free, rear-facing USB C charge port and Technics logo.

The design isn’t revolutionary and doesn’t lucifer the luxurious experience of some competing sets like the Blindside and Olufsen E8 3rd gen, but from a functionality standpoint they tick all the correct boxes.

The included silicone tip options fabricated it quick and easy for me to get a solid fit and seal subsequently swapping to the appropriate size. I’yard also a fan of the fact that Technics has reduced the size of the case. Though information technology’s still not as compact as some cheaper sets, similar the Galaxy Buds Pro, the instance comfortably fit in my forepart pocket.

While the case feels well built, it’s distinctly more than plastic than the EAH-AZ70W, which had a brushed metal finish. The swivel also isn’t quite every bit rugged as I’d wait for a $200-£200 set of true wireless, offering noticeable flex when met with moderate force.

Outside of this the buds feel wonderfully well made and characteristic an IPX4 water resistance rating, then they tin survive the odd downpour intact.

Even with correctly sized tips, the buds are but suitable for lightweight gym apply. During testing I found, while they practice stay seated for basic things, similar using an exercise wheel, even moderately heavy stepped jogging could cause the seal to intermission. Still, given their “serious music” listener focus this isn’t a surprise. If you’re after a gym set you lot should await at the Jaybird Vista 2 or BeoPlay E8 Sport.

Features

• Constructive ANC
• Solid battery life
• Decent mic quality

The Technics EAH-AZ60 have the features yous’d look from a premium set of true wireless. These include an impressive 8-mic setup (4 per earbud), avant-garde active dissonance counterfoil, Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity and fast charging.

The mic array worked excellently during testing. Using the buds out and about I was able to take and make calls on the Technics with cipher issue, with the two mics in the buds dedicated to voice chat performing admirably. During one particularly difficult test, the mics let me take a call while crossing Tower Bridge on a windy day. The person on the other end of the line reported noise, simply was yet able to hear me, which is impressive and an achievement beyond many cheaper sets I test, such every bit the Panasonic RZ-S500W.

Noise cancellation is also solid. This is a feature that uses a feed-forward and feedback mics in the buds to cancel inside and exterior noise. With the setting active and set to full boom in the mobile Technics app (available on iOS and Android) the buds hands blocked out background office dissonance and were surprisingly capable at mitigating the rumbling engines of my forenoon commute. Like most premium true wireless the level of noise cancellation tin be tweaked using a sliding dial. There are also ambient and attention modes available.

Ambience appears most ANC buds, using the buds’ mics to filter through surrounding noise to allow people use them without losing sensation of where they are. The mode works well enough, merely could on occasion exist a trivial overzealous. Walking by a busy route the audio of car horns all but deaf me with it active on a couple of occasions.

The attending way is a trivial more interesting. Information technology’s designed to offer similar experience as the ambient mode, but with the caveat that information technology lets voices through. This is and so you lot can block out background dissonance in offices, but nonetheless know when someone is talking to y’all.

During testing I found the feature is pretty neat and worked well in office spaces. Just in busier more active settings it became pretty pointless, picking upward distant conversations when used in a café. It likewise seemed to think my cats were speaking human when meowing for food…

Fast Charging works admirably and makes it quick to tiptop upwards the Technics AZ60’s already reliable battery life. Technics quotes the buds as offer around seven hours listening off a single charge and the example equally carrying an extra 24 hours worth of battery.

During testing I found listening time is heavily informed past the level of ANC and volume. With ANC I managed to get an average of 4-5 hours out of the buds listening at moderate volumes. Lowering information technology to around fifty% ANC or using ambient style I got around half dozen-7 hours utilise before having to reach for the charge case. This is pretty practiced considering how constructive the ANC is. The quick charging tech likewise lets the buds regain a decent amount of their charge adequately fast, with 10 minutes from 0% giving me more than than enough juice for the morning commute.

The only downside is that, while the buds back up the LDAC codec, which is great news for serious listeners, there’s no support for aptX and aptX Hard disk drive codecs.

Audio quality

• The 8mm drivers deliver wonderfully detailed sound
• The earbuds support the LDAC codec, but non aptX or aptX Hard disk

Thankfully, even without this, the Technics EAH-AZ60 still deliver splendid audio quality and are a clear footstep up on the older model.

The buds feature a custom pattern that pairs 8mm drivers with a Technics acoustic chamber and harmonizer. Testing them on a variety of genres, I found they deliver a controlled, mature listening experience.

The highlight is the level of detail in the sound. Listening to complex neo-classical and postal service-rock arrangements, every layered and textured part held a distinct audible identify. The same remained true when I listened to big band “wall of sound” prog arrangements, where in one case again the AZ60 managed to deliver a detailed feel that permit me discern every instrument and wail in the cacophony. This is impressive every bit the buds besides offer a noticeably more powerful low cease than their predecessors.

Switching between the ii sets of Technics, walking bass lines had a noticeably more powerful rumble while offer a sense of control to maintain the sound’s tonal balance. The buds as well dealt with incredibly difficult genres, similar Industrial remarkably well, with the mid-heavy ambitious guitars maintaining a pleasing seize with teeth without taking on the acidic quality you feel on many cheaper sets.

All-in-all, my experience with the Technics was incredibly positive equally they offered an accurate, refined experience that felt authentic to the original recording.

My merely quibble is the same I had with the first generation EAH-AZ70W. While they are wonderfully detailed the AZ60 audio doesn’t offer as much dynamism equally what you’ll discover on their Sony rivals.

To be fair, the audio is more dynamic than many affordable sets, and the AZ60 slightly lower price than the Sony’s makes the deviation understandable, the departure was conspicuously noticeable, peculiarly when listening to sure genres. Attacking punk rock breakdowns didn’t land with the same bear upon as the Sony’s and classical music crescendos didn’t have the same slap-up.

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