Apple and Sony may dominate the wireless earbuds space, but that hasn’t stopped smaller players from coming up with great alternatives to the big tech companies. Technics is one of those, and has been launching high-end earbuds at a range of different price points for a while now. Among the latest batch are the Technics EAH-AZ60M2 earbuds, which come at $250 — the same price as Apple’s AirPods Pro.
The earbuds are a follow-up to the much-loved EAH-AZ60 that came out a few years ago, offering improved audio quality and high-end features. They’re not the best earbuds in Technics’ lineup — that title goes to the also new AZ80. But, they are still built to deliver a great all-around earbud experience with a range of smart features.
Here are the best (and worst) things about the buds I’ve encountered after using them for the past week or so.
If your top priority is good audio quality and lots of customization options, the Technics EAH-AZ60M2 are a strong choice. But most folks will likely be better off with the AirPods Pro or Sony WF-1000XM4.
What we liked about them
Sleek and stylish design
The Technics EAH-AZ60M2 earbuds offer a sleek and stylish design, and while it may not be the most unique out there, those looking for a scaled-back look will enjoy them. They don’t have a stem like the AirPods Pro, instead opting for a teardrop shape.
The earbuds come in three colors — Black, Silver and Midnight Blue. We’re reviewing the black model, and while it’s probably the sleekest of the options, it’s also the least unique.
Each earbud has a touch surface on it for controls, and you can customize the controls straight from the Technics app. I found the default controls to be mostly intuitive, so I didn’t change any of the options on offer.
Generally, I prefer controlling earbuds with stem squeezes rather than touches. Touch controls can sometimes force you to push earbuds into your ears, which can be uncomfortable. Thankfully, the touch pads on these earbuds were relatively responsive.
The charging case is pretty sleek too, and it’s slim enough to fit in most pockets. It’s not as small as the case for the AirPods Pro, for example, but I still think most users will have no issue with the size of this case. It’s far from overly bulky.
The design holds a decently sized battery too. Depending on how you use the earbuds, you’ll get four and a half hours (with LDAC and ANC enabled) to seven and a half hours (with AAC enabled and ANC disabled) of continuous use. That should be enough for most users, though it’s not huge. The charging case will get you an additional 11.5 to 18 hours, again, depending on how you use the buds.
Good audio quality with solid noise cancellation
Perhaps the most important thing to consider is how the earbuds sound, and thankfully, they sound quite good.
The bass response, for starters, is quite good, with a solid amount of bass extension for those really low lows. Bass remained clean and deep even at higher volumes, which is always nice.
Likewise, the highs were relatively crisp and detailed, though perhaps with not quite as much extension as in the lows. In listening to AC/DC’s “Back in Black,” the hi-hat cymbals were crisp and defined, while the kick drum got more bass than it normally has on the track — which I find to be a good thing. And, in Betty Who’s “I Love You Always Forever,” the layering of the vocals sounded distinct and separated enough to really appreciate.
Thankfully, even if you don’t like the tuning of the earbuds out of the box, the Technics app has a five-band EQ, with a series of presets, or a manual preset that you can adjust yourself. There’s a good spread of frequencies across those five bands, so most should find that they can create a sound profile that best suits them.
The noise cancellation tech on offer here is pretty good too. It’s not the best in the business — for example, it’s not as good as the active noise cancellation (ANC) on the AirPods Pro, meaning that in challenging scenarios, for example, the sounds of my keyboard weren’t quite as quiet. But again, it’s better than much of the competition in general,?so if quality ANC is important to you, the EAH-AZ60M2 earbuds should definitely suffice.
Connects to 3 devices at once
Bluetooth multipoint is getting better and better. Previous devices with Bluetooth multipoint have been able to connect to two devices at once, but the EAH-AZ60M2 earbuds step that up to three. So, on top of your phone and laptop, you can add your tablet to the mix.
With up to three simultaneous connections, devices start approaching connectivity on offer by AirPods, which automatically connect to other devices logged in to your iCloud account. Technically, AirPods can connect to many more devices, but practically, most people aren’t regularly using more than three devices anyway.
What we didn’t like about them
The app isn’t the best
The earbuds work with a smartphone app called Audio Connect, and while it does give access to a range of controls, it isn’t the best-designed app out there.
The app is a little cluttered and looks a bit dated, and the clutter can mean that it’s tricky to find some of the settings you might be looking for. For example, I had to dig around a bit to find the menu to tweak the touch controls on the earbuds, and even then, the app doesn’t make it very clear that you can change the controls.
Still, there are tons of customizations on offer. The app is split into four different tabs, including a Home tab, which offers quick access to some settings and battery levels; an Ambient tab, which lets you switch noise settings and levels; a Sound tab, which offers EQ access; and a Settings tab, which is basically where you’ll find all other settings. The Settings tab is packed with menus to go through, and it’s worth taking a quick look at all of them when you first set up the earbuds.
They’re a bit expensive
The Technics EAH-AZ60M2 earbuds may not be the most expensive in Technics’ lineup, but they are still relatively expensive in the grand scheme of things. At $250, they’re the same price as the AirPods Pro, which may make them a tough sell for Apple users.
There are plenty of options for non-Apple users. The Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds are regularly discounted to less than the Technics buds but sound excellent and have better noise-canceling tech. The sub-$200 market of affordable earbuds is heating up too. The new Nothing Ear(2) earbuds offer a range of features and great audio quality at only $150.
The fit could be better
While the earbuds look relatively sleek and stylish, they don’t have the most secure fit out there. I found that they were able to fit decently well in day-to-day use, but they’re not great for running or working out, as they’ll start to shift and eventually fall out.
Now, that’s not completely unexpected. Many earbuds with this shape have issues around fit, and these are no different. But, if you’re looking for a pair of earbuds that you can take running, the Technics EAH-AZ60M2 may not be for you.
Bottom line
The Technics EAH-AZ60M2 earbuds have a lot going for them, but they face some stiff competition.
The earbuds boast good audio quality, solid noise cancellation tech and the ability to connect to up to three devices at a time, which is a pretty neat feature. They’re not perfect — the app is a little difficult to use, and they’re a little pricey. Overall, however, they do manage to justify the price.
The main problem is that some of the competition is better. If you’re an Apple user, the AirPods Pro offer better noise cancellation, and can connect to all of your iCloud-connected Apple devices, not just three of them. Even if you aren’t an Apple user, if your priority is good noise cancellation, it’s worth going for the Sony WF-1000XM4 or Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 instead. If, however, good audio quality and a high level of customization are important to you, and you don’t mind slightly worse noise cancellation tech, the Technics EAH-AZ60M2 might be the wireless earbuds for you.
