Technics AZ100 Review (vs Sony, Huawei, Sennheiser, Denon, B&W) 🤔
Technics EAH-AZ100 vs the best!
Previously, we compared the Technics AZ100 to its predecessor and it’s a huge improvement. This time, we’re going to compare them to some models very popular with audiophiles like the Sony WF-1000XM5, Sennheiser MTW4, B&W i8 and the Denon PERL Pro. But hold on, I’m also going to throw in the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 4.
Now just to be clear, I haven’t reviewed the Huawei, in fact I’ve just got it. However, since so many of you requested that I compare the Technics to them that I’m just going to include them anyway. If you want to catch my full review of the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 4, that review is coming, so stay tuned.
In this review, we’re going to compare their performance in terms of mic pickup, noise cancelling and sound quality. After that, we’re going to talk about which one you should buy, the AZ100, or any of its competitors.
Mic Quality Comparison
The AZ100 fared very well versus the competition. Its voice filtering and noise gating in noisy conditions was better than the Denons, Sony, Sennheiser and B&W, although the Denons fared quite well also. The only one that outperformed the Techincs is the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 4, but I’m not surprised. Huawei earbuds do have a reputation for fantastic mic pickup in very challenging scenarios.
(Tested their mic pickup in both quiet and noisy conditions using really loud cafe noise, and wind noise from a fan.)
👉 Have a listen to the mic pickup samples.
Active Noise Cancelling Comparison
In terms of active noise cancelling, you’re going to get a lot of silence from the Technics. These are very effective at cancelling low frequencies, and great at mid-range noise reduction also. In the following samples, you can hear it cancels more noise than the others, except for the Sony WF-1000XM5. The XM5 uses foam tips, so it also does attenuate mids and highs better than the Technics. Nonetheless, the Technics were almost as quiet as the Sonys.
👉 Have a listen to the ANC samples.
Transparency Mode
The AZ100 has one of the best transparencies in this group. It’s clear, but not amplifying the ambience so much that you hear a lot of hissing. When I’m speaking to somebody, voices come through easily. The closest one to it is the Sony WF-1000XM5. It’s only a little brighter in the highs and has a little more muffling in the voices compared to the AZ100. This is followed by the Huawei which has more bias in the mids so voices do amplify more, but it doesn’t amplify highs as much so ambience sounds less crisp. Followed by the MTW4 which less amplification of voices. Then the Pi8, and finally the Denon PERL Pro which has very little passthrough of voices.
Sound Quality Comparison
In terms of sound quality, in my opinion, the AZ100 is one of the better sounding ones here. And the thing that sets it apart is its super clean track separation, its layering of the tracks which gives the audio depth and realism. The low noise floor is very revealing in the soundstage. It can almost match the Pi8 which I rated as the best sounding earbuds of the past year. The only ways that the Pi8 is better is that its layering is a bit more obvious, smoother highs, more emphasis on vocals, giving them a more forward vocals .
Apart from that, I would say the AZ100s are, like, 95% similar. As for the others, they all sound less layered, more 2D. Of course if we break it down to individual earbuds, there’s more that I can say, I’m going to touch on that next.
Buy Technics AZ100 or Sony WF-1000XM5?
The Sony WF-1000XM5 sounds more veiled overall. Bass extension’s not as deep or tight, soundstaging’s not as open and vocals are a bit more muddy. It can be EQed to sound crisper and richer in the bass, check my custom EQ settings, but it just doesn’t have that depth and layering.
Thus, I do prefer the AZ100’s sound, but should you still buy the Sony? Yes, if you want better noise canceling, and a smaller form factor. Plus, the Sonys have more features that automate the experience like Speak to Chat, Adaptive Sound Control, and head gesture controls. So if we’re talking about smarts, the Sony is smarter. But, the Technics is a better product overall. It’s Hi-Res certified, has more battery, it’s more customizable in terms of sound, and you can customise the tap controls in any way you want, which the Sonys restrict heavily. You can do Spatial Audio with head tracking on the Technics with any source of audio on any device, whereas the Sonys restricts that to certain apps and devices. The Technics also support 3-way multipoint which the Sonys don’t, its mic pickup is better, and in my opinion, it sounds better. So I think overall, I prefer the Technics.
Buy Technics AZ100 or Sennheiser MTW4?
The Sennheisers sound more muddy than the Technics by default. Bass extension’s not as low and track separation is not as clean. Although you can EQ that out by maxing the 8kHz band in the app or by using Sound Personalisation which auto-calibrates the MTW4 to your hearing sensitivity. Soundstaging is just as wide as AZ100 but not as crisp, detailed or revealing, and they don’t have the AZ100’s layering.
What I do like about the Sennheisers is that they’re about as customisable as the Technics, so it’s easier to adapt the buds to you. They’re also Auracast capable, so right off the bat, you can scan for Auracast streams and join them without first putting them into LE Audio mode. If you don’t know what Auracast is, watch this video. But they don’t have Spatial Audio or head tracking, nor are they Hi-Res certified, not being able to stream 24-bit audio at 96khz. Its mic pickup in noisy conditions is not as clean, it only supports 2-way multipoint instead of 3-way, and they have a much bigger case.
The last point is the main reason why I find it hard to daily drive them. I simply prefer a case which I can carry around easily in my pocket. For all of those reasons, and the sound, the Technics seem more compelling.
Buy Technics AZ100 or Denon PERL Pro?
The Denons by default sound very mid-focused, but after AAT tuning, which automatically tunes the buds to your ear’s sensitivity, they come alive, becoming more vibrant, dynamic and fun. They are very close to the AZ100 and Pi8 in terms of bass extension, detail retrieval and treble response, but they still can’t replicate the layering.
That aside, there are some things the Denons do better. Not only do they have Spatial Audio, you can also map Spatial Audio to the tap controls, something you can’t do with the Technics. They also have audio takeover, so if you’re paired to two devices, you can simply play on the second device without pausing the first device, the AZ100s can’t do that.
On the other hand, the AZ100s have 3-way multipoint, better noise canceling, head tracking, and in my opinion, better sound. The Technics do cost a lot more, so from a value perspective, the Denons make a lot of sense because, transparency mode aside, its performance is pretty good overall. But some people may decide that the sound quality and 3-way multipoint is worth paying that premium for.
Buy Technics AZ100 or Huawei Freebuds Pro 4?
As for the Huawei, they are comparable in terms of bass extension and gravity than the AZ100, but they’re much more mid-focused by default. They sound okay overall but I noticed that their detail retrieval isn't as fantastic, so I’m hearing less detail in the background. Its track separation is also not as clean and there’s not as much depth or layering compared to AZ100. Personally, I’m not really a fan of its sound but if you like more emphasis on vocals, these are it.
Now, is there any reason to choose the FreeBuds Pro 4 over the AZ100? Yes, if mic pickup for phone calls is your priority. At this moment, the Huaweis have the best mic pickup of any earbuds. They also incorporate both squeeze and swipe controls, so if you like using just one earbud, you can access all the controls from volume up/down to music playback.
Apart from that, they don’t seem as compelling as the AZ100 because in terms of features, these are more simple, so no Spatial Audio, no head tracking, only multipoint to 2 devices not 3, basically you’re going to get more options and features with the Technics, which seem like a more complete experience, whether on iOS or Android. Additionally, the reason I say that is because although the Huawei is supported on iOS with the AI Life app, there is no official support on the Google Play store. So you’ll need to download a separate launcher from Huawei’s website, then download the app from that server which can be a little confusing.
The AZ100 also, in my opinion, is way ahead in terms of sound, so if those are important factors to consider, that could justify the AZ100’s higher price. But if mic quality is the most important thing, and you prefer to be a little more conversative in your spending, the Huaweis make a lot of sense.
Buy Technics AZ100 or B&W Pi8?
Now between the Technics AZ100 and B&W Pi8, which one should you buy? In terms of sound quality, they’re very close. I will say the Pi8’s are a little ahead, not by much, but still I got a bit more enjoyment from them in terms of sound. However, when it comes to user experience, not so much. The Pi8 has a bit more to go in terms of software. The app is a little slow, it doesn’t have much in the way of features, and you can’t customise the controls like the AZ100, only the tap and hold. On top of that, it also is a little buggy. Sometimes transparency doesn’t work, sometimes only one earbud has prompts.
And if we’re talking about noise canceling, mic pickup, it’s simply not at the level of the AZ100. So it can’t really challenge the AZ100 in terms of performance or UI. However, the Pi8’s case can serve as a wireless dongle, allowing you to connect them to sources that don’t necessarily have Bluetooth, or if you simply want to enjoy even better sound. Whether that and its sound quality edge over the Technics can justify it being way more expensive depends on individual tastes. For me, the Technics AZ100 is much easier to recommend as a more seamless, complete product.
So, that’s how the Technics AZ100 compares to some of the most popular audiophile earbuds. Next I will be deep diving into the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 4, so stay stuned!
Links are below if you want to check their latest prices on Amazon.
Check latest price:
Technics EAH-AZ100 - https://amzn.to/4hcKrQD
Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 - https://amzn.to/3U8n9lT
Sony WF-1000XM5 - https://amzn.to/3JGI1uN
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 - https://amzn.to/3ItesMI
Denon PERL Pro - https://amzn.to/490XrFT
Huawei Freebuds Pro 4 - Link TBA
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