Technics EAH-AZ70W
Buy now £150, Hificorner.co.uk
Type: In-ear
Noise cancellation: Yes, including dual hybrid ANC and transparency mode
Weight: 7g per earphone
Battery life: 6.5 hours, 19.5 hours with the wireless charging case
Voice control: Yes
Design
These aren’t any old pair of earbuds. There’s an authentically premium feel to them: enough weight to feel sturdy without being noticeable in the ear, and a design simplicity that will appeal to many, us included. It’s nice to see Technics stick to its guns with design, offering prospective listeners a pair of sleek earphones in a charging case that wouldn’t look out of place in 2001: A Space Odyssey.
On taking the AZ70W out of that charging case, you’re struck by their size: they’re a bit on the wide side. However, this mainly works in their favour: their chromatic design is shown off amply by the large surface area, and when comfortably sat in your ear, the earphones somehow shrink, and while they do stick out slightly, they look subtle and feel lightweight.
Although they’re not the tightest fit on the market, they’re snug enough, important for any passive noise cancellation (the design of the buds creating a physical barrier) and for keeping the things in place and not down a drain. Their IPX4 water resistance also means that exercising in them wouldn’t be an issue, although take care not to wipe sweat away from the sides of your head, as a slight brush on the earphones can result in pausing your music or accidentally putting on a “Best of the 1990s” supermix (it wasn’t an accident, was it?).
Battery life comes in at around 6.5 hours for the headphones with noise cancellation on, pushed up to 19.5 hours when you include the charging case. For a full charge, you’ll need two-and-a-half hours, but Technics has wisely included a quick charge option, giving you 70 minutes of listening (noise cancellation on) from 15 minutes of charging. Pairing with a device is as simple as waving the earphones nearby, or holding the right earphone pad for three seconds to see the tell-tale red and blue flashing lights.
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Sound
The reason the AZ70W stick out slightly is the sheer amount of audio tech that engineers have slipped inside the earphones. Alongside the diaphragm and expansive 10mm dynamic driver, there’s also the acoustic control chamber just behind the driver to produce a consistent acoustic environment, and space for the all-important ANC microphones that listen out for ambient sound to mask.
The ANC is good, especially for in-ear headphones, cutting out pretty much everything on the lower register and dampening mids and higher registers ably. We couldn’t hear anyone, even if they were speaking directly in our faces, until we tapped the right ear to change to the earphones’ transparent mode, which alters the ANC technology to allow some ambient noise in. You can also tweak the extent of this transparency on the corresponding Technics app, an added bonus to the three regular modes (you can also switch off all noise cancellation).
The most important aspect is, of course, the sound that comes out. Here, the AZ70W bring the goods. They’re up there with the best you can buy. The sound is seriously rich, with booming bass and playful treble. The bass is particularly impressive, creating a much fuller sound than you would expect from any earphone. Vocals are also super clear, unaffected in the AZ70W by any busy instrumentals.
The verdict: Technics EAH-AZ70W
You’d expect a company with the reputation of Technics to produce a considered pair of earphones, and the AZ70W don’t disappoint. The look is sophisticated and sleek without veering into “try hard”, and the case is sturdy, with no need to worry about the earphones being chucked about in your hand luggage. The most impressive element is the sound: it’s formidable, especially that barnstorming bass, and wouldn’t sound out of place in the over-ear market.
There are slight wrinkles that stop this from being a clean sweep: the fit could be snugger, there’s a slight hiss when ANC is switched on without music, and their size might not be for everyone. However, these are minor issues as soon as you put the earphones in and press play. Technics isn’t just turntables, it seems: these earphones prove that the brand is much more.