Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

My last experience with Technics was back in the day when I used to DJ. So, I was intrigued as to how the EAH-AZ40 buds would perform. Spoiler alert: I am quite pleased. The super-light case’s minimalist design looks nice and fits in my jean’s watch pocket. I have the matte silver version and I rather like it. The lid stays open and closes tightly. There is a status LED light in the front and a USB-C charging port in the back. The Technics Brand is subtle on top. They fit well inside magnetically, but I did find that they are a bit looser than I’d like and can come off rather easily. I also noticed that sometimes it can be finicky to place them back as they did not always make full contact for charging. Now, these buds are quite comfortable for me. I ended up choosing the default gel tips, which went deep enough in the ear canal, but as much as to make it uncomfortable. The shape of the buds allows for stability and the casing did not rub against my ear or cause any sore spots. While I can still feel them at all times, but I did not experience any fatigue. I ran, jumped, cartwheeled, and shook my head and they stayed right in. Sure, sweat made me readjust them a couple of times, but that’s something I didn’t mind. Speaking of sweat, these are rated IPX4, so a bit of water will not be an issue. These are Bluetooth 5.2, which is great for futureproofing. They were easy to pair -especially on Android, and maintained a strong connection, even while walking around my medium-sized apartment. Another welcomed feature is multi-point connectivity. I was able to seamlessly switch between my Pixel phone and my iPad seamlessly. I took a call while watching a video and it went flawlessly. I noticed no lag or sync issues when playing or watching content. The battery life is decent clocking at a little less than 7 hours in my testing, at 70% volume. The case adds a total of 25 hours before the need to plug them in. At this price, I was a bit disappointed that there is no Qi wireless charging. But I am glad that there is Quick Charge though (15 min adds 90 min). The call quality is excellent. While people still noticed that I was on Bluetooth, I was told that my voice was clear and full, with just a little bit of background noise like typing seeping in. They did pick up some wind noise, but not enough to make it a real concern. Unfortunately, these buds do not have active noise cancellation or ANC. However, by finding the right size gel tips, they do a pretty good job in passively blocking most environmental noise. The ambient mode works well enough, although they do sound a bit artificial. I appreciate that there are ambient modes for awareness, as I tend to walk in heavily-trafficked areas. What really makes these buds exceptional, is the sound the 6mm drivers deliver -under the right conditions. OK, so when I first put them on, they sounded a bit bloated because the bass seemed heavily emphasized. They sounded OK, but I was worried that would be all I get. However, once I downloaded the Technics companion app, which I strongly recommend you get right away, everything changed. Technics knows that sound is subjective, which is why they provided a full EQ and presets. I tried them all and they really do make a difference. I ended up choosing “Dynamic”. At this preset, I found that the bass was punchy and tight. There was plenty of sub-bass (subwoofer) when needed and did not override other frequencies. The midrange was loud and clear, making dialogue, voice, chorus, and rhythm instruments come alive. The treble was high but not fatiguing or harsh. I found this preset exciting and vibrant. I actually listened to my lossless library for more than 3 hours! Movies and games also became thrilling and even podcasts were enjoyable. Again, I must recommend downloading the app as it not only changes the sound signature, but also provides firmware updates, ambient mode settings, microphone gains, Voice Assistant options (including Alexa), touch control adjustments, and more. I wish there were more control options, but having volume, play/stop, and forward/backward track is good enough for me. By the way, the controls are very responsive. Well, as you can tell, I am quite happy with the EAH-AZ40. Sure, they are not perfect and are missing wireless charging and ANC, but the sound quality and comfort they provide make them easy to recommend -even at the current premium price.