I wasn’t impressed by the last pair of Technics earbuds I reviewed. The AZ70W was the first set to carry the iconic turntable brand’s logo after Panasonic relaunched it in 2014. The 2020 model did some things well for $250, but inconsistent audio performance kept them from being a serious contender. The company followed up in 2021 with two more wireless earbud options, and 2023’s AZ80 was well-regarded by many reviewers for its sound quality.

For its 2025 model, Technics dug into its bag of tricks to improve the already mighty AZ80, resulting in the AZ100 ($300). These flagship earbuds offer all-new drivers, adaptive active noise cancellation (ANC), AI-tinged voice tools, Dolby Atmos spatial sound and one neat tool none of the competition does. And thankfully, the AZ100 makes good on the promise of “epic, reference-quality high-resolution audio.”

Technics’ magnetic fluid drivers deliver big upgrades to sonic performance and you won’t find three-device multipoint connectivity anywhere else.

Pros

Excellent sound quality

Tons of options in the app

Small size means comfy fit

Three-device multipoint Bluetooth

Cons

ANC lags behind the best

None of today’s “smart” features

Spatial audio doesn’t improve default tuning