Review: Technics EAH-AZ60 – Continuing A Heritage of Excellence

Building on the success of their first TWS, Technics decided to up their game with the EAH-AZ60.

Where to Buy

The Technics EAH-AZ60 is available on:

• Technics Official Website
• Amazon

Introduction

Technics is a Japanese audio manufacturer from the well-known Panasonic Corporation. Since 1965, they have produced a variety of hi-fi products, such as turntables, amplifiers, receivers, tape decks, CD players, and speakers. In 2002, Technics products were rebranded as Panasonic and the brand name Technics exited the audio market.

After 18 years, Panasonic decided to re-introduce Technics back into the Singapore audio market because of the maturity of the industry. More audio enthusiasts are heading towards high-end hi-fi products and Technics should definitely be one of their choices.

After the introduction of the EAH-AZ70W, Technics continued their research and development in true wireless models. With the implementation of cutting-edge technologies including better active noise-cancellation (ANC) and the LDAC Hi-Res Bluetooth codec, they launched the EAH-AZ60 to challenge flagship TWS models from major players like Sony and Sennheiser.

Is the EAH-AZ60 worthy of its flagship status and will it dominate the market? We will find out in this article!

Case

Battery

• Battery Life: 17 hours
• Connector: USB Type-C
• Wireless Charging: No
• Battery Capacity: 500mAh

The charging case of the Technics EAH-AZ60 can provide an additional 2 charges to the earbuds, giving a total of 24 hours battery life with ANC on (17 hours from the charging case and 7 hours from the earbuds). The battery life is slightly longer if ANC is turned off.

At the back of the charging case, users will find the USB Type-C charging port. The bottom of the charging case is flat so it can stand firm when it is placed on a surface. Wireless charging is not enabled on this model.

UX

• Can be open easily with one hand: Need some effort
• Pass the shake test: Yes
• Light Indicators: Display battery level and charging status

It is possible to open the charging case with one hand but some effort is required and I normally open it with both hands. The earbuds are firmly secured in the charging case by a magnet. When the charging case is opened or closed, LED light indicators show the battery level of the charging case by displaying different colors.

One of the issues I encountered with the EAH-AZ70W is that the charging case does not stop charging the earbuds, even if they are fully charged. The LED light indicator is constantly red on the earbuds when they are in the charging case.

Technics solved this issue on the EAH-AZ60 and the charging status of the earbuds can be determined from the same LED light indicator that displays the battery level of the charging case.

I am glad that Technics put in an effort to solve this major flaw in their previous release. Now the earbuds will last longer because they are properly charged.

Design

• Shape of the case: Rectangular
• Material: Plastic
• Build Quality: Premium

The EAH-AZ60’s charging case looks similar to the EAH-AZ70W. Instead of using aluminum that is heavy and vulnerable to scratches, Technics chose plastic as the case material. Despite being made of a cheaper material, the build quality of the charging case is really premium. The finish is smooth and the metallic paintwork further improves the attractiveness.

Portability

• Weight: 69g (With earbuds inside, 7g each)
• Volume: 7.1cm x 2.5cm x 2.5cm = 44.38cm cu (~2.7 in cu)
• Portability: Good

The EAH-AZ60 are more portable as compared to their predecessor, due to the lighter material used in the charging case. Besides the weight, the size of the charging case shrunk significantly and it is now easy for me to put it into my pocket.

Earbuds

Battery

• Battery Life: 7 hrs (with ANC on and connect with AAC codec)
• Charge Time (15mins): 70 mins playback time (with ANC on and connect with AAC codec)

Each full charge on the earbuds will give users about 7 hours of playtime. I am satisfied with the battery life and it is more than sufficient for my daily commuting and gym session. For those who need a battery life longer than 7 hours, you can simply put the earbuds back to the charging case and get another 70 minutes of playback.

UX

• Control Mechanism: Touch
• Touch Accuracy: Good (Almost always register the right action)
• Control Symmetry on both earbuds: No
• Mono Use: Yes
• Voice Assistant (Siri, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa) can be triggered from earbuds

I particularly like the touch controls of the Technics EAH-AZ60. The entire faceplate of the earbud is covered by the touch sensor and most of the time the earbuds will register any touches or gestures accurately.

The control is not as symmetrical as some other earbuds but it is easy to remember – volume on the left and changing of the track on the right. For those who wish to have more control symmetry, the control can be personalized through the associated smartphone application.

Users can use either side of the EAH-AZ60 alone in mono mode. I find this useful when I am working out in the gym because I may need to communicate with others. Another great feature that is enabled on the EAH-AZ60 is that users can trigger the voice assistant on the earbuds.

They have all the features that are needed on a pair of earbuds.

Design

• Profile: Medium
• Material: plastic
• Comfort: Good
• Fit: Good

The size of the earbuds is smaller than the EAH-AZ70 and for those with smaller ears, the EAH-AZ60 are definitely more suitable. The plastic nozzle is elongated for deeper insertion into the ear canals but I can wear the EAH-AZ60 for hours during work and exercise. The comfort and fit are great for me.

Mic

• Noise Cancellation: Average
• Voice Pick-up: Average

Technics claims to maximize voice pick-up by increasing the microphone sensitivity. I find the voice pick-up is acceptable as compared to a lot of other TWS models, which often have poor voice pick-up due to overly aggressive environmental noise cancellation.

According to Technics, the 8 MEMS microphones (4 on each side) in the EAH-AZ60 are “smarter” with Technics’ JustMyVoice™ Technology. They claim it can segregate desired voices and unwanted noises more accurately. Only those desired voices will be amplified for clearer communication. After vigorous testing, I find the EAH-AZ60 are decent at voice pick-up, but there is still room for improvement in noise suppression.

Mic Demo

Sound

• Driver: 8 mm dynamic driver
• Sound Signature: W-shaped
• Sub-bass: Good
• Bass: Average
• Mids: Good
• Treble: Good
• Sound Detail: Good

Active Noise Cancellation

The active noise cancellation (ANC) on the Technics EAH-AZ60 is one of the best amongst the true wireless earbuds that I have reviewed, including the ATH-ANC300TW from Audio Technica and the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2.

The ANC of the EAH-AZ60 can accurately identify a variety of noises, including wind noise that a lot of models cannot differentiate with high precision. It gives a background that is almost silent. I always use ANC when I am working in the office and I really enjoy myself in that silence, with my favorite music flowing.

Overall sound quality

The overall sound signature of the EAH-AZ60 can be considered balanced, with good emphasis on all three areas of the frequency spectrum. They do not have the typical Japanese tuning like the EAH-AZ70W that unnaturally emphasizes the treble frequencies. They are more suitable for various genres and the presentation is more neutral.

Lows

Powered by a single 8mm dynamic driver, the bass of the EAH-AZ60 is going to provide sufficient rumble for users. I personally feel that the quantity and quality of the low end is going to satisfy the craving of bass-head audiophiles. For those who are looking for more rumble, the bass can be further boosted through the equalizer in the smartphone application.

The bass of EAH-AZ60 punches tightly and deeply, without bleeding into the mids. It is more reserved in the mid-bass portion and has a precise attack and decay while preserving the overall body. This enhances the overall clarity without sacrificing the level of enjoyment.

Mids

This is where I love the EAH-AZ60 the most. Very similar to the EAH-AZ70W, they present clear and transparent mids to the audience. There is some warmth in the vocals, introduced by the fuller bodied bass, however, they are not overly colored and are still presented in their most natural form – lively and sweet. The EAH-AZ60 are more “musical” and enjoyable than the AZ70W.

Highs

As mentioned in the overall sound quality section, the highs are not more emphasized than the mids and lows. They are well-balanced, smooth, and their presence can still be felt. The overall presentation is airy and spacious.

Connectivity

• Audio Codec: AAC, SBC, and LDAC
• Bluetooth Version: Bluetooth V5.2
• Auto-connect when: Taken out of the case
• Average drop-outs in an hour: 1 – 2 times
• Multi-point connection: Yes

The Technics EAH-AZ60 supports AAC, SBC, and LDAC Bluetooth codecs, which makes them competitive in the Hi-Res TWS market with Sony’s WF-1000XM4. They use the relatively new Bluetooth V5.2, and will auto-connect to the last paired device once out of the charging case.

Using the LDAC connection, I only experienced mild signal drop-outs when in a crowded train. Unlike the majority of true wireless earbuds, multi-point connection is supported by the EAH-AZ60 and I can flawlessly change between my laptop and smartphone.

Waterproof

• IP Rating: IPX4

The EAH-AZ60 is certified for IPX4 waterproofness, meaning it can be used for exercise, such as jogging or gym workouts.

Software

• Manual EQ and Presets
• Amazon Alexa compatible
• ANC level can be adjusted
• “Find my Earbuds” feature

I highly recommend installing the application on your smartphone. The user interface has improved a lot since the launch of the EAH-AZ70W. With the application, the sound profile of the earbuds can be tweaked with the built-in equalizer, either manually, or using the preset profiles.

Amazon Alexa voice assistant, as well as the more conventional Siri or Google Assistant, can be selected in the application too.

One of the features that I like the most is that the ANC level can be adjusted. I normally adjust the ANC to be slightly lower so I do not experience the “vacuum suction” effect due to overly strong noise cancellation.

Like the Bose SoundSport Free, the EAH-AZ60 is equipped with a “Find my Earbuds” feature, which is another selling point. Earbuds are small and they can go missing easily, so this feature can come in handy if this happens.