Technics enters true wireless headphones market with noise-cancelling pair

Technics enters true wireless headphones market with noise-cancelling pair
(Image credit: Technics)

Panasonic’s CES 2020 press conference has just come to a close, and within it the company revealed the latest Technics undertaking: true wireless headphones. The EAH-AZ70Ws enter an increasingly popular and competitive market, but on paper they have every right to do well in it. 

For one, they have noise-cancelling – like the class-leading Sony WF-1000XM3s – with feedback technology and digital and analogue processing working together to minimise unwanted noise both inside and outside of the headphones. Technics promises industry-leading sound isolation thanks to this dual hybrid ANC.

With one touch on an earbud, an Ambient Mode lets wearers briefly hear their surroundings so they can catch, say, a train announcement.

(Image credit: Technics)

Then we come to the all-important battery life, which is perfectly adequate (and on par with the aforementioned Sonys) here: six hours of continuous noise-cancelling playback from the earbuds, plus an additional 18 hours provided by the included charging case. Various functions, such as adjusting noise-cancelling, selecting sound modes and seeing battery status, come courtesy of the Technics Audio Connect companion app.

While boasting an attractive feature set, Technics is clearly hoping to win fans with its sound performance too. To that end it sports a newly developed 10mm driver that uses a graphene-coated PEEK material for the diaphragm (to supposedly enable transparent highs and mids) and an acoustic control chamber, which works to optimise the airflow generated from the driver unit. Beam forming technology promises to help clear and efficient voice transmission during phone calls, too.

The “splash-proof” (to IPX4 equivalent) EAH-AZ70Ws will be available in black or silver from June, with pricing to be confirmed. We hope to get a first listen very soon.

MORE:

CES 2020: all the news and highlights so far

Apple AirPods Pro vs Sony WF-1000XM3: which is better?

Best wireless earbuds 2020: budget and premium

Becky Roberts

Becky is the managing editor of What Hi-Fi? and, since her recent move to Melbourne, also the editor of Australian Hi-Fi magazine. During her 10 years in the hi-fi industry, she has been fortunate enough to travel the world to report on the biggest and most exciting brands in hi-fi and consumer tech (and has had the jetlag and hangovers to remember them by). In her spare time, Becky can often be found running, watching Liverpool FC and horror movies, and hunting for gluten-free cake.