Forget AirPods – after 6 months of everyday use, these Technics earbuds are the best I’ve ever tried

For years and years, when it came to recommending a pair of wireless earbuds to most people, I went the easy route – Apple. Its AirPods have long been hyper-reliable little devices, especially for those on iPhone, with easy connections and sound quality that doesn't really miss.

I used a pair of original AirPods Pro for years, in fact, and they're still finding occasional use – but only when I can't find my new daily driver, the Technics EAH-AZ100. Since I first got my hands on them at the very end of 2024, they've been impressing me on a regular basis, and have now replaced my AirPods entirely, taking their place as my default earbuds.

That's a bigger accolade than it sounds, and six months on from first using them, I'm still amazed by their sound quality on a regular basis. Just last week, I was out for a jog listening to some Django Django and heard some backing vocals I would normally need high-fidelity over-ear headphones to pick out, even while running and puffing.

This sort of sonic performance can't be undervalued, but it's actually another feature that really cemented the Technics as my favourite earbuds right now. They have particularly excellent multipoint connectivity, letting you maintain connections to multiple devices at once, and swapping between them when you change to use audio from a different device.

The core swap here, for me, is between my iPhone and my Apple Watch Series 10 – I want to be able to slip my earbuds in, press play on my watch, and then run out the door without thinking about it any further, leaving my phone behind. Other earbuds have repeatedly failed that test, making me head to the Bluetooth settings to connect them manually, even if they've been used before.

With Technics' pair, though, I find it reliably works, albeit with a second's delay compared to the near-instant swapping offered by Apple's own AirPods. This sort of small convenience is an example of how little details can make a huge difference over time – the less time spent in settings menus, the better.

Add to this some great battery life and that excellent sound, and you have a terrific package, overall. So, six months on, I'll continue to use the Technics AZ100 every day – they've shown no sign of letting me down to this point, after all.