Denon PerL Pro
Technics EAH-AZ80
What Buyers Say
Denon PerL Pro
The Denon Perl Pro earbuds receive high praise for their outstanding sound quality, especially after personalized tuning via the app, with many users calling them the best they've heard. However, several verified reviewers report serious reliability issues, including one earbud dying within weeks and the charging case failing to deliver the advertised battery life. Customer service for warranty claims is also criticized as slow and unhelpful. Overall, the sound is exceptional, but build quality and support are major concerns.
Pros
- Exceptional sound quality
- Personalized tuning via app
- Comfortable for long wear
- Effective noise cancellation
- Good battery life
Cons
- Reliability issues (earbud dying)
- Charging case underperforms
- Poor customer service
- App requires personal info
- Social mode muffled voice
Technics EAH-AZ80
The Technics EAH-AZ10 earbuds receive overwhelmingly positive feedback for their exceptional sound quality, featuring clear separation, wide soundstage, and natural tuning that rivals higher-end models. Users praise the comfortable and secure fit, effective noise cancellation that doesn't muddy the audio, and impressive battery life lasting up to 7 hours. However, a few critical reviews highlight poor touch controls that are unresponsive, and one user experienced a significant volume imbalance after 1.5 years, with the company offering only a 10% discount on a replacement rather than a fix. Overall, these are highly recommended for audiophiles and daily use, but potential buyers should be aware of possible durability and control issues.
Pros
- Exceptional sound quality with clear separation
- Comfortable and secure fit
- Effective noise cancellation without audio degradation
- Impressive battery life up to 7 hours
- Great call quality
Cons
- Unresponsive touch controls
- Volume imbalance after extended use
- Poor customer service for defects
- Bulky design for some users
- ANC not sufficient in very loud environments
Scores
Specifications
| Denon PerL Pro | Technics EAH-AZ80 | |
|---|---|---|
| Design | ||
| Form Factor | in-ear | in-ear |
| Wearing Style | true wireless | true wireless |
| Ear Tips | XS, S, M, L, Foam | XS, S, M, L, XL |
| Weight | 0.05 kg | 0.05 kg★ |
| Audio | ||
| Driver Type | dynamic | dynamic |
| Driver Size | 10 mm | 10 mm |
| Drivers | 1 | 1 |
| Freq Min | 20 Hz | 20 Hz |
| Freq Max | 40 kHz | 40 kHz |
| Hi-Res Audio | ✓ | ✓ |
| Codecs | AAC, aptX, aptX Adaptive, aptX LL, SBC | AAC, LDAC, SBC |
| Surround | Spatial Audio | — |
| Noise Control | ||
| ANC | ✓ | ✓ |
| ANC Type | adaptive | hybrid |
| Transparency | ✓ | ✓ |
| Connectivity | ||
| Wireless | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Profiles | A2DP, AVRCP, HFP | A2DP, AVRCP, HSP, HFP |
| Multipoint | ✓ | ✓ |
| Range | — | 10 m★ |
| Earbud Battery | ||
| Battery Life | 8 hrs★ | 7 hrs |
| Charge Time | 1 hrs★ | 2.5 hrs |
| Fast Charging | 5 Minutes for 1 Hour | 15 Minutes for 1.1 Hours |
| Charging | USB-C | USB-C |
| Case Battery | ||
| Case Battery | 32 hrs★ | 16 hrs |
| Case Charging | USB-C | USB-C |
| Wireless Charging | ✓ | ✓ |
| Capacity | — | 85 mAh★ |
| Microphone | ||
| Microphone | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mic Count | 8 | 8 |
| NC Mic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Features | ||
| Voice Assistant | Siri, Google Assistant | Alexa, Siri |
| Touch Controls | ✓ | ✓ |
| App | Denon PerL | Technics Audio Connect |
| Volume Limiting | ✗ | — |
| Gaming Mode | ✗ | — |
| Bone Conduction | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Water Resistance | IPX4 | IPX4 |
Pros & Cons
Denon PerL Pro
- Strong mic (100th percentile)100th %ile
- Strong sound (100th percentile)100th %ile
- Strong connectivity (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong anc (97th percentile)97th %ile
- Below average user sentiment (33rd percentile)
Technics EAH-AZ80
- Strong mic (100th percentile)100th %ile
- Strong connectivity (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong sound (94th percentile)94th %ile
- Strong anc (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
Verdict
Scores 86 overall, wins 6 of 7 usage categories and 3 of 38 specs.