Yamaha TW-E7B

The Yamaha TW-E7B has a lovely sound signature but falls flat on calls and ANC. The mic score of 3.3 out of 100 is a real problem. Unless you find a steep discount, skip these and grab the Sony WF-1000XM6 or Technics EAH-AZ100 instead.

Sound is the headline act here, and it's a mixed bag. Yamaha's Real Sound tuning delivers detail and clarity, but our database puts it at the 29th percentile for sound, which is underwhelming for a self-proclaimed flagship. ANC is a similar story, landing at the 31st percentile. It works, but it's not going to wow anyone who's tried Sony's latest. Battery life is middle of the pack at the 45th percentile, and build quality is mediocre at 34th. The real pain point is calls. The mic score is a 3.3 out of 100, which puts it in the 12th percentile. That's rough for a pair of earbuds in this price range.

Stacked against the Sony WF-1000XM6, the Yamaha gets smoked on ANC and mic quality. Sony's latest buds are simply in a different league for calls and noise cancelling. The Technics EAH-AZ100 also outclasses the TW-E7B on build and connectivity, and it's a more complete package overall. Even the Apple AirPods Pro 3rd Generation, despite being iOS-centric, offer far better call quality and a more polished experience. The Yamaha's only real edge is its unique sound signature, and that's subjective. For most people, the Sony or Technics are the safer bet.

At $170 USD, the TW-E7B is a tough sell. You're paying flagship money for sound that's just okay and call quality that's actively bad. The CAD price of $428 is even harder to justify. If you can find these on a deep discount, the Yamaha tuning might be worth a listen. But at full price, you're leaving a lot on the table.

The Yamaha TW-E7B is a weird one. Yamaha clearly spent real money on the sound tuning and the ANC tech, but the rest of the package feels like it's stuck a few years in the past. You get Bluetooth 5.2, aptX Adaptive, and a claimed 22 hours of total battery, which is fine, but nothing here screams flagship in 2025.

And then there's the price. At $170 USD it's not outrageous, but the CAD and GBP listings tell a different story. For that kind of money, you're competing directly with Sony, Apple, and Technics, and those brands are bringing newer chips, better mics, and stronger ecosystems.

Skip these if you take calls on your earbuds, period. The mic is one of the worst we've tested. Also skip if you want best-in-class ANC for flights or noisy commutes, because Sony and Bose both do it better. And if you're deep in the Apple ecosystem, the AirPods Pro 3rd Generation is a much smoother experience.

The TW-E7B is for a very specific buyer: someone who loves Yamaha's house sound and doesn't care about taking calls. If you're an audiophile who mostly listens to music at home or in quiet spaces, these might scratch an itch. But for commuters, office workers, or anyone who takes calls on the go, the weak mic and mediocre ANC are dealbreakers.