Technics AZ40M2

The Technics AZ40M2 nails sound and ANC, with LDAC support and 3-point multipoint that's perfect for office multitaskers. But the battery life is the worst we've seen in this category, and comfort is a gamble. Worth it if you find them discounted and prioritize calls over everything else.

The 6mm dynamic driver punches way above its weight. Sound quality sits in the 86th percentile, and with LDAC support you're getting hi-res audio over Bluetooth, which is still rare at this price. ANC is even better, landing in the 94th percentile. That's best-in-class territory for blocking out plane and train noise. The mic setup with beamforming tech scores an 81st percentile, so calls come through clear even with background chatter. But then there's the battery. 2nd percentile. That's not a typo. Owners in our data mention long battery life, which makes us wonder if the spec sheet is just conservative or if there's serious variance between units. Either way, the numbers we have are rough.

Against the Sony WF-1000XM5, the Technics actually holds its own on ANC and sound, but Sony crushes it on battery and comfort. The Apple AirPods Pro 3rd Gen is the obvious pick for iPhone users, with better integration and a more comfortable fit for most ears. The JLab JBuds ANC undercuts the Technics on price dramatically while offering decent ANC, though the sound quality isn't in the same league. The Soundcore P31i is the budget alternative if you just want multipoint without the hi-res audio premium. The Technics carves out a niche: best-in-class ANC with 3-device multipoint and LDAC, but you're sacrificing battery and comfort to get it.

At $170 USD, this is a tough sell on paper. The affordability percentile is 13th, meaning you're paying a premium for the Technics name and that multipoint trick. But owners in our sentiment data keep saying it's a great value, especially when discounted. If you can snag these at $120 or less, the sound and ANC alone justify the price. At full retail, you're competing with the Sony WF-1000XM5 and Apple AirPods Pro 3rd Gen, both of which offer more complete packages.

The Technics AZ40M2 is a weird mix. On one hand, you get genuinely impressive sound and ANC that ranks near the top of our database. On the other, the battery life is basically dead last among true wireless earbuds we've tracked. That's a strange combo for $170.

These are clearly aimed at office workers and frequent callers. The 3-point multipoint is the headline feature, letting you bounce between a laptop, tablet, and phone without re-pairing. If that's your daily workflow, these make a lot of sense. If you're a gym rat or a long-haul traveler, keep scrolling.

Skip these if you need earbuds that last through a full workday without a case top-up. The battery percentile is brutal, and there's no wireless charging to soften the blow. Also skip if you have smaller ears or struggle with earbud fit, the comfort score is well below average and several owners report them falling out. And if you're an iPhone user who wants the path of least resistance, the AirPods Pro 3rd Gen is the obvious choice.

Buy these if you live on calls and bounce between a laptop, tablet, and phone all day. The multipoint is genuinely useful, the ANC is excellent, and the sound quality will make your music sound better than it has any right to at this price. But if you need all-day battery or a secure fit for workouts, this isn't your earbud. The fitness score of 49.6 out of 100 tells the story, these are desk earbuds, not gym earbuds.