Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Technics EAH-AZ100: which wireless earbuds are better?
Bluetooth version: 5.3 (SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3)
Battery life: 8 hours (total of 24 hours)
Weight: 6.2g each
Finishes: x 2 (black, platinum silver)
Sony has done it again. The XM6s are great all-rounders, with low noise, excellent noise cancellation and a stacked feature set. They could be more comfortable, however, and battery life is less than two hours on the Technics.
Benefits
- Amazing nature, the sound of music
- Excellent detail and strength
- Amazing noise cancellation
- Good call quality
Evil
- Limited earplug options
- A case with a lot
Bluetooth: 5.3 (LDAC, SBC, AAC, LC3)
Battery life: 10 hours (28 hours total)
Weight: 5.9g each
Finishes: x 4 (black, silver, midnight blue, champagne gold)
The EAH-AZ100 is also a multi-talented newcomer. The fit is good, and they offer better battery life than Sony’s. But they were called by the ANC.
Benefits
- Balanced, pleasant sound
- Excellent detail and weight
- Comfortable ears
- Better battery life
Evil
- The ANC is wrong
- The XM6 sounds even clearer, more detailed and powerful
Let’s find out.
Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Technics EAH-AZ100: price
The Technics EAH-AZ100 launched at £259 / $299 / AU$499, which is very close to the Sony WF-1000XM6’s £250 / $330 / AU$500. But because the Technics have been available for a while, their price has come down – at the time of writing, it will cost £209 / $270/AU$399. Cheaper than Sonys everywhere.
Sony will drop the price – their earbuds always do. But they are so new that discounts may be a long way off. This round goes to Techniques.
** Winner: Technology EAH-AZ100 **
Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Technics EAH-AZ100: design and comfort
The two hidden pairs look different. Technics has a rounded design, while Sony has gone more boxer for this iteration.
At 5.9g, the Technics are much lighter than the Sonys, but you can’t really feel the extra weight of the XM6 in your ears. Rather, how they feel will depend on the shape of your ear, and which earbud design fits them best.
We found the techniques easy to do though. That’s largely down to the large selection of ear tip sizes (five to four for the XM6), all of which are made of soft materials that are more responsive and therefore sit naturally in your ear.
Sony has an air pressure equalization test within the Sony Sound Connect app to help with equalization, but it can take a few tries to get it right, while – for us, at least – the Technics are new.
The Technics Audio Connect app didn’t have a fit test when the earbuds were launched, but was added in a later version.
Both pairs give you plenty of ways to customize touch controls, adjust how you control playback, adjust volume, activate ANC and more. As for the controls, there’s nothing to set them apart – both pairs are responsive and intuitive.
For our money, the Technics is more eye-catching, thanks to the aluminum finish on the outer cap. The Sonys are pretty much all matte, although the Platinum Silver finish has more texture. But with a bold design, a huge choice of ear tip sizes and the ability to deliver a consistent fit, Technics has it covered.
** Winner: Technology EAH-AZ100 **
Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Technics EAH-AZ100: features
As the best pair, both are fully integrated with features. Each has Bluetooth 5.3, which supports standard AAC and SBC codecs as well as LE Audio, LC3 and Auracast. They also support Sony’s LDAC codec unlike aptX (yes, even Technics).
The XM6 is limited in terms of immersive audio, supporting Dolby Atmos and Sony’s 360 Reality Audio (Technics is limited to Atmos only).
Sony’s Sound Connect app is great – it’s easy to use and gives you tons of options. But the Technics app isn’t short on features, and it lets you choose which codec you’re listening to.
In terms of battery life, the Technics is the winner. The EAH-AZ100 boasts 10 hours of use from the earbuds, and a total of 28 hours when using the charging case. Sony’s equivalent figures are eight hours and 24 hours.
Technics also has an edge in terms of connecting multiple devices. Both pairs have Multipoint Bluetooth, but Technics has improved on the industry standard of two devices connected at once by adding a third.
Active noise cancellation (ANC) is standard on both pairs, as well as a transparent mode that lets in external sounds. Only the Panasonics let you change the intensity of the ANC, while the Sonys let you change the exposure intensity instead.
The cases of both pairs have wireless charging, and while the Sony’s is much larger (longer and deeper), the Technics’ is a bit wider, and more prone to getting into.
As you can see, they have similar features. But thanks to their long battery life, ability to adjust ANC and compatibility with three wireless devices at once instead of two, the Technics take this round.
** Winner: Technology EAH-AZ100 **
Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Technics EAH-AZ100: ANC and call quality
Active noise cancellation is a key feature of high-end earbuds. Of the two pairs, the Sonys felt like they blocked a wider range of frequencies than the Technics. Their effect is very intense (although not as comfortable as other competitors).
And despite their tight fit, Sony’s earbuds also do a better job of isolating you from noise before you turn on ANC.
The technology has chosen to focus on reducing noise in the low and mid frequencies, and the EAH-AZ100 does a really good job. It sounds like the roar of an engine, and the general traffic and chatter is certainly reduced, and it’s a comfortable experience, without the vacuum effect of other pairs.
But they are clearly respected by Sony. The XM6 is more effective at dampening ambient noise, while the Technics feel it allows more waves to pass through the mesh. For example, if you’re wearing them while typing on the keyboard, the Sony’s take a little click sound with each keystroke.
For phones, both deal with wind noise very well. Technics has an AI-equipped chip that goes into your voice to completely eliminate wind noise. But the downside is that it gives voices as unnatural and borderline robotic.
With Voice Focus AI disabled, voices sound more natural and lifelike, and have a bit more clarity to them (although wind noise gets in a lot).
Sony doesn’t allow for loud wind noise, but it’s generally quick to respond to block it, and voices sound a little more natural.
** Winner: Sony WF-1000XM6 **
Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Technics EAH-AZ100: sound
Both pairs earned five stars, and the Technics won an Award in 2025, and neither pair could do without sounding great.
The Technics still sound very well balanced, with an evenly spaced handle on tracks that make them nice and clear and make for comfortable listening even over long periods of time.
In our review of the Technics EAH-AZ100, we described the “incredibly clear and open sound, with great detail. The plucking of the strings from Agnes Obel’s A curse it is clearly defined and full of sensitivity, while the layers of nuance in her strong yet soft voice are revealed effortlessly”.
The highs are clear and have more than enough room to rise, and the bass has a lot of impact without being overwhelming. For example, “The opening bassline to Massive Attack’s Angel it has heft but also pulls hard with enough grip and hot track drivability.”
Impressive performance, but Sony’s are on a different level.
They are stronger, more dynamic, faster, and more expressive with more detail and texture extracted from the music.
“Sony makes instruments and voices sound believable, like you’re standing in the room and experiencing a secret performance,” we wrote in our review of the Sony WF-1000XM6.
“It’s playing Tom Odell’s Black FridaySony gives you a front row seat and presents itself as a communication specialist. There’s fun and subtlety in spades, helping the earbuds bring out the emotion and feel of the song.”
Played together by Sony, the Technics sound modest and lack drive.
Which is an amazing thing that Sony has done. We’re talking about small improvements, but they add up to make Sony a more rewarding listening experience.
** Winner: Sony WF-1000XM6 **
Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Technics EAH-AZ100: the verdict
This is really close. Both pairs of earbuds boast universal appeal and excel in certain areas.
In terms of design and features, there isn’t much to choose between you, although Technics is easy to understand and has the edge when it comes to battery life.
However, Sony is missing out on ANC and sound quality, which will be the most important areas for many.
The Technics will probably be more expensive for the next few months at least, until we see the first discounts from the Sonys, but we can say that the XM6 is still worth more.
MORE:
Read ours Sony WF-1000XM6 review
And ours Technics EAH-AZ100 review
Sony WF-1000XM6 vs WF-1000XM5: which are the best premium wireless earbuds?
Sony WF-1000XM6 vs Bose QC Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen): who are the best ANC boys?
