Technics is back for the threepeat. Hot on the heels of the well-received EAH-AZ60M2 and flagship EAH-AZ80 premium wireless earbuds, the final entry in the trilogy is here in the shape of the EAH-AZ40M2. A more lightweight, wallet-friendly alternative to their EAH stablemates, the new buds are still promising superior sound, improved ANC and that superb three-device Bluetooth Multipoint that so impressed us on the AZ60M2 and AZ80 models.
The EAH-AZ40M2 promise high-quality audio courtesy of a 6mm driver that Panasonic claims to deliver “clear sound with a sense of range and depth”. The insides of the AZ40M2 are designed to optimise airflow for more natural sounding vocals, as well as to smooth out trebles and create a dynamic sound range with reduced distortion. The new buds also tease high-res quality audio thanks to support for the LDAC Bluetooth codec.
Unlike the original EAH-AZ40, the Mark 2 model adds Active Noise Cancelling for minimised distractions, and you can set your experience to either Natural Ambient Mode or Attention Mode depending on your surroundings and preferences. The AZ60M2 and AZ80 both offered seven varying tip sizes, but a choice of four for the AZ40M2 should ensure a relatively decent fit.
The big news in terms of features is the return of threeway multipoint, allowing a link-up for up to three devices on the fly, meaning you can flip between, say, a laptop, iPhone and Bluetooth speaker simultaneously without having to constantly establish and re-establish each individual connection. We tried it out on the AZ80 and found it to be extremely impressive, so here’s hoping it’s just as great when implemented within the AZ4OM2.
Battery life clocks in at 7 hours on a single charge, with a total charge of up to 24 hours with the case, roughly the same as the EAH-AZ60M2. With ANC on, the buds grant 5.5 hours of music playback, with a total of 18 hours in the case. An IPX4 rating, meanwhile, gives water-resistant protection from splashes coming from any angle or direction.
Retailing at £129 / $149 / AU$259, the EAH-AZ40M2 may be Technics’ bid to rival Sony’s WF-C700N buds or the more costly AirPods Pro 3 as it attempts to muscle in on the wireless earbud market. The new contenders are available in black, silver or rose gold finishes from June 2023, setting up a summer showdown between the new AZ40M2 and their more established market rivals
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