To help us provide you with free impartial advice, we may earn a commission if you buy through links on our site. Learn more
- Excellent noise-cancelling microphone
- Rich and well-balanced audio
- Customisable ANC
- Inferior fit and comfort compared to the AZ80
- Fit negatively impacts ANC performance
- Don’t sound as good as the AZ80
The Technics EAH-AZ60M2 sit alongside the Technics EAH-AZ80 in the Panasonic-owned brand’s true wireless earbuds lineup and share a number of the qualities with their more expensive stablemates.
They’re some of the best earbuds around where making and receiving calls is concerned, audio quality is impressive, and active noise cancellation isn’t bad either. Wear detection, wireless charging and three-way Bluetooth multipoint connectivity further augment their appeal, but they struggle somewhat to step out of their superb sibling’s shadow.
Technics EAH-AZ60M2 review: What do you get for the money?
The basic specifications of the Technics EAH-AZ60M2, which are available for around £200 , are fairly similar to the £260 Technics EAH-AZ80. Both operate wirelessly over Bluetooth 5.3 and support the Hi-Res LDAC codec in addition to SBC and AAC.
The pair use different driver arrangements, however, with the AZ60M2 housing 8mm biocellulose drivers in place of the 10mm free-edge alluminium diaphragm drive units found in the AZ80. The AZ60M2 are slightly more compact as a result but weigh the same as their sibling and lack the sculpted housing designed to sit more comfortably in your conchas. Both are rated IPX4 for water resistance, meaning they can withstand sweat and light rainfall.
Like the AZ80, the AZ60M2 can connect to up to three devices simultaneously thanks to their industry-first inclusion of three-way Bluetooth multipoint support. Both pairs of headphones also have four microphones in each earbud to handle calls and active noise cancellation.Battery life is identical on the two models, clocking in at seven hours in-ear with ANC on and 24 hours when you take into account the juice held in the charging case. Just 15 minutes on charge will net you 70 minutes of ANC-powered listening and wireless charging is supported for those who own a Qi charging pad.
Technics supplies seven pairs of eartips (ranging from extra small to extra large) in the box to help you try and find the perfect fit, while you also get a short USB-C cable with which you can charge the case if you’ve not bought into the wireless charging revolution.
Technics EAH-AZ60M2 review: What do we like about them?
When it comes to sound quality, the AZ60M2 are an elite performer in their price bracket. Rich and robust at high volumes and across different genres, there’s little to grumble about, with the varied instrumentation and vocals on indie rock track Range Life by Pavement showcasing a detailed presentation that is only marginally bettered by the AZ80.
The buds are tuned more neutrally than most of their rivals, with a slight emphasis on mid-range frequencies that allows vocals to shine alongside a very well-judged bass response. Trebles are pushed back slightly in the mix but if you take issue with this, it’s easily rectified using a five-band graphic equaliser in the Technics Audio Connect app. There are a range of EQ presets available too, including “Dynamic”, which was my setting of choice.
While their audio reproduction might fall slightly below the AZ80’s high bar, the noise-cancelling microphone is just as excellent on the AZ60M2. External noise has little to no impact on your speech when making voice recordings or chatting on the phone, with the only exceptions being high-frequency interruptions such as screeching buses and bird song.
The active noise cancellation on offer is decent, too, although it’s not quite as impressive as it is on the AZ80. You can read a full explanation of the ANC system in my review of the AZ80 and, as with those earbuds, how effective the AZ60M2’s noise cancellation is is highly dependent on how well the buds fit inside your ears.
After achieving a reasonably snug fit, I was shielded from office hubbub with music playing at around 25% volume. While on a noisy commute, the ANC was able to drown out most external distractions with volume levels set to roughly 70%. The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II deliver class-leading ANC for not that much more money, which makes the AZ60M2 look a little less appealing, but I was happy enough with their performance overall.
They may not be able to quite match the AZ80 in the audio reproduction or noise-cancelling departments, but the AZ60M2’s touch controls work equally well and can be fully customised in the Technics app. The ability to connect to three devices at once is another of their great strengths and worked flawlessly during testing.
Technics EAH-AZ60M2 review: What could be improved?
The AZ60M2 don’t get too much wrong but their shortcomings were highlighted when using them side-by-side with the AZ80.
There was a small but noticeable difference in sound quality, with the AZ80 delivering a more full-bodied listen thanks to a bit of extra punch in the bass and sub-bass frequency bands. Low-end extension is reasonable on the AZ60M2 but it doesn’t delve quite as deep and the mid-range doesn’t sound quite as clean.
While the difference there is relatively minor, I found the AZ80 fitted me significantly better than that the AZ60M2. The smaller buds never felt completely secure in my ear canals, prompting concerns that they might fall out were I to get overexcited by what I was listening to and start shaking my head vigorously. I’d have thought that with seven sizes of eartips to choose from, I’d be able to find one that was completely stable in my ears but sadly this wasn’t the case. Your mileage here will vary, however.
Technics EAH-AZ60M2 review: Should you buy them?
Viewed in isolation, the Technics EAH-AZ60M2 are a very solid pair of true wireless earbuds. Sound quality is up to snuff, ANC does what it’s intended to do, while wear detection, wireless charging and three-way multipoint pairing round out a comprehensive suite of features.
But if you like the look of the AZ60M2 I’d highly recommend stretching your budget a bit further and picking up the AZ80 instead. They’re better performers in the key areas of audio quality and noise cancellation, are more stylish and more comfortable to wear, too. You may also wish to consider the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II and Sony WF-1000M5 , both of which offer excellent ANC and top-notch sound.
