Technics EAH-AZ80
CMF BY NOTHING Buds Pro B172
What Buyers Say
Technics EAH-AZ80
The Technics EAH-AZ10 earbuds receive overwhelmingly positive feedback for their exceptional sound quality, featuring clear separation, wide soundstage, and natural tuning that rivals higher-end models. Users praise the comfortable and secure fit, effective noise cancellation that doesn't muddy the audio, and impressive battery life lasting up to 7 hours. However, a few critical reviews highlight poor touch controls that are unresponsive, and one user experienced a significant volume imbalance after 1.5 years, with the company offering only a 10% discount on a replacement rather than a fix. Overall, these are highly recommended for audiophiles and daily use, but potential buyers should be aware of possible durability and control issues.
Pros
- Exceptional sound quality with clear separation
- Comfortable and secure fit
- Effective noise cancellation without audio degradation
- Impressive battery life up to 7 hours
- Great call quality
Cons
- Unresponsive touch controls
- Volume imbalance after extended use
- Poor customer service for defects
- Bulky design for some users
- ANC not sufficient in very loud environments
CMF BY NOTHING Buds Pro B172
These CMF Buds deliver impressive sound quality with dual drivers and LDAC support, often compared favorably to much pricier competitors. Users praise the comfortable fit, long battery life, and useful case controls, though noise cancellation is noted as merely decent and the build feels a bit plasticky. A few minor complaints include the lack of a USB-C cable and a 5% battery display granularity, but overall they are seen as excellent value for under $60.
Pros
- Excellent sound quality with dual drivers
- Great value for under $60
- Comfortable fit for long sessions
- Long battery life
- Useful case controls
Cons
- No USB-C cable included
- Battery display only in 5% increments
- Noise cancellation mediocre for loud sounds
- Build feels plasticky
- Spatial audio is static, not head-tracking
Scores
Specifications
| Technics EAH-AZ80 | CMF BY NOTHING Buds Pro B172 | |
|---|---|---|
| Design | ||
| Form Factor | in-ear | in-ear |
| Wearing Style | true wireless | true wireless |
| Ear Tips | XS, S, M, L, XL | S |
| Weight | 0.01 kg★ | 0.10 kg |
| Audio | ||
| Driver Type | dynamic | dynamic |
| Driver Size | 10 mm | 11 mm★ |
| Drivers | 1 | 2★ |
| Freq Min | 20 Hz★ | — |
| Freq Max | 40 kHz★ | 5 kHz |
| Impedance | — | 32 Ω |
| Sensitivity | — | 50 dB★ |
| Hi-Res Audio | ✓ | ✓ |
| Codecs | AAC, LDAC, SBC | LDAC |
| Surround | — | Surround Sound |
| Noise Control | ||
| ANC | ✓ | ✓ |
| ANC Type | hybrid | adaptive hybrid |
| Transparency | ✓ | ✓ |
| Connectivity | ||
| Wireless | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Profiles | A2DP, AVRCP, HSP, HFP | — |
| Multipoint | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wired Connector | — | Bluetooth |
| Range | 10 m | 10 m |
| Earbud Battery | ||
| Battery Life | 7 hrs | 10 hrs★ |
| Charge Time | 2.5 hrs | 0.17000000178813934 hrs★ |
| Fast Charging | 15 Minutes for 1.1 Hours | 10 min for 3 hours playback |
| Charging | USB-C★ | — |
| Case Battery | ||
| Case Battery | 16 hrs | 43 hrs★ |
| Case Charging | USB-C★ | — |
| Wireless Charging | ✓ | ✓ |
| Capacity | 85 mAh★ | — |
| Microphone | ||
| Microphone | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mic Count | 8★ | 6 |
| NC Mic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Features | ||
| Voice Assistant | Alexa, Siri | voice assistant |
| Touch Controls | ✓ | ✓ |
| App | Technics Audio Connect | Nothing X |
| Gaming Mode | — | ✓★ |
| Bone Conduction | ✗ | — |
| Water Resistance | IPX4 | IP55 |
Pros & Cons
Technics EAH-AZ80
- Strong mic (100th percentile)100th %ile
- Strong connectivity (97th percentile)97th %ile
- Strong sound (94th percentile)94th %ile
- Strong anc (94th percentile)94th %ile
- Below average affordability (11th percentile)11th %ile
CMF BY NOTHING Buds Pro B172
- Strong connectivity (99th percentile)99th %ile
- Strong anc (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong mic (97th percentile)97th %ile
- Strong sound (91st percentile)91st %ile
Pricing
CMF BY NOTHING Buds Pro B172 offers 3.2x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 86 overall, wins 6 of 7 usage categories and 7 of 40 specs.
