Other

Who needs the new AirPods Pro 3 — these new hi-fi earbuds just blew me away

AnyFans 2025-09-26

By Tammy Rogers

Tom’s Guide

Newsletters

View Profile

Search Tom’s Guide

You may like

I’m only excited about one pair of upcoming earbuds, and it’s not the AirPods Pro 3

Forget the AirPods Pro 2, these are the best audiophile earbuds under $200

I’ve tested a ton of earbuds in the last year — here’s my top picks under $50, $150 and $300

The fit does have its benefits over the lighter and less “all-in” fits of buds like the AirPods Pro 2. A better seal for ANC and sound is one, and an increased bass response. Not that these things really need any more bass response — as we’ll find out imminently, I had to EQ some of the bass out for them to sound their absolute best.
Endlessly customizable sound

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
Out of the box, the AZ100 sound good. They’re quite bassy, however. There’s some serious low-end here, and I found very quickly that it could be considered “too much.” To be clear, most people are going to slip them in their ears, press play on Taylor Swift’s latest, and say “wow, those sound really good!” when her latest tripe slides into their earholes.
But they can sound better. With some work in the EQ, I was able to dial in some more high-frequency response and ease back some of the slightly boomy bass. The result is more restrained and controlled, and dare I say, pretty excellent.
Cymbals in drum parts are more articulate, and the bass feels more musical. The mids sound amazing, with loads of width and dimension for guitars and vocals. I whipped up a listen of CKY by CKY, and found some lovely edge to distorted guitars and excellent weight for kick drums and bass guitars.
Soundstage is very good, and makes the music feel nice and wide. They’re a lovely sonic experience, and I’d wager they’re the best-sounding buds before you start spending even more money.

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
I left the Dolby Atmos setting wedged firmly in the off position, as I’d recommend most people do. It works fine with music made for the format, but otherwise doesn’t do enough to warrant its use.
To get my audio settings, you’ll want to dabble with the Technics app. In the custom EQ, you’ll want to dial down the BASS and 250kHz to about -2 or -3, and then crank the 2.5K and 4K sliders up to about +3. That’ll give you more of the high-end that we’re looking for, while removing some of the ‘boom.’
With all that done? Sublime sound, no notes.
Slight hiccups

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
There’s always got to be some negatives, right? There are some. The first is the divisive fit, which some listeners might not appreciate compared to the less invasive Bose, Sony, and Apple alternatives.
The app is janky. I’ve not had the unreliability problems that some have reported, or the slight audio delay, but it’s not the best looking or easiest to navigate around. It works — but it’s not fun to use. Annoying, given you’ll want to dip in for the EQ.
The ANC isn’t quite as good as some of the other options either. It’s fine, and it will go some way in silencing your environment, but it’s not as good as the ANC from Sony or Bose.
Still, I think the AZ100 are a worthy alternative to the established players, bringing excellent sound and epic build to the table. Just, like, don’t be surprised if it feels like your head is being probed.
Follow Tom’s Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!
More from Tom’s Guide

Spotify Lossless just dropped — here’s how it compares to Apple Music, Tidal and other high-res services
Apple Watch 11 vs Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Apple Watch SE 3 — which one should you buy?
I updated to iOS 26 on day 1, and these are the 5 new features that impressed me the most

Today’s best Technics EAH-AZ100 deals

$270.70View Deal

$286.99View Deal

No price informationCheck Walmart

We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices

Tammy Rogers

Social Links Navigation
Audio Editor

Tammy and her generous collection of headphones have found a new home — Tom’s Guide! After a two-and-a-half-year stint as iMore’s resident audiophile, Tammy’s reviews and buying guide expertise have more focus than ever on Tom’s Guide, helping buyers find the audio gear that works best for them. Tammy has worked with some of the most desirable audio brands on the planet in her time writing about headphones, speakers, and more, bringing a consumer focussed approach to critique and buying advice. Away from her desk, you’ll probably find her in the countryside writing (extremely bad) poetry, or putting her screenwriting Masters to good use creating screenplays that’ll never see the light of day.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

I’m only excited about one pair of upcoming earbuds, and it’s not the AirPods Pro 3

Forget the AirPods Pro 2, these are the best audiophile earbuds under $200

I’ve tested a ton of earbuds in the last year — here’s my top picks under $50, $150 and $300

Forget AirPods Pro — these are my favorite wireless earbuds with even better sound for every budget

I’m about to ditch my AirPods Pro 2 for these budget audiophile earbuds — there’s just one thing holding me back

I test headphones for a living and these are the 3 alternatives I recommend over the AirPods Pro 3

Latest in Airpods

I test headphones for a living and these are the 3 alternatives I recommend over the AirPods Pro 3

I toured Apple’s secret audio lab to see how it built and perfected the AirPods Pro 3

Sonos doesn’t make earbuds for movies — so here’s why I use AirPods instead

I love my AirPods Pro 2 but I won’t be buying the AirPods Pro 3 — here’s why

Apple AirPods Pro 3 review: The best AirPods yet

AirPods Pro 3 vs AirPods 4: All the key differences

Latest in Opinion

I knew standing leg extensions could boost mobility, but this was the most surprising benefit for my hip strength

I’ve waited 15 years for a new Skate game — here’s my verdict on Skate 4 after playing more than 20 hours

I’m a weightlifting coach — here are 3 exercises I prefer over push-ups to build strong and stable shoulders

7 thriller movies on Netflix with twists you’ll (probably) never guess

This Jason Bateman show you’ve (probably) never seen is a must-watch Stephen King thriller — and it’s streaming on HBO Max

It’s been nearly a year since I started using and fell in love with these headphones, and no, they aren’t Bose, Sony or JBL

Hot News_tariffs news_big country news_anyfans news

Who needs the new AirPods Pro 3 — these new hi-fi earbuds just blew me away

Greggs fans can claim free dough nut by doing one household chore

BRS MLAs file their responses to ‘defected’ MLAs explanations

‘Big leap forward’: How AI is already shaping your hurricane forecasts

Ruben Amorim can save Man United job with seven January transfers

Who needs the new AirPods Pro 3 — these new hi-fi earbuds just blew me away

You Might Also Like

Greggs fans can claim free dough nut by doing one household chore

BRS MLAs file their responses to ‘defected’ MLAs explanations

‘Big leap forward’: How AI is already shaping your hurricane forecasts

Ruben Amorim can save Man United job with seven January transfers