Technics EAH-A1000 review: Superior sound and great ANC in a premium package

When Technics announced the EAH-A1000 over-ear Bluetooth headset, everything seemed pretty ordinary. Another set of premium cans entering an already crowded category. Sure, they have some noteworthy features on the spec sheet: magnetic fluid drivers and three-device multipoint Bluetooth, for example. At $450, they take on Sony’s popular WH-1000XM6 directly and enter almost the same territory as Sennheiser’s audiophile-friendly HDB 630.

It’s a confident move by Technics, to place its flag in the lucrative, but risky, territory between high-end consumer headphones and “affordable” specialty headphones. I’ve had the A1000 on the test bench (i.e. my head) for a few weeks and my first assessment of their “ordinary” may have been a little hasty.

The feature Technics is making the most noise about is “Magnetic Fluid” technology, but it’s not new to the A1000. The AZ100 true wireless earbuds also use it, but these are the first over-ear headphones from Technics to include it. The idea is to reduce unwanted vibrations in the driver, thereby reducing distortion.

Another feature that stands out is three-device multipoint Bluetooth. A seamless connection with your phone and PC can now include an additional device, like a gaming console or TV. There’s a slight limitation here: if you’re listening via LDAC (which the A1000 also supports), this will limit you to two devices maximum.

Of course, there’s adaptive active noise cancellation (ANC) coupled with a beamforming microphone for clearer phone calls. Other features you’d expect at this price point, such as Dolby Atmos with headtracking, wear detection, EQ/app control, a good 45 hours of battery life (with ANC enabled), and lossless playback via USB-C and 3.5mm cables (both included) are all present and correct. Cosmetically, the A1000 offers smooth lines and an elegant but understated design. They could pass for a Sony or Bose model at a glance.

Headphone marketing materials are like gourmet menus: there are many decorative adjectives to describe beef. Or, in the case of headphones, 40mm drivers. I can’t put my hand on my heart and say that the magnetic fluid technology Technics mentions makes a difference, but I was immediately impressed when I first turned on the A1000 and pressed play on Spotify.

My music has a skewed electronic taste, so the bass really matters. On the A1000, the low frequencies are some of the tightest I’ve heard. That’s the best word I can find for it. The bass is present, I feel it, but it does not vibrate at all in my eardrums. It feels like he’s firmly attached to the song with glue, in a good way. Kick drums in dance music provide a slight thump, in turn providing a good sense of space and dynamic range in the mix.

The pop and rock genres do a good job of exposing mid and high frequencies. BTS’ Dynamitefor example, sounds much more robust and balanced in the A1000 than in my car on school trips when trying to entertain the kids. I even heard parts of the bass line that I barely knew existed. If there’s a minor criticism, it’s that of the high end. Listening to AC/DC or the Arctic Monkeys, the guitars sounded authentic, but my ears wanted just a little more crackle.

I use the Sennheiser HDB 630 regularly and the Technics A1000 surprised me with a slightly larger feeling of space and soundstage. The tight balance and well-rounded bass make this one of the most powerful pairs I’ve tried in a long time.

The stellar sound isn’t the first thing I noticed when I put them on, the adaptive ANC is also extremely good. I’m a little picky with noise cancellation; It’s a feature I like but I prefer good audio chops over higher ANC if I have to choose. With the A1000, this isn’t really a problem. The noise cancellation is effective for constant sounds like fans, but it’s adaptive enough that I can’t hear people talking when my spouse has guests and I’m working. I prefer it to the ANC of the HDB 630 and would say it’s good enough to be in the same room with Sony and Bose.

I have a folder on my phone that is a graveyard of unused headphone apps. Technics Connect hasn’t gotten there yet. As control apps go, it’s easy to navigate and you’ll find additional settings like choosing between LDAC-enabled multipoint Bluetooth (remember: maximum two connections) or even turning it off. There’s the aforementioned EQ section, the ability to choose how long before the headphones automatically turn off, and a toggle to turn off wear detection, among other useful tools.

A note on multipoint functionality: I’ve never really had a good experience with any headset, with my Mac usually connecting via the hands-free profile. This was also my experience with the A1000. Even switching between my phone and my Windows laptop was unreliable. I can’t fault these headphones with any confidence, but I haven’t had much luck with two devices, let alone three.

There are no touch controls on the A1000, but two buttons and a clickable volume rocker. Although everything is on the right earbud, it doesn’t feel cramped. The volume rocker is easy to find, but you click “back” to turn the volume up, which seems counterintuitive to me. Media controls are navigated by multiple clicks on the same toggle. It’s convenient and works, but sometimes the button sticks slightly, turning three clicks into two, which is the difference between jumping forward and going back.

The $449 pits the A1000 directly against Sony’s WH-1000XM6, and I think it competes well in terms of sound quality and ANC. The choice will come down to secondary details like design, battery life, and app features, the latter being where Sony really stacks the deck. I’m going to say right away that I personally prefer the A1000 over the $500 Sennheiser HDB 630. Technics may not quite beat them in terms of sound, but it’s definitely close. For ANC, comfort and build quality, for me, Technics takes the win. The Sonos Ace Ultra matches the A1000 on price, and Engadget gave them a high rating, in part for their compatibility with Sonos speakers.

For a historic hi-fi brand, Technics has come a long way when it comes to consumer headphones. The true wireless AZ100 made a big impression, thanks in part to those magnetic fluid speakers, and the A1000 builds on that success with equally impressive sound. Truly, it’s a pleasure to wear and listen to. There’s also enough extra detail, like a beamforming microphone that destroys background noise with what sounds like sorcery (even if the mic itself is mediocre).

The sticking point for some will be price. Sennheiser can charge more for the HDB 630 thanks to its long, unbroken record with good consumer headphones. You also get the BTD 700 dongle for $60. Meanwhile, Sony has built a solid reputation with its 1000X line over the past few years. Technics doesn’t have the same recent pedigree yet, but the A1000 does a very good job of kickstarting that.