Technics A1000: Review

Sometimes a piece of kit comes your way that redefines how you look at the services it provides - and all its other competitor.

The Technics A1000 is one such piece of technology.

These premium over-the-ear headphones, from the much-praised Technics brand, offer a high-level service (admittedly for a high-level price point) that once you've used, are very hard to put down or imagine even using something else.

Technics has form in this arena though - having launched the A800 over-ear headphones a few years back and the uniformly excellent AZ range of mini earbuds, the company knows how to produce a quality piece of kit that does what it needs to and ensures you don't stay from their eco-structure.

So it's no surprise to say that with the Technics A1000, they've done it again.

Design and comfort are perhaps the two areas where Technics put most of its money in these - and it shows from the moment you open the package.

With a hard-shell case that keeps the headphones and charging gear neatly snug and carefully protected, it's clear that Technics have put first impressions front of mind. With many mid-range headphone providers dispatching a way to look after their headphones or even include a charger (citing e-waste concerns), Technics has decided that an all-in-one approach is the best way to go, including tidy compartments for USB-C charging cable and enough room to fold the headphones. It's a welcome touch, and the first sign that premium counts for something.

Blessed with an elegant sleek look and a design that feels contemporary and timeless, the Technics A1000 make a case for ease of use, with the Bluetooth connecting within seconds and pairing done before you've even realised it's begun. It's the small things that the Panasonic audio brand gets right, and they leave the right impression.
Weighing in at around 306g, these are not heavy headphones and it's an important distinction given how long they'll sit atop of your head. With an adjustable metal bar on the top and generous padding on both the headband and ear cups filled with memory foam, these feel comfortable from very first use and soon become headgear you've got used to and don't want to be parted from.

The hinges on the side of the ear cups also feel sturdy enough to endure plenty of use and ensure that no amount of putting them back in the case and taking them out will result in any kind of damage.

Battery life is impressive too - with ANC on, there's some 45 hours and with it off, 90 hours - it's a generous use and given the ANC is automatic and cancels out the noise around you, filtering out only your sound to enjoy, it's more than what you'll need.

Chiefly though what powers this better sound is the 40mm magnetic fluid driver, which keeps the parts moving within for a lower level of distortion. It's proprietary tech which was used in its AZ100 earbuds and will leave the bass singing out more than feeling like it's been muddied and mixed down below.

Long hours of continual use of these headphones also prove to be beneficial too.

There's little sign of ear sweat after a gaming session and there's no feeling of the weight of the headset pushing down on the head either - the light nature of the gear coupled with the comfort means they're perfect for either a binge-watch or a gaming session.

Perhaps the only minor niggle is that the volume control on the right earcup feels a little plasticky and requires leverage control rather than button pressing, but given that's a minor design thing which can no doubt be fixed on future releases, the A1000 make a serious case for being part of your audio gear.

Technics has always been about quality and comfort, as well as trying to push the audio envelope.

With this latest set of wireless headphones, it's made a clear-cut case for ownership and even though they're on a pricepoint similar to Sony's range, they're well worth considering for an investment because they'll last you for years and won't leave you feeling like they've let you down on any front.