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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-27 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
• BASN Bmaster5 — biggest strength: A hybrid 5-driver setup built around a 10mm DLC composite diaphragm plus 4 balanced armatures, with two swappable cables and 12 pairs of ear tips in the box.
• BASN Bmaster5 — biggest trade-off: It is a wired 3.5 mm IEM with no active noise cancelling and no battery — you are tethered to a headphone amp, laptop, audio interface or phone.
• Technics Reference Class Hi-Fi — biggest strength: True wireless freedom with adaptive noise cancelling, Dolby Atmos head tracking, 3-device multipoint and up to 10 hours of playback (28 with the case).
• Technics Reference Class Hi-Fi — biggest trade-off: No wired jack at all, and its sound depends entirely on Bluetooth and the internal electronics — you cannot swap cables or run it off a stage monitor feed.
• Who each pick is for: BASN Bmaster5 for musicians, drummers, bassists and anyone monitoring live or wired; Technics Reference Class Hi-Fi for commuters, travellers, call-heavy workers and movie/music listeners who want wireless convenience.
The Bmaster5 is the upgraded Bmaster, and the upgrade is the whole story. BASN swapped the original LCP diaphragm for a 10mm diamond-like carbon composite diaphragm and pushed the balanced armature count from one to four. That hybrid layout is aimed at two jobs at once: fast transient response and dynamic bass from the dynamic driver, and detailed treble with warm mids from the armatures. The rated frequency range is 20–20,000 Hz, impedance is 12.5 ohm and sensitivity is 104 dB — an easy load for phones, laptops, headphone amps and audio interfaces via the 3.5 mm plug.
Buy it if you are a drummer, bassist, guitarist, keyboard player or singer who needs a wired monitor that stays put, or if you simply want a wired IEM for critical listening at a desk. Skip it if you want wireless freedom, active noise cancelling for flights, or spatial audio for films — none of that lives here. Fit is well covered with 12 pairs of silicone and memory foam tips and adjustable ear hooks, and the aluminum case plus leather pouch handle storage. BASN lists a 12-month replacement.
Technics Reference Class Hi-Fi: Who It's For
The Technics Reference Class Hi-Fi is a true wireless earbud with a very different brief. Its driver is a planar magnetic design covering 40 Hz to 40,000 Hz, paired with adaptive noise cancelling that adjusts to your surroundings rather than sitting at one fixed level. Bluetooth 5.3 handles the link, and 3-point multipoint lets you prioritise between devices — laptop, phone and tablet at once, which is the feature that matters most if your day moves between calls, music and video.
Two things stand out. First, Dolby Atmos with head tracking: turn your head left and the soundstage shifts so audio arrives from the right, which is genuinely useful for films and immersive music rather than a gimmick on paper. Second, battery: up to 10 hours with noise cancelling on, and 28 hours total with the charging case, which also supports wireless charging. Technics also states these are 10% smaller and 16% lighter than the earlier AZ80, with a lower-profile shape — relevant because a smaller shell usually means a more stable fit and less pressure over long sessions.
Buy it if you commute, fly, take a lot of calls, or watch movies and want spatial audio without a cable. The Voice Focus AI chip is aimed squarely at call clarity, which is the practical reason to pick these over a wired monitor. Skip it if you need a wired connection to a stage monitor, mixer or audio interface — there is no headphone jack here at all. The enclosure is plastic, the colour is blue, and the package includes ear cushions and the wireless charging case under a 1-year manufacturer warranty.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for wireless freedom and travel → Technics Reference Class Hi-Fi. No cable, Bluetooth 5.3, adaptive noise cancelling and a charging case.
• Best for battery life → Technics Reference Class Hi-Fi. Up to 10 hours of playback with noise cancelling, 28 hours with the case.
• Best for cable flexibility and repairability → BASN Bmaster5. Two included cables (OFC and mic) and detachable PE connectors mean you can swap cables instead of replacing the earphones.
• Best for movies and spatial audio → Technics Reference Class Hi-Fi. Dolby Atmos with head tracking is the standout feature for film watching.
• Best for calls and multitasking → Technics Reference Class Hi-Fi. The Voice Focus AI chip plus 3-device multipoint suit people bouncing between devices.
• Best for ear-tip fit tuning → BASN Bmaster5. 12 pairs of tips in silicone and memory foam, plus adjustable ear hooks.
• Best for plugging into amps, interfaces or mixers → BASN Bmaster5. The 3.5 mm jack and 1/4 adapter cover studio and stage gear; the Technics has no jack.
If I had to pick one, it depends entirely on where you listen — so let me be concrete. For anything wired, monitored or performed, I would buy the BASN Bmaster5: the 10mm DLC diaphragm and four balanced armatures, the Pentaconn-style connectors and the two-cable setup make it the more purposeful tool for musicians and desk listeners. For commuting, calls and film nights, I would buy the Technics Reference Class Hi-Fi: adaptive noise cancelling, Dolby Atmos head tracking, multipoint and a 10-hour battery are simply things the BASN cannot do. Two different jobs, two different answers. Check the current price on Amazon for whichever one matches your day.
A 10mm driver refers to the diameter of the dynamic speaker inside the earbud. In the BASN Bmaster5, that 10mm unit is a diamond-like carbon composite diaphragm, which the design pairs with four balanced armatures for bass weight plus treble and mid detail.
A 10mm driver is a common, versatile size — large enough to move air for bass, small enough to fit an in-ear shell. The BASN Bmaster5 uses exactly that size and adds balanced armatures, so the 10mm unit handles dynamics while the armatures cover detail.
I cannot answer that for these two products, because neither uses a 6mm driver. The BASN Bmaster5 uses a 10mm dynamic driver, and the Technics Reference Class Hi-Fi uses a planar magnetic driver rated from 40 Hz to 40,000 Hz.
Only the Technics Reference Class Hi-Fi has active noise cancelling, and it is adaptive — it adjusts to your environment. The BASN Bmaster5 instead relies on sound isolation from its sealed in-ear fit to block outside noise.
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