Amazon Echo Buds (2nd gen) Review: Alexa in Your Ears

Worth When Reviewed

$99.99 with wi-fi charging case; $79.99 with wired charging case

Greatest Costs Immediately: Amazon Echo Buds (2nd gen)

Amazon’s Echo Buds (2nd Gen) are smaller than the originals with a extra typical charging case and an improve to ‘correct’ energetic noise cancelling, versus the Bose noise discount within the first-generation Echo Buds.

Are the Echo Buds 2nd Gen nonetheless price shopping for?

Regardless of being launched again in 2021, Amazon’s Echo Buds (2nd gen) are nonetheless the present mannequin. The corporate hasn’t even hinted that there might be a 3rd technology any time quickly and didn’t point out earbuds in any respect at its 2023 {hardware} launch.

This actually isn’t a purpose to keep away from these earbuds: they enhance upon the unique Buds in a lot of methods and are a bit cheaper as well.

Audio high quality isn’t one of the best round, however will probably be greater than acceptable to most individuals for music, podcasts, movies and video games. The massive attraction in comparison with different true wi-fi earbuds is, in fact, hands-free Alexa which you need to use to regulate music playback, make telephone calls and the rest you usually use Alexa for, resembling setting reminder, controlling sensible dwelling devices and extra.

Amazon presents reductions every so often, particularly throughout its personal Prime Day gross sales, that are all the time an important probability to select up the corporate’s {hardware} at surprisingly low cost costs. Generally you may solely purchase these offers for those who’re a Prime member, however not all the time.

To reply the query, sure, the Echo Buds are nonetheless nicely price shopping for, particularly for those who discover the worth has been slashed.

Options & design

• Lively noise cancelling
• Fingers-free Alexa
• Black and white color choices

Other than the redesign which suggests the Buds 2 are round, they’re 21% smaller based on Amazon. They’re actually gentle and whereas some could really feel they protrude from their ear a bit of an excessive amount of, they’re comfy to put on.

That’s partly because of a brand new vent which the originals didn’t have, and a shorter ‘nozzle’ – the half that extends into your ear canal.

To get one of the best match, there are 4 sizes of silicone suggestions (usefully color coded) and two sizes of ‘wing suggestions’ that are made out of rubber and match over the buds to grip your ear higher. You don’t want them, however for those who go operating they need to stop them from falling out.

Within the Alexa app, which is used to pair the earbuds and handle them, there’s a fitment take a look at that tells you for those who’ve chosen the appropriate suggestions. I couldn’t get something higher than a ‘good’ end result from it.

There are three mics on every bud, serving to to listen to your voice and cut back background noise, and the outer floor is touch-sensitive and used to regulate playback. A single faucet pauses and performs, and different combos skip tracks, allow pass-through so you may hear your environment and reply or finish telephone calls.

Whenever you faucet and maintain, this allows or disables ANC, and you’ll assign a distinct perform for every earbud. For instance, you may get it to name up Siri or the Google Assistant. However if you wish to do this and never use Alexa, there’s actually little or no level in shopping for the Echo Buds 2.

It’s good to be carrying a minimum of one bud for Alexa to work, and also you want your telephone in Bluetooth vary with an web connection. Put on detection is one other helpful options, pausing no matter you’re listening to whenever you take away a bud from an ear.

Alexa

If you happen to’re questioning why you may want Alexa in a pair of headphones, then think about it like having an Echo close by everytime you’re carrying them.

You possibly can say “Alexa, set a timer for quarter-hour” or “Alexa, what’s the climate right this moment”. She will management all of your sensible dwelling units, add objects to your procuring record, calendar and set reminders.

Particular to cell use, you may in fact ask her to play music, audiobooks (from Audible) and podcasts. Fortunately Amazon didn’t overlook concerning the headphone options, so you may say “Alexa, activate noise cancellation” and “Alexa, allow passthrough”. You do should be particular: she doesn’t perceive any variations on these instructions.

The wake phrase works simply in addition to it does on an Amazon Echo speaker. Whether or not you think about any of this convenient is one other query, however for Alexa followers, the Echo Buds 2 are nice.

Discover My

If you happen to misplace an earbud, there’s a helpful characteristic within the Alexa app the place you see it on a map and play a loud noise whenever you’re in Bluetooth vary to find it.

It sounds good in concept nevertheless it didn’t work nicely in follow. After a number of days of testing I genuinely misplaced the appropriate bud – a super alternative to check the characteristic.

The app mentioned each buds have been out of vary, regardless of me holding the case with the left bud in place. The lacking bud was final ‘seen’ 24 hours in the past in my dwelling however, regardless of strolling round to try to set up a Bluetooth connection, nothing.

I later discovered the bud on the breakfast bar within the kitchen: it had virtually 20% battery remaining and was solely 2m from my telephone after I first tried to find it.

If that wasn’t annoying sufficient, the lid of the case needs to be open if the buds are in it, which suggests you might want to all the time depart it open simply in case you may’t bear in mind the place you left it. So, Discover My is an all-round failure.

Battery life and charging

• 15 hours complete
• 2 hours’ playback from quarter-hour’ charging

As an alternative of a clamshell case, Amazon has gone for a extra widespread flip-top charging case with the Echo Buds 2.

There’s no spring on the hinge, so it flips closed all too simply. What’s nice, although, is that there are three LEDs so are you able to see the battery degree for the case in addition to every earbud (and you can even see the precise percentages within the Alexa app).

When totally charged, the buds provide 5 hours of playback, and as much as 15 hours in complete, which means the case can fully recharge them twice earlier than itself needing charging.

If you happen to left the buds out of the case, quarter-hour in it will provide you with two hours of music or different audio playtime.

Whereas another true wi-fi buds last more, the Echo Buds 2 final simply as lengthy between costs as Apple’s AirPods (and longer than AirPods Professional).

Audio high quality

• ANC good, may very well be higher
• Sound high quality is improved

Let’s begin with noise cancellation. Amazon says it’s twice pretty much as good because the first-gen Echo Buds and that appears about proper to me.

I examined them each at dwelling in a comparatively quiet atmosphere in addition to on a loud prepare. There aren’t any settings for ANC, so it’s both on or off. When on, it does a great job of eliminating background hiss and hum and dulls conversations and the sound of a TV taking part in within the background.

It wasn’t practically as efficient on the prepare, the place I nonetheless needed to flip up the quantity a bit to beat the wind noise (the home windows have been open).

I discovered ANC was simpler on Huawei’s FreeBuds Professional that are related right here as a result of they (now) price precisely the identical because the Echo Buds 2.

Sound high quality can also be a bit higher from Huawei’s earbuds than Amazon’s, with extra bass. Amazon hasn’t mentioned an terrible lot concerning the drivers it has used within the Echo Buds 2, however the principle processor is similar to the one used within the first technology.

Audio is noticeably higher than the unique Echo Buds, not least as a result of the tone doesn’t change as you modify the quantity. It’s greatest described as ‘flat’ which sounds unfavourable nevertheless it implies that no frequency is extra pronounced than another.

Plenty of headphones enhance bass and treble, which many individuals favor when listening to music. With the Echo Buds, you’ll have to make use of your telephone’s EQ settings to do the identical factor, however if you’d like a great deal of sub-bass, you received’t get it from the Echo Buds 2. You’d be higher off with the AirPods Professional 2 or Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 2 Professional.

However these price significantly extra, and for those who’re not too demanding or just need to watch movies and take heed to podcasts, the Echo Buds 2 are completely good.

It’s price noting that there’s no assist for AptX, simply as with the unique Echo Buds. Meaning Android customers are caught with SBC, which is decrease high quality.

In case you have an iPhone, then AAC assist means good high quality and in my testing, I had no dropouts or connection issues until I walked nicely away from my telephone into a distinct room.

Worth & availability

At their regular value, the Echo Buds 2 price $119.99 / £109.99. There’s the choice to spend an additional $20 / £20 if you’d like a wi-fi charging case that works with Qi-compatible chargers.

Amazon reductions its personal units pretty repeatedly, so it’s price watching out for gross sales for those who just like the sound of the Echo Buds however can’t fairly stretch your finances. 

For various choices, see our roundups of one of the best true wi-fi earbuds and greatest finances wi-fi earbuds.

Verdict

You’re spoilt for selection relating to true wi-fi headphones, it doesn’t matter what dimension your finances. The place the unique Echo Buds didn’t fairly carry out nicely sufficient to justify their value, the second technology doesn’t have that downside.

They positively sound higher and so they have respectable, fairly than class-leading, noise cancellation.

They’re nonetheless solely an important selection if you really want Alexa in your ears, although.

Specs

• Driver: Excessive efficiency 5.7mm dynamic driver
• Requirements supported: Bluetooth 5.0, AAC, SBC
• Processors: Realtek RTL8763C Bluetooth System on Chip, NXP Digital Sign Processor
• Battery life: 5 hours (6.5 hours with out ANC), 15 hours complete with charging case
• Sweat/splash resistance: IPX4
• Frequency response: Not said
• Producer’s Guarantee: 1 12 months
• Included in field:
• Charging case
• Micro USB charging cable
• Small/medium/massive/x-large silicone ear suggestions + wing suggestions
• Dimensions: Earbud – 20 x 19 x 19 mm, Case – 67 x 29 x 39 mm