16 Dec
Blog

OnePlus Buds Z2 Review: Too Much Bass, Not Enough Grace

OnePlus Buds Z2 open case.

OnePlus Buds Z2 in the test: Too much bass, too little grace

RRP $ 99.00

"Active noise cancellation is a welcome addition to the lightweight OnePlus Buds Z2, but the heavy bass of the 11mm drivers can be overwhelming and they don't really stand out enough to beat the competition."

benefits

  • Light and comfortable to wear

  • Simple, reliable touch controls

  • Choice of noise cancellation modes

  • IP55 and IPX4 water and dust resistance

disadvantage

  • Bass-heavy sound profile

  • No wireless charging

  • No alternative sound modes

True wireless earbuds, almost regardless of the price, have to attract attention today due to the large selection. OnePlus is no stranger to its smartphones, which usually come up with good design, desirable features, and a tempting price.

But what about the OnePlus Buds Z2? They follow the OnePlus Buds Z for $ 49, but the price has now doubled as Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and a pair of updated drivers have been added. Is that enough to separate them from everyone else – and separate you with $ 99 to get them?

draft

The housing of the OnePlus Buds Z2 is made of glossy plastic – my test model is black, but there is also a white model – with the brand name in simple letters on the lid, which is held securely closed by a magnet. Open it up and the top feels pretty cheap and thin, with a scratchy, matte plastic lining that keeps the Buds Z2 in place. It's a simple and nondescript case.

OnePlus Buds Z2 closed case.Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

OnePlus has also chosen a simple design for the Buds Z2. A short, tube-like shaft protrudes from the inoperative speaker cabinet, with visual interest only provided by a sunburst-style CD-like endplate. That's it. They are certainly not ugly, but neither are they inspiring. OnePlus definitely relies on subtlety here, but the case and design of the Bud Z2 border on boring.

The box contains three sets of earplugs in the sizes small, medium and large. I liked the medium best and, according to the MyMelody app, makes for a good end to my ears. There is also a short USB Type-C cable in the case for charging the battery. A button on the back of the case puts the Buds Z2 into pairing mode, and there is a single LED on the front to indicate status.

OnePlus Buds Z2 open case.Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Although I'm not particularly impressed by the look of the OnePlus Buds Z2, I can't fault the comfort and durability. The Buds Z2 are very light at 4.5 grams each and do not cause ear fatigue. I wore them for four hours straight and had no problems. Each bud has an IP55 water resistance rating, so you can even clean it with a single flush. It's just a shame that they look rather generic.

sound

Inside every ordinary-looking Buds Z2 earbud, you'll find an 11mm driver and three microphones, plus a tiny 40mAh battery. The driver is the same as in the OnePlus Buds Pro, plus there is Dolby Atmos and AAC and SBC codec support. The design may be subtle, but there's no doubt that OnePlus tuned the Buds Z2 for bass because it can be, damn it, overwhelming.

OnePlus Buds Z2 earbuds.Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The scientist at Twice has a strong bass line undoubtedly, but the finesse of the song has been removed with the OnePlus Buds Z2. It booms and booms all the time, but due to the tight soundstage and amplified highs, it doesn't seem to overwhelm the vocals, instead wrapping the song's sweet and addicting melody in a thick bass blanket. Listen to the Apple AirPods Pro, and the nice balance and controls make it sound like a different song.

This bombastic approach can also be heard in Ive & # 39; s Eleven, where the harsh treatment of the vocals and the heavy bass boom of the Buds Z2 don't encourage you to turn up the volume. There's also noticeable distortion as you approach even the three-quarter mark on the iPhone 13 Pro. That said, there's a ton of volume on offer if you want it. Two of my regular test tracks – Tokyo Towers Mix from What Time is Love by The KLF and Inner Peace by CloZee – both have deep bass throughout and are not particularly pleasant to listen to. Unfortunately, there's no equalizer in the app or some way to tweak the sound profile to fix this overzealous approach.

Compared to other headphones that I use plugged into my TV, the OnePlus Buds Z2 were very loud and still pretty harsh, with some laughter being especially deafening during comedy shows. However, on the spoken word, performance was good, helped by a focus on treble and vocals. I've used the OnePlus Buds Z2 for video calls and while the audio quality was okay for me, listeners described it as average.

Dolby Atmos support is offered. but only if you are using a current OnePlus phone. On the OnePlus 9 Pro, I used the Disney + and Tidal apps to try it out, but the results were mixed, not least because it's quite difficult to tell if you're listening to Dolby Atmos content. Seeing Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings didn't really sound any different, while the Atmos mixes on Tidal's Atmos playlists were better, with some interesting spatial effects, but overall, it was never as effective as listening to Atmos tracks over Apple Music and the AirPods Pro.

OnePlus Buds Z2 in the ear.Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The OnePlus Buds Z2 is all about bass and treble and it lacks a fine balance, which means that the mids tend to be lost and some details are hidden. This harshness didn't suit my tastes or my choice of music, but I can see bass and volume junkies enjoying the sound more – just be aware that listening to music with the OnePlus Buds Z2 isn't anything relaxing. These are loud and very proud of the bass they can deliver.

Controls and noise cancellation

The OnePlus Buds Z2's touch controls are responsive and the sensor is easy to find with your finger, which makes them better than many other earbuds. All you have to do is tap the flat endplate to pause or play the music, or touch and hold to change the noise canceling setting. There's no messing around with holding the stem or trying to find the touch sensor, everything is built in sensibly and the sensor seems big enough that you don't have to tap over and over to find the right spot.

There are two settings for noise cancellation, a standard and a maximum mode and a transparency mode. You long press the earbud to switch between them. By default, this goes from transparency to maximum noise cancellation, but you can customize this in the app. In the end I set it to the standard ANC mode instead of the maximum due to the excessive hiss created by the maximum setting.

These are loud and very proud of the bass they can deliver.

While the +/- 25db standard mode creates some pressure in your ears, I prefer that initial discomfort to the louder background noise created by the +/- 40db max mode. I didn't notice much of a difference between them in terms of isolation either, although I suspect that has something to do with the environment. The default mode was fine for home and general outdoor use, but I wasn't on an airplane or in an overly noisy environment to fully try the maximum setting.

App and connectivity

The OnePlus Buds Z2 connect via Bluetooth 5.2 and support Android Fast Pair, which worked fine on my OnePlus 9 Pro and Google Pixel 6 Pro, although I had to manually establish a connection on the iPhone 13 Pro. I also connected it to my Sony TV. I was able to move around my one-story apartment without losing connectivity, and the range was similar to other wireless headphones I use.

MyMelody app with OnePlus Buds Z2.Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

I found the connection time to be very fast and extremely reliable. During the test, I kept switching between devices and headphones, and the Buds Z2 had no problems with this at all. If you tap and hold an earbud for a few seconds, the Buds Z2 will also quickly switch between previously connected and available devices. Take the headphones out of your ears and the content will pause automatically, and this worked even while streaming an app from my phone to my TV.

If you have a OnePlus phone, the Buds Z2 doesn't need to install an app as all functions and firmware updates are handled by the phone. For other Android phones and the iPhone, you should download the My Melody app, but the OnePlus Buds Z2 will work perfectly without using the accompanying app if you prefer.

For my music choices, the OnePlus Buds Z2's bass response is ridiculously exaggerated.

My Melody allows you to customize the touch controls, update the firmware, change the noise canceling mode, perform a seat test, and check the battery level for the case and headphones. It was reliable on my iPhone 13 Pro, although I don't use it very often other than applying a firmware update.

battery

In a listening session in which the OnePlus Buds Z2 switched between my iPhone 13 Pro, my Sony TV and my Mac Mini, the low battery warning came after four hours. You should get near the estimated five hours of OnePlus usage with ANC active, but don't expect to exceed this. OnePlus estimates 27 hours of total ANC usage, or 38 hours without it. It takes 90 minutes to fully charge the case and a 10 minute charge adds five hours to its useful life via the included cable and standard adapter. The OnePlus Buds Z2 do not have wireless charging.

Price and availability

The OnePlus Buds Z2 cost US $ 99 in the US and will be available from the OnePlus and Amazon online stores from December 18. However, if you join OnePlus' "Red Cable Club", you will be able to buy them from December 17th. Joining the club is free and comes with certain benefits, including free shipping. The white version will initially be available, the black version will be available in early 2022. In the UK, the OnePlus Buds Z2 will cost £ 99 and are now available in the OnePlus online shop.

Our opinion

The original OnePlus Buds Z were $ 49, but the addition of ANC and Buds Pro drivers means the Buds Z2 has doubled in price, and at $ 99, they have serious competition. We found that you don't have to spend more than $ 100 these days to get a pair of true feature-packed wireless headphones, and while the OnePlus Buds Z2s tick most of the boxes, the sound is going to split opinions.

For my music choices, the bass reproduction of the OnePlus Buds Z2 is ridiculously exaggerated and robs most of the songs of any subtleties. I understand, however, that a lot of people seriously want loud and bassy headphones, and while the Buds Z2 definitely are, the mega bass darkens details and overwhelms the midrange, which isn't ideal no matter how much you want.

On the positive side, the touch controls are good, the noise cancellation is effective in standard mode, and the waterproof rating is IP55. It's a shame the battery life doesn't go beyond four to five hours with ANC, and the design isn't a bit more inspired. The OnePlus Buds Z2 are inconspicuous unless you crave thundering bass.

Is there a better alternative?

Unfortunately for OnePlus, and luckily for you, there are so many alternatives to choose from that you can get exactly what you want, for the same price or less. I used the OnePlus Buds Z2 along with the $ 99 Nothing Ear 1, and I prefer the latter's natural sound profile and overall design, and I really appreciate the addition of wireless charging.

If the Nothing Ear 1 isn't for you, here are eight alternative options, all under $ 100. There is so much to choose from that you can pretty much find a pair to suit your exact needs. This diversity poses a problem for the OnePlus Buds Z2, which are difficult to stand out from the crowd.

How long will they last?

The IP55-rated earphones and the IPX4-rated housing offer the OnePlus Buds Z2 sufficient protection against water and dust, making them suitable for use in the gym or in the rain. The plastic construction should be resistant to damage. The HeyMelody app enables firmware updates if OnePlus releases them in the future. Battery life can degrade over time, but there's no reason why it doesn't last two or three years before it becomes noticeable.

Should you buy it?

No, there are better sounding and equally, if not more, feature rich options for the same or less money.

Editor's recommendations



07 Nov
Blog

Beats Fit Pro Review: The Best Beats (or Apple) Buds So Far

Beats Fit Pro.

Beats Fit Pro Review: The Best Beats (or Apple) Buds So Far

RRP $ 200.00

"They're the AirPods Pro, but more secure, Android-compatible, and lower-priced."

advantages

  • Comfortable, secure fit

  • Excellent ANC

  • Excellent transparency

  • Very good sound quality

  • Funny extras (head tracking)

disadvantage

  • No wireless charging

  • Limited control settings

  • No EQ settings

When looking for a set of true wireless earbuds, you have more choices than ever and many more features to consider. Active noise cancellation (ANC), comfort, secure fit, battery life, sound quality, wireless charging, in-ear sensors and so on. This can be a tough decision even if you're using our guide to the best true wireless earbuds.

Well, your decision has gotten even tougher: the $ 200 Beats Fit Pro, with its unique wing tips and loads of advanced features enabled by Apple's H1 wireless chip, makes a compelling case that you actually do it all can get – without compromise. How good are they? We think they are Beats' best earbuds yet.

These wings

Beats Studio Buds alongside Beats Fit Pro.Beats Studio Buds (left) and Beats Fit Pro. Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Probably the most unique aspect of the Beats Fit Pro is the wing tips that protrude from the outer surface of the earbuds and curve inward towards your ear. When the earbuds are properly positioned, the tips should anchor just below the arch of your anthelix – a firm, ridged fold of cartilage. Insertion is pretty easy – just slide the earbuds into your ear canal, then twist them back and forth a little. With a little practice you can do it in one go.

When I first saw photos of the Fit Pro, I was skeptical of how convenient these pointy tips would be. Beats isn't the first company to use this design – you can find similar rubber anchors on the Sony WF-SP800N, Jaybird Vista 2, Bose QuietComfort earbuds, and the JBL Reflect Mini NC – but unlike those other earbuds, the Fit Pros wingtip shows are more dramatic in your ears.

If you need prescription glasses or want to wear sunglasses, then you should. The Fit Pro is not in your way.

I didn't have to worry. They are made of super soft silicone rubber. And while I wouldn't go so far as to say that you won't notice them at all, they are very convenient, even for long periods of time. More importantly, they do what they were designed to do: lock the Fit Pro in place so you don't keep pushing it back whenever you try to remove it while running or doing activities.

But what I like most about the wingtips is that they don't bother the glasses at all – unlike the Powerbeats Pro's over-ear hooks. So if you need prescription glasses or want to wear sunglasses for protection, go to the Fit Pro, out of the way.

The design has only one possible downside. The wingtips are nicely integrated into the plastic of the multifunction buttons – so much so that you can't really see where the rubber ends and the plastic begins. However, this means there is no way to replace them if the wing tips are ever damaged or simply wear out with use. You need to buy new earbuds.

The multifunction buttons are super easy to press – almost too easy. Inserting the buds into your ears without accidentally squeezing them can be tricky. However, they reward you with a tactile click that leaves no doubt that you pressed them correctly. There's no way to customize the controls other than the long press action, which can be set using iOS or the Beats app for Android to trigger either ANC mode changes or volume.

Eliminate the noise

Beats Fit Pro.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

The Beats Fit Pro use the same ANC and transparency system as the AirPods Pro, with similarly impressive results. External noises like the roar of fans or the rumble of traffic are significantly reduced, leaving you with a nice, quiet bed to play your audio on, whether it's music or podcasts. Hell, you can just turn on ANC and use it for some quiet in a noisy home or coffee shop.

From Chick Corea to Megan Thee Stallion or a Brahms concert, the Fit Pro will make everyone happy.

Oddly, while the Fit Pro's transparency mode is way better than the Studio Buds – and slightly as good as the AirPods Pro – the ANC mode isn't quite as good as the Beats Studio Buds, which is frankly a surprise. I attribute it to Fit Pro's slightly larger pressure equalization openings, a feature that increases the overall comfort of wearing ear canal-sealed headphones. In this case, however, those vents seem to let in just a little more sound than they did on the Studio Buds, and I believe that's what degrades the Fit Pro's ANC performance. To be clear, we are not talking about day and night, or even close to such a difference. It's subtle, and you might not even notice it, but hey, you are paying me big bucks to point out this stuff.

Highest sound …

Man wears Beats Fit Pro.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

The Fit Pro sound really good – better than the Studio Buds, and I think they're better than the AirPods Pro, too. They have a wide soundstage and a defined stereo image that puts them on par with the excellent Jabra Elite 7 Pro. But the real surprise here is the Fit Pro's sound signature.

Despite its workout-friendly design (which screams to be compared to the Powerbeats Pro), the Fit Pro doesn't place special emphasis on the bass. Not that there isn't a lot of bass response – there is – it's just that Beats tamed the lower end of the Fit Pro to be more proportional to the rest of the frequency bands. While they may not offer the pounding rhythm you want for an intense workout, they are much better suited to playing a wide variety of genres.

Fit Pro includes head tracking sensors that allow you to experience Dolby Atmos in a whole new way.

You can create the world's most eclectic playlist, jumping from a jazz master like Chick Corea to Megan Thee Stallion and then to a Brahms concert, and the Fit Pro will happily render them all, with lots of detail and zero harshness in the high frequencies.

I still wish Beats (and Apple) would give us control of the EQ when a little more boom is needed, but it's really hard to complain considering how great the Fit Pro is right out of the box Box sounds.

… and also spatial audio with head tracking

Beats Fit Pro.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

For Apple – and therefore for Beats – spatial audio is a big deal. The company has done it all with the support of Dolby Atmos Music on the Apple Music streaming service. Any headphone lets you enjoy the 3D aspects of Dolby Atmos, but the Fit Pro includes head tracking sensors that allow you to experience Dolby Atmos in a whole new way. When the feature is on (you can turn it off in the iOS Control Center), Dolby Atmos songs will respond to the orientation of your head. Sounds strange – and takes getting used to. But when you turn your head from side to side it sounds like the song is being played "in front of you," so turning your head to the left balances the chant towards your right ear and vice versa. If you turn your head for more than a few seconds, this position becomes the new front.

It also works with Dolby Atmos, 5.1, and 7.1 movie soundtracks, but in these situations the “front” is always the position of your screen, whether it's an iPhone, iPad, or your TV (Apple TV 4K only ). I'm not sure if head tracking is a big reason to buy the Beats Fit Pro, especially if you're an Android user (only Apple devices currently support head tracking), but it's a fun feature that does Music and movies can do a lot more entertaining.

Call quality

Beats Fit Pro.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

In all but the loudest environments, the Fit Pro delivers very good call quality. Like most true wireless earbuds, you struggle with loud noise, but when it's relatively quiet your callers will be able to hear you without a problem. They're much better suited for calls than the Studio Buds, which sound a little mushy in comparison.

Beats doesn't include a separate sidetone adjustment so you can hear your own voice clearly, but you can switch to transparency mode before or during a call, which boils down to the same thing. And because the Fit Pro's transparency mode is so good, it helps make these earbuds very capable conversationalists. The fact that you can use both earbuds independently for both calls and music is a bonus.

Battery life

Beats Fit Pro charging case.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

After a few years of stagnation, Apple has started to improve the listening time you can get on a single charge of its earbuds. The Beats Fit Pro are designed for six hours with the ANC or transparency mode activated, which makes them the longest-lasting ANC earbuds in the Beats or Apple range (the AirPods Pro are 4.5 hours at the end and the Studio Buds are preserved five hours). . Better still, if you turn those modes off, that number jumps to seven hours – not quite the nine hours you get from the Powerbeats Pro, but pretty decent nonetheless.

The charging case, which disappointingly does not support wireless charging (Qi or MagSafe), can increase these numbers to up to 27 or 30 hours. A quick five minute charge gives you an extra hour of playtime.

Our opinion

Contents of the Beats Fit Pro box.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

The Beats Fit Pro are essentially Apple's AirPods Pro, but with a more secure fit, Android compatibility, slightly better sound, and a lower price point. That makes them almost perfect in our books.

Is there a better alternative?

If you want everything the Apple ecosystem has to offer (head-tracking spatial audio, Find My Network, quick toggling between Apple devices, and hands-free Siri) then no, there aren't any better alternatives at this price point if it is the truth is about wireless earbuds. If you really want / need wireless charging, get ready to pay $ 49 more for it AirPods Pro.

However, if you are less picky about these features, this is the Jabra Elite 7 Pro deserve your full attention. They're just as good or better for ANC, transparency, and sound quality, and many people will find them more convenient, but almost as certain. They also have wireless charging and an incredible amount of customization for EQ, controls, and more. And they are the same price as the Beats Fit Pro.

How long will they last?

It's good that the Fit Pro has a longer battery life than Apple's other earbuds (except for the Powerbeats Pro) as, in our experience, this is the only area that can greatly reduce the life expectancy of the earbuds. Even if they drop 50%, you still get three hours on ANC, which while not great, is still perfectly usable for most situations.

It's harder to tell how much life you're getting out of the flexible wing tips. If those get shredded or torn, it's the earbuds.

Should you buy it?

Yes sir. Despite some missing features like EQ, control adjustments, and wireless charging, that is Beats Fit Pro are an outstanding set of true wireless earbuds.

Editor's recommendations



06 Nov
Blog

Apple AirPods 3 Review: Better Buds In Every Way

Apple AirPods 3.

Apple AirPods 3

RRP $ 179.00

"A great upgrade for Apple's iconic true wireless earbuds."

advantages

  • Very good sound quality

  • MagSafe wireless charging

  • Spatial head tracking audio

  • IPX4 water resistance

disadvantage

  • Not great in noisy surroundings

Now that Apple has released its third generation, $ 179 AirPods, You are probably wondering, are they any good? If I have first or second generation AirPods, should I upgrade? And is it still worth the extra cash on the $ 249 AirPods Pro? I will save you some time.

The answers are yes, yes, and maybe. Would you like to know more? Here is our full review.

In the Goldilocks zone

AirPods 3, AirPods and AirPods Pro sit in their charging cases.

AirPods 3, AirPods and AirPods Pro side by side.

  • 1.
    Apple AirPods (left), AirPods 3 (center) and AirPods Pro.
  • 2.
    Apple AirPods (left), AirPods 3 (center) and AirPods Pro.

The design of the third generation AirPods – which we now refer to as AirPods 3 – makes them look like the missing link between the original AirPods and the AirPods Pro in every way. That intermediate impression is the story of the AirPods 3 in a nutshell: They take the best parts of each of these other models to strike the perfect middle ground at the same intermediate price. If that was Apple's goal, I think it has succeeded insanely.

Fans of half-open earphones no longer have to accept mediocre sound quality.

The AirPods 3 are stuck in the Goldilocks zone – they improve the second generation AirPods in every way, while paying for the second generation AirPods with wireless charging at a lower price than they used to be and significantly less than the regular price AirPods Pro .

Even their charging case is a situation that sticks out of both worlds, with Qi and MagSafe compatible wireless charging and yet with dimensions almost exactly the same size and shape as the original AirPods case.

Bigger, better sound

Apple AirPods 3 in the charging case. Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

The original AirPods won many fans for their wireless convenience, simplicity, and easy integration with iPhone. But most would admit they're okay at best in terms of sound quality – hardly an improvement over the performance of the wired EarPods Apple ships with its iPhones. And despite the semi-open design, the AirPods 3, just like the original AirPods, sound a lot better.

Head tracking spatial audio is like sitting in a studio session with your favorite band.

As long as you're in a quiet place, the AirPods 3 sound just as good as the AirPods Pro. There is a lot of clarity from the different frequencies and to my great surprise they have a warm and powerful bass response. You can't compete with closed designs like the Jabra Elite 7 Pro or Sony's WF-1000XM4, but I put them head-to-head with other semi-open buds like the AirPods, Marshall Minor III, Soundpeats Air 3, Urbanista Lisbon and Earin A3 and the AirPods 3 defeated them all. Fans of half-open earphones no longer have to accept mediocre sound quality.

Get spatial

Apple AirPods 3.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Apple has done a lot about spatial audio and Dolby Atmos since adding tracks to Apple Music that use this immersive format. And while pretty much any wired or wireless headphone can enjoy Atmos while listening to select Apple Music songs, the AirPods 3 take it a step further with spatial head-tracking audio.

The function that the new AirPods share with the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max takes advantage of the already immersive quality of Dolby Atmos music and adjusts some of the song elements in real time to respond to your head movements. The lead singer (s) are “pinned” in the direction of your head, so if you turn your head one way or the other, that singer's voice will sound like it's still coming from the same forward direction. It's a bit like a studio session with your favorite band.

A more bulbous (but super smooth) shape makes them safer without compromising on comfort.

As with Dolby Atmos music itself, the effect can vary widely from track to track. But when done right, like on Imagine Dragons' new album Mercury – Act 1, it's a wild ride. Older material remixed for spatial audio, like the Rolling Stones classic Tattoo You, doesn't fare as well as newer works (sorry Mick and Keith).

The same head tracking works on movie soundtracks too, and I'd argue that it's an even better use of the technology as it can simulate what it's like to be in a full surround sound theater, just with yours Earbuds.

You can't use spatial head-tracking audio often (and you can turn it off completely if you don't like the sound), but it's a cool feature that helps justify buying the AirPods 3, even if there are so many are great real wireless earbuds out there.

Comfortable curves

Apple AirPods 3.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Another common complaint about the first few AirPods is that while they are very comfortable, they don't feel very safe in your ears. This, along with the lack of official water or sweat protection, has deterred some people from using them for running or other high-impact activities.

The AirPods 3 (mostly) manage to dispel both concerns. With a more bulbous (but super smooth) shape, they have much better contact with the skin of the outer ear and that, along with their shorter stem, makes them safer without sacrificing comfort. If you like the fit of the AirPods 2, you should be pretty happy with the AirPods 3. They're not as safe as the AirPods Pro, which means you may need to adjust them regularly, especially if you're using the force sensor controls a lot – squeezing the stems to activate them can accidentally move the earbuds, especially when To run.

But they have an IPX4 rating for water resistance, so go ahead and sweat as much as you want.

Find a nice, quiet place

While the sound quality of the AirPods 3 is really remarkable given their semi-open design with no silicone earbuds, they can't seal much and a lot of external noise seeps into your ears along with your music. Even in moderately noisy environments, you'll need to turn up the volume to hear your podcasts or phone calls.

This is where the AirPods Pro have a big advantage. Thanks to these silicone earbuds, not only do they offer better passive noise isolation, but they also have Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), which can attenuate all but the most intrusive outside noise.

On the other hand, with the AirPods 3 letting in so much sound, there's almost no need to remove them to have a conversation, and so the lack of transparency mode isn't a big deal. If you want to be more aware of your surroundings, just pause the music.

Competent calling

Man with Apple AirPods 3.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Call quality on the original AirPods was never perfect, but it was always perfectly adequate. This also applies to the AirPods 3. You shouldn't have any problems being heard, even in moderately noisy environments. Clarity isn't quite as good as the AirPods Pro, but it's good enough for most situations.

A slightly larger battery

We hired Apple to handle the battery life for the AirPods and AirPods Pro because so many other true wireless earbuds offer longer playtime on a single charge, as well as longer overall battery life. So it's nice to see that Apple has managed to get a little more out of the AirPods 3's battery: six hours per charge and 30 hours total time if you include the charging case.

That's still shy of some of the more durable earbuds, but it's still the best we've seen in a range of AirPods. Given that they still support Siri's hands-free calling (one of the biggest battery life benefits), this is a pretty big feat.

The quick charge feature gives you about an hour more listening time when you charge the headphones for five minutes.

Our opinion

With much better sound, a bigger battery, a more secure fit, wireless charging, and spatial head-tracking audio, the AirPods 3 are a huge step up from the second-generation AirPods and an upgrade that all AirPod owners should consider.

Is there a better alternative?

The only half-open earbuds that sound as good as the AirPods 3 are the Oddict branches. However, they lack wireless charging, spatial head-tracking audio, hands-free Siri, and their three-hour battery life is some of the lowest we've seen.

The first generation is a better alternative Apple AirPods Pro, which you can still routinely find on sale for $ 180 to $ 200 (the upgraded version with MagSafe top-up can cost a few dollars more). With ANC and transparency mode, a more secure fit, and better sound, they're the logical next step on the AirPods 3. But a lot of people don't like the feel of silicone earbuds, which brings us back to the AirPod 3.

How long will they last?

With IPX4 water protection and very solid build quality, I am sure that the hardware itself will last for many years. But Apple has had problems in the past with the fact that the batteries in its AirPods lost a lot of capacity in the first two years. I can't say if Apple's new streamlined battery charging feature will significantly reduce this problem. So if you're concerned, it might be worth buying Apple Care to extend your warranty from one year to two years.

Should you buy it?

If you are an Apple device user, definitely. the AirPods 3 are a worthy upgrade of the first AirPods. Android owners won't be able to use features like spatial head tracking audio or hands-free Siri, which makes them less attractive to these people.

Editor's recommendations



04 Nov
Blog

Sony WF-C500 Earbuds Review: Small Buds, Big Sound

Sony WF-C500 true wireless earbuds.

Sony WF-C500 earphones

RRP $ 100.00

"The base buds from Sony are the most comfortable so far and they have that Sony sound."

advantages

  • Great Sony sound

  • Very comfortable fit

  • Excellent controls

  • Amazing earbuds battery life

disadvantage

  • Mediocre total battery life

  • No transparency mode

  • No sidetone on calls

Sony is no stranger to true wireless earbuds. It sells some of the best we've ever tested, like the WF-1000XM4 for $ 280, the WF-1000XM3 for $ 200, and the WF-SP800N for $ 200.

But Sony has been reluctant to step into the more budget-friendly end of the market. That is, until the WF-C500 hit the market for $ 100, its smallest and most affordable true wireless earbuds yet. But to bring the price down, Sony had to cut away many of the features that made its other models so compelling. Did it go too far? Let's take a look.

That Sony sound

Sony WF-C500 true wireless earbuds.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

I've tested a lot of Sony headphones and earbuds, and one thing I've found to be consistent is Sony's sound signature. It tends to be warm, like getting a bear hug from your favorite songs. Bass is always solid but rarely intrusive, and there is usually a nice amount of detail and separation in the mids, upper-mids, and high frequencies. The good news for Sony fans is that the C500 doesn't deviate from this sound formula – they sound rich and full, and the Sony Headphones app gives you the same amount of EQ tweaking that you get in the company's flagship earbuds Find. the 1000XM4.

You can sit the C500 as low as you want and once in place it won't move at all.

I'm not saying the C500 sounds as good as the XM4 – if they did it would be a miracle given the price – but they can do very well with any other set of earbuds I've tested on the same or similar prices, such as Jabra Elite 3, Soundcore Life P3, Sennheiser CX True Wireless and Wyze Buds Pro. If you're a fan of ultra-clear high frequencies, the C500 may sound a bit muffled, but again, the app's EQ adjustments can help a lot in getting the exact sound you want.

There is very good stereo separation. And the C500's soundstage, while not as wide or deep as its more expensive siblings, is still large enough to make you feel like your music is around you, not buried in your skull. I've found the shape of the buds to provide excellent noise isolation. While there is no active noise cancellation (ANC), you may not feel its absence too clearly.

The C500 are equipped with the quality-enhancing DSEE technology from Sony, which increases the sound quality even more, especially when listening to highly compressed digital music.

Great fit

Sony WF-C500 true wireless earbuds side by side with Sony WF-1000XM4.Sony WF-C500 (left) and Sony WF-1000XM4 Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

As much as I admire the way Sony earbuds sound and (if applicable) cancel noise, they aren't always the most comfortable headphones. The WF-1000XM3 and SP800N stick out of the ears a little awkwardly, and the WF-1000XM4 takes up a lot of space in the concha, which will be a challenge for those with smaller ears. The C500, on the other hand, are far more comfortable. They still fill your entire outer ear like the XM4, but they're just a little smaller.

These are good controls – their surface area is almost the same size as the earbuds so you can't miss them.

It doesn't look like much of a difference if you sit them next to each other, but in your ear it's a different story. You can sit them as low as you want and once placed they won't move at all. Combine this with their IPX4 water and sweat resistance and you have a nice little set of companions that will make runners and other fitness enthusiasts pretty happy, but with one major caveat: there is no transparency mode so you need to be extra vigilant when You wear them while around potential safety hazards like traffic.

Big buttons

Sony WF-C500 true wireless earbuds.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Another first for the WF-C500 is the use of oversized, physical buttons. In the past, Sony preferred touch controls on their earbuds, which work well, but I'll be using physical buttons instead of touch controls every day. And those are good controls – their surface area is almost the same size as the earbuds themselves, so you can't miss them. They take almost no force to push (sometimes a good thing, sometimes not) and provide a nice tactile click when you push them. They're not quite as satisfactory to use as Jabra's buttons, but they come very close to them.

The WF-C500 lacks some helpful functions such as transparency mode and auto-pause.

There's no way to change how the buttons are controlled, but you get pretty much everything you need: play / pause, skip forward / back tracks, answer / end a call, increase / decrease volume, and trigger voice assistant. You can also use the earbuds independently for music and calls, but depending on which you choose, you will lose access to the volume or track skip features.

Best (and worst?) Battery

Sony sometimes makes mind-boggling choices, like the tiny USB charging cables it includes with its full-size headphones or the inconsistent support for Bluetooth codecs. With the C500, I find it difficult to understand why the company decided to adorn the earbuds with a phenomenal battery life of 10 hours (certainly one of the largest capacities at this price), but then decided to charge the same time to give case.

Typically, you can expect between two and three full charges on a charging case. If this had been the case with the C500, Sony could have created a fantastic total gaming experience of 30 to 40 hours. But with only 20 total hours, these earbuds actually land on the lower end of the real wireless spectrum, which is a shame. A quick charge option gives you an extra hour of playtime with just 10 minutes of charging time.

case closed

Sony WF-C500 true wireless earbuds.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

I won't say much about the charging case of the WF-C500. It doesn't offer wireless charging, but its compact, rounded shape sits comfortably in the hand or pocket. The earbuds snap on and off with ease, and the case lid opens and closes with a nice, precise movement. The LED indicator lights on the housing and the buds are visible through the translucent plastic of the lid.

Answer call (inside)

Call quality on the C500 can be very good, but you have to choose your moments. They don't do very well for external noise cancellation and loud noises like traffic or wind drown your voice. But when you go to a quiet place it's a whole different experience – your voice will come across with a lot of clarity and detail. Unfortunately, even in quiet places, you will find that the sound of your own voice is muffled because the C500 does not listen in on calls.

Didn't make the cut

So what did Sony leave out functionally to offer the WF-C500 for $ 100? Quite a lot:

  • Wireless charging
  • Active noise cancellation
  • Transparency mode
  • In-ear sensors for autoplay / pause
  • Fit test for earplugs
  • Customizable controls
  • Sidetone for calls

Our opinion

Man with Sony WF-C500 True Wireless Earbuds.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

The WF-C500 are a very comfortable set of true wireless earphones with excellent sound quality. They're missing some helpful features like transparency mode and auto-pause, and their overall battery life is a bit anemic, but they're still a good buy for Sony fans looking for a budget-friendly set of buds.

Is there a better alternative?

Yeah, I think Jabra is $ 80 Elite 3 manages to offer more advantages and a lower price point than the WF-C500, which means that you should definitely consider these before buying the Sonys.

The Elite 3 has a transparency mode that comes in very handy for people who wear their earbuds for hours or even just jogging around the neighborhood.

They are extremely comfortable, have better dust and water protection (IP55) and while they don't last as long on a single charge (7 hours versus 10 hours), the overall time is better (28 hours versus 20 hours). . The Jabra Sound + app can even track the last known location of the Elite 3.

The sound quality is very comparable, but here I give the C500 a bit of an edge if for no reason other than Sony you can customize the C500's EQ in more ways, and its DSEE technology can definitely improve the sound of some digital music.

How long will they last?

It's always hard to tell if you've only had a short amount of time with a product like this, but the WF-C500 appears to be very well built and will likely prove to be quite rugged. However, their biggest advantage in terms of longevity is their battery capacity. As a product ages and you go through multiple charge / discharge cycles, its capacity decreases. If you only start with four to five hours, you will only be able to see two hours after a few years. Even if the C500 drops 50% of its capacity (a worst case scenario), they can still last longer than a brand new set of Apple AirPods Pro.

Should you buy it?

Yes sir. You can find other earbuds that cost less and have more features, but what is it? WF-C500 do, they do it very well.

Editor's recommendations



17 Sep
Blog

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EQ Review: Big Buds, Big Sound

With both earbuds removed, open the Beoplay EQ case.

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EQ in the test: big buds, big sound – big price

RRP $ 399.00

“Bang & Olufsen's Beoplay EQ true wireless earbuds are $ 400, so is the price justified? Yes, if you value tradition, excellent workmanship and construction as well as a distinctive sound signature. "

advantages

  • Pronounced signature sound

  • Long range, reliable Bluetooth

  • Wireless charging

  • High quality metal components and housing

  • Effective adaptive ANC

disadvantage

  • Earphones don't always sit properly in the case

  • No adjustment for touch controls

  • No support for virtual assistants

There has been some talk at Digital Trends lately about not really having to spend hundreds of dollars to get a good pair of true wireless earbuds. I recently enjoyed the $ 99 Nothing Ear 1 earbuds while my colleague Simon Cohen tested a number of similar models and concluded that $ 100 is more than enough to get a great one, unless of course , You are a true audiophile pair of true wireless earbuds.

Where's the $ 400 Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EQ? It's all about heritage, audio appreciation, and the very big sound they deliver that opens your wallet a little bit more.

draft

It is immediately clear that the Beoplay EQ are not small earbuds. The case is considerably larger than an Apple AirPods Pro-Bud and even larger than the Beoplay E8-Bud. That means they stick out quite a bit from your ear and are definitely not subtle. Each weighs 8 grams, so you can feel them in your ear more than a lighter bud like the Apple AirPods Pro. But the metal case and glossy end caps with the eye-catching B&O logo look great. The box contains four silicone earbuds that offer a flexible size selection for even the smallest ears.

Beoplay EQ earbuds on an iPhone 12 Pro.Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

However, I initially had problems holding the Beoplay EQs securely in my ears. The large silicone tips were too big and the middle ones a bit too small, so that you can quickly get started with activities. Fortunately, Bang & Olufsen includes a pair of Comply Sport 200 foam nibs in the package. They are really excellent and immediately resolved the fit issue. In addition, they also helped to minimize the effects of weight, and I found them extremely comfortable to wear for a long time, with slight fatigue not showing up until about four hours.

The earphones are housed in a stylish aluminum case in the colors Black Anthracite or Sand Gold. It's a discreetly designed piece with Bang & Olufsen branding on the top of the case and a non-slip base so it doesn't slip off the table. It looks really great. The buds are held at an angle on the inside and are very easy to remove, but putting them back in is tedious. They are held magnetically, but you need to be very precise when inserting them correctly or the buds will not sit or charge. It just needs to be slightly out of alignment too.

I often listen to podcasts to help me fall asleep and in my semi-awake state it was frustrating to play around with the case and earbuds and most of the time I would wake up in the morning to find that an earbud was not inserted properly and not charged. Once you know you need to check this out, it probably won't happen, but it's nothing like other true wireless earbuds that suggests the pretty case is all form over function.

Hold the Beoplay EQ cabinet.Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

There's a tiny LED light on the outside that shows the charge level, but the top of the case doesn't seem to have a magnet to keep it securely closed, or if it does, it's pretty dim. However, it's compact and much more practical than the leather-covered case of the Beoplay E8, as the aluminum case should look better for longer.

You certainly pay a premium for the quality workmanship and materials, as well as the brand name, but there's nothing really wrong with that, especially when the product is as stylish, portable and classy as the Beoplay EQ.

Controls and functions

The earbuds connect via Bluetooth 5.2, which offers excellent range and rock-solid reliability, and use Qualcomm's AptX Adaptive Codec, so they deliver the same sound quality as AptX and AptX HD, but adapt to the best possible sound depending on the audio source and environment Quality play. The earbuds also support AAC and SBC codecs.

Beoplay EQ with app on the iPhone 12 Pro.Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

You interact with the EQs via touch-sensitive controls that have to learn a plethora of gestures, differ for each bud and cannot be adjusted in the app. There are too many double-tap commands and the earbuds get confused. For example, you can double-tap the left bud to toggle between Active Noice Canceling (ANC) modes, but you can also double-tap and hold to decrease the volume. It's okay to sit still, but difficult to modulate when you're moving. Also, due to the sensitivity of the controls, it is far too easy to pause playback while temporarily adjusting the fit of an earbud.

The Beoplay EQ is Bang & Olufsen's first pair of true wireless earphones with Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation (AANC). This clever technology uses the six omnidirectional microphones in the earphones to adapt the ANC in real time to the ambient noise in your environment. Think of it as a more personalized version of the normal ANC. I used the EQs indoors and outdoors and didn't really notice the adaptive part, and think that's a pretty good thing. Most of the time it kept ANC active and only slipped into transparency mode a few times. Since I was one of those times having a conversation outside, it seems to be working fine. A function that B&O calls "Own Voice" made me sound less echo in my ears even in transparency mode.

Beoplay EQ earbuds in the ear.Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

I found ANC mode's isolation very effective, minimizing all noise in my house and on the street, even if I only heard the spoken word. I didn't notice any added pressure in my ears, but there is a small hiss when the ANC is on and nothing is playing. The adaptive part can be deactivated in the app if you prefer manual control of the ANC. I also like that you can only use one earbud at a time which is handy for making calls.

The included app has an adjustable equalizer mode, a battery indicator for each earbud and the case, and a few other settings, including turning on an automatic standby mode where the earbuds turn off after 15 minutes of inactivity. What's unusual about Beoplay EQ is that there's no way to use a virtual assistant, a feature found on most competing earphones regardless of price.

sound

The Beoplay EQ is equipped with 6.8mm electrodynamic drivers and Bang & Olufsen has not held back when it comes to tuning. The earbuds are pretty big, but the sound is bigger. From the wide soundstage to the deep, powerful bass and breathtaking voice control, the Beoplay EQs sound fantastic. I've heard with an iPhone 12 Pro, an iPad Pro (2020), a OnePlus Nord 2, and an Asus Zenfone 8.

The old Beoplay H8 were the first headphones I really loved, and the Beoplay EQs remind me: they're full of depth, energy, warmth and detail. I far prefer the sound here from the Beoplay E8s, which for some reason never quite hits the sweet spot. What I mean? When everything comes together just right. It struck me especially when I was listening to Yasashii Dake Nara from Nogizaka46, where the sweet but powerful vocals shine, but are not quite as up front on the soundstage as, for example, headphones from Audio-Technica, which gives you the orchestra in this special way appreciate can pursue even more. The Beoplay EQs get it right.

The top of the Beoplay EQ cabinet.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The back of the Beoplay EQ cabinet.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Beoplay EQ earphones in a case.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Beoplay EQ earphones are pulled out of the case when viewed from the side.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

CloZees Inner Peace demonstrates both the wide soundstage and the details, along with the sheer power of the Beoplay EQ. There is nice, thick bass everywhere, with the entire synthesizer madness of the track remaining clear and defined. The complex bassline in Red Velvets Queendom remains controlled and never overwhelms the vocals while still delivering the required level of warm thump. In my ears I find the way B&O tunes the bass to be preferred over the Sennheiser, for example, with more authority and a harder punch.

You pay a lot for the Beoplay EQ, but that's why. You are not getting an off-the-shelf audio tune from a newbie, but rather all of Bang & Olufsen's 95 years of experience in beautifully designed and engineered earphones. Big and bold, but full of delicious detail, the EQs deliver all of this remarkable legacy straight to your ears. If you like this, you will be very happy with your purchase.

Battery and charging

B&O states that the battery provides approximately 6.5 hours of playback with ANC or 7.5 hours without ANC. The case stores enough energy for two more charges and takes an hour and 40 minutes to charge. In my experience, the EQs seem to come very close to the times stated by B&O and come in use after about six hours before they have to be charged with the ANC switched on.

The charging port on the Beoplay EQ case.Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The case has a USB Type-C port on the back, or you can use a Qi wireless charging pad to charge it. I used the bottom plate on the Belkin Boost Charge 3-in-1 and it worked with no issues.

Price and availability

The Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EQ is available now through Bang & Olufsen online and in its retail stores for $ 399 in the US or £ 349 in the UK.

Our opinion

If your mission is to pay the least amount for a new pair of true wireless headphones, the Beoplay EQs are not for you. What do you get for four times the price of the Nothing Ear 1, for example? On up to 100 years of musical knowledge and high-quality product design. As much as I like the Nothing earphones, the quality is nowhere near the Beoplay EQs. The workmanship of the housing, the feel of the metal and the safety and comfort of the compliance tips provided make the EQs stand out as a quality product even before you hear them.

The sound is almost perfectly matched, ready for a bombastic or relaxing listening pleasure, depending on the mood and choice of music. The ANC kept the outside world away from my ears and the transparency mode isn't intrusive or too artificial. The 6 hour usage and two extra charges from the case mean it will last a couple of weeks (work) if you use it for a couple of hours or so per day.

With Beoplay EQ, you pay for quality, from design and construction to sound and battery life. Not all of these aspects are indispensable for everyone, but the Beoplay EQ brings them all together in one very desirable package for those who expect a little more from headphones.

Is there a better alternative?

The high price of the Beoplay EQ means you have to be really taken with the brand's style. Anyone looking for just a pair of true wireless earbuds would be well advised to check out the cheaper options, including the Nothing Ear 1, but if you're looking for higher quality sound, a distinctive audio signature and are looking to spend more money, then Beoplay EQs are good choices, but there are others to consider.

The $ 280 Sony WF-1000XM4 are our current top pick for true wireless earbuds and are notoriously hard to beat for sound quality, plus they feature adaptive active noise cancellation. Anyone who wants to spend that much on true wireless earbuds is likely to be heavily influenced by style and sound quality as well. The $ 299 Master & Dynamic MW08 looks and sounds great, and the boutique audio brand has a distinctive and always very enjoyable sound signature. his own, similar to B&O. That's before you consider Apple's AirPods Pro and a host of others.

How long will they last?

The earphones have a waterproof rating of IP54, so they are protected against sweat and dust and should also be used in the rain. The aluminum case has not yet been scratched and will certainly protect the earphones well. Bang & Olufsen has already delivered a software update since it was launched in mid-August, which is installed via the app. All of this, along with great sound, means you should be happy with Beoplay EQs for years after you buy them.

Should you buy it?

Yes, if you value brand heritage, quality and a distinctive signature sound, the Beoplay EQ is well worth the enjoyment.

Editor's recommendations



08 Sep
Blog

Klipsch T5 II ANC Review: Stylish Buds Now Quieter, Smarter

Klipsch T5 II ANC true wireless earbuds.

Klipsch T5 II ANC test: super-stylish buds are now quieter and smarter

RRP $ 299.00

"Smarts, great sound and a stylish design have put the T5 II ANC on our wish list."

advantages

  • Chic design and materials

  • Smart and helpful features

  • good sound

  • Excellent controls

  • Wireless charging

disadvantage

  • Mediocre ANC

  • Bad battery life

  • Inconsistent call quality

Klipsch's T5 true wireless earbuds have been our favorites since their introduction in 2019. The $ 199 T5 II from 2020 added transparency mode and better water resistance. Now, in 2021, the iconic American speaker brand is back with a new T5 – the T5 II ANC for $ 299 – the company's first set of active noise cancellation (ANC) earbuds. But instead of just adding ANC to the existing design, Klipsch went all out by incorporating advanced software-driven features like head gestures for control, the ability to automatically block loud noises, and some algorithmic magic that the company claims does Sound can greatly improve quality.

These improvements have to be more than just gimmicks: At $ 299, the T5 II ANC is in direct competition with four of the best true wireless earbuds on the market, namely the Sony WF-1000XM4 for $ 280, the Master & Dynamic MW08 for $ 299, the Bose QuietComfort earbuds for $ 279, and the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 for $ 300.

Can Klipsch prevail? Let's take a look.

What's in the box?

Scope of delivery Klipsch T5 II ANC.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Klipsch's boxes are as stylish as their earplugs, but in this case – with a lot of glued and coated cardboard and a large piece of protective foam inside – it's not exactly a good thing when it comes to disposal. Inside you will find the earbuds, their charging case, silicone earbuds in six sizes, a braided USB-C to USB-C charging cable, a USB-C to USB-A adapter and some paper documentation including a quick start manual .

draft

Klipsch T5 II ANC true wireless earbuds.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

The T5 II ANC is in a dead heat with the Master & Dynamic MW08 for the nicest earbuds you can buy.

The original T5, with its hinged charging case made of brushed metal, offered comparisons with the iconic Zippo lighter – and that is clearly a formula for success. The T5 II ANC takes the same classic shape and adds a touch of luxury with three highly polished metal options: gunmetal, silver and copper. The earbuds and cases are color matched, and the combination puts the T5 II ANC with the Master & Dynamic MW08 in a dead heat for the nicest earbuds you can buy.

The case is compact but heavy: at just over a tenth of a pound, it could do serious damage if you hurled it, but you're more likely to damage the case itself by simply dropping it. Still, that weight and nicely contoured corners make the case a joy to hold in your hand.

Klipsch is also selling a McLaren edition of the T5 II ANC for $ 50 more. It comes with its own wireless charging mat and the charging case is made of significantly lighter materials, but in every other way the two versions are identical.

Despite the metal cladding, the rubberized bottom of the charging case offers a firm stand when placed on a surface and at the same time enables wireless charging – another first for Klipsch. The lid of the case is easy to open and close (although this takes some practice with one Zippo-style hand) and the earbuds are very easy to insert and remove. The magnets of the charging socket are quite weak, but not a problem given the tightness of the lid when closed.

A row of three tiny LEDs peek through the seam between the lid and the case to inform you of the case's battery and charging status, while individual color-coded LEDs on the earbuds perform the same function. When buying the McLaren edition, be aware that the case's LEDs are much harder to see if you don't look at them closely.

The only downside to this beautifully polished metal case is that it is both a fingerprint and a scratch magnet. Trying to take smudge-free photos of our test unit made of gunmetal turned out to be difficult, and tiny scratches appeared in the first few hours after plugging in and using it.

The earbuds use physical buttons I much prefer to touch, and their location in the center of the earbuds oval body means you'll have to try really hard to accidentally press one. Unfortunately, Klipsch was unable to maintain the T5 II's excellent IP67 water and dust protection. The T5 II ANC still have an IPX4 rating, which is good enough to protect them from heavy sweat or rain, but you should definitely be careful when cleaning – avoid running water. To be fair, most true wireless earbuds don't offer much better protection at this price point.

Comfort, controls and connections

Klipsch T5 II ANC true wireless earbuds.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

With the oval earplugs from Klipsch in six sizes, you should have a good chance of a good fit. I found the pre-installed medium tips pleasant, but not particularly secure. Switching to the big ones helped a lot, and they also improved the bass response (this is why it is worth trying every size of earbuds – there may be many comfortable sizes, but the goal is to get the best possible seal and at the same time To maintain your comfort).

Go from immersive music to fully conscious conversations with one click. More true wireless earbuds should have this feature.

Many true wireless earbuds now come with a leak test built into the mobile app, but this is one of the few technical tricks Klipsch left out, so use your best judgment. The earbuds stayed tight during a trip to the gym, but I'm not that into high-impact activities like running. They may not be able to withstand strong bumps, as well as models with earhooks or stabilizer fins.

When properly seated, I found the T5 II ANC very comfortable, but I can see that some people don't like it. The small stem that connects the main body of the earphone to the earplug is shaped like a tube, with a surprisingly sharp edge at its tip where it meets the body. When you twist the earbuds to secure them in place, this edge may come into contact with the inner part of the clamshell. If it stays there it can hurt. For me, of course, the earphones are in a comfortable position.

Head gestures work well; I had no problem getting all three of them to respond to my head movements.

The controls are excellent. A single multi-function button on each earbud gives you precise control over every function imaginable, including volume, playback, ANC, calling and access to voice assistants. Aside from the tactile click, there is also a tiny audio chirp to confirm that you pressed the button correctly. In the Klipsch app, you can control what the left button does for single, double, and triple presses, but the right button always follows the factory defaults. The app has an impressive array of settings to play with, but it tends to be a bit delayed as it routinely polls the earbuds for their status, which can take a second or two.

But this is where things get interesting. Using software from Bragi – one of the first companies to develop and sell true wireless earbuds – the T5 II ANC can respond to head gestures like nodding and shaking and performing up to three functions: answer a call, reject a call, and jump to the next lane. They work fine; I had no problem getting all three of them to respond to my head movements. How useful they are depends on how often you find both hands busy when a call comes in. They're also handy when a Spotify playlist is trying to ruin your groove with an awkward track.

Oddly enough, the head shake to skip feature only works within the first 10 seconds of a song and may not work if the earbuds are used with computers.

Bragi software also introduces "sidekicks" – a series of intelligent, automated activities. At the moment there are only two sidekicks: turn on ANC automatically when playing music (and switch to transparency mode when you pause) and automatically turn on transparency mode when you are on the phone. These can be toggled on or off from within the app, but I recommend leaving both on. Since Klipsch did not provide the T5 II ANC with any in-ear sensors, your music tracks are not automatically paused when you remove an earphone. But the automatic ANC / Transparency sidekick is probably better anyway. There's no need to remove an earbud to hear what's going on, as it takes you from fully immersive music to fully conscious conversation with one click. More true wireless earbuds should have this feature.

They add shine to vocal performances and instruments like trumpets while avoiding harshness and sibilance.

You can use each earbud individually if you want, and the app lets you decide if you want the left earbud to take over the commands of the right earbud when used alone.

The T5 II ANC pairs and connects quickly. They're missing Google's fast pair option, but since most of us only have to pair once, I think that's fine. Bluetooth range is good, around 25 to 30 feet indoors and about twice as much as outdoors. As long as you keep these distances, the connection remains very stable. Klipsch leaves me saying I want bluetooth multipoint to connect two devices at the same time, but since Jabra seems to be the only company doing this, it's hard to beat the T5s for that.

Sound quality

Close up of a man wearing Klipsch T5 II ANC true wireless earbuds.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Klipsch proudly states that the T5 II ANC are the first true wireless earbuds with integrated Dirac HD sound. According to the marketing materials, it is "a state-of-the-art digital audio performance enhancement technology," which is designed to optimize the sound signature of the earbuds, resulting in improved staging, clarity, vocal sharpness and bass fidelity.

The reality is very different. Turning on Dirac HD definitely changes the T5's sound signature, but I don't see it as an improvement. It actually narrows the soundstage and causes really nasty compression on parts of the midrange so it sounds like some of the music is being pushed through a cardboard tube. Yes, the vocals become more pronounced, almost as if the singers are at the top of a triangle pointing towards you, while the rest of the instrumentation sits further back.

Rather than beating your eardrum with bass, Klipsch's sound signature takes a far more neutral approach.

But here's the good news: Not only can you just disable Dirac HD if you're like me, but you can also use it to hear the factory tuning of the T5, which in my opinion doesn't need any additional digital signal processing help at all.

As with previous generations of the T5, Klipsch delivers impressive clarity across the entire frequency range, but is particularly lively in the upper mids and highs. This adds shine to vocal performances and instruments like trumpets while avoiding harshness and sibilance. There's a ton of bass response too, but instead of beating your eardrums relentlessly, Klipsch's sound signature takes a far more neutral approach that keeps that low-end boom from coloring tracks it should never convey.

Depending on your taste, this balance can come across a bit brighter, especially if you are used to headphones with stronger bass emphasis. But if that's the case, the app offers an adjustable six-band EQ with multiple presets and custom options, giving you plenty of leeway to tweak the frequencies to your liking.

I tested the T5 against our current king of music quality, the M&D MW08, and was pleasantly surprised. I still prefer the wider soundstage and warmer tonality of the MW08, but the T5 offers an undeniable energy that makes it really enjoyable. Up and down the volume control there is no trace of distortion.

There is a small caveat, however. If you like it loud, the T5 can disappoint. I usually find that I cannot exceed 75% of the volume on an earbud without serious discomfort. But I was able to push the Klipsch to its maximum setting without flinching. On the plus side, this should save you from the worst of the effects of noise-induced hearing loss. However, there are times when these earbuds just don't get as loud as you'd like.

Noise cancellation and transparency

Klipsch T5 II ANC charging with a wireless charger.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

This is the company's first attempt at ANC, and Klipsch gets it right most of the time. An adjustable slider in the app lets you choose how much noise you want to block. When set to the maximum, the earbuds attenuate both low and high frequency sounds well, but as with almost all ANC systems, it is the low frequency rejection that you notice the most. However, you need to keep your expectations modest. For better or for worse, the T5 II ANC does an excellent job of passive noise isolation. This means that if you don't use ANC or transparency, very little external noise will get into your ear. So when you activate ANC, you won't fully experience that magical moment of instant silence. It's more subtle than that.

The big aha moment happens when you step into transparency mode. Like ANC, you can control how much sound to let in, and when set to the max, the earbuds actually amplify the outside world a bit. The first time I did it, I was surprised to hear the crunch of my shoes on gravel – I didn't even know I was making that sound while walking.

When amplifying outside noises, there is a risk that loud noises will become significantly – perhaps even dangerously – louder. But Klipsch has a solution: Noise Shield monitors these noises in transparency mode and when it detects particularly loud noises (like the Harley that raced past me on the street), it temporarily switches to ANC. There doesn't seem to be a way to turn this off in the app, but it's so effective that I would be inclined to leave it on anyway.

Switching between modes is quick and easy – just click on the left earbud. On the other hand, Klipsch didn't give us the option to skip the in-between-transparency-off mode so we can go straight from ANC to transparency. I was told this was by design because the Auto ANC / Transparency sidekick does essentially the same thing, but I'm not sold. Often times I am not listening to music and want to quickly switch between transparency and ANC. Hopefully Klipsch will take this feedback and consider giving users the option to customize this feature.

Call quality

Man wearing Klipsch T5 II ANC true wireless earbuds.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Despite the packing of six microphones, the T5 II ANC is only suitable for phone calls to a limited extent. Your callers can hear you even if there is significant background noise such as traffic noise. But despite all these microphones, your voice will still sound a little thin. It lacks some of the resonances that make a human voice sound full and natural.

You can manually switch to transparency mode during a call or use the Bragi sidekick to do it automatically. Either way, you will have no problem hearing yourself clearly during a call.

Battery life

Klipsch claims the T5 II ANC gets five hours per charge in the earbuds and an additional 15 hours in the charging case when you use ANC. This increases to seven or 21 hours if you turn off ANC (and transparency mode). As far as I can tell, these numbers are overly optimistic. After just four hours of listening with the ANC on and at 50% volume, the earbuds were completely empty.

What's unfortunate is that while the non-ANC numbers are good (a total of 28 hours is more than enough for a full day of use), the ANC numbers are behind most high-end earbuds with the exception of the Bose QuietComfort. Earbuds are left behind.

Our opinion

Through the use of software, Klipsch's T5 II ANC expands the possibilities of using a set of true wireless earbuds with some really smart features like head gestures, sidekicks and noise shield. Add in Klipsch's signature sound quality and wireless charging and you have a worthy successor to previous T5 models. But their high price, mediocre noise cancellation, lackluster call quality, and short ANC battery life keep them from receiving our highest rating.

Is there a better alternative?

It is stylistically T5 II ANC are in a class of their own – they look as good as they sound. And we've never seen the kind of intelligence Klipsch built into other buds. However, since they can't quite keep up with their closest competitors in areas like ANC, call quality, and battery life, there may be better options:

The $ 280 Sony WF-1000XM4 have better ANC and battery life, and some will prefer their sound, especially given the LDAC codec support on Android devices (the T5 only offers SBC and AAC).

The $ 299 Bose QuietComfort earbuds have the best ANC and transparency you can get, but they're pretty bulky – the buds and their charging case are huge compared to the T5 – and their battery life is the shortest of any similarly priced models.

Master & Dynamics $ 299 MW08 have great battery life, great controls, and warmer, richer sound, but lack wireless charging. If that's what you want, you'll have to spend $ 50 more on the MW08 Sport.

How long will they last?

In terms of build quality, the T5 II should hold up really well as long as you keep an eye on the IPX4 rating and don't expose it to too much water. Battery life is more of a problem. As batteries age, they lose capacity, and since the T5 appears to give up after four hours with the ANC on, this could shrink to three or even two hours after two years of use. On the other hand, Klipsch offers an excellent two year warranty on these earphones. So, if you find that the battery life has dropped significantly during this time, you may be able to get a replacement kit.

Should you buy it?

Yes sir. While Klipsch is expensive, Klipsch put some pretty awesome features on the T5 II ANC that, when combined with its great sound quality and overall design, make it a good, if not perfect, alternative to the best true wireless earbuds you can buy.

Editor's recommendations



11 Aug
Blog

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Review | No-brainer Buds

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 and its case are on the floor.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 in the test: No-Brainer-Buds

RRP $ 150.00

"Good luck beating the Galaxy Buds 2 for the price."

advantages

  • Compact

  • Comfortable

  • Effective ANC

  • good sound

  • Solid battery

disadvantage

  • Annoying touch controls

  • Many functions only for Android

It gets really difficult to say anything clever in a wireless earbud review above. There are just so many of these things now. Five years ago? No problem. True wireless earbuds were still in their infancy, and we were all very excited that cables could be gone forever. Today? Well, let me put it this way: I have around 14 pairs of true wireless earbuds on my desk right now and this is exactly what has been popping up in the past few weeks.

My point is that wireless earbuds are now a commodity. We know this because you can pick up a pair at the local pharmacy for around $ 25. In this case, the Galaxy Buds 2 just have to … well, not shit, to be admittedly blatant.

At $ 150, the Galaxy Buds 2 are not only non-absorbent, but will make a lot of people very happy too. Whether or not the Galaxy Buds 2 should be an easy purchase or not can be debated, but there's no denying that these wireless buds are about to fly off the shelves.

Here's why.

Out of the box

Close up on open Galaxy Buds 2 case with earbuds inside.Caleb Denison / Digital Trends

The Galaxy Buds 2 are delivered in a compact box – almost all of the packaging is recyclable. In the box I found a small, white, square wireless charging case (some have called it a Squircle) with the Galaxy Buds 2 embedded in it, along with large and small silicone earbuds (the middle earbuds are already attached to the earbuds) and a USB-A to USC-C charging cable. Maybe there was some product literature buried there too, but I quickly threw the box away and moved on.

The Galaxy Buds 2 I received came in the color graphite, with the inside of the wireless charging case matching that color. The buds (and pod insides) are also available in white, olive and lavender.

Battery life, fit, features

Samsung claims the following battery performance for its headphones and case with a mix of ANC off and on and talk time.

  • ANC on: Up to 5 hours of game time and up to 3.5 hours of talk time
  • ANC on: Up to 20 hours of playtime with charging case and up to 13 hours of talk time with charging case
  • ANC off: Up to 7.5 hours of game time and up to 3.5 hours of talk time
  • ANC off: Up to 29 hours of playtime with charging case and up to 14 hours with charging case

Samsung also claims that the Buds 2 will offer around an hour of playtime on a 5-minute charge and around 2.5 hours on a 10-minute charge. I can confirm both of these claims as conservative because I had a little more time than the claimed time during both of the tests I performed.

In the four days in which I had to test the Galaxy Buds 2 so far, I never got less than 5 hours of game time with ANC, probably because I never exhausted the available game volume. The two charge cycles I went through gave me 5.3 and 5.5 hours, exceeding Samsung's claims.

I haven't been able to discharge the battery in the charging case, but I managed to fully charge it twice, and according to the case's battery indicator, I should get another one without any problems, which fully supports Samsung's claims to battery performance.

The Galaxy Buds 2 are some of the most comfortable wireless earbuds I've ever worn.

Given the size of the Buds 2 and their charging case, I think this battery performance is perfectly fine and is the same as the AirPods Pro, although it's worth noting that the AirPods Pro's performance doesn't really change with ANC on or off.

Fit

Close up of Caleb Denison with the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2.Caleb Denison / Digital Trends

In terms of fit, the Galaxy Buds 2 are some of the most comfortable wireless earbuds I've ever worn. Much better than the bulkier Galaxy Buds + and infinitely better than the cumbersome, bean-shaped Galaxy Buds Live.

Their compact shape might not fit all ears, but they did fit my medium-sized ears well. And when I say the Buds 2 are comfortable, I mean that too. You never bothered me; no fatigue after long listening sessions, no ear sweating … nothing to complain about.

I even wore the Buds 2 to bed and enjoyed every second of the ambient rain noises until I passed out. When I woke up, the buds were still in my ears. I think this story bodes well for safety, but I don't go as far as to say that full workouts don't find a way to remove them. Active / sports earbuds aren't, although they come with an IPX-7 rating to protect them from light moisture. But for everyday use, I don't see them fall out of most people's ears. They even passed my eating test. Ordinarily, chewing a semi-raw side of the beef causes enough mandibular movement to remove even the most secured buds, but somehow the Galaxy Buds 2 didn't budge. Imagine that.

features

How well the Buds 2 fit has a lot to do with how they sound, which I'll get into in a moment. However, this is a good time to discuss some of the features Buds 2 owners can use when paired with an Android smartphone. I'll be speaking to you iPhone owners in a moment looking for AirPods alternatives.

The external control of the Galaxy Buds 2 takes place via the Galaxy Wearable app, which is currently only available for Android. You can change the Buds 2's EQ, toggle (but not customize) various touch controls, do an earbud fit test, toggle noise cancellation on and off, and adjust the intensity of the Buds' ambient noise among other things, as below pictured.

Honestly, I could survive without the EQ knob or the variable intensity knob in ambient mode. But one feature that I, as a non-Android user, couldn't do without is control over the Buds' touch controls, since, as I'll discuss in a moment, I'd rather not have touch controls than touch controls that do I can't … control.

Samsung has set the sound for the Galaxy Buds 2 correctly.

So, the few of you out there who own iPhones and think the Galaxy Buds 2 look like a good AirPods Pro alternative? You could be. Just understand that what you get out of the box is what you get and nothing you can do about it. For the most part, that's fine. But if you're worried about accidentally triggering the touch controls – say you're a chronic earbud adjuster or just play with your ears a lot – keep your hands off it.

Sound quality and ANC

Caleb Denison / Digital Trends

Given my previous experience with the Samsung wireless headphones, I didn't go into this review with high expectations. I've found previous iterations of Samsung's wireless earbuds to sound a bit flat and unimaginative. Fortunately, Samsung set the sound for the Galaxy Buds 2 correctly. The self-proclaimed audiophile in me shudders at that statement, but the realist in me knows that most of the people who try the Galaxy Buds 2 are going to love you.

An audio reviewer will tell you that the Galaxy Buds 2 have a little too much bass; that the bass disturbs some details in the upper mid and lower treble range and hides crucial transients such as the plucking of guitar strings or the clink of a drumstick hitting a ride cymbal. This is all true and it doesn't matter.

Samsung is aiming for a mass market with the Galaxy Buds 2 and has designed their sound to appeal to the masses. Sure, the bass is a little fat at times, and that can affect perceived clarity from time to time, but I think most people will stick the Galaxy Buds 2 in their ears and be perfectly pleased with how full, punchy, and lively they can be sound. There's a bit of pressure in the upper treble which gives them a lot of sheen, and the mids, although set back a bit, still give the vocals plenty of presence.

In other words, the Galaxy Buds 2 sound more than passable. They actually sound damn good, even if they are a bit clumsy with the bass every now and then. They definitely sound good enough to justify their price.

ANC, ambient mode, call quality

Close up of Caleb Denison with the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2.Caleb Denison / Digital Trends

As far as active noise cancellation (ANC) is concerned, the Galaxy Buds 2 are a bit cautious about noise cancellation on the AirPods Pro level. If I took a long flight and relied on earphones to suppress the roar of an AirBus motor, I'd turn to the AirPods Pro, Sony WF-1000Xm4, or Bose QuietComfort Earbuds. But to shut the world out, to give the buds a chance to fight, to put your music, podcast or audiobook in the spotlight, the Galaxy Buds 2 are very competent. Of course, these are the best noise-canceling buds I've heard from Samsung so far, although admittedly I slept on the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro.

The ambient mode works perfectly. It's not that I'm not wearing the earbuds, but I can hear just enough of what's going on around me that I don't feel the need to pull the earbuds out. Sure, I feel like a little tool when ordering a mocha from Starbucks with the Galaxy Buds 2 in my ears in ambient mode, but I hear the barista ask if I'm sure I don't have whipped cream on top I want my name to be quite good from my oat milk and later butcher. And isn't that the ambient mode?

Call quality leaves a little to be desired, but that's the case with most of the wireless earbuds I try, no matter how many microphones and AI. Processing is stuffed into the mix. I hear everything in stunning quality, but those on the other end of phone or video calls commented that I sounded a bit thin and digitized. Perhaps one day our headphones will capture and reproduce the sound so well, but that day won't herald with the arrival of the Galaxy Buds 2.

Pet annoys

I have a beef with the Galaxy Buds 2 and that's their touch controls. I'm not a fan of surface-based touch controls as they are too easy to trigger. You can't even touch the buds to adjust or secure them in your ears without accidentally changing ANC mode or pausing a track. It's totally annoying. Fortunately, Android users can turn off touch controls if they want. Anyone who doesn't have access to the Galaxy Wearable app – including those on iOS – will be out of luck.

My recording

I think Samsung finally did it with the Galaxy Buds 2. They're comfortable, have solid battery life, high quality sound, a decent ANC, and are about the right price. Sure, you can get competing earbuds for less money, but not with Samsung's name on them and probably not right next to the phone you plan to buy from your carrier’s store. For Android users, they're a breeze. Probably less for Apple users. Especially with the AirPods 3 on the go.

Is there a better alternative?

Not really! There are plenty of other true wireless earbuds out there that match or undercut the $ 150 price of the Galaxy Buds 2, but few of them have the same combo convenience, tiny form factor, solid sound, and high quality ANC, and most of them are of brands that you have probably never heard of.

How long will they last?

Assuming the Buds aren't lost outside of their case (and beyond the realm of the Finder function), I think the Galaxy Buds 2 will last as long as their batteries, which is a good three or four years for most people. An IPX 7 rating will protect them from rain or sweat, but don't plan on going to the water park with them expecting them to survive.

Should you buy it?

If you are an Android user, yes. If you're an Apple user, probably not. The ability to control the buds with the Galaxy Wearable app is key to convenience and that isn't available in the Apple App Store, at least not at the time this review was written.

Editor's recommendations



23 Jul
Blog

Sennheiser CX True Wireless Review: Budget Audiophile Buds

Sennheiser CX True Wireless Earphones.

Sennheiser CX True Wireless

RRP $ 130.00

"They offer the best sound you can find in an affordable set of earbuds."

advantages

  • Excellent sound quality

  • Customizable EQ

  • Precise and customizable controls

  • Sidetone for telephone calls

  • Good battery life

disadvantage

  • No in-ear sensors

  • No transparency mode

  • Could be difficult to get a secure fit

True wireless earbuds have always been a dilemma. Unlike their wired cousins, wireless earbuds require a variety of components such as batteries, charging cases, bluetooth radios, amplifiers, etc. All of these drive up costs and make it difficult to deliver high quality sound at affordable prices. Sennheiser – a brand with an enviable reputation for great sound – is experimenting with the line between quality and affordability.

Its first recording was the $ 200 CX 400BT it launched in 2020, a set of true wireless earbuds that did deliver sound but missed a lot of the features we'd expect at this price point. Sennheiser's second act is the $ 130 CX True Wireless. Are these buds achieving that magical balance between price and performance? We put them to the test to find out.

What's in the box?

Scope of delivery of the Sennheiser CX True Wireless earphones.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Sennheiser is one of a growing list of companies that have made their packaging highly recyclable. The box of the CX True Wireless consists of plain printed cardboard and even the small packaging that protects the included earplugs is paper-based. You won't find a hint of plastic or foam anywhere. Inside you will find the earphones, their charging case, earbuds in four sizes, a short USB-A to USB-C charging cable and some paper documentation.

design

Sennheiser CX True Wireless earphones next to the Sennheiser CX 400BT True Wireless earphones.Sennheiser CX 400BT (left) and CX True Wireless Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Visually, the CX True Wireless can hardly be distinguished from the CX 400BT. Both the charging case and the earphones have identical proportions. On closer inspection, there are small differences: the CX True Wireless have a more subtle branding that some will no doubt prefer, and their charging case has removed the dedicated pairing button from the case of the CX 400BT. The touch controls now use a matte plastic surface instead of a glossy surface.

If you pull one off this review, here it is: The CX True Wireless are a sound bargain.

The earbuds stay a bit bulky and won't win any awards for style. But the rounded box shape makes it easier than many other earbuds to insert into your ears without accidentally triggering a control path – it also makes it easy to remove and reinsert in their charging case.

One thing that has changed from the CX 400BT is the addition of an IPX4 rating for water resistance. This means that the CX True Wireless is on par with other earphones such as the AirPods Pro. They won't survive a swim in the pool, but now you can at least take them to the gym, on the track, or wherever you sweat without worrying about your earplugs.

Comfort, controls and connections

Unfortunately, since the CX True Wireless inherited its size and shape from the CX 400BT, they also inherited the fit of these earbuds, meaning they may not be comfortable. In order to get a really comfortable and secure fit, I have set myself a set Comply foam earplugs – the same ones I ended up using on the CX 400BT to deal with the same situation.

Sennheiser is still one of the few companies that really understands what is important when it comes to touch control.

To be fair, the silicone earbuds that Sennheiser included with the CX True Wireless are likely to work for a lot of people and I would never say they are uncomfortable. But they definitely don't fit as securely as foam, nor do they seal your ear canals as effectively. If you run into the same thing, just buy some comply tips from Amazon for a few dollars – you'll thank me for that.

The touch controls on the CX are excellent. Sennheiser is still one of the few companies that really understands what is important when it comes to touch control. The control surfaces are large and clear – it's effortless to get consistently accurate taps. As a bonus, a subtle tone confirms that you typed correctly.

You can adjust these controls with the Sennheiser Smart Control app. Single, double and triple taps can all be assigned to the function you want, and you can choose a different function for each earbud – handy when you want to use the earbuds independently (which you can do for both music and calls). You get everything you need: play / pause, skip tracks forwards / backwards, trigger your voice assistant and increase / decrease the volume. The only feature that can't be changed is the volume, which the long tap gesture requires when you want to use it.

Pairing with iPhones or Android devices is easy, even if the CX doesn't come with Google's Fast Pair – a few taps and you're done. If you're on an iPhone, you're limited to the good but lossy AAC codec, while Android users can enjoy the slightly higher quality aptX codec. But regardless of your source device, you can't hike very far. The CX has one of the shortest wireless signals I've ever tested – they started to dissipate when I placed just 6 meters between me and my phone. If you have your phone with you, this shouldn't be a problem. But if you want to leave your phone in a pocket or locker, be ready to stay around.

Sound quality

Sennheiser CX True Wireless earphones next to the charging case.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

With the included silicone earbuds, I found the CX True Wireless a bit anemic for the bass, but that was a purely fit function. After I swapped them for the foam tips, the sound improved dramatically. If you pull one off this review, here it is: The CX True Wireless are a sound bargain. They deliver impressively detailed and precise performance that comes incredibly close to earbuds from Sony, Bose, JBL, and Master & Dynamic, which can cost anywhere from $ 250 to $ 350.

The soundstage is wide and deep, and purists will like that Sennheiser's factory EQ settings give you a flat / neutral signature. But I usually find neutral EQ sounds boring at my preferred volume levels, so I love that the Smart Control app gives you two ways to visualize and change the emphasis of lows, mids, and highs, and create presets when You can find a setting that you like. You can clearly energize the lows and highs without losing details in the mids.

I've spent quite a bit of time switching from one genre to another, and whether it was jazz, pop, metal or hip-hop, the CX True Wireless did them wonderfully. If you've never really listened to decent earbuds, the CX will also bring you one of my favorite experiences: hearing a detail on one of your favorite tracks that you've never heard before, or rendering it to make a smile on your face.

When conditions are relatively calm, your voice will be nice and clear, with very little compression or wobble.

One track that certainly did this for me is Melanie Martinez ’High School Sweethearts. After a minute, Martinez goes from her breathy and F-bomb-laden intro to the main part of the track, and at this point you can hear someone writing on a blackboard. The CX places this unmistakable scratchy sound behind Martinez's voice so precisely, as if you could look over her shoulder and see the person writing. It gave me goosebumps.

Battery life

Sennheiser CX True Wireless earphones next to the charging case.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

The CX 400BT promised seven hours of battery life per charge, with a total of 20 hours including the charging case – acceptable, but hardly worth mentioning, especially for earphones without Active Noise Canceling (ANC). But the CX True Wireless are a step up, with nine hours on a full charge and a total of 27 hours on the case.

With a quick charge of 15 minutes you get an extra hour of playtime. This puts the CX True Wireless on par with some of the best earbuds in terms of endurance – a welcome improvement.

Call quality

Making calls with the CX True Wireless is about average for True Wireless earbuds. When the outside conditions are relatively calm and there is no wind, your voice will be nice and clear, with very little compression or wobble. This must be the “voice-optimized sound” that Sennheiser refers to in its description of the earphones.

However, this does not apply to times when wind or loud noises are nearby. At these times, the microphones struggle to keep your voice consistently clear. Since so few earbuds do this excellently, I can hardly blame Sennheiser for anything, but remember: These are earbuds for making phone calls at the desk or when waiting for the flight – not for jogging, cycling or walking near heavy traffic.

These were also my observations when testing the CX 400BT, but here the CX True Wireless improves its more expensive predecessor once again: The CX True Wireless has an adjustable sidetone, which means that you can hear your own voice much more clearly when making calls. It works really well, but I found it difficult to adjust the amount of sidetone during a call.

Something missing?

The CX True Wireless really hit a sweet spot in terms of price and sound performance, and even managed to deliver really good battery life, but there are still some features you may be missing. There is no listening mode (transparency), which is surprising given the eavesdropping feature – these two often go hand in hand.

There are no in-ear sensors that can automatically pause your music when you pull out an earbud. Given the lack of transparency mode, this is what you will often do when you want to talk to someone in real life.

The charging case lacks wireless charging – maybe a minor annoyance, but it's becoming standard on many earbuds that cost less than the CX.

ANC does not exist either, but that is a feature that Sennheiser will do without at this price.

Our opinion

For people who love high-end sound quality but don't have the money to indulge in the best of true wireless earbuds, the CX True Wireless are a great buy. As long as you can forego a few features like the transparency mode and are willing to buy third-party earbuds if the sound or fit doesn't work for you, I think you'll be really happy.

Is there a better alternative?

There are tons of great True Wireless earbuds available anywhere between $ 100 and $ 130 that can outperform the CX True Wireless in terms of features. The Second generation Amazon Echo Buds come to mind as well as that Soundcore Life P3, and the Jabra Elite 75t. But none of these can beat the CX in terms of sheer sound quality.

Ironically, Sennheiser now apparently has that CX 400BT to just $ 100 – it just might be the best alternative. Same great sound, but with a shorter battery life, no water protection and no audible tone for calls. If you're willing to give these up for a $ 30 savings, you're cheating!

How long will they last?

While hard to predict, the CX True Wireless looks better than many other True Wireless earbuds. The fit and workmanship are excellent and Sennheiser supports them with a two-year guarantee, which speaks volumes for the company's confidence in its product. The industry standard is only one year. With IPX4 protection and a good starter battery capacity, they should last you for years to come.

Should you buy it?

Yes sir. The CX True Wireless solves the problem of getting great sound on a budget.

Editor's recommendations



30 Jun
Blog

Beats Studio Buds Review: These Are The AirPods Pro Lite

Beats Studio Buds

"With the Studio Buds, Beats has found a perfect balance between functionality and price."

  • Inexpensive

  • Good sound quality

  • Good ANC

  • Good transparency

  • Very convenient

  • No wireless charging

  • No wear sensors

  • No EQ or control adjustment

With the exception of the Powerbeats Pro, which are primarily aimed at athletes, Beats by Dre has never made true wireless earbuds for everyday use. That surprising omission was finally addressed with the new $ 150 Beats Studio Buds, a set of ultra-compact Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) earphones that offer most of the benefits of the AirPods Pro at a much lower price. Are these the real wireless earbuds you've been waiting for? Let's find out.

What's in the box?

Beats Studio BudsSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Following a growing trend across the industry that we're excited about is the Studio buds come in a tiny cardboard box that has less structural rigidity than a packet of Rice Krispies. That means much less material to dispose of and it is fully recyclable.

Once embedded in your ears, the earbuds will only stick out a little.

Inside you will find the Studio Buds already in their charging case, two additional sets of silicone earplugs (media are installed as standard), some paper documentation and a very short USB-C to USB-C charging cable. Given that there are still a lot of people out there who don't have a USB-C port on their laptop or tablet or a USB-C charger, I think Beats a USB-A to USB-C adapter should have enclosed. Keep this in mind if you are one of the crowd without USB-C.

design

Beats Studio BudsSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

The tiny Studio Buds use the same eartips as the AirPods Pro. Instead of the AirPods' iconic white stems, an unusual mohawk-like fin shape makes them a little easier to grip with your fingers. At the tip of the fin is a single physical control button. The intent is that when you take the Studio Buds out of their cases and angle them in your ears, you don't accidentally tap a touch control.

Once embedded in your ears, the earbuds stick out just a tiny bit – just enough to grab the fin or push the button.

Unlike the AirPods and AirPods Pro, the Studio Buds don't have optical sensors, so they can't automatically pause your music when you remove an earbud or resume playback when you put them back in.

The Studio Buds also lack Apple's H1 or W1 wireless chips, but even so, they're still considered a Class 1 Bluetooth device, and more importantly for Apple fans, they give you hands-free access to Siri (or Pushbutton access on google). Assistant on Android devices).

In keeping with Beats' reputation for sport-friendly headphones, the Studio Buds have an IPX4 rating, which should offer more than enough protection for a sweaty workout.

The Studio Buds are some of the most comfortable earbuds I've ever tried.

The charging case isn't quite as compact as the AirPods or AirPods Pro and doesn't offer wireless charging, but its fully rounded contours make it comfortable to hold and still light and small enough to fit in your pocket.

A single LED on the front shows the charging status of the case, but to know how much charge the earbuds have, you need to consult your phone.

Comfort, controls and connections

Beats Studio BudsSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

The Studio Buds are some of the most comfortable earbuds I've ever tried. Their tiny shape and ventilated design reduce much of the "full-ear" feel that other in-ear headphones can create. I had no problem with the standard medium-sized earbuds, but with only two other sizes to choose from, it's hard to tell if everyone will be that lucky.

As with most physical buttons, the controls are precise and easy to use.

The rounded shape of the earphone body makes a lot of skin contact with the outer ear. In combination with a properly fitting earplug, the Studio Buds offer a more secure fit than the AirPods Pro. You may not get the confident understanding of an ear hook design like the Powerbeats Pro, but I doubt those buds will accidentally come off.

As with most physical buttons, the controls are precise and easy to use. One click handles play / pause / call acceptance / call end, two clicks jump forward and three clicks jump back. Unfortunately there is no way to change this and control the volume. Click and hold to toggle your ANC mode or activate your voice assistant, depending on which earbuds you're using.

I'd prefer some customization options here, but the downside is that you can use each earbud independently and the controls remain the same.

Pairing the Studio Buds is quick and easy on both iOS and Android. Simply opening the case lid while it's near your phone is usually enough to trigger a pairing notification with a tap of your finger, and that's all.

They don't support Bluetooth multipoint for pairing with two devices at the same time (but this is a very rare feature in wireless earbuds). The Bluetooth range is excellent: I was able to get around 25 meters outside and there were no problems roaming inside. The connection stayed rock solid the entire time, which we couldn't say about the Powerbeats Pro.

Sound quality

Beats Studio BudsSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Beats Studio Buds won't disappoint Beats fans: they have the same bass-forward sound signature that the brand is known for. As with all in-ear earphones, the fit determines how powerful this low-end gets. While I found both medium and large sized earbuds comfortable, the large earbuds provided more bass response.

The bass isn't quite as snappy as on more expensive earphones like the Jabra Elite 85t or the Sony WF-1000XM4, but it's decent enough for the price and actually better balanced than the similarly priced Jabra Elite 75t.

Fortunately, this deep bass is balanced out by the rest of the frequencies and only occasionally creeps into the lower mids, where it can seem slightly muddy. As with other Beats products, hip-hop, EDM, and rap music sound fantastic, but there is enough detail in the mids and highs to enjoy many other genres as well.

The Studio Buds have very good noise canceling.

Beats and Apple headphones never offered EQ adjustments, which never made sense to me. Earbuds come with different sized earbuds because each ear is different. For me, an EQ adjustment fixes the same kind of problem – not everyone will like the way the earbuds are tuned at the factory.

Noise cancellation and transparency

Beats Studio BudsSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

I know ANC is getting more affordable – heck, you can now get real ANC wireless earbuds for well under $ 100 – but I'm still impressed that Beats are adding it to Studio Buds and priced at $ 150 Could hold dollars.

See, not all ANCs are created equal. Bad ANC is just pointless and often introduces as much new noise in the form of hissing as it tries to suppress. The Studio Buds have very good noise canceling. It's not as good as what you get from the AirPods Pro, Jabra Elite 85t, or Sony WF-1000XM4, but they are solid performers and shave both low and high frequency sounds.

What's more impressive is that despite their ventilated design, they achieve this ANC level. Vents let a small amount of air into the ear to help make up for the clogged feeling closed earbuds can create, but this can make noise cancellation less effective. If I hadn't known the Studio Buds were ventilated, I wouldn't have known because of their ANC performance.

Transparency mode falls into a similar area – it's not exactly the "felt like I'm not wearing earbuds" effect of the AirPods Pro, but it's more than enough for having conversations or just being aware of potential hazards like traffic to be.

At startup, the earbuds will force you to toggle between ANC, Transparency, and Off mode, but Beats tells me that if you click and hold, you will only be able to use two of these in a future firmware update.

It would be nice to be able to fine-tune both ANC and transparency, but just like the EQ situation, this is simply not possible for the Studio Buds.

Call quality

Beats Studio BudsSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Despite the total of six microphones, the Studio Buds did not convince me with their call quality. Background noises weren't too annoying, but they were definitely audible. Some noises, such as cars driving by, were greatly reduced, while others – such as birdsong – did not seem to be affected at all.

Because the noise-canceling microphones process this noise, it is difficult for them to keep your voice perfectly clear. There's a lot of jiggling and sometimes it feels like you're far from the mic.

Things improve a lot when they are inside where they work well.

Find my buds

Beats Studio Buds

Beats Studio Buds

Apple's Find My platform is the ultimate lost item tracking service, with millions of iOS devices around the world constantly searching for compatible products such as AirTags or Apple Watches. The Studio Buds also belong on this list. They also work with Google's Find My feature when you pair them with an Android device.

The only minor downside is that the earbuds can only be forced to emit a sound when they are not in their case.

Android too

The Studio Buds stand out for being the first Beats product that plays (almost) well with Android devices like iPhones. There's a Beats app you can download from the Google Play Store to get software updates and check battery life, but right now it doesn't give you access to ANC modes or click-and-hold options like on iOS.

Battery life

Beats Studio BudsSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Beats claims eight hours per charge for the earbuds with ANC and transparency turned off. If you enclose the two full charges in the charging case, you will get a total playing time of about 24 hours. Turn on ANC and those numbers will drop quite a bit, to five and 15 respectively.

At 50% volume, these claims are very accurate. In fact, I was able to last nine hours with ANC and transparency turned off.

There is also a quick charge option: five minutes of plug time gives you an extra hour of life.

Let's put that into perspective: the Powerbeats Pro get nine hours / 24 hours, but that's because they don't have an ANC. The AirPods Pro get 4.5 hours per charge (ANC on) or five hours (ANC off) and a total of around 24 hours with their case. While the Studio Buds may not win the overall award for Best Endurance, they are equal to or better than other Apple / Beats true wireless models.

Our opinion

With a tiny size, comfy fit, great sound quality, and ANC that gets the job done, the $ 150 Beats Studio Buds are by far the best value for money of the entire Beats / AirPods line of wireless headphones.

Is there a better alternative?

I think there's no better alternative to the Studio Buds given their $ 150 price point, but as long as the hands-free Siri isn't high on your wish list, this is the Jabra Elite 75t deserve serious consideration. They sound great (though maybe not as clear as the Studio Buds), and they have very good ANC and transparency, as well as slightly better battery life and loads of features like EQ and controls. Thanks to the great Jabra Sound + app, there is also a Find My Earbuds option.

How long will they last?

With an IPX4 rating and seemingly decent build quality, the Studio Buds should perform well for many years to come. Battery life is always an issue with these type of headphones, and you will likely find that the charge they can hold drops over time. They come with a one-year warranty from Apple.

Should you buy it?

Yes. Even if you are not an iPhone user, the Studio Buds are an excellent and affordable companion for music and movies.

Editor's recommendations



13 May
Blog

Amazon Echo Buds 2 Review: Better Buds For Alexa Fans

Amazon Echo Buds 2

"They are the perfect companion for those who love Amazon Alexa."

  • Speakerphone Alexa

  • Good sound quality

  • First class call quality

  • Excellent transparency

  • Bad battery life

  • Mediocre ANC

When Amazon launched the original Echo Buds in 2019, they set a new standard for what we can expect from a $ 130 investment in a set of true wireless earbuds. They sounded great, had effective active noise cancellation (ANC), and let you talk to Alexa without tapping any buttons.

They weren't perfect: battery life was just mediocre, they were a bit bulky, there was no wireless charging option, and you couldn't customize the controls very much. But Amazon still managed to set the bar very high, and for a while they were our top pick for the best true wireless earbuds.

But since 2019 there has been an explosion of new options and new brands. ANC, which used to be an exotic and expensive extra, is now showing up on earbuds that cost $ 100 or less. Battery life has improved by leaps and bounds, and decent sound quality is easier and cheaper than ever.

This means that the latest version of Amazon, which I will call " Echo buds 2 ($ 120 or $ 140 depending on whether you want wireless charging or not) must be a real step up from its predecessors to keep up with the market.

Has Amazon succeeded? Let's take a look at the Echo Buds 2.

What's in the box?

Amazon Echo Buds 2Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Amazon is a leader in sustainable, recyclable packaging. The Echo Buds 2 are delivered in a small cardboard box in which only a small amount of plastic wrap is used to protect the charging case. There is no foam and no zip ties. Inside, you'll find the earbuds in their pocket, a USB-C charging cable, four sizes of silicone earbuds (including the ones pre-installed on the buds), two sizes of wing tips (with a spare set of the smaller size), and a quick start guide.

design

Amazon Echo Buds 2Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

The first thing you will notice about the Echo Buds 2, especially if you are familiar with the first generation, is its size. Not only are the earbuds smaller, but the charging case is too. They are not quite as compact as the Apple AirPods Pro, but they compare well with many other models, such as the Jabra Elite 75t or the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro.

The earphones are available either in matt black or in an eggshell color, which Amazon calls "glacier white". They are smooth and seamless and have no defined area for the touch-sensitive controls. A discreet Amazon Smile logo is the only decoration.

The charging case is also unadorned. Its rounded corners make it convenient to hold and pocket, but its bottom is still flat enough to stand upright on a desk (or a wireless charging mat if you opt for the $ 20 upgrade ).

Gone is the micro-USB port, which appeared to be out of date as early as 2019. It has been replaced by the current industry standard USB-C. A small LED indicator on the front shows the charging status or battery level of the case, while a series of similar LEDs in the case provide the same information about each earbud.

Conclusion: these are very comfortable buds.

The earbuds are easy to install and remove from the charging jacks, and balanced magnets keep them there when you are not using them. A big improvement over the previous model: Even with the largest wing tips installed, the earbuds make a good connection to their charging contacts – something that didn't always work on the first-generation Echo Buds.

My only criticism is the charging case lid: it's easy to open and close, but the hinge doesn't have a notch to prevent it from accidentally flipping over, which it often does.

Amazon has retained the Echo Buds' IPX4 water resistance, which means they can easily withstand rain and heavy sweat without being damaged. Just don't immerse them in water.

Set up

Amazon Echo Buds 2Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

When it comes to true wireless earbuds, there isn't usually much to say when you want to pair them with your phone or tablet. Opening the case or removing the earbuds is enough to put them into pairing mode. At that point select it from the available devices in your bluetooth menu and there you go.

It's a little different with the Echo Buds 2. You'll need to download and install the Amazon Alexa app first, if you don't already have it, and then open the lid of the charging case.

The app will automatically find the earbuds and guide you through the rest of the process. It's quick and hassle-free unless you're using an iPhone with a lot of previously connected devices in your bluetooth menu. In this case, it may take a long time for the Echo Buds 2 to be recognized. It eventually worked for me, but I had to do a factory reset on the earbuds by holding the pairing button on the charging case for 10 seconds.

Convenience, control and connections

Amazon Echo Buds and Echo Buds 2Original Amazon Echo Buds (left) and Echo Buds 2 Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

With a smaller overall shape than the original Echo Buds, the Echo Buds 2 are indeed a little more comfortable, and I imagine people with smaller ears will definitely find them easier to wear. But it's the Echo Buds 2's ventilated design that makes the biggest difference in the "feel" of wearing them.

To explain, many people find it uncomfortable to put earbuds in their ears when their ears are completely blocked by an object. There may also be suction or pressure in your ear canal under certain circumstances. Some people are particularly sensitive.

To mitigate this, some earbuds, like the Jabra Elite 85t, are built with tiny air vents that allow a little air to flow through the earbuds. Venting the Echo Buds 2 really makes a difference, but it also comes with some tradeoffs that I'll get into below.

Conclusion: these are very comfortable buds. You can use the optional wingtips to secure their fit for vigorous activities, but I found they were fine without them.

The Alexa app, which helps you get the most out of the Echo Buds 2, has a fit test tool that can help you determine if you've chosen the right earbuds. It's very convenient. Too often people choose the earbuds they see fit based on their belief in ear size ("I am a medium") rather than the tips that offer the best seal. Given the importance of a good seal to sound quality and the ANC – especially with ventilated earbuds – it's a good idea to do a fit test.

Pro Tip: If you ever find earbuds sounding weak or not having as much bass as you hoped, you are almost certainly using the wrong earbuds. Try a larger size and don't be afraid to use different sizes in each ear – we (and most of us) are not highly symmetrical beings.

The Bluetooth connectivity is absolutely solid and I didn't experience any dropouts.

I still prefer physical buttons for earbud controls, but the Echo Buds 2's touch controls are as good as they come. You get four touch gestures: single tap, double tap, triple tap, and tap and hold. They are the same for every earbud and allow you to control play / pause, answer / end, track jump forward / backward and ANC / transparency modes. By using the same controls for each earbud, you can only use one without losing options. However, there are also very few customization options.

In the Alexa app, you can change the tap and hold feature from ANC / transparency to voice assistant access (Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant), but the other gestures cannot be changed.

As with the first generation Echo Buds, you cannot control volume without using the buttons on your phone. The lack of customization and volume control is a little annoying, especially since the Alexa app has so many other options, but at least Amazon added the single and triple tap options – the original Echo Buds only had two gestures.

The Echo Buds 2 have wear sensors that automatically pause and resume the music when you pull the buds out or put them back in. This works like a charm and reacts instantly to changes.

The Bluetooth connectivity is absolutely solid and I didn't see any dropouts or weirdness between the two earbuds, but their range is limited. I was only able to move about 25 feet from my phone indoors – a much shorter distance than most of the real wireless earbuds I've tested.

Sound quality

Amazon Echo Buds 2Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Clear, balanced sound is what you can expect from the Echo buds 2.

Their soundstage isn't particularly wide or deep, but they have a really generous frequency response that can be extensively changed using the EQ settings in the Alexa app.

The sound is ready to use right out of the box – perfect for workouts or listening to a variety of genres, from hip-hop to EDM. However, move the three-band equalizer's sliders and you can adjust it from big and boomy to light and airy.

Unfortunately, with no EQ presets in the app or the ability to create your own presets, you can move these sliders every time you switch the content type from music to podcasts for the best balance.

Like many true wireless earbuds, the Echo Buds 2 have a sweet spot for sound quality when it comes to volume. At around 60%, they deliver a complete, rich performance. However, this balance can drop dramatically as you turn down the volume.

I feel that this is partly due to the ventilated design. They naturally block less external sound than non-ventilated earbuds. So you'll need to turn up the volume to compensate for this – even if you're using ANC.

Noise cancellation and transparency

Amazon Echo Buds app

Amazon Echo Buds app

The first Echo Buds used Bose's Active Noise Reduction (ANR) technology, but the Echo Buds 2 swapped that out for Amazon's ANC technology. Amazon claims this change will result in a significant improvement in performance. "It effectively suppresses twice as much noise," says the expert guide that accompanied our Echo Buds 2 rental devices.

ANC on the Echo Buds 2 is a mixed bag.

I spent about an hour switching back and forth between the two versions to see if I could verify this claim, but I couldn't. Here's the dilemma: While it's true that the Echo Buds 2 suppress more audible sound when using ANC than the ANR on the Echo Buds, the ventilated design of the Echo Buds 2 initially allows for more sound.

The Echo Buds 2's ANC also creates audible background noise when activated. This could be the result of an excessive ANC setting, but unlike the transparency mode which can be adjusted, ANC is either on or off.

The original Echo Buds don't produce as much sound shift when you turn on ANR, but they passively isolate the sound so well that they don't really have to be that aggressive. Also, when turning on ANR, no new noise is introduced.

In short, ANC on the Echo Buds 2 is a mixed bag. You'll likely get the most out of it listening to music while you commute or in a busy space like a Starbucks, but if you're hoping to create a cone of silence for enhanced focus – the kind of magical sound that the AirPods make Extinguishes Pro and Jabra Elite 85t can perform – you may be disappointed.

The most important function of the Echo Buds 2 is hands-free access to Amazon's voice assistant.

The transparency mode, on the other hand, is excellent. You can fine-tune how much external sounds are amplified, and at the very end of that spectrum, the earbuds even offer some hearing enhancement.

What I'm less excited about is the time it takes to switch between ANC and transparency. Up to six seconds have passed from the time you started the tap and hold gesture to the time these modes changed. This may be acceptable if you switch modes when entering or exiting a building. However, if someone tries to talk to you, you'll want to switch as soon as possible – preferably right away.

All about Alexa

Amazon Echo Buds 2Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

It goes without saying that the most important function of the Echo Buds 2 is hands-free access to Amazon's voice assistant. If you own Echo smart speakers, or an Amazon Fire TV device, or one of the many third-party speakers that you can interact with with Alexa, it's fantastic to have them on hand and calling no matter where you are or what you are to do.

I'm not going to go into all of the things Alexa can do – this list is far too long – but it's worth highlighting a few commands that are especially useful when you're on the go:

Music, volume, modes: You can have Alexa control virtually all aspects of your media experience, including changing the volume (which you can't with gestures), answering calls, switching between ANC and transparency, and choosing music from a variety of services like Amazon Music. Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal and more. It even reads out the remaining battery life of Echo Buds.

The new Echo Buds deliver crystal clear voice quality.

Alexa Transit: I couldn't test this feature as it isn't yet available outside of the US, but it looks very handy. Alexa can now respond to a series of questions and commands related to getting around, whether you're walking (“Alexa, how do I get to the Empire State Building?”) Or using public transport (“Alexa, what's that Status of? ") The Q-Zug? ”). The answers are context sensitive. So if there is more than one Q move, the one that is closest to you will be chosen. Setting places like home and work in the Alexa app makes these interactions even more useful.

I found that the Echo Buds 2 responded very well to the Alexa wake-up word and that Alexa's response time to various commands was quick and I had to repeat myself far less than with the Echo Buds. If you are dependent on Alexa at home, you will probably quickly wonder how you ever survived without her when you are not home.

Battery life

On the one hand, the Echo Buds 2 gives you the ability to extend your normal playtime from five hours to 6.5 hours by turning off ANC and using Alexa with a wake-up word. On the other hand, her charging case only contains two full charges (the previous version contained three).

When ANC and Alexa are engaged, you will see a maximum of 15 hours of stamina. That's significantly less than any other true wireless earbud for the same price. For example, the $ 130 Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro gets seven hours per charge and 26 hours when you include the charging case.

Get up to two hours of music playback on a 15-minute quick charge.

I haven't had enough opportunity to fully review Amazon's battery claims, but from what I could see they appear to be correct.

Call quality

For most true wireless earbuds, call quality is an afterthought. Many claim to have done a good job, but in my experience few do. The Echo Buds 2 are the exception. They deliver crystal clear voice quality.

I was walking through some very busy intersections with lots of traffic and other competing noises, and somehow it always sounded like I was standing in the middle of an empty room.

You may be able to get slightly better call quality with the Bose QuietComfort earbuds. However, since these cost more than twice as much as the Echo Buds 2, I doubt you'll get more than twice as good results.

Extras

If you enable location services in the Alexa app, you can use them to find your missing Echo Buds 2. The app shows the earbud's last known location and can force the buds to send out a chime as long as they aren't insider their charging case.

If you don't have a Fitbit or Apple Watch, the Echo Buds 2 have a built-in accelerometer that you can use to count basic steps. You can track your walks or runs and the app saves a history of your achievements.

Our opinion

With the Echo Buds 2, Amazon fixed some of the weaknesses of the original Echo Buds while cutting the price by $ 10 if you don't need wireless charging. And while they don't throw it out of the park at every feature (ANC and battery life come to mind), they're still an excellent option for those who want to take Alexa with them everywhere.

Is there a better alternative?

You can find several models of true wireless earbuds that you can use to access Amazon Alexa, but only the Echo Buds 2 (and the original Echo Buds) allow you to speak hands-free with Alexa.

Because of this, they are in a class of their own.

But if you don't mind pressing a button before speaking, I can think of two excellent alternatives, including:

  • $ 130 Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro: Better sound, better ANC, and better battery life.
  • $ 150 Jabra Elite 75t: Better sound, better ANC, better battery life, customizable controls.

What is the guarantee?

Amazon grants a one-year warranty on the Echo Buds 2.

How long will they last?

The Echo Buds 2 seem very well built, as is their charging case. You can replace the earbuds when they are worn out. The biggest concern will be battery life. If this drops significantly under normal use at five hours per charge, you may need to replace these faster than earbuds with a longer starting point.

Should you buy it?

Yes. If you love the idea of ​​taking Alexa with you wherever you go, the Echo Buds 2 are an affordable, comfortable, and great-sounding set of true wireless earbuds.

Editor's recommendations




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