HomeNews The review of another pair of earphones? We also asked the question when the courier who delivered the package with the second generation Echo Buds inside came to our door. But when Macitynet decided to buy these accessories for a test, it had many good reasons. Starting with the fact that Amazon produces them and an Amazon product, however you think it is, can never be taken as “another” product . Then it must be taken into account that we are facing the first launch of Echo earphones in Italy, finally these earphones are very ggressive from the point of view of the price which, as often happens when you talks about Amazon, in the relationship with the quality I am destined to make the market to noise.
Amazon Echo Buds 2 what are they
What the Amazon Echo Buds are is easy to say: they are full wireless earbuds with a noise canceling system . They do everything earbuds of this type do: they turn on and off depending on whether they are worn or not, they have a charging case, they connect to all phones and Bluetooth devices. But unlike many competitors they are compatible with Alexa.
To better understand what this means, think of always having an Echo Dot with you: thanks to the connection with a smartphone (and the Alexa app) you could manage home automation, ask to listen to music or ask questions to the Amazon virtual assistant; the Echo Buds 2 do just that.
Alexa also allows you to set up your headphones , as it offers support for both connection and functions such as adjusting the volume or activating noise suppression.
Amazon Echo Buds 2, how they are made
From an aesthetic and constructive point of view, the Amazon Echo Buds are earphones that are placed in the mid-range . They have a rather small (although not very small) case, are made of good quality matte plastic, pleasant to the touch. They are light and despite a not too sophisticated design they are different from all the rest of the market. The white of the plastic of the version we are testing (there are also in black) tends to ice or even light gray; definitely not the same color as the Airpods. Finally, to distinguish them from all the rest there is also the classic Amazon “smile” applied to each earphone and to the bottom of the case.
In the package there are also four different pairs of rubber pads (different in size for the color of the internal mesh) and three ear hooks, useful for keeping the Echo Buds firmly while doing physical activity.
The version we are testing is recharged with a USB-C cable. However, there is a version that can be recharged without wires.
Among other construction details of some interest are the LEDs that separately indicate the battery charge of the case and that of the earphones. In other even much more expensive competitors the LEDs only indicate the charge of the case.
The case of the Echo Buds 2 is larger than that of the Airpods 3 … 
and even thicker 
The shape of the earphones is very different
Ergonomics
We said Echo Buds are light and small. They can be put on and oriented quite easily despite the round shape which at first sight could be confusing. They can be kept quite long even if the comparison with some higher-end products (such as the Fit Pro by Beats but also with the Airpods Pro) is a losing one. In particular, especially with the noise reduction mode (we talk about it below), there is a certain sense of obstruction of the earphone cable that will cause us after some time to suspend their use for a few seconds.
On the other hand, stability is excellent in daily use even without necessarily using the “fins”. However, these come in handy if you plan on exercising using Amazon earphones. With the Echo Buds we can in fact think of going to the gym or maybe running, facilitated in this both by the aforementioned fins and by the IPX4 certification, the same as AirPods, which means resistance to splashes of water and sweat.
The Echo Buds 2 with Ear Mounts
Amazon Echo Buds 2 How They Work
We mentioned that we are dealing with an Alexa device to wear and we must turn to the Alexa application if we want to have full control over the Amazon earphones. The app is used to pair them quickly and also to manage their functions and customization. Using the application we can do operations such as activating or deactivating the noise cancellation function, modifying the function of the touch controls. , test the size of the rubber pads, check in detail (without resorting to the color code of the LEDs) the remaining battery capacity, adjust the equalizer levels. The application also performs a earphone fit test, a system very similar to that of Airpods Pro.
Once these operations have been completed, it is possible to use the capacitive keys for the most common functions. We have three gestures, single tap, double tap, triple tap and long press. This last action allows, among other things, to call up a virtual assistant other than Alexa (such as Siri) or to adjust the volume even if it is basically assigned the task of turning noise cancellation on or off.
Obviously the earphones are born to manage Alexa even if to have access to the virtual assistant on the iPhone it is necessary to have started the Amazon app. It is not necessary to have it open, it will suffice that it is active in the background; the system will be woken even if we are using other apps. Obviously we can also call Siri (also saying Hey Siri) or Google Assistant.
We are not personally big fans of the virtual assistant functions in relation to listening to music. When we are in public we much prefer to use the keys to turn up the volume or activate the noise reduction. But if you are one of those who love this type of technology and feel like calling on an “imaginary friend” while on a train or in the middle of the road, Alexa can perform tasks such as turning up the volume, turning on the Ambient mode or noise reduction or adjust the volume not to mention play specific songs or music from Amazon Music.
Equally obviously for modern earphones, activation and deactivation of playback are automatic because there is a sensor that works for this purpose.
Some screenshots of the Alexa app 
How the Amazon Echo Buds sound
As for music, the Echo Buds 2 are a good quality product . The bass is pronounced (much more than in the AirPods to give an example), the definition discrete, the highs are perceptible. Ultimately there is a certain propensity for the shades of more modern music but it should be kept in mind that if you don't like the footprint you can always change it using the Alexa app equalizer. The earphones are also good for watching movies and videos. The Echo Buds 2 actually work best when listening to podcasts and audiobooks. The clear voice, the natural timbre does not surprise when you consider the horizon in which it is located in the Amazon market.
Noise cancellation
The noise cancellation function of the Echo Buds 2 could be defined as suitable for use on trains and buses where frequencies such as those produced by the noise of wheels on rails, an internal combustion engine or that of an airplane dominate. In practice, the dullest and most constant noise is almost eliminated with the effective contribution of the excellent seal of the earphone cable which, as mentioned, is also adjusted thanks to a grip test carried out by the app.
The best noise canceling earphones (such as the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds or even the Airpods Pro) are a long way off though. But the comparison also for reasons of price should be made with products like the Beats Studio Buds. The problem, as mentioned above, if anything, is in a certain sense of oppression of the eardrum after prolonged use that some competitors do not have.
The transparency system is very similar to that of many other competitors in the same range and therefore under that of the Airpods Pro or Beats Fit Pro (which, however, since they are state-of-the-art , should not be a real parameter for Echo Buds 2) and that of Bose QuietComfort Earbuds which turns on or off depending on the intensity of the ambient noise. The transparent sound is not particularly natural (it seems to wear earphones) but it allows us to perfectly grasp what is around us and is useful when using these accessories in a context where hearing what is happening is fundamental.
Autonomy and telephone function
The Echo Buds 2 are expected to last five hours; in a couple of weeks of use we can say that these are reliable specifications since we have obtained between four hours and twenty and four hours and fifty . The case allows two refills, so you can use them for around 16 hours overall. We are not faced with record data, in particular for the capacity of the case (the AirPods Pro and the Studio Pro of Beats arrive at 24 hours) but still the Echo Buds 2 offer their service for a couple of days even considering that 15 minutes in the charging case is enough for two hours of extra autonomy. And the full charge only takes an hour.
The quality of the Amazon earphones as a telephone or conference communication tool is also average here; you do not plan to make your own high fidelity earphones but for making calls are fine . The sound is a bit compressed and our interlocutor will hear some surrounding noise, but nothing dramatic and perfectly in line with a product of this type and this cost.
The rubber pads of the Echo Buds 2 differ in size due to the color of the small grid inside
In conclusion
The Echo Buds 2 are satisfactory quality earphones . They have all the functions that one would expect from a product that is in their price range, between 100 and 150 euros: they are full wireless, they have decent noise suppression combined with transparency mode, they handle the most disparate types of music well. , videos and podcasts, are also reliable in pairing and are supported by a very good application in many ways.
Their greatest advantage, however, is the perfect integration with Alexa , unattainable for all the competition. If you are not interested in Alexa, you should not forget that there are very valid competitors out there capable of doing everything that the Echo Buds 2 do. For example, Soundcore Liberty Air Pro or the Beats Studio Buds. The former are often placed below the price of the Echo Buds 2 while the Beats earphones, counting on constant discounts, have an almost identical price.
Obviously, this consideration does not take into account the fact that the Echo Buds 2, like many Amazon products, can often be bought at a discount. S and should you see them between 80 and 100 euros, seriously evaluate the purchase. It would be difficult to find something capable of offering what Amazon earphones offer at this point. this price.
Pro
Cons
Price and availability
The Echo Buds 2 are on sale on Amazon at a price of 119 euros. The version with the wireless charging case instead costs 139.99 euros