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I tried Amazon's brand-new Echo Buds at the company's launch event, and I was impressed by how comfortably they fit and how good they sounded, given their reasonable $129.99 price tag.
I can't recommend these earbuds for certain until I've spent more time with them, but I enjoyed my brief demo and think they may be a good affordable AirPod alternative.
Amazon partnered with Bose to build noise-reduction technology into the earbuds, and it was both effective and easy to use.
Amazon's Alexa is also built into these earbuds, so you can activate it with just your voice.
If you're an Alexa fan, and you don't want to shell out for more expensive buds from Apple or Sony, the Echo Buds are worth checking out. You can preorder them now for $129.99.
Amazon launched its first truly wireless earbuds at the company's annual launch event in Seattle. I got a brief demo of the noise-reducing Echo Buds with Alexa built in at the event.
When it comes to high-end headphones, Amazon is far from the first company that comes to mind. To stand out from the pack, the company has distinguished its Echo Buds in two ways. First, Amazon partnered with Bose, the noise-cancellation king. Second, it built hands-free voice functionality into the device, so you no don't have to press a button to summon Alexa.
I spent some time with the Echo Buds at Amazon's event, and these are my first impressions.
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I have pretty small ears, and often find noise-cancelling earbuds like the Bose QuietComfort 20 a bit uncomfortable, especially for long periods of time.
I'll admit I was confused at first about how to put the Echo Buds in, but after three tries, I got it.
Once the Buds were in, they seemed to fit perfectly. The suction cup gave me no discomfort, but I wasn't at all worried they'd fall out. I almost couldn't feel them in my ears.
The Echo Buds come in small, medium, and large variations, so you'll likely find one that fits you well.
The Echo Buds come in a plain black case with the Amazon logo on the front. It's a nice-looking case, but it's much larger than the case that AirPods come in. I can just about fit the Airpods case into most of my tight jeans' pockets, so I likely would have to carry these in my purse.
Another thing to note: The case charges via Micro USB, rather then USB C. Given how many modern devices use the latter standard, this decision will irritate some shoppers. However, Amazon's tablets and e-readers also use Micro USB to charge, so it may be more convenient for people who are already plugged into Amazon's ecosystem.
The Echo Buds were easy to control, though they might take some getting used to.
Double tapping the Echo Buds turns noise reduction on and off. This had mixed results for me: The Buds didn't pick up taps that were very light or very quick, but anything with moderate pressure and at least a slight pause did the trick. I suspect that any new user will experience a learning curve, but will get used to it quickly.
The Buds also pause your music when you remove one from your ear, and you can long-press to pull up whatever voice assistant your phone uses — Google Assistant if you use Android, Siri if you use an iPhone. I will say, however, that if you'd rather use Google Assistant or Siri, you're probably better served by one of the many pairs of headphones that have these assistants built in.
Amazon partnered with Bose to build noise-reduction technology into the Echo Buds, and it shows.
In the very loud, crowded demo area at Amazon's event, the Buds muted most of the noise pretty effectively. That said, it's not noise cancellation, and it's not quite as good of an experience as you'll get from high-end over-ear headphones like the Bose QuietComfort 35 II.
With the Echo Buds in, I could still hear people talking directly behind me, and could make out other ambient noise if I strained. But that noise didn't interfere with the music at all.
You can chat with Alexa, but you might have to speak up.
While plenty of earbuds have Alexa available if you press a button, the Echo Buds are the first pair that allows you to summon the voice assistant just by saying "Alexa."
In the very loud and crowded demo area, Alexa didn't hear me when I said its name at normal volume. I'd attempted to wake it three times, at increasing volumes, and was almost shouting when it finally picked up my summons. For most folks, I'd wager that yelling Alexa's name in, say, the middle of Times Square isn't the best look.
The surrounding cacophony created another issue: I couldn't tell if Alexa had woken up. In theory, Alexa makes a noise (through the earphones) when it picks up the wake word. I have no idea what this noise sounds like; the demo area was so loud that I never heard it. City users, take note.
Once I got Alexa working, however, it was just as effective as it is on Echo devices. It was able to deliver the weather forecast and tell me a joke, and it sounded great through the Buds.
I can't deliver a final verdict on the Echo Buds' audio until I spend more time with them, but I thought they sounded good.
The two tracks I listened to were a bit tinny compared to what I've heard on over-ear headphones, and the Buds didn't deliver the same surround-sound effect as headliners from Sony and Bose do.
But I could clearly make out treble, mid-range, and bass tones, and enjoyed the listening experience. I'd tentatively say they're better than Airpods.
I'm excited about the Echo Buds. It's too early for me to say definitively whether they're a good purchase or not. But I will say that I think Apple should be worried.
The Echo Buds feel good, they sound good, and talking to Alexa without pressing any buttons feels very convenient. Their sound and noise reduction is at least comparable to those of Apple's AirPods.
But what seals the deal for me is the $129 price tag. That's a good deal cheaper not only than AirPods, but than pretty much any other true-wireless competitor out there. Stay tuned for our full review, where we'll spend more time testing the audio, battery life, and other features for ourselves.
