Amazon Echo Buds (2nd Gen) Review: The Best Value Earbuds

Did you know that the world-renowned tech giant Amazon sells its own earphones?

In February 2022, Amazon launched the long-awaited second generation of its Amazon Echo series of true wireless earphones: the Echo Buds.
Supporting all the essential convenient features such as noise cancellation, ambient sound pass-through, and multipoint connection, these earphones are essentially flawless.

They offer incredible cost-performance during sales, so I highly recommend purchasing them during those times.

• Please note that the listed price may differ from the actual price; always confirm the final price before purchasing.
  Prices are highly likely to change during sales, so please be sure to check.

Basic Information on Amazon ‘Echo Buds’ 2nd Gen

Specifications

Codecs	Unannounced (likely SBC, AAC)	Colors	Glacier White / Black
Drivers	5.7 mm dynamic driver	Dimensions	Earphones (excluding tips/wings): 20.0 mm x 19.1 mm x 19.1 mm Charging case: 66.8 mm x 28.6 mm x 39.1 mm
Bluetooth	5.0	Weight	Earphones (excluding tips/wings): 5.7 g Charging case: 44.4 g (47.6 g for wireless charging model)
Max Playback Time	With ANC and Alexa hands-free on: up to 5 hours Up to 15 hours with case	Actual Weight	Earphones (including tips/wings): 6.1 g Charging case: 43.4 g (measured by this site)
Waterproof	IPX4 rated (earphones only)	Charging Port	USB Type-C

Noise Cancellation
Ambient Sound
Multipoint
Auto-wear Detection
Game Mode (Low Latency)
Dedicated App

Included Items

Appearance

• Please note that the listed price may differ from the actual price; always confirm the final price before purchasing.
  Prices are highly likely to change during sales, so please be sure to check.

Actual Usage Feel

Sound quality… Vivid but lacks impact. Feels flat overall.

Overall, I felt the sound had very high resolution and was vivid.
The high range is not piercing, and the mid range is natural, so I have no complaints there.
However, the low range lacks impact.

It’s a matter of personal preference, but earphones in the 5,000 yen range have much more impact.

Noise cancellation… Eliminates most noise, but not perfect

Due to the nature of noise cancellation technology, it is difficult to eliminate high-pitched sounds, so you may still hear sounds like birds or cicadas, which can be bothersome at times, but it’s not a major issue if you are playing music.
However, I feel it is debatable whether it’s worth paying 12,980 yen for this level of noise cancellation.

Also, I feel there is a slight white noise when it is quiet. I cannot recommend them as a substitute for earplugs when studying or reading.

They cannot compare to Apple’s AirPods or Sony’s WF-1000XM4, so I recommend not setting your expectations too high.

• Please note that the listed price may differ from the actual price; always confirm the final price before purchasing.
  Prices are highly likely to change during sales, so please be sure to check.

Ambient sound mode… Usable level

When using ambient sound mode, you can hear considerably more surrounding sound than in normal mode.

Surrounding sounds don’t sound exceptionally loud compared to other earphones, but I think it is practical for conversations at a checkout counter, etc.

Supports multipoint!

Amazon ‘Echo Buds’ (2nd Gen) can add multipoint pairing functionality by performing the latest firmware update via the Alexa app.

Even more convenient for those who want to use hands-free operation

The biggest feature of these earphones is that they have Alexa integrated.

When your hands are full, such as while cooking, you can just say “Play music” without touching any buttons, and it will start playing music.
Of course, you can specify songs or playlists, and you can also shuffle, skip, and repeat using voice commands.

Easily customize with the app

Various settings are consolidated in the Alexa app, making them easy to understand.
There are many things you can set in the app, such as power-saving mode, equalizer, customization of touch controls, and workout settings.

As shown, you can customize various items from the app.

• Please note that the listed price may differ from the actual price; always confirm the final price before purchasing.
  Prices are highly likely to change during sales, so please be sure to check.

Comes with many ear tips and wing tips & fitting test for more comfort

The included ear tips and wing tips are excellent.

Also, you can perform a fit test in the app, making it easy to choose the tips that fit you best.

• Please note that the listed price may differ from the actual price; always confirm the final price before purchasing.
  Prices are highly likely to change during sales, so please be sure to check.

Summary

Buy during sales! Wait during regular times.

The regular price is 12,980 yen (14,980 yen for the model with a wireless charging case), but during sales, the price can drop to nearly half.
The discount range during sales is large, and honestly, I find it debatable whether they are worth the regular price.

Conversely, they offer incredible cost-performance during sales, so I recommend purchasing them during those times.

Recommended for people who:

• Please note that the listed price may differ from the actual price; always confirm the final price before purchasing.
  Prices are highly likely to change during sales, so please be sure to check.

Thank you for reading until the end!

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This article was originally written in Japanese and has been translated.