I do not normally write reviews but the reviews here aggravate me as they have not done their due diligence, have flat out no idea, just regurgitated their first emotional impulse, or have absolutely nothing to do with the product. I also feel because they don’t carry a big name as Apple or Samsung does on the audio scene, they automatically get cut short because of branding. I experienced this firsthand when I told my brother I picked up a pair of these buds and he immediately responded with “don’t Amazon devices suck with their sound?” Listen, maybe at one point they did, but with every new product, improvements can be made. Just because you had a bad experience once doesn’t mean you always will.
Just a few reviews on here that I want to clarify. Someone said you need to download the Alexa app to use the buds. No, you don’t. If you want an express setup, fine-tune it with the ANC, and the EQ to get the best experience, it would better serve you to download the app. I don’t see why that’s a problem considering every other bud out there asks the same thing. You can use the buds but in order to tune anything, you need to download their corresponding app. I had to do the very same thing with every other bud I tested.
I hear people were baited with the free audible subscription. I didn’t buy these for free audible, if you did, you bought them for the wrong reason. If you already redeemed a free code, why that would be a shock that you can’t keep buying Alexa devices to redeem your months of free (insert subscription offer) only to be able to return the product and basically do that indefinitely baffles me. And why not receiving audible for free has actual anything to do with the product, I will never know. I understand that if you were promised a free gift and didn’t get it, that would be a bummer. But take that up with Amazon, not on the review of the buds that have no bearing on the status of your Audible subscription.
These buds are great. I tested them side by side against the Airpods Pro, Samsung Buds Pro, and the Huawei Freebuds Pro. In sound fidelity, soundstage, and overall roundness of sound, the Echo buds win. For context, I have a studio for voice-over work. I use JBL reference monitors. For headphones, I use the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO. I tested all buds against studio-quality reference speakers and sound engineering software. Of course, none of the buds stood a chance, however one was clearly better than the rest. The one that most clearly represented the music and sounded most closely to the reference monitors were the echo buds by a mile.
Bass:
8.5/10 Echo buds: The bass was very thumpy and rumbly, hit nice and hard when it was supposed to, and did it with a high level of clarity.
9/10 Huawei: Just as good as the Echo Buds, maybe even touch better overall, slightly more precise.
4/10 Samsung: There was bass when there wasn’t supposed to be. Seemed like it was on all the time and was very muddy with no clarity at all.
5/10 Apple: Decently responsive but didn’t have the power to hit hard when the track called for it.
Mids:
9/10 Echo buds: Captured every note of voice and captured the whole orchestral range without anyone instrument dominating due to a lack of quality equalization. The good thing with these I can easily change the equalization if need be.
7/10 Huawei: Good but very bland, clarity wasn’t all there. Still, not bad at all.
5/10 Samsung: That bass is muddying this up something terrible, I even had it on the “clear’ setting in the EQ. The lack of a proper EQ makes it impossible to make these buds work. The presets are garbage.
8/10 Apple: I cannot deny these are very good and capture everything well with a great soundstage for a bud.
Treble:
9/10 Echo buds: Very round, not tinny. Clear and concise.
7/10 Huawei: Gets there but a few notes start to hurt your ears, too much.
4/10 Samsung: I’m starting to hate these now. Once again these are muddied by that awful bass that doesn’t even hit hard. The EQ makes it sound tinny and very high to break past the overblown bass. Didn’t realize they were Beats by Dre. But name sells so…
10/10 Apple: This is where these really shine, the higher notes are perfectly represented on their own. The lack of punchy bass leaves them feeling flat and not rounded out.
The echo buds may not be the best in a particular area. But in my testing, they are without question the overall winner. And for the price, that’s just a bonus.
ANC: Tested with vacuum, exhaust fan, central air AC unit, on a crowded street, and inside an airplane during flight. (ANC hiss and distortion is present on all buds but some more so than others, be objective, not dramatic)
4/10 Echo buds: Yikes, these did not do well. Some reviews say it doesn’t work, it does, stop being dramatic. However, they do not nearly stop incoming noise the way the others do. It stops a lot of the bass but high notes seem to come right through. When you turn the ANC on and off it's clearing stopping all the bass and some mids from coming in. Little bits of hiss and distortion.
8/10 Huawei: Very impressed.
7/10 Samsung: Good job
9/10 Apple: This one easily did the best with the smallest amount of hiss and music distortion.
Passthrough:
7/10 Echo buds: Very present and loud hiss, but realistic, not electronic sounding.
6/10 Huawei: Not a lot of hiss but sounded electronic or robotic.
6/10 Samsung: Hiss is there but not robotic, rather a bit muffled if anything.
8/10 Apple: Does a very good job but a slight electronic sound can be heard.
Some people said the Echo buds are always recording you. Ok, no it isn’t, but you can also turn the microphone off at any time. It even says it in the description. “including the ability to mute the mics with the Alexa app.”
Everything else like customizability preferences, fit and feel, call quality, assistant responsiveness, etc., are all subjective due to the nature of different people and different circumstances and environments.
Closing thoughts:
I understand the music and sound people enjoy is subjective and that’s not how this is rated. This is rated objectively, using the onboard EQ of the buds to get them the closest to reference as possible. I prefer to listen to my music as the artist intended. The echo buds objectively got the closest to reference while maintaining their roundness and soundstage overall. However, if ANC is the biggest factor in your decision, might I suggest the Sony WH-1000XM4. I do not mean to sound dismissive but we are talking about buds and they have limitations. If you are looking for buds and the intended purpose of them therein, the Echo Buds deliver. They also include the most ear and wingtips to cater to almost every ear type. They are the best overall package and at half the price, win-win.
Sustainability features
This product has sustainability features recognized by trusted certifications.
Carbon impact
Carbon emissions from the lifecycle of this product were reduced compared to similar products or previous models.
As certified by
Reducing CO2 The Reducing CO2 label applies to products certified by the Carbon Trust, that are lowering their carbon emissions year after year for the full lifecycle of the product. The Carbon Trust was formed in 2001 and introduced the world’s first carbon label in 2007. It produces its certifications to global leading and independently verified standards. The Carbon Trust has a mission to accelerate the move to a sustainable, low carbon economy.
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Climate Pledge FriendlyProducts with trusted sustainability certification(s). Learn morePRODUCT CERTIFICATION (1)
Reducing CO2 products reduce their carbon footprint year after year. Certified by the Carbon Trust.
Climate Pledge FriendlyProducts with trusted sustainability certification(s). Learn morePRODUCT CERTIFICATION (1)
Reducing CO2 products reduce their carbon footprint year after year. Certified by the Carbon Trust.
Power up for
work or play
Long-lasting battery and the included charging
case let you go with the flow, no matter what
your day holds.
Every day is an earth day
You don’t have to be an environmental scientist to make sustainable choices. We considered sustainability in the design of this Echo device. Here’s how:
Materials
21% post-consumer recycled plastics in case (black color only).
Earbuds, cable and adapter not included.
Clean Energy
Amazon is building new wind and solar farms to produce clean energy equivalent to the electricity used by this device.
Device Packaging
98% of this device’s packaging is made of wood fiber-based materials from responsibly managed forests or recycled sources.
Simple to set up and use
1. Open the Alexa app on your phone.
2. Open the case and wait for the blue
light. Tap the pop-up notification in
the app to finish setup.
3. Customize your fit with the
included ear tips and wing tips.
Compare headphones
| Price | From: $119.99 | From: $49.99 | From: - | From: $89.00 | From: - | From: $209.69 |
| Ratings | (22,168) | (8,169) | (300,405) | (619,528) | (36,589) | (83,860) |
| Active noise cancellation |
|
|
||||
| Hands-free voice assistant | Alexa | Alexa | Siri | Siri | ||
| Tap-to-access voice assistant | Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri | Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri | Siri | Siri | Google Assistant, Siri | Google Assistant, Siri, Bixby |
| Battery life on full charge | Up to 5 hrs (6.5 hrs with ANC and Alexa wake word off) | Up to 5 hours (6 hours with Alexa wake word off) | Up to 4.5 hrs (5 hrs with ANC off) | Up to 5 hrs | Up to 5 hrs | Up to 11 hrs |
| Total hours with charging case | Up to 15 hrs (19.5 hrs with ANC and Alexa wake word off) | Up to 20 hours | More than 24 hrs | More than 24 hrs | Up to 15 hrs | Up to 22 hrs |
| Quick charge | Up to 2 hrs with 15-min charge | Up to 2 hours with 15-min charge | Up to 1 hr with 5-min charge | Up to 3 hrs with 15-min charge | Up to 2 hrs with 15-min charge | Up to 1 hr with 3-min charge |
| IPX rating (water resistance of earbuds) | IPX4 | IPX2 | IPX4 | IPX4 | IPX2 | |
| Customizable fit | 4 sizes of ear tips and 2 sizes of wing tips | 3 sizes of ear tips | 3 sizes of ear tips | 3 sizes of ear tips and wing tips |
Technical details
Echo Buds with Active Noise Cancellation
|
Size |
Earbud: 20.0 x 19.1 x 19.1 mm (without ear tip or wing tip) Case: 66.8 x 28.6 x 39.1 mm |
|
Weight |
Earbud: 5.7 g (without ear tip or wing tip) Case: 44.4 g (47.6 g for wireless charging case) Actual size and weight may vary by manufacturing process. |
|
Wifi or data connection |
Echo Buds use a wifi or mobile data connection and the Alexa app for connectivity and other features. Carrier charges may apply. Please consult your carrier for information on any fees and limitations that apply to your plan. Alexa voice control is supported on Android 8.0, iOS 14, and Fire OS 7 or greater. However, please note that the following smartphones are not compatible with Echo Buds for Alexa voice control. Additionally, Fire 7 (all generations), Fire HD 8 (9th gen or older), and Fire HD 10 (8th gen or older) are not compatible with Echo Buds. |
|
Bluetooth |
Bluetooth 5.0 Hands-Free Profile (HFP) support for calling, Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) support for audio streaming, Audio/Video Remote Control Profile (AVRCP) for voice control of media sessions, Serial Port Profile for Bluetooth connectivity to Android phones and iPod Accessory Protocol for Bluetooth connectivity to iPhones. |
|
Processors |
Realtek RTL8763C Bluetooth System on Chip with integrated Audio Codec, NXP Digital Signal Processor |
|
Speakers |
5.7 mm dynamic driver |
|
Microphones |
3 per earbud: 2 external beamforming microphones + 1 internal microphone |
|
IPX rating (water resistance) |
IPX4 (earbuds only), tested to withstand water splashing. Learn more about our test. |
|
Sensors |
Accelerometer, proximity, touch, hall (case) |
|
Battery and power |
Up to 5 hours music playback on a single charge with ANC and Hands-Free Alexa. 15 hours total with the charging case. Up to 6.5 hours music playback on a single charge without ANC and Hands-Free Alexa. 19.5 hours total with the charging case. Up to 4 hours call time on a single charge. Up to 12 hours call time with the charging case. Up to 2 hours music playback time with 15-minute quick charge. Actual battery life will vary depending on device settings, features utilized, environment, manufacturing variability, and other factors. Testing was conducted by Amazon in a lab environment with preproduction Echo Buds and charging case and a prerelease version of the Alexa app on both iPhone and Android phones. Learn more about Amazon’s battery life testing here. Wireless charging case compatible with Qi-certified wireless charging pads. |
|
Accessibility features |
Audio Personalization helps tune audio for your unique hearing preferences. This feature is not intended to diagnose or treat any hearing conditions. The Alexa app and Alexa-enabled products include several features for customers with accessibility needs related to vision, hearing, mobility, and speech. Learn more about Alexa accessibility. |
|
Warranty and service |
1-year limited warranty and service included. Optional 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year extended warranties will be available for U.S. customers and sold separately. Use of Echo Buds is subject to these terms. |
|
Included in the box |
Echo Buds, charging case, 4 pairs of ear tips, 2 pairs of wing tips, USB-C cable, and Quick Start Guide. |
|
Privacy Features |
Wake word technology, streaming indicator, mute button in the Alexa app, the ability to view and delete your voice recordings, and more. Visit the Alexa Privacy Hub to explore how Alexa and Echo devices are designed to protect your privacy. |
Sustainability features
This product has sustainability features recognized by trusted certifications.
Carbon impact
Carbon emissions from the lifecycle of this product were reduced compared to similar products or previous models.
As certified by
Reducing CO2 The Reducing CO2 label applies to products certified by the Carbon Trust, that are lowering their carbon emissions year after year for the full lifecycle of the product. The Carbon Trust was formed in 2001 and introduced the world’s first carbon label in 2007. It produces its certifications to global leading and independently verified standards. The Carbon Trust has a mission to accelerate the move to a sustainable, low carbon economy.
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Reviews with images
Solid high value ANC buds compared to the competition.*Update* *Update re: Privacy Concerns*
Back in 2019, I didn’t buy the first gen Amazon Echo Buds as they just, frankly, didn’t offer a particularly compelling package to me other than the price tag. For $129, Amazon was offering you ear buds that sounded okay, had some “sound reduction tech”, charged via micro-USB (no wireless option), had just average waterproofing, and just average 5 plus hour battery life for buds with no ANC. Fast forward to 2021 and Amazon is back with the Gen 2 Echo Buds. To me, the package Amazon is offering is far more compelling. At the current price of $99 you are getting the same type of battery life, a smaller / lighter bud, true Active Noise Cancelling (ANC), upgraded USBC / available wireless charging ($119.99), a slightly upgraded chipset, and more. With these upgrades, I really wanted to try these to see how they were and how well they are integrated into the world of Alexa. Here are my initial thoughts after spending some time with them:*Update on Privacy* I want to squeeze this in here early in the review as there is a lot of negativity surrounding location and microphone permissions and general privacy with these. This just isn't really an issue. Simply accept the privacy requests to set up your buds and then go back to change them in your settings. I don't get all that caught up in Amazon and Google listening to me honestly. If you find my conversations compelling, you have bigger issues. However, if given the choice, I would prefer they didn't. So far, I have seen no change in performance. The one that surprises me is that Alexa pulls up with voice commands just like it is supposed to. I figured Alexa needed access to the mic to pull that off but it doesn't. Listen, if you are an Amazon Alexa / Google Home / Siri user, you have to know that these devices are inherently invasive. Privacy is a good point to consider when you are buying any of these devices. That said, these are no more prying than any other device. Just make sure to tweak your settings after the initial install. Now, back to the review!-Sound Quality: I have been using the new $400 Bowers and Wilkins PI7 buds heading into receiving these which is probably the wrong thing to be listening to heading into a review of a $100 set of buds. I have to say, however, that I am pleasantly surprised by what Amazon has done here. You get solid lows, decent present mids, and pretty darn crisp highs. It all sounds darn good to me. There isn’t a lot of separation in the music. It is a bit flat when comparing them to more expensive buds. There is an EQ in the app that allows you to tweak the sound a bit as well which I am glad to see. Amazon includes the AAC codec here but does not support AptX. Apple owners should be happy but no advanced codec support is here for Android which may help explain the more flat sound I am hearing on my S21 Ultra. Also, when watching video there is no noticeable latency. The screen matches up to what you are hearing. This is often an issue at lower price points. I was really expecting lackluster sound here and I just am not getting it. Is it really five star sound? No but, at $100, it is punching well above its price tag. Well done!-Active Noise Cancellation: This is Amazon’s first go with ANC in house (the first Gen used Bose Active Noise Reduction tech) and it is pretty darn good. Not close to the class leading Bose QuietComfort Buds but really good. Closing in with what buds from Jabra, Apple, and Samsung give you. There are a lot of complaints here about "barely present" ANC. My recommendation is to really play with the tips. Probably do not install the wings. You need to get a fairly tight seal into your ear in order to have any kind of ANC with a bud. Make sure the tip is small enough to be comfortable and then give these a slight twist up to torque them in a bit. Again, I am certainly not getting world class ANC here but I didn't expect that at this price and what I am getting is good at isolating me from my surroundings. I need to play around a bit more here but, so far, call me reasonably impressed. The Ambient Pass through that Amazon is providing here is also good and adjustable in the app.-Form Factor / Controls: Tap and controls are precise and accurate. They are a touch sensitive so I often register taps when adjusting or removing the buds but I find that to be typical in this space. Further, the Echo Buds are super light and small in the ear. A real pleasure to wear. I have read about some fit issues and, frankly, I just don't get it. I guess ear fit is pretty subjective but, when compared to my other ANC buds from Bose, M&D, B&W, Jabra, and Samsung, these are easily the most comfortable. There are a number of tips and wings that come in the box. I would really try to go without the wings as much as I like them. The buds don't fit in the case as well with them on which has caused me to need to fiddle with them a bit when returning them to the case. Also, I find that, while the wings make the buds fit more tightly in your ear, they actually break the seal you need to get effective ANC in your ear canal. These buds are so light I think that most folks, with the right tips installed, should be able to get by without the wings. The IPX4 rating is a little on the light side but should handle most workouts which is good because, given the lightweight comfortable fit, you will want to use these in the gym. The battery gives roughly 5 hours on bud and there is another 2 in the case. This is about average for ANC capable buds. You can use either bud independently and they auto-pause your content when a bud is removed. All the high end features you really need without the price tag!-The Case: So many companies either ignore case design or decide that is a good place to save money. To me, the case can almost make or break a set of ear buds as the case is what we interact with all day even more than the buds themselves. In maybe a first for me, I think Amazon split the gap with this case. They did not ignore the importance of the case but I think they did use it as a place to save money. It is a good size and weight but the plastic feels light and inexpensive to me. The hinge is unsatisfying in the way it closes. I like a lid to snap shut like the Apple cases or the case from Master and Dynamic. This just doesn't have that. There are reasonably strong magnets that keep the buds secured and charging properly. Further, I love the three LED lights that show the battery on both buds and the case. Great addition! The case is not a strong point on the Echo Buds but it is not a glaring weakness.-The App / Alexa: So, candidly, I am still learning to use Alexa as an assistant and the App you use to control these is the Alexa App. As mentioned, you can control the strength of the ambient pass through and get an EQ that allows you to customize your sound. You can control your music and keep your buds updated. Of course, you have all of the Alexa stuff in there as well for all of the other settings, options, and devices. I wish Amazon made a stand alone Echo Buds app that was less convoluted, but I get the decision. Overall, the set up works.There is a lot more to unpack with these so I will continue to edit and add to this review as I go. I own a lot of ear buds and, while these aren’t as good all around as many of them, none of them offer such a tremendous value proposition. If you are in the Alexa Assistant world, these are a must own if you need some buds. If you want a solid set of buds at a very reasonable price, Amazon has created a very compelling package here. I want to be clear here that I am rating these a five star based on a value curve. These aren't truly five star buds. It is just that Amazon has managed to give you an awful lot for your hard earned money. You get good sound, decent ANC, really comfortable buds, ambient pass through, auto-pause, single bud usage, Alexa Voice on-board, USBC / available wireless charging, and more. If you need audiophile sound or complete world disrupting ANC, these aren't it. Amazon has just managed to create a good all around package and do so at a price far more reasonable than most. Great job to the design team at Amazon! More to come!*Update* Worked in the yard all day today including lawn mowing. With music playing rather loudly, the ANC completely blocked the noise of the mower. I could hear it in between songs but it was clearly muffled sounding. The ANC here is good especially for a first effort. Also, range on these is very good. I left my phone on my back porch and took the yard waste to the street. Easily 80-90 feet. Only when I got to the very end of my drive did the buds start cutting out but they never disconnected. Solid!*Update* Finally got good codec information. AAC is here making these a solid less expensive Airpod Pro alternative. No AptX so us Android folks lose out. Still having a good experience with these. More to come.
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2021
Color: BlackStyle: Wired Charging CaseConfiguration: Echo BudsVerified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2021
Color: Glacier WhiteStyle: Wired Charging CaseConfiguration: Echo BudsVerified Purchase
Pros:
Earbuds stay in ear during running even with heavy sweat
Very good sound quality, especially for earbuds
Tap controls work well (except in rain)
App works well for device setup and settings management
Cons:
Not reliable to use in rain
Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) inconsistent
Poor sound isolation in the device itself
300MB app that can use over 500MB of memory, may slow down some phones
Potential privacy issues (app wants access to lots of data)
Neutral (pro/con depends on your perspective):
Many extra features in app that may be useful to some people
Alexa Hands-Free support
FYI: I am using the Echo earbuds on a Samsung Galaxy S9 Android phone.
General impression:
My primary use for earbuds is to listen to a wide range of content while exercising, and especially when running. Every earbud I have tried previously - wired or wireless - tends to fall out of my right ear when I get sweaty. No combination of inserts and eartips has solved this issue for me.
Fortunately, the Echo earbuds are a strong improvement. I have exercised a half-dozen times using these earbuds. The earbuds stayed firmly in my ear even when sweating heavily thanks to the eartip design along with the helpful setup & testing walkthrough. The earbuds are not the most comfortable I have used, but it is more important to me to keep the device in my ear. An earbud did fall out once when running in moderate rain – I will discuss problems with rain below.
Audio quality for music is very good with excellent frequency range for earbuds. I listen to rock, pop, and classical music and am happy with the music quality. I am especially happy with the range of voices I can hear in classical music. I have not adjusted the equalizer in the app.
Audio quality for audiobooks/podcasts is good, but not great. Spoken audio is not as clear and crisp as I would like. I have not adjusted the equalizer in the app, but I do not expect them to help because almost all spoken audio will be controlled by a single equalizer slider. Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) can help when it works well, but is inconsistent as described below.
Battery life is long enough that I do not notice. I can listen to music & talk on the phone for hours and the earbuds still have over 50% battery. I could use these 4-5 hours a day and make it through a work week. However, I have all advanced features disabled, so this is best-case battery life.
Using Echo earbuds for phone calls and work meetings:
These earbuds generally work well for calls. The audio I hear is good - perhaps slightly better than the audiobook/podcast audio I mentioned above. The other people on the phone call can hear me well. There are a couple of caveats:
1. The beamforming microphones are not exceptional - the people on the phone call can hear some of the noises around me.
2. If you have passthrough enabled, the other person on the call will hear all of the passthrough content.
A couple times I have had issues where it sounds like I drop out of the call briefly, or where the audio is clearly delayed. I have not verified that the issues are caused by the Echo earbuds, but it happened in locations where I have not had problems with other bluetooth devices.
Using Echo earbuds in the rain:
I was caught in moderate rain during one of my runs with the Echo earbuds. This caused two problems:
1. The right earbud fell out once
2. The water triggered the "tap" actions
I went into the app and disabled all of the "tap" actions to work around the 2nd issue.
Amazon Alexa and Setup:
The Amazon Alexa android app is very large, nearly 300MB, has used over 500MB of memory, and has far more functionality than is needed to manage earbud settings. I generally view this as a negative. There are some interesting features that may take the place of other apps you use and provide niche benefits when with the Echo earbuds. However, most of them seem to be designed to provide more of your personal data to Amazon. I have dismissed/disabled all of those extra features.
As other reviewers have mentioned, you must enable location sharing when you activate the Echo earbuds. Fortunately, I was able to revoke that permission after earbud activation and have seen no negative impact on functionality. I have also disabled Alexa Hands-Free and have not seen any evidence that the device is listening for verbal commands.
I like how the app walked through device pairing, device setup, and testing for fit except for location sharing being required. For me, the eartips are a pain to pull onto each earbud. It took me a minute or two per eartip per earbud, and I chose the wrong eartip initially. The tight fit is probably good in the long-term but is annoying in the short-term.
The app used a lot of battery power during the initial setup. Power usage has been negligble since then.
There is an Amazon Alexa notification bar item whenever the Echo earbuds are connected. This entry is a waste for most users. It duplicates the bluetooth OS notification, and selecting it does nothing. It would be useful if selecting it took you to the earbuds setting screen. Amazon probably includes this notification item to prevent the OS from auto-closing the app in the background, which may be needed for some of the app features. However, I don't use those features, so I would prefer not to have the notification bar clutter.
Another frustration is the app takes about five seconds to recognize that the Echo earbuds are connected before the earbud settings become accessible within the app. This happens every time the app is opened, even if the app was opened ten seconds earlier and the earbuds were connected the entire time. The notification bar item telling me the earbuds are connected is present - why are the earbud settings not immediately available in the app?
I like how Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and Passthrough are managed in the settings. Unfortunately, I do not get much value from either one.
- Passthrough works quite well, but these earbuds do not provide enough sound isolation to need passthrough at the listening volumes that I use. There is so much sound leakage through the earbuds that I can hear what is happening around me while running outdoors without using passthrough. On occasion, passthrough also adds noise on the higher settings.
- ANC is inconsistent. In some situations it works well - that is, I hear less background noise and I don't notice it. In other situations I can "hear" the ANC, including shifts in the compensation, and it seems like the devices are applying maximum ANC even when it is not needed. Hopefully a software update can improve the consistency of ANC. As a workaround, an option to manually control the amount of ANC would help.
Conclusion:
Overall I like these earbuds. They are the best earbuds I have tested for running, and I will keep using them for running and exercising except when I am in rain. I am hopeful that future updates will make Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) more consistent and enjoyable.
Earbuds stay in ear during running even with heavy sweat
Very good sound quality, especially for earbuds
Tap controls work well (except in rain)
App works well for device setup and settings management
Cons:
Not reliable to use in rain
Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) inconsistent
Poor sound isolation in the device itself
300MB app that can use over 500MB of memory, may slow down some phones
Potential privacy issues (app wants access to lots of data)
Neutral (pro/con depends on your perspective):
Many extra features in app that may be useful to some people
Alexa Hands-Free support
FYI: I am using the Echo earbuds on a Samsung Galaxy S9 Android phone.
General impression:
My primary use for earbuds is to listen to a wide range of content while exercising, and especially when running. Every earbud I have tried previously - wired or wireless - tends to fall out of my right ear when I get sweaty. No combination of inserts and eartips has solved this issue for me.
Fortunately, the Echo earbuds are a strong improvement. I have exercised a half-dozen times using these earbuds. The earbuds stayed firmly in my ear even when sweating heavily thanks to the eartip design along with the helpful setup & testing walkthrough. The earbuds are not the most comfortable I have used, but it is more important to me to keep the device in my ear. An earbud did fall out once when running in moderate rain – I will discuss problems with rain below.
Audio quality for music is very good with excellent frequency range for earbuds. I listen to rock, pop, and classical music and am happy with the music quality. I am especially happy with the range of voices I can hear in classical music. I have not adjusted the equalizer in the app.
Audio quality for audiobooks/podcasts is good, but not great. Spoken audio is not as clear and crisp as I would like. I have not adjusted the equalizer in the app, but I do not expect them to help because almost all spoken audio will be controlled by a single equalizer slider. Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) can help when it works well, but is inconsistent as described below.
Battery life is long enough that I do not notice. I can listen to music & talk on the phone for hours and the earbuds still have over 50% battery. I could use these 4-5 hours a day and make it through a work week. However, I have all advanced features disabled, so this is best-case battery life.
Using Echo earbuds for phone calls and work meetings:
These earbuds generally work well for calls. The audio I hear is good - perhaps slightly better than the audiobook/podcast audio I mentioned above. The other people on the phone call can hear me well. There are a couple of caveats:
1. The beamforming microphones are not exceptional - the people on the phone call can hear some of the noises around me.
2. If you have passthrough enabled, the other person on the call will hear all of the passthrough content.
A couple times I have had issues where it sounds like I drop out of the call briefly, or where the audio is clearly delayed. I have not verified that the issues are caused by the Echo earbuds, but it happened in locations where I have not had problems with other bluetooth devices.
Using Echo earbuds in the rain:
I was caught in moderate rain during one of my runs with the Echo earbuds. This caused two problems:
1. The right earbud fell out once
2. The water triggered the "tap" actions
I went into the app and disabled all of the "tap" actions to work around the 2nd issue.
Amazon Alexa and Setup:
The Amazon Alexa android app is very large, nearly 300MB, has used over 500MB of memory, and has far more functionality than is needed to manage earbud settings. I generally view this as a negative. There are some interesting features that may take the place of other apps you use and provide niche benefits when with the Echo earbuds. However, most of them seem to be designed to provide more of your personal data to Amazon. I have dismissed/disabled all of those extra features.
As other reviewers have mentioned, you must enable location sharing when you activate the Echo earbuds. Fortunately, I was able to revoke that permission after earbud activation and have seen no negative impact on functionality. I have also disabled Alexa Hands-Free and have not seen any evidence that the device is listening for verbal commands.
I like how the app walked through device pairing, device setup, and testing for fit except for location sharing being required. For me, the eartips are a pain to pull onto each earbud. It took me a minute or two per eartip per earbud, and I chose the wrong eartip initially. The tight fit is probably good in the long-term but is annoying in the short-term.
The app used a lot of battery power during the initial setup. Power usage has been negligble since then.
There is an Amazon Alexa notification bar item whenever the Echo earbuds are connected. This entry is a waste for most users. It duplicates the bluetooth OS notification, and selecting it does nothing. It would be useful if selecting it took you to the earbuds setting screen. Amazon probably includes this notification item to prevent the OS from auto-closing the app in the background, which may be needed for some of the app features. However, I don't use those features, so I would prefer not to have the notification bar clutter.
Another frustration is the app takes about five seconds to recognize that the Echo earbuds are connected before the earbud settings become accessible within the app. This happens every time the app is opened, even if the app was opened ten seconds earlier and the earbuds were connected the entire time. The notification bar item telling me the earbuds are connected is present - why are the earbud settings not immediately available in the app?
I like how Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and Passthrough are managed in the settings. Unfortunately, I do not get much value from either one.
- Passthrough works quite well, but these earbuds do not provide enough sound isolation to need passthrough at the listening volumes that I use. There is so much sound leakage through the earbuds that I can hear what is happening around me while running outdoors without using passthrough. On occasion, passthrough also adds noise on the higher settings.
- ANC is inconsistent. In some situations it works well - that is, I hear less background noise and I don't notice it. In other situations I can "hear" the ANC, including shifts in the compensation, and it seems like the devices are applying maximum ANC even when it is not needed. Hopefully a software update can improve the consistency of ANC. As a workaround, an option to manually control the amount of ANC would help.
Conclusion:
Overall I like these earbuds. They are the best earbuds I have tested for running, and I will keep using them for running and exercising except when I am in rain. I am hopeful that future updates will make Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) more consistent and enjoyable.
Images in this review
