Amazon's second-gen Echo Buds are among the cheapest AirPods Pro alternatives with ANC
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Although full of promise, Amazon's rookie AirPods-rivaling effort from all the way back in 2019 proved... far from perfect, earning mixed reviews from both critics and more than 23,000 actual customers.
Believe it or not, the newly unveiled second-gen Amazon Echo Buds are cheaper than their $129.99 forerunners, fetching a truly unbeatable "introductory price" of $99.99 for a "limited time" before jumping to a still extremely affordable $119.99.
In case you're wondering, these bad boys are significantly cheaper than all of the best noise-cancelling true wireless earbuds available today, and unlike the "noise-reducing" first-gen Echo Buds, the second-gen model features full-blown active noise cancellation technology.
Said case can be a traditional USB-C wired affair or a modern wireless option, with the latter setting you back an extra $20. You can also add a handy Made for Amazon Anker PowerWave wireless charging pad to your bundle for $18 more, with eligible new subscribers qualifying for six free months of Amazon Music Unlimited access as well.
Apart from noise cancellation, the second-gen Echo Buds are promising to deliver a major upgrade in the overall sound quality department thanks to some "high-performance" new drivers that enable a "premium" and "dynamic" audio experience.
Last but certainly not least, it's definitely worth highlighting that Amazon's sophomore true wireless earbuds effort is almost completely redesigned, with a "shortened nozzle" for improved comfort, brand new built-in vents minimizing ear pressure during use, reduced weight, and the same old IPX4 splash resistance rating. Oh, and you can go for black or white color options now instead of having to buy the former whether you like it or not.
Unsurprisingly, the e-commerce giant is not looking to throw in the towel after seemingly cracking the top ten global true wireless earbuds vendor list for 2020, aiming instead to fix most of the key flaws of the original Echo Buds without increasing their very reasonable price.
Early birds get the incredible bargain
In case you're wondering, these bad boys are significantly cheaper than all of the best noise-cancelling true wireless earbuds available today, and unlike the "noise-reducing" first-gen Echo Buds, the second-gen model features full-blown active noise cancellation technology.
Interestingly, instead of partnering with an audio industry veteran like Bose for that functionality, Amazon has opted to develop its own active noise cancellation tech, which you can easily enable by pressing and holding either earbud or asking Alexa to help you isolate from your surroundings.
While the feature is purportedly capable of drowning out twice as much noise compared to the first Echo Buds edition, it might be worth trying out the product's Passthrough Mode as well. This is just as simple to turn on, and in addition to allowing you to adjust the amount of ambient sound you may want to let in from time to time, it could also do wonders for the battery life.
An impressive list of upgrades and an entirely new design
Battery life doesn't look like the strongest suit of the "all-new" Echo Buds, by the way, at least compared to something like the Samsung Galaxy Buds+.
But it largely matches what the Galaxy Buds Pro can offer, at up to 5 hours with ANC switched on, 6.5 hours with both ANC and Alexa wake word off, and a maximum endurance rating of 19.5 hours when taking the bundled charging case into consideration as well.
Apart from noise cancellation, the second-gen Echo Buds are promising to deliver a major upgrade in the overall sound quality department thanks to some "high-performance" new drivers that enable a "premium" and "dynamic" audio experience.
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