Amazon Echo Buds 2023 Review

Our Amazon Echo Buds 2023 Experience

The Echo Buds case is small, square, and smooth. Its thumb-flip top lid works well, while opposing magnets ensure the earbuds slide in and out without too much fumbling. The size is ideal for stuffing in a pocket or tossing in a car cup holder.

The case features an easy-to-use quick pairing button, and we had no trouble pairing with either an iPhone or an Android device. However, our online research indicates that more people report issues with connectivity with these buds than with average earbuds. Pressing the button and opening Bluetooth on our phone was straightforward, although not as easy as other buds that automatically pair with nearby phones when you open their cases.

Downloading the Alexa app is straightforward, but if you aren't already a loyal Amazon user, be prepared to jump through some hoops. We prefer an earbuds-specific app, but at least there is one that makes the earbuds easier to use.

The Echo Buds have a unique design we wanted to like. Out of the case, they remind us of some AirPods with a blunt open end, but they are wrapped in a removable silicone sleeve. We thought the sleeve would help cushion the hard plastic design, but it doesn't. Whether the sleeve is on or off, the edge of the bud is sharp and so uncomfortable that we loathed wearing them. One tester even stated, “I'd burn them if I could.”

Amazon Echo Buds 2023 Apple AirPods Pro 2

The earbuds feel large, even in bigger ears, but they are downright jarring in smaller ears. While we wore them for basic testing, we didn't choose them for casual listening and wouldn't voluntarily wear them for fun. Despite a less-than-stellar fit and feel, the Echo Buds were relatively secure. We had no trouble during workouts or even headstands, but headbanging caused them to fly out, which was a relief given how bad they feel.

The open design of these buds is supposed to let you enjoy music and respond to the world. However, they don't really do either very well. We missed details in music and podcasts when we listened at lower volumes, but switching to higher volumes significantly decreased our situational awareness. We never really found a happy medium.

Making phone calls in the real world with the Echo is a lesson in patience and then defeat. Although they were adequate when in a quiet room alone, frustration only grows as the background noises increase. In our experience, it was easier to either end the call or switch to the phone's speaker than to keep trying to hear and be heard using the Echos.

Our Analysis and Test Results

Sound Quality

There is something decidedly different in how sound is expressed through these buds. After listening to everything from pop bops to hip hop, heavy rock, and crooning country, we found that the Echo Buds offer decent clarity but lack warmth and punch in the bass line.

That missing power in the lower frequencies leans too heavily on the mid-range and high treble notes. The mid-tones feel fleshed out, but the treble notes can lack clarity. Combined with lackluster bass, the sound can feel flat, muddy, and lifeless.

We noticed the lack of strong bass frequencies in songs like “Cuff It” by Beyonce, “Woah” by Lil Baby, and “Snatched” by Big Boss Vette. And the drum line in “Itty Bitty Piggy” by Nicki Minaj sounds a little messy. We appreciate the warmer, cleaner feel of the mid-tones in songs like “Heartbreak Swing” by Sumbuck, and “Say So” by Doja Cat. Still, while they have good clarity, they feel a bit thin and gutless at the lower end. Overall, the sound mix feels basic. It's inoffensive and pleasant sometimes, but favorite songs feel watered down.

Vocals can also sound a smidge distorted, feeling obscured, like wearing smudged glasses. Take the 1977 soft-rock hit “Blue Bayou.” Linda Ronstadt's soaring vocals in the first chorus sound so piercing at mark 0:45 that we had to adjust the volume between the chorus and the verses.

At times, the unique sound profile works. When listening to “I'll Show You How” by Cinnamon Soulettes, the Echo Buds pick up the vocalist's sibilance and translate it into the staticky crackle of a record player. However, because they lack active noise cancelling and only offer mid-tier noise isolation, losing details in the music at lower volumes is easy. Upping the volume to compensate only leads to a loss of clarity and more vocal distortion.

When we compare the relative volume of each frequency in the frequency response curve) to our GearLab House Curve, the differences reinforce our listening experience.

The bass levels in the Echo Buds are far lower than in our idealized curve, and the mid-tones are louder. The treble section is closer to the House Curve, but it also misses the mark in some places.

Soundstage

If an expansive listening experience is important to you, the Echo Buds may not be your soulmate. Their semi-in-ear design doesn't seal the ear, and they don't provide a clean soundstage.

There's a reasonable separation between individual instruments, especially in the mid-frequencies, but it's hard to place instruments around you. The sound is more forward and direct than we prefer and can border on bracing, particularly with mellow songs that are light on bass tones. The soundstage performs reasonably well for easy-listening jazz but yields less consistent results with modern pop, rock, EDM, or hip-hop.

Noise Cancellation

The Echo Buds don't actively cancel ambient noise. And because they don't physically seal your ear canal, they do little to block sound waves physically either. As a result, they are a poor choice if your goal is noise cancellation.

They can dampen some surrounding sounds, particularly those in higher frequency ranges, such as the clinking of dishes in a cafe, but much of the chaotic cafe background still lingers. The graph illustrates this letdown, showing that they don't provide much protection from low- or mid-range frequencies.

App Features

The app doesn't do much, but we appreciated the ability to find misplaced earbuds. We experimented with adjusting the relative volumes of bass, midrange, and treble frequencies, but none of the adjustments significantly improved the subpar sound. The app includes the ability to set up some voice commands and tap controls. We especially liked being able to answer calls and mute the microphone hands-free.

Battery Life

The Echo Buds impressed by lasting 55 minutes longer than Amazon's claim of 5 hours, offering nearly 6 hours of runtime. Their battery life is slightly better than average, but it's unlikely to last through longer days.

A fully charged case should provide three additional full charges. A quick 15 minutes in the case will provide two extra hours of entertainment.

Call Quality

The Echo Buds struggle to make clear phone calls, no matter the environment. With muffled transmission in even quieter office spaces, it fell apart as the background noise grew louder. While male voices seemed to fare better than female, neither was impressive and wouldn't be our choice for regular or frequent calls while moving about in a busy world.

These buds struggled in the subway, where some words on the call cut out, while it was clearer in the office.