The Amazon Echo Buds True Wireless 2021 (2nd generation) are the next generation of the Amazon Echo Buds True Wireless 2019 (1st generation). They have a more comfortable fit and a smaller carrying case than their predecessor. They also use Amazon's active noise cancelling (ANC) technology instead of Bose's active noise reduction (ANR) technology. Unfortunately, their noise isolation performance is worse overall, although they're still fairly effective at blocking office-type noise like background conversations. Their case also holds fewer extra charges than the previous generation. The manufacturer says you have to register these headphones in the Amazon Echo app before pairing with a device.
Our Verdict
The Amazon Echo Buds Gen 2 are satisfactory for neutral sound. Out-of-the-box, their mid and treble response is reasonably well-balanced, so instruments and vocals are present and clear. However, their bass range is very underemphasized, so mixes lack a lot of thump, punch, and warmth. They deliver sound consistently, but like most closed-back, in-ear headphones, they have a bad passive soundstage. Fortunately, you can customize their sound with a graphic EQ in the companion app.
- Graphic EQ in app.
- Bad passive soundstage.
The Amazon Echo Buds Gen 2 are decent for commute and travel. They're lightweight and comfortable and come with a compact hard plastic case that can protect them when you're on the go. Unfortunately, their ANC can't completely block out the sound of rumbling bus and plane engines. Their continuous battery life of just under five hours isn't the best either, but the case holds a couple of extra charges, so you can top up the battery during long flights.
- Case holds two extra charges.
- Well-built and comfortable.
- Somewhat short continuous battery life.
- ANC struggles with noises like bus and plane engines.
The Amazon Echo Buds Gen 2 are great for sports and fitness. They come with several differently-sized silicone tips and stability fins, and once you achieve a good fit, they'll be comfortable and stable enough to stay in place during workouts. They're very breathable and compact, like most in-ear headphones. They also have an IPX4 rating for water resistance, although we don't test for it currently. However, their controls are just okay. The touch-sensitive surfaces are easy to activate accidentally, and by default, they don't include volume control.
- IPX4 rating for water resistance.
- Well-built and comfortable.
- Mediocre controls.
The Amazon Echo Buds Gen 2 are decent for office use. They're quite comfortable and do a decent job isolating you from office-type noise like background conversations. Their continuous battery life of just under five hours isn't long enough to last through a typical 9-5 workday, but they come with a case that holds two extra charges. You can also use one earbud while the other one charges. Unfortunately, they don't support multi-device pairing, so they aren't ideal if you switch between your phone and your computer at work.
- Good mic recording quality.
- Well-built and comfortable.
- Somewhat short continuous battery life.
- Mediocre controls.
The Amazon Echo Buds Gen 2 are Bluetooth-only headphones, so they aren't compatible with PlayStation or Xbox consoles. They work with Bluetooth-enabled PCs, but their latency is too high to be suitable for gaming.
The Amazon Echo Buds Gen 2 are Bluetooth-only headphones that can't be used wired.
The Amazon Echo Buds Gen 2 are okay for phone calls. Their mic has a good recording quality, so your voice sounds clear over the phone. However, it doesn't have a very good noise handling performance, so whoever you're talking to might not hear you if you're calling from a noisy place like a subway station. The headphones don't do a great job of isolating you from background noise like rumbling bus and plane engines either, so you may have issues hearing a phone call if you call from a loud place.
- Good mic recording quality.
- Well-built and comfortable.
- Mediocre controls.
- ANC struggles with noises like bus and plane engines.
Changelog
- Updated Sep 25, 2023: We've retested these headphones using firmware update 603267242; all of the Sound results have changed. We've also updated Bluetooth to reflect added multi-device pairing support.
- Updated Jun 28, 2023: We've changed the name of these headphones to be consistent with other generations in this lineup.
- Updated Nov 30, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
- Updated Jun 02, 2021: Review published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Amazon Echo Buds 2nd Gen are the next generation of the Amazon Echo Buds True Wireless 2019 (1st generation). They come in two different colors: 'Black' and 'Glacier White'. You can see the label for the unit we tested here; we tested them in 'Black' but expect the other color variant to perform similarly. They come with either a wired or a wireless charging case. We tested the wired charging case. The wireless case has a similar design, but we haven't tested it and don't know if it performs differently.
If you come across another variant or your headphones are different, please let us know in the discussions below, and we'll update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Amazon Echo Buds 2nd Gen are the next generation of the Amazon Echo Buds True Wireless 2019 (1st generation). Unlike the original Echo Buds, which used Bose's active noise reduction (ANR) system, these headphones use Amazon's own ANC technology. Unfortunately, it doesn't offer a huge improvement over their passive noise isolation performance, and overall, they don't block out as much noise as the previous generation or other truly wireless earbuds with ANC like the EarFun Air Pro True Wireless or the Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless. Their default sound profile also lacks a lot of bass, but you can customize it with a graphic EQ in the companion app.
If you're looking for other options, check out our recommendations for the best wireless Bluetooth headphones, the best earbuds and in-ears, and the best Bluetooth earbuds.
The Amazon Echo Buds (2nd generation) are better for most purposes than the Google Pixel Buds 2020 Truly Wireless. The Amazon have an ANC feature and isolate you from much more ambient noise. Their integrated mic has a significantly better recording quality, and you can customize their sound profile with a graphic EQ and presets in the companion app. However, the Google come with a case that holds a greater number of additional charges, and their touch-sensitive controls are easier to use.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro are better for most purposes than the Amazon Echo Buds (2nd generation). The Samsung have a much more neutral default sound profile, which some listeners may prefer, and their ANC feature does a much better job of blocking out bass-range noises like bus and plane engines. Their case is also more compact and feels sturdier. On the other hand, the Amazon's integrated mic has a much better recording quality. They also come with stability fins and have a much more stable fit, so they may be better suited for use during workouts.
The Apple AirPods Pro are better for most purposes than the Amazon Echo Buds (2nd generation). The Apple have a better build quality and a more compact case that holds a greater number of extra charges. They also have a significantly better noise isolation performance. The Amazon are more customizable since they have a graphic EQ in their companion app. Their integrated mic also has a much better recording quality.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ are better headphones than the Amazon Echo Buds (2nd generation). The Samsung have much longer continuous battery life and a slightly better noise isolation performance, even though they don't have ANC. They also have a more neutral default sound profile, which some listeners may prefer. However, the Amazon work with a companion app with a graphic EQ, so you can customize their sound profile. Their integrated mic also has a significantly better recording quality.
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Test Results
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