Design and features:This Bluetooth wireless portable earbud model provides middling sound. Its non-isolating design doesn't muffle outside sounds so you'll be able to hear that door bell ring, train announcement, or car horn when you are wearing these earphones. The Echo Buds (2023) has a volume control plus an integrated microphone and player function controls. Additional features include - Either earpiece can be used alone for one ear monitoring of Bluetooth streamed audio and telephone communications. Charging/carrying case has built-in rechargeable battery that the manufacturer claims can be used to recharge the earphone batteries for an additional 15 hrs. of playtime for a total of 20 hrs. Manufacturer claims water resistance (IPX2) ear buds only. Has touch controls with music player transport, call connect/disconnect, Alexa digital voice assistant activation default settings; controls can be customized to provide volume up/down, and alternate digital assistant activation. Pauses music when at least one earphone is taken out of ear and resumes when at least on is put back in. Multipoint pairing allows connection to two devices at once. Alexa voice control can be voice activated using the "Alexa" wakeup phrase; is only available when the mobile device has an Alexa app download and is WiFi or cellular data connected to the Internet. Also supports Google Assistant or Siri digital voice assistants when used with Bluetooth connected devices that have those features. Free Amazon Alexa app download for Apple and Android mobile devices can be used to adjust tonal balance, customize touch controls, show earphone battery level, help find misplaced earphones, and more. Has quick charge feature: 15 min of charging will provide up to 2 hrs. of playtime. Works with all Bluetooth audio devices, but some features (Alexa voice control, changing the touch control options - monitor sound level, tonal balance equalizer adjustment are not available unless used with a mobile device with operating systems Android 6.0 or iOS 12 or later with the Amazon Alexa app installed. The Echo Buds (2023) comes with 2 pairs of ear bowl supports, charging case, quick start guide.
Sound quality:We found the Echo Buds (2023) delivers sound quality that falls in the middling range - it reproduces music and voice reasonably well despite the obvious shortcomings in its sound. With the Amazon Alexa app tone controls set to flat (as the received state of the headphone) the bass (as in bass drums, bass guitars, stand-up bass, etc.) has good impact and goes fairly deep, but is a bit boomy. The midrange (voices, guitars, horns, etc.) is a bit thin, hazy, congested (think sonic traffic jam), and etched (a bit more sharply outlined then it should be) and somewhat grainy. The treble (cymbals, the upper range of violins, etc.) is fairly extended, but is somewhat prominent and smeared, and a bit sizzly (sounds that should have a delicate shimmer have a sound reminiscent of bacon frying). The sound also has a good sense of liveliness and is somewhat open--sound-wise it almost seems like you don't have anything plugging up your ears and does a decent job of recovering room ambience. Neutral character. The overall sound can be summarized as somewhat grainy, and a bit bassy, hazy, and thin. The Alexa app tone controls had a noticeable effect on the sound.
Comfort and Fit:We found that these earphones reduce no pressure in ear canal.
Small
Users with small sized ear bowls will probably find that this model stays in place with no problems for casual use, they are stable even during vigorous head movement, and they are generally unobtrusive.
Medium/Large
Users with medium and large sized ear bowls will probably find that this model stays in place with no problems for casual use, they are stable during vigorous head movement, and they are generally unobtrusive.
Incidental contact with the touch controls can cause unintentional playing and pausing.
Hitting the stem that hangs out of the ear can knock an earphone loose and cause it to fall out of the ear.
