USA TODAY International Edition
Affordability wins in budding battle of buds
In the battle of the buds, our “taste test” was striking.
A friend and I both compared listening to the Foo Fighters “Learn to Fly” on Amazon’s new Echo Buds and the product it aims to emulate, what Apple calls the best- selling headphone “in the world,” the AirPods.
The Amazon product “sounded tinnier,” said Jan Schreiber, a Laguna Beach, California- based photographer.
And I agreed. The AirPods had richer bass and a fuller sound. We switched to other songs, and the verdict didn’t change.
But it doesn’t really matter. Amazon wins on affordability and versatility.
The Buds, which begin shipping Wednesday, sell for $ 129, that’s $ 30 less than the starting price of the AirPods and nearly half the cost of Apple’s new $ 250 AirPod Pro models, which also are being released Wednesday.
The new AirPod Pros tout better sound, a new design and noise cancellation. The Buds are all about Alexa and putting the Amazon voice assistant in your ear – for a lower price.
And the audio difference? The average consumer won’t care.
Price will play a big factor for people looking to add Bluetooth earbuds to their collection. And as a potential holiday gift that could see the usual Amazon practice of deep holiday discounts, Mom and dad aren’t going to do audio tests before they click the Buy button.
And the bottom line is this: When you’re not comparing the Buds to the Pods, and just grooving to music in your ears, the Amazon product sounds just fine. Rather good, in fact.
What we like:
❚ Price. Affordable and competitive. ❚ The Buds stay in the ear pretty well, even when you’re jogging.
❚ Bose active noise cancellation can help shield you from unwanted sounds.