Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 – Maisonbleuecossonay

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Source: Christian de Looper

Unlike most true wireless noise-cancelling earphones, the $229 Pixel Buds Pro 2 offer access to advanced AI features, including Google Gemini Live. They’re also comfortable, sound great, have good active noise cancellation (ANC), and last a long time on a single charge. The Pixel Buds Pro 2 are worth considering if you value their absolutely seamless compatibility with Pixel phones. Otherwise, the $199.99 JBL Live Beam 3 offer more detailed sound, equally good noise cancellation, and a standout charging case for a little less money, earning them an Editors’ Choice award.

Design: Small and comfortable

The Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 have a similar design to the previous generation, with a stemless, bud-style build and a small, river-stone-like charging case with a flip-up lid. They come in a few fun colors, including Hazel (dark gray), Peony (pink), Porcelain (white), or Wintergreen (mint). We received the Porcelain model for review.

The individual earbuds are shockingly small—among the smallest pinless earbuds I’ve tested. Google says it’s gone to great lengths to reduce their size, claiming they’re 27% smaller than the previous-generation model. You get a total of four pairs of earbuds in the box to customize to your needs. The result is an earbud that fits comfortably in your ear and can be worn for hours.

Like many wireless earbuds, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 are water-resistant. The charging case is also water-resistant, with an IPX4 rating, which is a nice bonus. That means the earbuds and case can withstand light splashes from any direction. If you need fully waterproof earbuds, the $229 Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 are IP68 rated.

While the Pixel Buds don’t have a stand, the touch surface on each earpiece is relatively responsive, meaning you don’t have to push the earpiece into your ear to register it. The controls are mirrored on both earbuds. Tap once to play/pause audio or answer a call, double-tap to skip to the next track or reject a call, and triple-tap to return to the previous track. A tap-and-hold gesture toggles between noise-control modes, with ANC and Transparency being the default options. You can also assign a tap-and-hold gesture to activate Gemini or Google Assistant with one earbud and noise cancellation with the other.

The earbuds have 11mm dynamic drivers. Google doesn’t provide a specific frequency response, but it does explain that the earbuds have a high-frequency chamber that pairs with the Tensor A1 chip built into each earbud to provide improved high-quality audio clarity. The Tensor A1 also plays a role in a few smart features. The earbuds support Bluetooth 5.4, Google Fast Pair, and the Google Find My Devices network. Google doesn’t specify which ones are supported, but the earbuds don’t support high-resolution codecs like LDAC, which is a shame.

Google claims the earphones offer up to 8 hours of continuous listening time with ANC on. The charging case offers an additional 22 hours, bringing the total listening time on a single charge to 30 hours. Those numbers improve to 12 hours for the earphones and an additional 36 hours in the case (48 total) with ANC off. Additionally, a 5-minute charge provides 1.5 hours of listening time with ANC off. All of these are excellent numbers. The case charges via the USB-C port on the bottom or on a Qi wireless pad. Google doesn’t include a charging cable in the box.

The App: More Control Than Ever Before

The Pixel Buds Pro 2 software should be the same regardless of the Android phone you have. The new Pixel Buds app comes pre-installed on Google Pixel phones, but it’s also available on non-Pixel Android phones via the Google Play Store. You can also manage the Pixel Buds through the Settings app on Pixel phones, but there’s no app for iOS. You can connect the Pixel Buds to your iPhone via Bluetooth, but they’ll only have basic Bluetooth functionality and you won’t be able to customize any of the features.

In addition to being able to customize controls and set ANC modes, you can also use the Pixel Buds app to access Find My Device, set up spatial audio, and manage Gemini Live, Google’s real-time voice assistant. To use Gemini Live, you’ll need the paid Gemini Advanced service, but Pixel 9 Pro buyers get Gemini Advanced for free for a year.

You activate Gemini Live by saying, “Hey Google, let’s talk.” Before you do that, you’ll need to make sure all the apps and services on your phone are up to date and choose Gemini as your default digital assistant. You’ll also need to unlock your phone the first time you access Live with headphones in. The good news is that Gemini support isn’t limited to Pixel phones.

The app includes five presets. If you tap the Settings button next to the preset, you can choose your own five-band EQ settings. The app doesn’t indicate which frequencies the EQ sliders control, but it’s a welcome feature nonetheless.

Noise reduction: good value

The noise cancellation on the Pixel Buds Pro 2 is pretty good. It doesn’t quite live up to the standards set by the industry-leading Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds ($299), but Google has refined its algorithms enough to provide a pleasant experience.

The earbuds do a good job of cutting noise across the frequency spectrum. In my tests, they cut out a significant portion of the low-end rumble of an airplane engine, as well as the mids and higher frequencies. They weren’t as good at cutting out all the noise of a city bus, but they were able to soften the rattling of doors and engines to a large extent. In a crowded coffee shop, the Buds Pro 2 cut out a fair amount of background noise, although I could still hear some nearby voices in the mid-range.

Transparency mode isn’t bad, but it’s not the best either. It clips the highest-frequency sounds and sounds relatively natural. However, it also introduces a noticeable, masking noise into the audio that’s unpleasant. The $249 Apple AirPods Pro 2 have a much more natural Transparency mode.

Sound quality: Mostly excellent

I tested the Pixel Buds with the ANC off and the default EQ on. On the track “Silent Shout” by The Knife, the Buds Pro 2 delivered a well-rounded frequency response. The pronounced bass presence ensures that the rounded kick drum has a punch, and the bass synth is dreamily smooth. The highs seem to be slightly tucked in, but it doesn’t ruin the listening experience.

A track like Bill Callahan’s “Drover” really reveals the sonic signature. The high frequencies aren’t buried in the mix; in fact, the cymbals have a convincing clarity, and the guitar strums have a nice natural tone. Callahan’s vocals are deep and rich, and the driving bass drum has plenty of room to breathe.

On Kendrick Lamar’s “Loyalty,” Lamar and Rihanna’s vocals sound clean and front and center in the mix. The in-ears do a good job of reproducing the subbass at the 34-second mark of the track, giving it a full sound. Interestingly, this doesn’t come at the expense of higher frequencies; the drums sound detailed and clean.

Orchestral pieces, such as the opening scene of John Adams’ film The Gospel According to the Other Marysound rich and encompassing. The buds reproduce both low strings and high brass, yet still leave room for vocals to cut through the mix. Instrument separation is clear, and the mix doesn’t feel cluttered.

Overall, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 offer a balanced audio response that’s well-suited to most genres. At times, the high frequencies seem a little less prioritized, resulting in a slight lack of sparkle, but that’s really a nitpick.

sounds pretty good. It adds to the sense of immersion when watching movies or TV shows, although I didn’t use it much for listening to music. The earbuds also support head tracking with compatible media.

The microphone is just OK. Using the Google Voice Recorder app on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, I experienced some Bluetooth artifacts, and at times my voice sounded distant. The earbuds block out background noise quite well.

Verdict: Great for Pixel users, good for everyone else

Google got a lot right with its second-generation earphones. The Pixel Buds Pro 2 are small and comfortable, have excellent battery life, cancel out noise well, and sound great for the most part. More importantly, they blend seamlessly into the Google ecosystem, which is especially helpful if you have a Pixel phone and/or use the Gemini Live. If that level of integration works for you, it’s easy to recommend the Pixel Buds Pro 2. For more demanding listeners who haven’t invested in the Google ecosystem, the JBL LiveBeam 3 offer higher-quality sound and similar noise cancellation with an advanced touchscreen case for less money.