Google Pixel Buds Earset (GA01470-US)

These buds are frustrating on several levels. Although the look, feel, comfort, and sound quality are good, the consistency in operation is frustrating beyond being acceptable for a higher end in-ear wireless speaker. Even after the promised updates, when listening to music or podcasts, at about 50 minutes in, the audio is dropped and bluetooth disconnected forcing the user to have to go into the settings on the phone to reconnect. When doing so, invariably it has trouble connecting to both buds. This then will happen off and on throughout listening. Also it is not unusual for the audio quality to out of the blue become muffled or tunneled in one ear forcing the user to pause the playback and then resume play to get it back to normal. On top of that I own a ... MoreThese buds are frustrating on several levels. Although the look, feel, comfort, and sound quality are good, the consistency in operation is frustrating beyond being acceptable for a higher end in-ear wireless speaker. Even after the promised updates, when listening to music or podcasts, at about 50 minutes in, the audio is dropped and bluetooth disconnected forcing the user to have to go into the settings on the phone to reconnect. When doing so, invariably it has trouble connecting to both buds. This then will happen off and on throughout listening. Also it is not unusual for the audio quality to out of the blue become muffled or tunneled in one ear forcing the user to pause the playback and then resume play to get it back to normal. On top of that I own a Google Pixel 2 phone which you'd expect would be a perfect partner to this device. Numerous people have complained about these issues and were apologized to and asked to wait for the fixes in an update. The updates have come, but the bulk of the issues remain. Like several of the glowing reviews I too thought these buds were great initially because I only had short listening sessions, but once you cross the 45 minute mark you're in for one frustrating experience.

The sound quality is amazing, they go super loud too so you can listen to your music on full blast. I don't have the Google pixel bud pros so when I have them in if they are on a high volume people around me will be able to hear some noise coming from them. They fit perfectly in your ear and have the stem sticking out which is made perfectly so they don't fall out in your ear. They are barely noticeable especially compared to Airpods because they have nos tem sticking out on the bottom they just go right in your ear, nothing sticking out. These basically never fall out and are super good at staying in my ears if I'm running around or just doing basic stuff. The battery lasts very long as well. Usually it lasts me up to a week because when the actual earbuds run out ... MoreThe sound quality is amazing, they go super loud too so you can listen to your music on full blast. I don't have the Google pixel bud pros so when I have them in if they are on a high volume people around me will be able to hear some noise coming from them. They fit perfectly in your ear and have the stem sticking out which is made perfectly so they don't fall out in your ear. They are barely noticeable especially compared to Airpods because they have nos tem sticking out on the bottom they just go right in your ear, nothing sticking out. These basically never fall out and are super good at staying in my ears if I'm running around or just doing basic stuff. The battery lasts very long as well. Usually it lasts me up to a week because when the actual earbuds run out of battery I just put them right back in the case and it doesn't take up much battery in the case to charge the earbuds. Overall, these are definitely the better option compared to Airpods and much cheaper.

A cut above the rest, and I would know

Over the past year I've spent a lot of time with a lot of wireless earbuds, including the first and second gen Galaxy buds, the new Galaxy buds live, the Sony WF wireless, and now these. I love wireless buds.No matter how expensive the earbuds you buy are, it always seems that they miss something glaring. On all of the previous wireless earbuds I've had experience with, they all have almost inexcusable Google Assistant incorporation with no ability to control the volume of the assistant while it makes your ears bleed. Also, they're all way too loud during phone calls even on the lowest volume. From a functionality standpoint this was all inexcusable to me. Not to mention the Galaxy buds live have awful connectivity, especially when you put your phone in your ... MoreOver the past year I've spent a lot of time with a lot of wireless earbuds, including the first and second gen Galaxy buds, the new Galaxy buds live, the Sony WF wireless, and now these. I love wireless buds.No matter how expensive the earbuds you buy are, it always seems that they miss something glaring. On all of the previous wireless earbuds I've had experience with, they all have almost inexcusable Google Assistant incorporation with no ability to control the volume of the assistant while it makes your ears bleed. Also, they're all way too loud during phone calls even on the lowest volume. From a functionality standpoint this was all inexcusable to me. Not to mention the Galaxy buds live have awful connectivity, especially when you put your phone in your pocket and go for a walk while on a phone call.None of those problems exist with the pixel buds. If you use the Google Assistant in any capacity, these make it even easier. Replying to text messages and hearing your notifications is enjoyable and actually helpful, plus you can adjust the volume of the assistant so it doesn't make your ears bleed the entire time. Amazing! The audio quality is wonderful and you can even increase the base so they sound just like all of the others. Otherwise, they have a neutral delivery with clarity across the spectrum. Additionally, you have the ability to control the volume of a phone call with much more fidelity than any of my previous buds that I've worn. Why this doesn't exist elsewhere is beyond me, but all you need to know is the pixel buds have it.These don't have active noise canceling and they don't have it for a good reason. The whole point of these earbuds is to have a comfortable bud that doesn't plug your ears up. The bottom of the buds has a little opening to allow some sound and air pass through. Their miles more comfortable than the first and second generation Galaxy bud and I would say they're on par with the Galaxy buds live, and they leave the Sony WF series in the dust. So if you think not having active noise cancellation is a reason not to get these, you may be right, but they might just not be what you're looking for.Overall I sincerely recommend these to anybody who cares about fit and finish. The battery life is excellent, the construction is top-notch, and they just work. At the end of the day, I'll be running these for a long time because of that. They just work.

Bluetooth Connectivity is honestly terrible 🤧

Bought these headphones as a proud pixel user, so respectfully, I assumed the connectivity would be superb. It's been quite awful to say the least.The earbuds themselves are sleek, I like the design, case is cool, all the bells and whistles, but as wireless earbuds, I've never been more frustrated. They constantly have connectivity issues, one or both ears might disconnect when listening to music or something. Sometimes they randomly drop connect from Bluetooth, and I have to go into my phone to try to reconnect manually. Sometimes it doesn't work for quite some time. Often the Audio might go out of sync for both ears, one playing slightly ahead of the other. The left earbud always dies faster than the right, and as of late it isn't even charging normally.Also, ... MoreBought these headphones as a proud pixel user, so respectfully, I assumed the connectivity would be superb. It's been quite awful to say the least.The earbuds themselves are sleek, I like the design, case is cool, all the bells and whistles, but as wireless earbuds, I've never been more frustrated. They constantly have connectivity issues, one or both ears might disconnect when listening to music or something. Sometimes they randomly drop connect from Bluetooth, and I have to go into my phone to try to reconnect manually. Sometimes it doesn't work for quite some time. Often the Audio might go out of sync for both ears, one playing slightly ahead of the other. The left earbud always dies faster than the right, and as of late it isn't even charging normally.Also, the audio on phone calls is absolutely trash. No one can ever hear me when I'm on the phone, the sensitivity of the earbuds pick up everything in my environment except my voiceI wish I didn't have this much to complain about, but the connectivity issues literally plague my listening experience at least once a day.

Get the Pixelbuds A-series!

As much as the 2020 Pixelbuds are really nicely designed (especially in this color), they are still vulnerable to Bluetooth stability / connection, and other audio (hissing) issues. Which is really unfortunate and disappointing.As someone who has now tried both Pixelbuds of recent, this pair from last year. And the all new Pixelbuds A-series earbuds, I would stick to the latter choice. Unfortunately, I had so many stability / Bluetooth connection issues — I ended up returning mine. However, the new Pixelbuds A-series don't seem to have these issues. Which is great news! Not too mentioned they are cheaper / better overall value. Unless one absolutely has to have wireless charging, there's really no point in getting these vs. the new A-series earbuds. Unfortunately, ... MoreAs much as the 2020 Pixelbuds are really nicely designed (especially in this color), they are still vulnerable to Bluetooth stability / connection, and other audio (hissing) issues. Which is really unfortunate and disappointing.As someone who has now tried both Pixelbuds of recent, this pair from last year. And the all new Pixelbuds A-series earbuds, I would stick to the latter choice. Unfortunately, I had so many stability / Bluetooth connection issues — I ended up returning mine. However, the new Pixelbuds A-series don't seem to have these issues. Which is great news! Not too mentioned they are cheaper / better overall value. Unless one absolutely has to have wireless charging, there's really no point in getting these vs. the new A-series earbuds. Unfortunately, both generation Pixelbuds still seem to suffer from having a overall low volume output levels (for whatever bizarre reason). I personally never found Pixelbuds to not have a great sound profile, especially when playing music. These and the new A-series earbuds still sound rather lackluster, flat and even dull at times. Especially with vocals and mids, at least there is a decent "bass boost" mode. I really wish Google would bring a proper EQ setting, or at minimum a "vocals / mids" boost toggle for ALL Pixelbuds users. This could greatly improve the audio playback experience, all via a simple app update. As I'm honestly pretty underwhelmed with the music playback experience. Lastly, I wish Google would stick to their instail *promise*, plans of software / "Pixel drops" update(s) for Pixelbuds users. The last big app update, was late last August. Sure, there's been a few minor app updates here and there since. However nothing of major improvement, or new / notable features added (as initially prompted with last year's Pixelbuds realise). It would certainly add extra value, especially for those who still have their Pixelbuds. Hopefully, now with the new A-series earbuds — bigger feature based updates will come back.In closing, at this point I would NOT recommend anyone getting this generation of Pixelbuds. Save yourself some cash, and potential headaches — and just stick to new Pixelbuds A-series, going forward. They're mostly a home runner. These just aren't. Perhaps next year, we will finally get a true flagship / issue-free Pixelbuds experience.

Good, Except for Connectivity

I've been using these for quite some time now for frequent travel. As a Google fan I'm pretty disappointed that these were released with the issues they have.First, the comfort is hit and miss. Some times you can get them to sit just right where they feel fine. Other times after about 45 minutes your ear is just sore from the rubber pushing into you ear for a long period of time. I find myself constantly readjusting these during long flights. It would have been better to have some way to adapt it to eat size.It blocks out outside noise pretty well for not having active noise cancelling. Everyone seems to have complained about the built-in vent they have but it helps your ear pressure equalize during flights and it's not effective to the sound quality.The ... MoreI've been using these for quite some time now for frequent travel. As a Google fan I'm pretty disappointed that these were released with the issues they have.First, the comfort is hit and miss. Some times you can get them to sit just right where they feel fine. Other times after about 45 minutes your ear is just sore from the rubber pushing into you ear for a long period of time. I find myself constantly readjusting these during long flights. It would have been better to have some way to adapt it to eat size.It blocks out outside noise pretty well for not having active noise cancelling. Everyone seems to have complained about the built-in vent they have but it helps your ear pressure equalize during flights and it's not effective to the sound quality.The connectivity is by far the worst part of these. They constantly break up or one side will cut in and out. Sometimes they will be completely off in volume. One side will be louder then the other no matter the position they are in in your ear. They only way I found to correct this is to put the in the case and rest them every time it happens. Then you have to repair them and set them up again.The price point for these in my opinion are too expensive, especially with all the issues. I'd but these around the $99 range where the newly released ones are. I'm certain those will also have similar issues if they are based off similar software.Overall, I think I'm just mostly disappointed with them. It will definitely be hard to purchase a newer model in the future.

Hot garbage

I bought these for the full purchase price (about $190 with tax) straight from the Google Store. I've had them for about 8 months now. The baseline expectation for Bluetooth earbuds is in the name - they should play audio in your ears via Bluetooth connection. That is simply too much to ask for these buds. While they have all the promise of a streamlined Google experience (I have a Pixel phone so my expectations were high), they just don't deliver on the easiest action item: staying connected in order to play audio reliably.Let's dig in:1) The fit is not great. Everyone's ears are different, and mine would not let these buds stay in with the standard-issue silicone buds (I tried all sizes for both work and exercise, but it would eventually pop out). I had to ... MoreI bought these for the full purchase price (about $190 with tax) straight from the Google Store. I've had them for about 8 months now. The baseline expectation for Bluetooth earbuds is in the name - they should play audio in your ears via Bluetooth connection. That is simply too much to ask for these buds. While they have all the promise of a streamlined Google experience (I have a Pixel phone so my expectations were high), they just don't deliver on the easiest action item: staying connected in order to play audio reliably.Let's dig in:1) The fit is not great. Everyone's ears are different, and mine would not let these buds stay in with the standard-issue silicone buds (I tried all sizes for both work and exercise, but it would eventually pop out). I had to spring for the "Made for Google" Comply foam tips that gave a tighter fit. However, in addition to being an additional $20 expense, these are already disintegrating, one will stay in my ear sometimes when removing the bud, AND they mute outside noise too much (one of the benefits of Pixel Buds is no noise cancellation). Also, the aftermarket foam tips make it a very snug fit inside the case, and you lose the joy/accuracy of the magnetic charger.2) Connectivity issues. 3 seconds of Googling will unveil a host of problems in this category. I've had them all. Left one dropping out completely (only fix is to forget the buds--which is a huge pain since they're so integrated with features on a Pixel phone), connection clicking out then back in but they are out-of-phase (sounds like you're listening in a bucket), both completely dying without warning and needing reset...you name it, I've had issues here. Again, this is with a Google Pixel phone, which I'd expect to get some special love from the manufacturer to incentivize product immersion for fanboys like me. That's too much to expect though.3) Connectivity issues. The same thing as above, but listed again for emphasis. All my use cases included my phone being nearby and turned on, and no settings being tweaked prior to something disconnecting. Seriously, so much frustration here that I will be booting them for Raycons. I'm appalled at how much money I spent on these only to have problems I would tolerate from $20 AirPods knock-offs. My wife bought some random $35 earbuds off Amazon and has had zero issues for months.AVOID THESE LIKE THE PLAGUE. Go get some Raycons or literally anything else.

Not worth the money, low quality for the expense

These are some of the worst Bluetooth earbuds/headphones I've used. My two main complaints are not small ones. The main problem is the connectivity. Not sure if it's the Bluetooth having trouble connecting, or the earbuds themselves thinking they're out of my ears, but they cut out so frequently they sound jumpy and it's almost impossible to listen to my podcasts and audio books without missing things. I know it's not my phone's problem, I have no trouble with my other earbuds or over the ear headphones connecting to my Bluetooth. Plus I have a Pixel 4, so that shouldn't be a problem either. The sound also skips around, and not in the way intended. Listening to my audiobook it'll sometimes sound far away and quiet, or tinny, or super close and loud. There's no way ... MoreThese are some of the worst Bluetooth earbuds/headphones I've used. My two main complaints are not small ones. The main problem is the connectivity. Not sure if it's the Bluetooth having trouble connecting, or the earbuds themselves thinking they're out of my ears, but they cut out so frequently they sound jumpy and it's almost impossible to listen to my podcasts and audio books without missing things. I know it's not my phone's problem, I have no trouble with my other earbuds or over the ear headphones connecting to my Bluetooth. Plus I have a Pixel 4, so that shouldn't be a problem either. The sound also skips around, and not in the way intended. Listening to my audiobook it'll sometimes sound far away and quiet, or tinny, or super close and loud. There's no way that I know of to adjust it, and it eventually figures itself out and goes back to normal after a few minutes. I've tried restarting them and updating it and nothing.My other complaint is the sensitivity of them in terms of the buttons. Whenever I'd try to readjust them in my ears it's almost guaranteed that I'll push pause, or have the Google assistant pop up, or skip a track. Even if I bump them when changing clothes or taking off a scarf the buttons are pushed. Edited to add, but the battery also is annoying. My left earbud will die much faster than the right one, and I still haven't figured out why0/10, would not recommend to anyone.

Really wanted to love these Google Buds 2nd Gen

Where do I start... I loved these earbuds first because of the premium case which I have to say Google did an awesome job. The opening and closing of the case are oh so satisfying its so easy to open but yet strong enough to stay shut even if you drop them. The case is very slippery especially since nowadays we apply hand sanitizer like crazy they will slip out of your hands are dry. Moving on to the buds themselves they are very comfortable for me which I used the Large ear tips. The cool thing about these buds is they come with a resealable package for the earbuds in case you need to change them over time. The non-removable fin was not as bothersome for me as many other people have stated since my ears are big the fin doesn't bother me. I found them more ... MoreWhere do I start... I loved these earbuds first because of the premium case which I have to say Google did an awesome job. The opening and closing of the case are oh so satisfying its so easy to open but yet strong enough to stay shut even if you drop them. The case is very slippery especially since nowadays we apply hand sanitizer like crazy they will slip out of your hands are dry. Moving on to the buds themselves they are very comfortable for me which I used the Large ear tips. The cool thing about these buds is they come with a resealable package for the earbuds in case you need to change them over time. The non-removable fin was not as bothersome for me as many other people have stated since my ears are big the fin doesn't bother me. I found them more comfortable than the Galaxy Buds since I go for several hours with them inside my ears since I work at an office. The touchpad sensors are amazing with both tap and swipe it is very responsive, Google did a good job here. The sound is well balanced not to Heavy in the Bass or to tingy in the highs, especially if you turn on Bass Booster it adds a bump to the lows which makes a huge difference. If your a Bass head though look elsewhere. Pairing is a breeze on an Android phone as soon as you open the buds the prompt appears to connect and once connected to your google account all your other Android devices will connect with all setting sync. THIS IS WHERE THE BUDS FAIL: For $179 which are $10 more than the Galaxy Buds Live you expect these to have all the bugs fixed at such a high premium. Connectivity is a huge problem here where the connection will drop from one earbud to the other. Sometimes it does it once or will continue to lose sound without any end. This issue has been going on since May 2020 and to this day it still has not been fixed. Google rolled out an update to fix it but as you search the web it is still an issue with some losing connection entirely. Many have received replacements google sent out but the problem continues and just endless complaints of people. At this price point these things shouldn't be happening and just sitting doing homework last night the buds just went crazy and started to cut in and out for a good minute. It was the final straw. I have the Buds which since day one hasn't given me an issue at all. Google had a great product here but why even try to contact them if even they don't know when they can fix it. Battery drain is also an issue where one bud will drain much faster than the other which is annoying and crackling sound when speaking to your assistant. If these were $50 I wouldn't complain but at almost $200 THERE ARE BETTER BUDS OUT THERE FOR CHEAPER THAT ARE MORE RELIABLE.

Super close but not yet - maybe round 3 when the Pixel Bud 3 comes out.

Not ready yet - hopefully round 3 they will fix the issue I dealt with tonight :( The pixel Bud 2 reviews assured me to go ahead and spend $179 bucks. And I was super happy with them. Very proud of the purchase. I did enough research to learn the difference in pricing for ear buds was large but I learned if you lose a bud, with the Pixel Buds 2 - I'd be able to find the location of last connection and I'd be able to ring it when at that location. So tonight when I lost my left earbud I began the process of locating the last connection and was super excited to find it on the map and it turns out it was at the restaurant that I "just left" before returning home. Also it is worth noting, the ability to ring the left or right ear only exists if you are nearby the ... MoreNot ready yet - hopefully round 3 they will fix the issue I dealt with tonight :( The pixel Bud 2 reviews assured me to go ahead and spend $179 bucks. And I was super happy with them. Very proud of the purchase. I did enough research to learn the difference in pricing for ear buds was large but I learned if you lose a bud, with the Pixel Buds 2 - I'd be able to find the location of last connection and I'd be able to ring it when at that location. So tonight when I lost my left earbud I began the process of locating the last connection and was super excited to find it on the map and it turns out it was at the restaurant that I "just left" before returning home. Also it is worth noting, the ability to ring the left or right ear only exists if you are nearby the earbuds and connected. While at home, I did not have the option to ring the left ear bud but when I returned to restaurant - I was excited to see the left ear bud connected meaning I was "nearby" and at the right spot. The manager and many customers all tried to help me find it and listen for the ring. Nothing was heard so I put the right ear bud down on the table and used the option to ring the right ear bud. The Manager asked "did you ring it yet l and we will were standing next to the table. I waited until I saw it stopped ringing the right ear and tried it again. When I returned home I wanted to show my kids that Google forgot to add the ring function to the pixel buds or at least be assured they did. I rang the right ear bud and we heard nothing so I paused it the background TV noise and I was super quiet. Then I found just how close Google was to making a Great User Experience... If you lose a bud outside with any noise or inside with noise, you'll be there - know the bud is there but if you can't quiet the room or outside - you'll not hear it. So... Amazing but $40-60 can buy several pair if you lose a bud while it's $65 to replace the bud you located but just couldn't physically find "unless inside a quiet room". Please take yours out and test it to see what I'm talking about. Meanwhile, my assumption that marrying Pixel Buds 2 with Pixel 5 and Shield and Chromebook and all that was without reward. The inexpensive ear buds connect and do the same things as the pixel buds 2 - my assumption, unless I'm missing something was wrong. Now... Faced with replacing the lost bud cost of $65 I find no value in spending $179 due to the inherit risk of them falling out and you not realizing it until it's too late. Until Google solves the low ring volume in their "find lost devices" system, it's only of value in a quiet inside room or a quiet outside.