These earbuds' sound beats my favorite pair - and from the brand I least expected

13 hours ago 2

ZDNET's key takeaways

These Pixel Buds Pro 2 are available on the Google Store for $229.
With brilliant sound and a nice fit, these earbuds can highlight details in music that other earbuds can't.
I suggest buying Comply memory foam ear tips for a better seal.

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Years ago, I purchased a pair of Google Pixel Buds Pro earbuds, and although their sound was sweet, the buds' physical design was seriously flawed. No matter what I did, I could not keep them in my ears.

Because they couldn't make a decent seal, the sound suffered. That one-two punch resulted in me not using them, so they sat in a drawer, untouched and forgotten. Every once in a while, I'd break them out, only to be reminded why they'd been left alone.

Also: Google unveils Pixel Buds Pro 2: Here are the three features I'm most excited about

On a whim, I decided to give the Pixel Buds Pro 2 earbuds a try. After all, Google had redesigned the physical buds to include small "wings" that are supposed to help keep them in place. How would they stack up against my original Pixel Buds Pro earbuds?

I thought, "Okay, Google, I'm gonna give you one more chance."

Even before the earbuds arrived, I ordered a set of Comply memory foam earbud tips. I was ready.

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My experience

When the earbuds finally arrived, my first impression was that the size of the case had been reduced. After pulling the buds from the case, the little wings were the next thing to catch my attention.

They're much smaller than I thought they would be, leading me to wonder if they would be able to keep the buds in my ears (especially during a workout).

Fortunately, my Comply ear tips arrived on the same day as the earbuds (I chalk that up to the miraculous), so I immediately switched out the silicone tips. With that taken care of, I gave the new tips a bit of a squish and inserted the earbuds, using a slight twisting motion to get them into place.

To my relief, the combination of the wings and the Comply tips gave these earbuds a nice and solid fit. I'd say these offer about as reliable a fit as any traditional earbud I've tried. Whew.

Also: How to get and use Spatial Audio on the Pixel Buds Pro

It was time to connect them. Because I have a Pixel phone, the device immediately discovered the earbuds and walked me through the setup, including a seal check. Connecting the Pixel Buds Pro 2 earbuds was an absolute no-brainer, and in about 30 seconds, they were ready to go.

Of course, before I tapped play on that first tune, I knew I wanted to adjust the EQ. I opened the Connected Devices section of Settings, located the earbuds, and tapped the associated gear icon.

While in the settings for the earbuds, I noticed the Head Gestures option. With these gestures, I can answer calls with an up and down nod or reject them with a side-to-side nod.

Nice touch, Google.

Of course, a pair of earbuds is only as good as their sound. I opened my usual test playlist and hit play. The first song to greet my ears was "Tom Sawyer," by Rush, and, holy cow, did it sound amazing. What really caught my attention was the level of detail they could extract from the music.

Also: I was skeptical of these $350 wireless earbuds - until they knocked my socks off

I've heard earbuds that could mine subtlety from a song, but the Pixel Buds Pro 2 took this to another level. It was pretty amazing following the various instruments and how well the Pixel Buds Pro 2 earbuds could bring the sound to life.

After Tom Sawyer came to its beautiful conclusion, I moved on to "Sun Killer" by Spiritbox. Although this track doesn't do much to push the earbuds' limits, it gives me insight into how they can handle vocals.

Cortney LaPlante's voice is gorgeous against a backdrop of driving rhythms and crunchy, djenty guitars. Through the Pixel Buds Pro 2 earbuds, I could hear her breath, and when she finally lets loose at the end, her screams are as powerful as ever.

One of my favorite tunes from the eighties is "Human," by Human League. The electronic drums really test an earbud's ability to achieve enough clarity to bring it to life, and these earbuds aced that test. Also, hearing the low end of the keyboard was something I didn't expect.

So far, so wonderful.

Also: These Google earbuds offer the ultimate listening experience for Android users

Next came one of my favorite Chevelle songs, "Antisaint." Okay, I have to confess that music from this period and genre isn't always the best to test a pair of headphones with because it's so compressed. At the same time, if a pair of earbuds can handle it with a certain level of grace, they get a big pair of thumbs up. Guess what? The Pixel Buds Pro 2 earbuds passed with flying colors.

ZDNET's buying advice

I'm not much into gimmicks with earbuds. What I'd prefer is a pair that fits well, stays in place, and creates sound on a level that matches my discerning ears. The Pixel Buds Pro 2 earbuds check all the right boxes.

Coming in at $229 from the Google store, these might be a bit above the average user's budget, but if you can afford them, I can't imagine finding a better-sounding pair of earbuds under $250. I would go so far as to say that these earbuds are better than my prized Dennon PearL Pro earbuds.

Grab a pair of these earbuds and be done with the competition.

Pixel Buds Pro 2 tech specs

Driver: Custom 11mm dynamic speaker driver.
Noise Cancellation: Active Noise Cancellation with Silent Seal 2.0
Transparency Mode for situational awareness.
Chips: Google Tensor A1 in each earbud.
Audio Codecs: Supports AAC, SBC.
Gaming: Low-latency mode (supported by Pixel 8/Android 14+).
Bluetooth: Version 5.4 with Super Wideband for calls.
Multi-point support.
Sensors: 3 mics, capacitive touch, IR proximity, accelerometer, gyroscope.
Controls: Tap and swipe for music, calls, and volume.
Conversation Detection, Find My Earbuds, Find My Case (Android only).
Battery life: ANC On: Up to 8 hrs (buds), 30 hrs (total). ANC Off: Up to 12 hrs (buds), 48 hrs (total). Quick Charge: 5 mins for 1.5 hrs (ANC off).
Charging: USB-C, Qi-certified wireless.
Water Resistance: Earbuds IP54, Case IPX4.
Weight: 4.7g per earbud (with medium tip).
Colors: Moonstone, Porcelain, Peony, Wintergreen, Haze