Pixel Buds 2 reviews?

[eric002]

Just saw this response from a Google employee on the Pixel Buds community:

"I just wanted to let all of you know that we’ve heard you, and our team will be rolling out software updates in the coming weeks to improve Bluetooth stability and connectivity.


Thank you for providing your feedback, both on this thread and in feedback reports. Our team has found it beyond helpful while investigating and working on improving these connectivity issues.


I’ll continue to follow up on this thread with updates. In the meantime, please keep filing feedback reports and feel free to @Mention me directly with any concerns, questions or issues, and I’ll do my best to address each of you."

https://support.google.com/googlepixelbuds/thread/43794726?hl=en&msgid=52196394

Yeah, I heard that as well.it's not only great that Google is listening to feedback but they're going to improve on the user experience! I can't wait for this new firmware update to come out!

 

[jhilker]

Here's another post from that thread published today:

"Hey everyone, I’ve got a quick follow-up on some of the improvements we’ve identified and are expecting to roll out in the coming weeks:

Decrease instances of phone call cut outs

Improve autorecovery when one or both earbuds lose connection

Improve media playback stability for phones that have software audio encoding

Separately, this week we’ll be releasing a software update (Firmware: 296) that decreases the audio hissing / static noise that some of you may have experienced.

Thank you again for your ongoing feedback, and as promised I’ll continue to update this thread."

 

[eric002]

Here's another post from that thread published today:

"Hey everyone, I’ve got a quick follow-up on some of the improvements we’ve identified and are expecting to roll out in the coming weeks:

Decrease instances of phone call cut outs

Improve autorecovery when one or both earbuds lose connection

Improve media playback stability for phones that have software audio encoding

Separately, this week we’ll be releasing a software update (Firmware: 296) that decreases the audio hissing / static noise that some of you may have experienced.

Thank you again for your ongoing feedback, and as promised I’ll continue to update this thread."

I'll tell you though, my buds have been great for the most part. Once or twice they lost connection at 5h3 gym, but 5hays to be expected honestly. 95% of the time they're absolutely fine and I love them!

 

[jhilker]

I've found with the past few updates that mine are working great as well. Looking forward to seeing what future enhancements will bring.

 

[eric002]

I've found with the past few updates that mine are working great as well. Looking forward to seeing what future enhancements will bring.

Yeah I'll tell you though that future drop of asking Google Assistant how much battery life my earbuds have is more than wonderful it's amazing! It's super useful and convenient. Also I'll admit the bass boost feature is nice...

 

[Smokeaire01]

Since getting Pixel 4a I've been considering getting the Pixel Buds. I've been checking out the YouTube reviews and now reading this thread I'm sure I'll be be purchasing these in a week or so.
My question is how is the call quality? It sounds good in the reviews. I work from home, have been for 4 years, and have been using the Plantronics 5200, wearing it for 8-9 hours a day. Call quality is excellent. I get many phone calls a day so call quality is important.
I don't expect to wear the buds for as long as I wear the Plantronics so long term comfort and battery life isn't a factor.

 

[jhilker]

Since getting Pixel 4a I've been considering getting the Pixel Buds. I've been checking out the YouTube reviews and now reading this thread I'm sure I'll be be purchasing these in a week or so.
My question is how is the call quality? It sounds good in the reviews. I work from home, have been for 4 years, and have been using the Plantronics 5200, wearing it for 8-9 hours a day. Call quality is excellent. I get many phone calls a day so call quality is important.
I don't expect to wear the buds for as long as I wear the Plantronics so long term comfort and battery life isn't a factor.

I've found the call quality to be pretty good with the last update.

You won't get that many hours with these as with your Plantronics, but a ten minute charge will get you another 2 hours, so just charge them every time you take a break, and you should be ok.

 

[eric002]

I've found the call quality to be pretty good with the last update.

You won't get that many hours with these as with your Plantronics, but a ten minute charge will get you another 2 hours, so just charge them every time you take a break, and you should be ok.

Yes, of course I completely agree. Voice quality on my pixel buds is perfect in my opinion. I mean voice calls a really where the battery of your buds down faster, but I use my pixel buds for all of my calls!

 

[Smokeaire01]

I've found the call quality to be pretty good with the last update.

You won't get that many hours with these as with your Plantronics, but a ten minute charge will get you another 2 hours, so just charge them every time you take a break, and you should be ok.

Thanks for the call quality reply.

There aren't too many bluetooth earpieces that have the call battery life that the Plantronics Voyager series has, 5-7 hours of phone call battery life. I was aware of the very short Buds battery performance on calls but like you pointed out the charging case quickly can extend that.

 

[Smokeaire01]

Yes, of course I completely agree. Voice quality on my pixel buds is perfect in my opinion. I mean voice calls a really where the battery of your buds down faster, but I use my pixel buds for all of my calls!

Thanks. Glad to know your happy with the quality.
I hate holding my phone for phone calls. I keep my Plantronic next to me all the time and turned on. I use it for all phones calls, work or otherwise.

 

[eric002]

Thanks. Glad to know your happy with the quality.
I hate holding my phone for phone calls. I keep my Plantronic next to me all the time and turned on. I use it for all phones calls, work or otherwise.

I mean honestly I've always held my phone for calls, I don't take a lot of phone calls on my phone to be honest with you. But the pixel buds work great for phone calls. I mean when the pixel buds first came out, there were a couple issues with them, but it seems like Google finally ironed out most of the serious ones.

 

[Smokeaire01]

I mean honestly I've always held my phone for calls, I don't take a lot of phone calls on my phone to be honest with you. But the pixel buds work great for phone calls. I mean when the pixel buds first came out, there were a couple issues with them, but it seems like Google finally ironed out most of the serious ones.

I first discovered the freedom that a bluetooth earpiece have when I bought my first one for my Motorola Razr v3 (yea..that long ago). The freedom from not having to balance the phone between my chin and shoulder being able to continue do things with both hands free was the turning point. When I do have to use one hand for phone calls I feel encumbered and restricted.
The same thing with my wired earbuds for listening to music on my phone. Hence the interest in the Pixel Buds, the best match up to my Pixel 4a.

 

[eric002]

I first discovered the freedom that a bluetooth earpiece have when I bought my first one for my Motorola Razr v3 (yea..that long ago). The freedom from not having to balance the phone between my chin and shoulder being able to continue do things with both hands free was the turning point. When I do have to use one hand for phone calls I feel encumbered and restricted.
The same thing with my wired earbuds for listening to music on my phone. Hence the interest in the Pixel Buds, the best match up to my Pixel 4a.

Yeah. I used to use my Bose truly wireless sound support earbuds on my phone. The problem with those is that each earbud is a parent-child relationship so the right side of your bud was the parent and the left side was the child. Which really means that when you are on a phone call you only get audio on the right side. That's annoying. Pixel buds and most other truly wireless earbuds today have audio in both sides thankfully. But yeah, having earbuds for voice calls is nice. Very convenient.

 

[Smokeaire01]

Yeah. I used to use my Bose truly wireless sound support earbuds on my phone. The problem with those is that each earbud is a parent-child relationship so the right side of your bud was the parent and the left side was the child. Which really means that when you are on a phone call you only get audio on the right side. That's annoying. Pixel buds and most other truly wireless earbuds today have audio in both sides thankfully. But yeah, having earbuds for voice calls is nice. Very convenient.

I'm used to hearing phone calls in one ear so hearing the caller will be a little weird at first.
I spend an average of a total of 2.5 hours a day on phone calls. I know that each bud can be used separately as well, that can increase overall use time. One is charging while using the other. I like that option.

 

[eric002]

I'm used to hearing phone calls in one ear so hearing the caller will be a little weird at first.
I spend an average of a total of 2.5 hours a day on phone calls. I know that each bud can be used separately as well, that can increase overall use time. One is charging while using the other. I like that option.

yep yep you're absolutely right. I mean the huge advantage of the pixel buds is that they can work independently of one another. So , with that in mind, yeah one one dies you can leave one in the charging case, continue using the other one and switch off and vice versa. It's a great great feature! And the building Google Assistant is phenomenal!

 

[Smokeaire01]

yep yep you're absolutely right. I mean the huge advantage of the pixel buds is that they can work independently of one another. So , with that in mind, yeah one one dies you can leave one in the charging case, continue using the other one and switch off and vice versa. It's a great great feature! And the building Google Assistant is phenomenal!

I came to the Pixel 4a by way of the Blackberry Key²LE. Until now I never used Google Assistant other than to make contact phone calls. Now I've become possessed by the Assistant, I'm weak. Weak as water. I'm just following the commands in my head placed there by the Assistant.."You will buy the Pixel Buds and no other."
I must obey.

 

[eric002]

I came to the Pixel 4a by way of the Blackberry Key²LE. Until now I never used Google Assistant other than to make contact phone calls. Now I've become possessed by the Assistant, I'm weak. Weak as water. I'm just following the commands in my head placed there by the Assistant.."You will buy the Pixel Buds and no other."
I must obey.

Haha trust me I know the feeling!

 

[jhilker]

Now I've just picked up Mobvoi's Ticwatch Pro 3, and now if I have my Pixel Buds in, and get a call, I'm presented with 3 options to answer; via watch, phone, or buds. Really works perfectly now!

 

[eric002]

Now I've just picked up Mobvoi's Ticwatch Pro 3, and now if I have my Pixel Buds in, and get a call, I'm presented with 3 options to answer; via watch, phone, or buds. Really works perfectly now!

Well I'm very glad to hear that you're happy! I've only had a smart watch once in my life. They don't offer enough functionality for me to buy another one lol. Enjoy it though!