Design and features:The Pixel Buds 2 has integrated microphones and touch sensitive volume, music player and call connect/disconnect, and digital voice assistant activation controls for paired Bluetooth devices. Unlike most Bluetooth models which claim a wireless operating range of around 33 feet, the Pixel Buds 2 claims "Long range Bluetooth Connectivity" of "a football field distance away outdoors" (a standard football field measures 360 feet long by 160 feet wide) and "three rooms away indoors". We found that outdoors the Bluetooth connection started experiencing severe audio dropouts at distances ranging from 140 to 260 ft. depending on what mobile device it was paired to. Indoors these earphones performed no better than typical Bluetooth models, which provide a generally reliable connection in the same room, with the connection becoming less reliable the further outside of the room you get. This model's features include one ear monitoring using either earpiece of Bluetooth streamed audio and telephone communications, volume that can be set to automatically adjust in response to changes in environmental ambient sound, an automatic pause feature that pauses audio when either earphone is taken out of an ear, support for the Google Assistant digital voice assistant when it is used with Bluetooth devices that have those capabilities, Google Assistant voice or manual activation, and wireless recharging with optional Qi-compatible wireless charging mats. The Pixel Buds 2 is claimed by the manufacturer to be water resistant, and comes with three pairs of ear pieces in various sizes, a USB charging cable, charging cradle/recharger battery/carrying case that the manufacturer claims can be used to recharge the earphone batteries almost 5 times between its own charges. The free Google Pixel Buds app download for Android mobile devices can be used with Android smartphones to show the battery level, set Google Assistant digital voice assistant notifications and preferences, enable/disable the automatic volume adjustment function, disable the automatic pause feature, help locate the earphones if they are misplaced, and update the earphone's firmware. Although this model will work with all Bluetooth audio devices, the features provided by the Google Pixel Buds app are not available unless the earphones are used with Android smartphones.
Sound quality: We found the Pixel Buds 2 delivers Very Good overall sound - it reproduces music and voice very well although it does have some noticeable sonic quirks. The overall sound can be summarized as a bit bassy, hazy, and grainy. The bass (as in bass drums, bass guitars, stand-up bass, etc.) has good impact and goes deep, but is a bit prominent and boomy. The midrange (voices, guitars, horns, etc.) is fairly even, but is a bit grainy and hazy, a touch soft. The treble (cymbals, the upper range of violins, etc.) is fairly extended but is a bit smeared (sounds that should have a delicate shimmer sound blurred). This model does a decent job of recovering room ambience (the sense of the acoustic space in which the audio program that's being listened to was recorded). While the sound has a good sense of liveliness, it is somewhat closed (sound-wise it's fairly obvious you have something plugging your ears).
Comfort: We found that these earphones produce as typical of in-ear models a sense of pressure in the ear canal opening that might be uncomfortable for some. Users with small, medium and large ear bowls will probably find that this model fits and stays in place with no problems and are very stable even during vigorous head movement. Some uses might find tapping on the touch controls to actuate some of the functions drives the earphone further into the ear canal and causes ear discomfort. Incidental contact with the touch controls can cause unintentional volume level changes, playing, pausing, or track skipping. When touch controls are actuated conformation tones are fairly loud and can't be disabled; may be annoying to some users. When earphones pair with android device the android mobile device emits a fairly loud pairing tone; may be annoying to some users.
