After an unfortunate incident on a plane recently that I’d rather not dredge up, I found myself in need of a new pair of earbuds. Unwilling to open my wallet more than a centimetre, I opted for a $100 pair that seemingly ticked my boxes. Happy with my frugal purchase, I had clearly forgotten in record time how much of a difference in audio a pricing tier could make. Having spent the last few weeks using the new Google Pixel Buds 2a as my daily driver, I’m fully back on board with the idea of shelling out a bit more for quality audio and useful features, but not as much as you might think.
As with the previous generation, the A-Series earbuds continue to be Google’s budget offering within its audio gear line-up, stripping some of the premium features from the Pro versions in favour of a more plateable asking price. The same can technically be said for the 2as, coming in at $239 compared to the Pro 2’s $379, but this iteration is far more compelling, with the lower price carrying far fewer concessions.
Offered in Hazel and Iris (dark grey and light purple), the shape of these buds now matches that of the rounded Pro version, complete with the twist-to-adjust bump that locks the small and lightweight buds into your ear. While it took me a bit to perfect the twisting motion, I eventually got the hang of it and have found this form factor to be both comfortable and secure, the latter point being important to me following my in-air fiasco.
The twist is tricky to get used to, but great once you master it
The firm fit also helps to block out external noise pollution, although you won’t have to worry too much about that thanks to Silent Seal 1.5. While not quite as potent as its bigger brother’s 2.0 equivalent, the inclusion of Active Noise Cancellation this good is a huge win for the price point. I’ve worn these in high winds (thanks, Tassie), at the gym, and on a plane, and the ANC does a fantastic job at taking the sting out of the noise around you. With a tap on one side, these bad boys switch into a frankly magical transparency mode that uses the built-in mics to give you the option to have a perfectly normal conversation without removing your buds.
So, with the irritating noise of passersby largely eliminated, how good does what you’re actively listening to sound? Well, much like the Pixel Buds Pro 2, the audio profile is pretty damn great. Using the same clean and easy-to-use app, you can tinker with the EQ settings to find your ideal spot, but no matter how much effort you put in, these little beauties pump out a nice, well-rounded audio experience. The bass is punchy, which I appreciate for bands like JVB, while the mids and high ends are taken care of well, letting me transition straight into Ocean Alley.
For those who appreciate convenience, the 2a buds offer full compatibility with Gemini and utilise voice controls for calls, with the mics offering a pretty decent quality conversation for the person on the other end as well. Swiping to control volume and handy conversation detection features are absent at this lower price, but I can’t say I missed their inclusions a great deal, especially when you look at the features that did translate across.
The case is a sleek little unit
Speaking of which, we should talk about the other subtractions made from the Pro 2 model. Battery life has taken a slight hit; however, the ten hours of listening without ANC, or seven with, is hard to be disappointed by. Similarly, the case offers 27 hours without ANC and 20 with it enabled, which is admittedly a sizeable step down from the Pro 2’s 48 hours and 30 hours respectively. That said, I’ve not exactly been reaching for my USB-C cable all that often, and I would need that cable too, as this tier also forgoes wireless charging.
Final Thoughts
When you think of a budget option, you rightfully assume that the product will be a shell of the more premium offering higher up the catalogue. Google has decided to break tradition with the Pixel Buds 2a by intelligently compromising in a few key areas to bring consumers an otherwise like-for-like experience with their flagship audio gear. I’d wager that these “budget” earbuds are so good, in fact, that you’d be hard pressed to find someone who would gladly reach for the Pro option over them.
Review unit supplied by the manufacturer
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