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Super early impressions on the Pixel Buds A

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I’ve been using the Pixel Buds A for about 24hrs and I have some thoughts. I will upfront say that I do like them but miss some features that are available in the more premium Pixel Buds from 2020. It's very early with me using the Buds A so I will be holding off on any future plans after I use them for a while.


Things I noticed


Sound - sound is good but is not as good as the OG Pixel Buds. Bass is just okay and does not hit as hard or deep as the current offering. The buds A are tuned differently and lean more on the highs and mids. The Buds A seem to work better for podcasts than music. Hopefully with me breaking them in will help with improving the sound.


Mic - mic quality is solid and I can not tell a discernible difference between the Buds A and the Pixel Buds. My voice comes through nice and loud and just sounds natural. Google is underrated when it comes to mic quality when compared to other brands.


Connectivity - Google made some changes and now Bluetooth streams into both earbuds independently with the Buds A. The OG Pixel Buds routes the signal from earbud to earbud which did have some issues early on. The Buds A seem to have a better connection overall. Switching is faster on the Buds A and there is no hissing noise. 


Charging Case - the case is smaller and lighter than the Pixel Buds. You get most of the benefits when compared to the more premium sibling. The case has fast charging for the earbuds and a USB C connector. There is no wireless charging but that's not a dealbreaker. Especially at this price point.


Earbuds - the earbuds themselves are noticeably lighter and are pretty comfortable to wear. I'm able to get in those really long podcast listening sessions without my ear getting sore. The earbuds are slightly larger but are still flush to the ear which is a design win. Speaking of design, they look identical to the Pixel Buds and I am glad they are keeping with this style.


Things I miss from my beloved Pixel Buds


There are two things I miss so far. I use the swipe gestures for volume much more than I thought and really miss that feature, already. Since I’m unable to change the volume from the earbud I tend to keep my phone closer to me or I use my watch to adjust the volume. It's not what I'm used to but I am sure I can adapt over time.


The other thing I miss is the sound but for music specifically. The Pixel Buds sound more premium for some reason even though they have the same speaker driver. It's surprising how different the sound is when it comes to music. Louder, the bass is deeper and the sound is more detailed. The Buds A and the Pixel Buds have a similar richness to the sound, however, the Pixel Buds just sound better and fuller. I’m hoping as I use the Buds A that the sound gets better. It's not bad by any means, just not what I’m used to musically. 
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