Beyerdynamic, a company with a long history of audio devices, released its first pair of wireless earbuds this week. This is a big step for the brand, it is better known for its high-end headsets and microphones. Called earbuds Free BYRDA great name for any 70’s rock fan.
The earbuds feature ANC with a built-in transparency mode, Google Fast Pair, IPX4 certification, 11 hours of battery life on a single charge, and an array of different sized tips to fit perfectly in-ear (plus 3 sets of foam tips for more active use). , Low latency mode for gaming, Amazon Alexa-powered personal assistant (no Google Assistant option), as well as a dedicated app for Android and iOS that lets you dive deeper into the sound features of earbuds.
Beyerdynamic was kind enough to send a unit of free BYRD buds a few weeks ago and they have been the buds that have been with me ever since. The sound quality from both my Pixel Buds Series-A and Galaxy Buds 2 earbuds is excellent. The in-ear fit has been great for my ears, especially given how many tip options are provided in the box. And what if I’m going for a long run? Swap out the rubber tips for the foam tips. You won’t find that option out of the box with other earbuds.
There is also a ton of touch control for these buds. Because of this fact I basically had to re-learn how to use wireless earbuds, but once you get used to it it’s not too bad. Designers have chosen to use a mixture of tap and hold to control a ton of different features. In 95% of earbuds, for example, a double tap avoids the track you’re listening to. In Free BYRD, it toggles the ANC / Transparency mode. To skip a song, you have to give it three taps. To reduce the volume, do you tap once and then hold the left bud? To increase the volume, do the same thing, but on the right bud. Unlike Samsung’s Galaxy Buds, users are not able to customize different taps.
Free BYRD earbuds cost 249, on the money for these quality buds. This is a great option if you don’t mind shooting a little more for better sound.