It’s extremely frustrating that manufacturers are doing away with the 3.5mm audio jack. Not only is the audio jack completely capable of being functional, but for some of us, the alternatives don’t meet our needs. The vast majority of users don’t want to spend $100+ on earbuds or wireless headphones. For some, wireless earbuds don’t fit right. They’re also another device that we need to make sure are charged up so we can listen to tunes. They also don’t sound as good as wired headphones when taking calls. They’re also easy to lose.
USB-C earbuds, while great in concept, haven’t made it to the mass market from manufacturers from Bose, Sony, Beats, Harmon Kardon, or Anker. The only established brand to be certified by Google is Libratone. While Libratone makes great audio products, like the ONE CLICK portable speaker, they’re not at all what anyone would call cheap. The Libratone USB-C earbuds at the Google Store probably sound decent given Libratone’s expertise but they’re $149 which is well out of most people’s budgets. Most people wouldn’t want to spend $149 on USB-C earbuds mostly because there are no other devices that play audio over the new standard right now.
This is why you’ve come to deTeched as we’ve bought a small selection of budget USB-C headphones from Amazon to test and let you know what works for the Pixel 2 XL. We’re here to write about what’s important to you even if they’re $20 earbuds. I reviewed the Viotek Aqua USB-C earbuds back in November and have been using Smart & Cool USB-C earbuds that cost just $19.99. The biggest question you’ve come here to ask is, “do they work with the Pixel 2?” The short answer is yes, but if you want to know more about them, go ahead and read on.
Smart & Cool USB-C earbuds
- Cost: $19.99 at Amazon.com with free Prime shipping
- Audio over USB-C
- Virtual 3D sound with simulated 5.1 audio
- Touch control to activate 3D sound
- No microphone
- 47″ cable
- Digital audio processing at 96KHz/24Bit
- Earbuds are made from an aluminum alloy
- Frequency Range: 20Hz~20000Hz
Build and Sound
The Smart & Cool USB-C earbuds are every part the $20 you pay for. They’re nothing particularly special, in respect to build quality, but they do seem to hold up well. I’ve been using them for over a month with my Pixel XL 2 and haven’t had a single issue with the build quality. The earbuds are made from an aluminum alloy, while the cable is made from a braided cable that’s covered in flexible plastic. Braided cables are typically easier to manage as they tangle less than non-braided. The USB-C connector is made from hard plastic, similar to what you’d find with Apple’s OEM earbuds that come with the iPhone. At the Y junction where the headphones split into the left and right is where you will find a small dongle that has touch activation for virtual 3D sound. Lastly, included in the box are two additional pairs of soft silicone ear tips that are small and large for those of you with different size ear canals.
When it comes to sound quality the Smart & Cool earbuds are more than satisfactory. They come with a balanced sound signature and sound much better with the right ear tip selection. Bass is adequate without being overabundant, mids are present, and highs are detailed without sounding piercing. In terms of comfort, they’re lightweight which means they won’t drag on your ears due to excess size or weight.
A cool and unique feature that comes with these USB-C earbuds is the virtual 3D sound. 3D sound simulates 5.1 audio which does nothing for music playback, but it does add quite a bit of depth and sound immersion when watching movies. The feature works quite well when watching action movies in particular where the sound comes from all angles. The first thing that came to my mind when I turned on virtual 3D sound was I instantly felt like I was sitting in a movie theater, minus the large screen, popcorn, and reclining seat. These are definitely my go-to headphones when I want to watch TV shows or movies on my Pixel 2 XL, and even on my Galaxy Note 8.
The only feature I wish the Smart & Cool earbuds came with is an in-line microphone. Having an in-line microphone is one of the best features that come with wired headphones, but there’s probably a technical limitation that I don’t understand with USB-C headphones. Regardless, I still don’t have to charge these earbuds to use them and they’re pretty cheap at $20.
Conclusion
If you want cheap USB-C earbuds that work with the Pixel 2, the Smart & Cool USB-C earbuds are a solid option. Don’t expect to get anything spectacular for your $20, but do expect to get a capable set of earbuds that sound solid and also perform great at making you feel like you’re in a movie theater when it comes to 3D sound.
Get the Smart & Cool USB-C earbuds at Amazon.com for $19.99.
Smart & Cool USB-C earbuds
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