- Moto Buds Bass feature unusually large 12.4mm dynamic drivers
- Up to 43 hours from the buds and case, with ANC off
- Priced at just £49.99 (so around $65 or AU$100, where sold)
May the Gods of hi-res audio forgive me for saying this, but as TechRadar’s Audio Editor I can become just a tad desensitized to new earbuds. There’s just so many of the little things around!
So when a spec-sheet passes my desk that makes me stop and say, “Wait, how big did you say the drivers were? Twelve-point-four? You sure?” I will be telling you about them. And that’s before I even get to the rock-bottom pricing…
The set is called the Moto Buds Bass and aside from the really very big 12.4mm should-that-really-be-resting-in-my-outer-ear-canal driver in each ear, you’re also getting a seemingly beefy battery that’ll offer up to nine hours from the buds themselves and up to a whopping 43 hours including the case, although it’s important to note that these figures are quoted with ANC off.
Oh yes, there’s “Dynamic Active Noise Cancellation” too, which Moto claims can nix up to up to 50dB of noise, plus a Transparency mode to keep you connected to the outside world – you may need it for transport announcements, or even (shudders) people talking to you.
Moto Bass Buds: key specs, colorways and pricing
As a contender for the best budget earbuds I’ve seen in a while, Moto’s bid with its new Buds Bass is a strong one. The three colorways (‘Dark Shadow’, ‘Blue Jewel’ or ‘Posy Green’) all look chic and while Moto hasn’t specified the exact Bluetooth codecs supported, to see hi-res audio inclusion mentioned for this money is most irregular.
Anything else to be aware of? A few bits actually: triple mics plus CrystalTalk AI and an anti-wind noise algorithm should help with voice calls when the weather won’t cooperate, but while Moto says the design “water-repellent” you probably shouldn’t wear them in any serious deluges since no IP-rating is mentioned and Moto does confirm that they are “not waterproof”.
Oh, and while Moto recommends using the Moto Buds app to pair, customize controls, personalize noise cancellation settings and more, it looks like you’ll need an Android device running Android 12 and up – so iPhone owners take note.
Their price is a happy surprise even for a company known for its affordable handsets, especially when you consider that the April-issue, open-style Moto Buds Loop (which feature sound tuning from Bose and even Swarovski crystals) are much pricier.
The Moto Buds Bass are available now, for £49.99 in the UK and €59.99 in the rest of Europe. Global availability is unclear, but that would make them around $65 or AU$100.
How good are those hi-res chops – and how gifted is that larger driver for the money? That’s what I’m hoping to find out. But I doubt very much at this price they can expect a Black Friday discount, although if you need those, our early Black Friday deals live blog is the place to go.
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