Here at What Gadget, we were recently sent the Moto Edge 50 Neo for review and a pair of the Motorola Moto Buds+, which were released in April 2024. They are available in two colours: Forest Black or Beach Sand, normally sold for £129.99, but currently Available for £105 via Amazon!
First Impressions
Now the stand-out features of these buds are the audio quality certified by Bose and the ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) which is very impressive. However, iOS users do not have app support. It’s strange thinking from Motorola as this cuts off many of the market who do not own a Motorola or new Andriod. They still work on older Android & iOS devices just without the app and features. If you want the app, I suggest using these with a Motorola device such as the Moto Edge 50 Neo. That said, if you have an older Android or iPhone, the audio quality is still fantastic, but you only seem to have the touch controls.
First Impressions of using the Moto Buds + with the Moto Edge 50 Neo allowing you to download the Moto Buds app they boast features such as wireless charging, multipoint connectivity, ANC, Transparency and Adaptive mode (Adaptive mode is only available via the app). Now you can switch between the ANC & Transparency just by touching the earbud for 3 seconds and you will hear it switch. I would have liked a voice in your ears telling you what mode you’re using but you soon get used to it.
The ANC on these buds are outstanding I would say only the Bose QuietComfort Ultra & Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 could stand tall with the Moto Buds Plus. While writing this review, I am sitting in a busy Costa Coffee and have even tested these in the very busy London Liverpool Street Train Station and the ANC just blows you away. It’s very surprising how much ambient noise was cut out using these buds. The Moto Buds + also come with wear detection which seemed to work well any time I removed the buds the music stopped and placed them back in my ears and the music kicked back in. This feature seems to be a standard in mid-range earbuds like these.
The key features of the Moto Buds + include:
- Dual Dynamic Drivers
- 2x 11mm Woofers & 6mm Tweeter
- ANC
- Battery Life – 6 hours (ANC off) or 5 hours (ANC on)
- Bluetooth 5.3
Design
As mentioned earlier in this review the Moto Buds + come in two colours for the UK/AUS markets Forest Grey and Beach Sand. If you are reading this review from the USA, it’s only Forest Grey. In this review, we got sent the Forest Grey which if am honest looks more black than Grey, but I will take their word.
Open the packaging and you are provided with 2 spare pairs of ear tips and a USB-A to USB-C charging cable and user guide all standard.
Also provided is the charging case with the buds inside and the case comes with a matte textured finish. The case has that iconic silver logo you expect with Motorola on the front and the USB-C charging port at the rear. When opening and closing the case the hinge feels nice and reliable, and they also survived the shake test.
Inside the case is a circular button positioned at the front that allows you to put the buds into pairing mode and a small LED indicator that will flash blue when in pairing mode.
Moving to the earbuds themselves they come with silicone ear tips with two spare pairs also provided for small & larger ears and the medium size already on the buds. The buds come with three in-built mics in each bud they are feedforward microphones and feedback microphones that are positioned in the speaker and help with the noise cancellation. With the talk microphones located within the base of each bud. The Moto Buds + also come with touch controls that sit at the top of the outside of each earbud post and in testing were responsive most of the time with the odd moment but you do need to tap them.
Overall, the earbuds are lightweight at only 4.2g per bud and the charging case weighs 43g and is pebble-shaped so it will fit into your jean pocket with ease. I found wearing these buds for long periods to be a comfortable experience and did not need to charge ear tips from the medium pair that provided a good fit. The Moto Buds + are also nice and durable even if I was a little concerned at first that I might scratch the case right away.
Now Motorola does try to confuse you when it comes to the IP rating of these buds by just saying they are “Water-Repellent Design” Dig a little deeper and you will discover the buds come with an IP54 rating and the case gets an IPX4 rating. This means using these when having a hard workout or even being caught in the rain they will perform just as expected.
Battery Life
Motorola advertised the Moto Buds + will offer 8 hours of continuous playtime with ANC off and this seems fairly accurate. When you switch ANC on this decreases to 5 hours which is hardly a dealbreaker as the charging case provides an additional 38 hours of battery life (This is when the volume is at 50%). The charging case also comes with fast charging technology that after a 10-minute charge generates you three hours of playtime. The Moto Buds + can also be charged wirelessly via any QI-compatible charging device such as the Groov-e Triton 3-in-1 charger.
Features
There is a lot to like about these buds but let’s start with the elephant in the room the Moto Buds app only seems to be available if you own a Motorola/Android and are not available for iOS users. It’s also worth knowing that the app is also unavailable if you have an older Android device.
When using the Moto Buds + with the Moto Edge 50 Neo the app’s appearance looks good and comes with everything you expect such as the battery level, which allows you to switch mode from ANC to Adaptive mode.
You will also see three sections sound, gestures & more with options for dual connection allowing you to connect to a second device and also an option to create a widget on your home screen like below.
Now if you are using a Motorola device and have the Moto Buds app you get a little pop-up on your phone with the battery life and features like ANC mode for when tapping your buds isn’t quite convenient as seen above.
Jumping back a step when you click on the sound there is an option to switch on spatial audio or select stereo audio such as smart audio, music, film, game, podcast & a custom setting. Also within the sound section are Hi-res mode and gaming mode. Click on the gesture section and this allows you to see what action does which command and also how to change them for both the left & right bud.
The app also allows you to change the gestures of each earbud. However, Motorola has provided the following default:
- Play/Pause- Double Tap
- Skip Track – Tripple tap of the Right Bud
- Go Back a Track – Tripple Tap on the Left Bud
- Switch between ANC/Transparency Mode- Tap & Hold for 3 seconds to switch modes.
The app will also allow you to change the gesture to control volume or activate your phone’s voice assistant. The app also offers you 4 EQ presets allowing you to adjust your listening experience they are:
- Brilliant Treble
- Bass Boost
- Vocal Boost
- Flat
Last but not least under the more section is the option for in-ear detection, Firmware update, Fit Test and Find My Earbuds feature which plays a tune out of the earbuds that helps you locate them if misplaced at home or in the office. The fit test is designed to give the user excellent audio quality & noise control by ensuring you’re wearing your buds correctly. When you have the buds in your ears a tune is played to determine if either bud needs adjusting. This worked well as it recommended as it told me I was wearing them correctly.
In terms of connectivity, you are provided with Bluetooth 5.3 which is the most up-to-date offering available currently and depending on the device you pair these up with you also have LHDC lossless audio streaming alongside AAC & SBC codec. Other features include Google Fast Pair which means the buds connect to any Android device instantly after the first setup.
Finally, the Moto Buds + comes with in-ear detection by default and it works well I found it when I removed the bud it paused instantly, and this was the same when the buds were placed in. However, when using these buds with my iPhone the in-ear detection did seem to be a bit more hit-and-miss.
Active Noise Cancellation
The star of the show apart from the sound quality which we will get to is the ANC/Transparency mode, and I have to say I was very impressed!
You can adjust the level of the noise cancellation using the app or simply hold your finger on the touch area of the buds for three seconds and this will cycle between ANC & Transparency, but I would like a voice command to tell me which mode am using. Something to consider is adaptive mode is only available via the app.
Now the adaptive mode worked well but I found I generally stuck with the ANC mode all the time as this offered the best level of noise cancellation. I also tried out the transparency mode which did allow me to hear the environment, but I felt it was over-amplified with a strange hissing that could be heard in the background which was a little annoying.
Now throughout our testing, using the ANC when commuting into London via train I found it cut out most of the unwanted train conversations others were having around me. I was very surprised when I took a bud out just how effective these are. I also used these in my local Costa coffee, and it was like someone pressed mute to everyone around me allowing me to just enjoy the selection of John Williams classics I was listening to.
Now the Moto Buds+ have a triple microphone system and Environmental noise cancellation to aid the various noise control features. The talk microphone proved reliable during testing allowing my voice to sound crisp and clear on calls.
Audio Quality
The Moto Buds+ come with that Sound by Bose certification so it’s safe to say these are going to sound epic. They are powered by dual dynamic drivers made up of 11mm woofers and 6mm tweeters. This delivers a fantastic audio experience that is perfect for music, watching a film and listening to a podcast. There is a good balance between the lows, mids and highs something a little unusual with other buds in this price range.
Bass fans will fall in love with these buds the low tones are present and powerful without affecting the mids. There is a great separation even in the bassiest of tracks which is a big tick, especially with the Bass Booster EQ switched on. Listen to something like Alice Merton- No Roots and the buds showcase just how well they can handle different levels with a clear, defined bassline and clear vocals without sounding muddy.
We recently went to a Hans Zimmer vs John Williams show so I tested out Hans Zimmer’s Time from that crazy film Inception. The Moto Buds + takes this track to new highs. They delivered a wide soundstage that immersed me into the track with bright highs and plenty of detail in the orchestral music. If you have a phone with LHDC support and access to a High-Def streaming platform such as Tidal you will not want to put these buds down.
When it came to volume level, I found that to be generous when listening at 50% I could easily hear the music when working in a busy coffee shop and even when I decided to listen to a podcast at 25% volume I did not miss anything.
Verdict
The Moto Buds + received our Recommended Award and here is why.
That partnership with Bose offers fantastic sound quality and satisfying noise cancellation. They would have gained our Editor’s Choice award had it not been for that lack of app support for iOS users and the fact some older Android devices like my father in law Samsung S9 did not work with the app i think Motorola should fix this.
That said we paired these up with the Moto Edge 50 Neo and when you consider the price of just £105 normally £129. You seem to be getting a bargain here with the ANC, Bose-certified sound quality, Google Fast Pair, Fast Charging and Wireless charging. Motorola has packed in a lot here! I was also happy to see these buds can handle a hard workout in the gym or even being caught in the rain thanks to the IP54 rating and even the case gets an IPX4 rating.
Overall, The Moto Buds + offers fantastic audio quality with that partnership with Bose and this very cheap price tag is a massive bonus! When it comes to the ANC these do such a fantastic job of removing any unwanted sound and leaving you with your music. It’s just a shame Transparency mode needs a little improvement, especially getting rid of that hissing sound.
These buds are not without their faults such as the fact the Moto Buds app is unavailable on iOS and even some older Android devices. I also found the touch controls are not the most responsive you needed to give them a strong tap and sometimes that did not even do the job.
Like I say they were so close to that What Gadget Editor’s Choice award, but the limitations push these down a step, so they are a solid choice for our What Gadget Recommended Award! At £105 if you have a Moto device or a compatible Android you won’t be disappointed!
Product Rating
Design: 4.0 out of 5.0 stars
Battery: 4.0 out of 5.0 stars
Features: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars
Active Noise Cancellation: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars
Audio Quality: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars
Value For Money: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars
Overall ranking: 4.6 out of 5.0 stars – 4.6 stars
The Moto Buds + are available via Amazon for £106
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