Samsung Galaxy Buds 2

amazon Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 reviews

Although I am an audiophile and like Samsung products, the Korean technology company’s newly released headphones are not convincing enough for me.

The Buds Live pair experimented with a new design to make a difference, but with it came quite a few disadvantages, the most notable of which is the ability to soundproof and sound quality is quite poor. Galaxy Buds Pro has a high level of perfection, the features are complete, but I have not been satisfied with the comfort level.

That’s why when the company announced its latest True Wireless product, the Galaxy Buds 2 pair at Unpacked 2021, I wasn’t excited. Along with that, this pair of headphones is also “buried” by many flashier products such as Samsung Watch 4, Samsung Galaxy Fold 3, or Samsung Galaxy Flip 3. Contrary to the initial lack of excitement, I gradually felt like this pair of headphones after a period of experience. It’s not that it’s the best in every way, but because it’s comprehensive enough to be a product that can last longer.

The first thing that I see people complaining about the design of the Buds 2 is the charging case. It is finished in glossy plastic and always has a white exterior in all versions so that long-term use can get dirty. In return, the box is solidly finished and feels heavy in hand compared to its size.

With its small size, Buds 2 offers up to 5 hours of continuous use and increases to 20 hours when used in combination with the charging case. At present, this is just a “good” usage time when many pairs of headphones reach the threshold of 40 – 50 hours; in return, those pairs of headphones are much larger than Buds 2.

The outside is white, but the inside of the box will be the same color as the headset. The version I received is moss green, which is the best if not the two basic colors are black and white – there is a bit of color not to be boring, but light and less ostentatious color.

Like its other True Wireless headphones, Buds 2 still support wireless charging; in addition to increasing convenience when charging at home, it can also “borrow” energy from smartphones through the Powershare feature.

The Buds 2 has more similarities with the Buds Pro pair than the first version, with a teardrop-shaped exterior, small size. The point to note is that Buds 2 is only IPX2 waterproof, which is equal to Buds Live and much lower than Buds Pro’s IPX7. So we can bring the headset to exercise but will have to avoid pouring water directly or bringing Buds 2 into the water.

The biggest difference between Buds 2 and its predecessors is in fit & comfort. As a pair of In-ear headphones, Buds 2 has a sound tube that goes deep into the listener’s ear, not outside like Buds Live, passively blocking outside noise much better, in addition to protecting full sound quality to the listener’s ears.

Compared to Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro, Buds 2 does not have “edges” that are completely flattened, so it is not inserted into the folds inside the ear. This pair of headphones almost fits inside the wearer’s ear with a slimmer design without much excess. I was even able to wear this pair of headphones lying on the bed, a rarity for True Wireless headphones because they often have to be larger than wired headphones.

Wearing quality is the biggest advantage of Buds 2 when compared to Samsung Galaxy Buds Live and Buds Pro, even quite a few completely different pairs of wireless headphones I’ve tried. It feels “disappearing” after being worn on the ear, really comfortable!

Complete software supports another strong point of Buds 2, or more broadly, the pairs of headphones of major brands. In the latest version of Wearable software for Buds 2, Samsung organizes the headset’s features into small tabs, making the main interface cleaner, including only battery status, ANC controls, and four more lines.

The headset’s features, in general, have not changed too much compared to previous products because perhaps the technologies that the company can “add” into the headset have probably also reached the top. What I find the best is being able to add a small widget to the home screen, from which to control active noise cancellation quickly, turn on listening to the environment (Ambient Sound) to “release” a few gestures on the ear adjust the volume or call the virtual assistant. The ability to adjust the volume, active noise cancellation for each ear for the hearing impaired is also quite good!

The company can do better is to give users more options to adjust EQ and active noise cancellation more accurately. Currently, EQ only has preset presets but cannot adjust each tonal range; or ANC can only turn off / on and switch to Ambient Sound but cannot choose the intensity like products from Sony.

So is the active noise canceling quality of the Galaxy Buds 2 good? First, because it can be worn tightly to the ear canal, the natural noise immunity of this pair of headphones is already quite good; in many cases, we do not need to use ANC anymore. When using ANC, it seems that Samsung wants to strike a balance between canceling outside noise and comfort.

Compared to products like the Sony WF1000X or Apple AirPods Pro, the Buds 2 still let in some external sound, not removing it completely. In contrast, when the music is off, there is no pressure on the ears – something that those unfamiliar with ANC but immediately wear a pair of headphones with stronger active noise cancellation will feel.

I like this approach of Buds 2. It also blocks out a part of the outside noise when the music is turned on. But for those who often have to work with headphones in noisy conditions (on construction sites, airplanes, etc.).

In terms of sound reproduction, the Galaxy Buds 2 follows the general sound direction that Samsung has set for all of its True Wireless ears: thick, with the bass and highs, pushed up slightly (V-shape) very popular nowadays. The good thing about this pair of headphones is that it still retains a certain naturalness to mix a variety of music, along with providing a soundstage that is wide enough so that everything doesn’t “squeeze.”

The first range you will hear with the Buds 2 is the bass range when thickened and quite rich. The drum sounds in this song by Kungs have a slow melting speed, so every time they emerge, they will vibrate in the background, creating boldness for the entire song. As mentioned, Buds 2 has a spacious enough music space for its sound ranges, so even though it has a thick bass, it captures the listener’s attention but never “swallows” the rest of the sound.

Not surprisingly, there is V-shape sound quality, so the middle part will be thinner and fall back. That makes the voice of singer Lorde in the song Solar Power “sink” less prominent when many instruments emerge. The advantage of the mid-range lies in its naturalness; the singer’s voice is not too dark or too bright to create an electronic feeling and avoid the harsh sibilance. For those who want to make this part stand out, you can try the “Clear” EQ in the Wearable app.

The high sound is similar to the bass, slightly pushed up compared to the common ground. Compared to other V-shape headphones, the Buds 2 do not make the highs too bright, perhaps to keep the comfort and ease of listening that Samsung aims. It still fulfills the task of helping the Buds 2’s sound quality not be too thick and only bass.

Through experiencing Samsung’s earphones from time to time, the only product that I can confidently recommend to friends and family is wired headphones for Galaxy S and Note smartphones. Its True Wireless products like Buds Pro or Buds Live all have “fatal” weaknesses in terms of comfort or noise resistance, so even though there are many other great features, it is not for everyone.

The Galaxy Buds 2 will become the 2nd pair of headphones I can confidently recommend to anyone. There are still small disadvantages, such as the charging box is always white in any version. The glossy finish headphones can be dirty or waterproof, only stopping at IPX2; With the advantage of high comfort and sound quality that can satisfy the majority, Buds 2 shows that they are a pair of headphones with a higher “daily driver” nature than their two seniors.

where can you get a Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 online

SAMSUNG Galaxy Buds 2 True Wireless Earbuds Noise Cancelling Ambient Sound Bluetooth Lightweight Comfort Fit Touch Control US Version, Black Graphite: Buy it now