Table of Contents
when aligning lifestyle to the practical use of technology, Samsung launches earbuds Galaxy buds live. Along with the active noise cancellation system, the Buds leave aside the characteristics of an in-ear device bringing minimal compression to the listener, which results in a feeling of freedom – in addition, of course, to the beautiful design. In the last few weeks we were able to test it and we tell you everything here in this review.
Galaxy Buds Live highlights
The name “Live” indicates the impression of freedom carried by the headphones, which have double openings for air passage. Each device has 12mm drivers with quality seal AKG, one of the leaders and pioneers in premium headphones. Speaking of which, there is the function of active noise cancellation to eliminate low frequency sounds from outside, which in theory isolates the audio and delivers a better listening experience.
In addition to these technologies, one of the details is the existence of IPX2, that is, it resists water splashes (by comparison, the competitor AirPods Pro is IPX4) and can survive the sweat of hiking, for example. Another impressive feature is the design: just “fit” it inside the ear and turn it up, as the ergonomic shape holds the Buds Live in the contour of the cartilage of the listener.
Even the design guarantees a strong point for functionality and also for the look, which intrigues skeptics in style headphones. earbuds for portability and lightness. Even the charging box has received special attention and is elegantly finished, regardless of the color chosen.
audio performance
the fitting of Galaxy buds live varies from person to person, but everything went well in our tests. You know they're in the right place when you shake your head from side to side (even violently, to drummers or heavy metal fans) and notice that the headphones don't fall off that easily. The spin after placing them is the secret to everything. The connection range is high until it has problems (more than 10 steps away) and the response time is almost zero, so you can play games on mobile without any problems.
For music control, it recognizes, on both earphones, a touch area that seems to encompass the entire “front” of it — the part that shows up after being placed in the ear. It takes a while for the custom on the part of the touch while you try to figure out the right placement. By default you can pause and rewind, as usual on headphones of the type, and activate noise cancellation when holding. Essential tip: learn the snaps before playing any song, as adjusting them with touch can often pause the music.
A single criticism of this system is that the volume control could be better, like a “swipe” — after all, the touch-sensitive surface is wide. Through the app itself, you can configure which side will increase when pressed and which will decrease the volume, but nothing would be more intuitive than a slight gesture to the sides.
In terms of sound quality, they are very good. I noticed that he performs better with smaller scale songs, like the quieter ones with vocals and guitar. With volume in the range of 70%-80% the quality in many genres is maintained, even with hard rock solos from the 80's and upbeat electronics from last year. Because the headphones are more full-bodied, they give the impression that they should be at least a little better in the bass, even because they are very well fitted to the ear, but they are a little disappointing in that regard.
The sound performance, therefore, will be a matter of consumer profile. Those who want the Galaxy Buds Live most may opt for the style and may have an eclectic musical taste, without demanding as much power or heavy guitar distortions. At this point, lifestyle, design, and musical taste are all aligned — if you think about who these headphones were made for.
Microphone and Galaxy Wearable app
With audio recordings, I noticed that the volume and quality of the voice is very similar to the pair of headphones (wired) that comes with the basic and intermediate Galaxy line. A plus point is isolating your voice from sounds like typing on the keyboard or wind in a nearby window, even if your speech sounds more compressed. In voice calls via apps, however, I didn't hear complaints (or praise) about the audio quality being different from what colleagues are used to. In a way, I claim that this is an approval, even more so if we think that they are far from the mouth.
Essential for anyone using Buds, the app Galaxy Wearable (for Samsung gadgets) allows certain tweaks that improve the experience. With it, we can choose between 6 predefined profiles, activate an alarm sound in case you have missed one bud, check battery status and change ring response, for example. I recommend turning on the “More Bass” setting on the equalizer for a richer sound, as it worked well with many genres of music.
I just missed the customizable equalizer, an addition that would be interesting for customization. On Android you can even add widgets quick control (with noise canceling and ring blocking functions) and battery information, both for the case and for each device.
Active noise cancellation
We already explained it here how noise cancellation works, but to sum it up in this review: the headphones have built-in microphones that detect unwanted noise and reproduce an “opposite” frequency to what is heard, actively canceling outside sound. As reaffirmed by Samsung, cancellation in theory works best in metropolises with constant background noise, where the headphone system can recognize and help eliminate sounds. This was even an important point reaffirmed in the commercial.
Na official store we see the most detailed information by the brand: “Galaxy Buds Live's Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) has received UL Verification certification for reducing background noise by up to 97% in low frequency bands“. That is, it can eliminate vibrations and low, more serious sounds, but it will not filter or recognize strident noises or side conversations. And really, those who have a little more trained ears can notice a difference when turning on the function without playing music (either by touching it or via app control).
It is a pity that in most cases there is no cancellation. If even in small environments with a single constant, low-frequency noise, Galaxy Buds Live couldn't work well, I don't think that in the open air of any big city this technology makes any difference. Even when the only noise in the room came from a purposeful noise, the cancellation didn't work. I played some pop music (volume at 50%) being 2 meters away from the computer cooler and I could still hear it. So did the vibration of the fridge, more than 3 meters away, with the same music and volume.
Cars passing tens of meters and distant engine vibrations are examples of cases where the technology works, but in tests they were the only noticeable scenarios (only if you make the effort to notice). In everyday life in a big city full of nearby noises, the only solution is to turn the volume up to the top, like any headphone. Worse still, if you turn on cancellation the battery is drained significantly. From average usage time, it can suck 80 minutes from a single charge (for something that rarely works).
According to the design of the part with the air outlets, the openings cause leakage of the music played. So someone who is “an arm outstretched” away will hear any sound above 50% volume. You can interpret the noise cancellation on the positive side, because all the design and hardware is intended to give the ear freedom, the feeling of lightness that doesn't isolate you from the outside world. If you live at home and need to be aware, for example, of someone calling or ringing, this is excellent.
Battery
The battery life estimate printed on the packaging is real: the “6-21 hours” of runtime translates to 6 hours with cancel on and 8 hours off, plus at least two more full loads with the box. Without their battery draining, I managed to get up to three charges. If you prefer, one "bud" can charge while you use the other, even though in five minutes of fast charging you get battery for almost an hour of use.
The case charges wirelessly (wireless charging dock or behind compatible cell phones) or via a USB-C cable, plugged into a computer or with a power adapter (not included, but either will work). By having magnetic contacts, just put on the headphones and the adjustment to the right place happens effortlessly. The indicator light is a perfect touch for full charge and remaining battery indication.
Comfort and practicality
Brushed above in the section of audio performance, the strongest point of the Galaxy Buds Live is the comfort. It doesn't need to be "tucked" in the ear like in-ears, just leaning against it, without obstructing the air passage. Even so, the ergonomic design and free-earing feel is comfortable for those who intend to wear headphones daily for a variety of occasions. Even in bed, right before bed, they bring comfort. If you are the person who listens to podcasts, music or watches series to relax while lying down, Buds Live can be very convenient.
They are comfortably positioned in the ear in a discreet way, but it is worth remembering that the “mold” of each ear may vary. The Galaxy Buds Live dock, in particular, appeared to be at a lower angle than the manufacturer's example images — it is suggested that they are at a 45-degree angle. It's really a matter of trial and error, not least because a user's ears can be slightly asymmetrical, to the point where the left ear has a different fit than the right. The kit includes a kind of rubberized adapter, but for my use I didn't find it necessary.
I also had no problems pairing it up, which touches on the issue of practicality. The Samsung cell phone with the app helps to make things a little easier, but even on the notebook I was able to find them without problem. The configuration of this can be done with the Galaxy Wearable (“pair new device”). It is also practical to have direct charging in the portable box, as well as connection to a smartphone just by opening it.
Value for money and completion
O Samsung Galaxy Buds Live started being sold in the US for 170 dollars, arriving here for just over a thousand reais. We cannot deny that headphones and headsets with superior hardware can be purchased at half the price (including several models from AKG itself), however, the versatility of these must be taken into account. earbuds.
For “fixing” a criticism we raised when talking about the Galaxy Buds + at the beginning of the year, the Galaxy buds live innovates by offering noise cancellation at a price R$200 more expensive (compared to the current value of Plus). The predecessor may give the impression of isolating the outside world better by its in-ear fit, but that comes with the feeling of compression and little airflow.
For the points it sets out to deliver, Buds Live fills in the gaps in connectivity, portability, sound quality and battery life. It only disappoints in active noise cancellation, which is almost impossible as it clashes with the main open sound and “free ears” proposal. Therefore, we can summarize it in comfort and design – it conquers more for its look and practicality than for the performance itself.
Like The sero (vertical TV), the Galaxy buds live is another example that Samsung manages very well to align quality with lifestyle of users. Available in three colors (black, white and bronze), it can be found at the suggested price of R$1.169,10 in sight on Showmetech store at Magazine Luiza.
Technical specs — Galaxy Buds Live
| Model | Samsung Galaxy Buds Live |
| Dimensions (W x H x D) (mm) | Earbud: 16.5 x 27.3 x 14.9mm Case: 50.0 x 50.2 x 27.8mm |
| Colors | Mystic bronze Mystic White Mystic black |
| Battery | 6 hours of talk time 21h on hold |
| Standard | Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, touch |
| Resources | Active noise cancellation Bixby |
| Compatibility | Android 5.0 or higher iPhone 7 or higher, with iOS 10 or higher |
| Price | R$1.169 |
Discover more about Showmetech
Sign up to receive our latest news via email.
