Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 review

Design of Galaxy Buds 2

The appearance of the Galaxy Buds 2 has changed from the past and now it is a bit more elongated and a little lighter and is available in a variety of colors. The pea-shaped earbuds, which support Bluetooth 5.2, each weighing about 5 grams, are Samsung’s lightest headphones, and aside from the old two-tone design, they are now available in four colors: white, dark gray, olive, and lilac.

Undoubtedly, the appearance of the Galaxy Buds 2 does not suit the tastes of all users, but regardless of the aesthetic aspects, the Samsung headphones are designed to fit the ear in the best possible way, and it is undoubtedly one of the most comfortable Togoshi headphones on the market. In addition, the headphone box has silicone heads in three different sizes to fit different ear shapes. Also, since the airbags are not protruding outwards, the risk of falling out of the ear is very low and you can even fall asleep with them! In fact, the lightness and comfort of these headphones is such that you can enjoy your favorite music for hours without the slightest annoyance. However, it should also be noted that the Galaxy Buds 2 is not suitable for those people who are bothered by the silicone head and prefer the airbags to have the least contact with their ears.

Below the plastic surface of each airbag is a Twitter speaker for producing and executing high-frequency audio, a woofer speaker to cover low-frequency processing, and three microphones to eliminate ambient noise and enhance call quality. In the Galaxy Buds 2, there is no windshield technology to eliminate the sound of the wind, especially when making calls; But Samsung has used artificial intelligence to increase sound clarity, and because the airbags are not protruding, they have less contact with the wind.

The Galaxy Buds 2 charger case is very light and compact and comes in the same size as the Buds Pro case (50x50x28mm) and similar to the Pro model, it can be charged wirelessly (Qi) or with the USB-C cable in the box. From the outside, the case is white, but the inside is the same color as the headphones, which makes it more attractive than competitors’ charger cases, including the Apple AirPod. The design of the case is also very minimal and only one LED from the outside of the case charges and the inside LED shows the charge of the airbags. The case also grips well due to its magnetic properties, and if it falls to the ground, there is no need to worry about the airbags being thrown out.

The Galaxy Buds 2 has a very good build quality, reminiscent of the Pro and Live models, and it can probably withstand a bit of impact and fall; Unfortunately, it comes with the IPX2 standard and has very little resistance to water and transpiration. According to Samsung, the Galaxy Buds 2 should not be exposed to excessive sweating or direct rain, in which case, they should be dried immediately.

• Samsung phone buying guide

Galaxy Buds 2 control and software

Pairing the Galaxy Buds 2 with an Android phone is easy; Just place the charger case next to the phone, open the case and wait for a second or two for a message to appear on the phone. Of course, headphones can also be paired manually with the phone. To do this, open the Wearable mobile app and select the Add new device option from the hamburger menu on the left.

The outer surface of the Galaxy Buds 2 is equipped with a touch sensor and is ready to respond to your touch commands. The headphone touch control is so sensitive that it may even respond to accidental shocks. On the other hand, the small surface of the airbags may make it difficult to hit the touch area and leave some user commands unanswered. Of course, commands that are properly transmitted to the airbags are accompanied by a beep that tells the user that the command has been received. Overall, the Galaxy Buds 2’s touch control is not as flawless as expected, and the power detection sensor used in Apple’s AirPods 3 offers a far more satisfying experience for touch commands.

Samsung has defined four commands for the Airbuds 2 touch control that are very easy to remember:

• One hit: mute and play music
• Two beats: Play the next song
• Three beats: Play the previous song
• 2-second touch: Turn on / off the ANC and ambient sound option (which is disabled by default and is activated from the touch control section of the application)

If the high sensitivity of Samsung headphones in receiving touch commands bothers you and the occasional random beats interrupt the playing song, fortunately this option is given to you to completely disable the touch controls in the Wearable app and from the phone options to control the headphones. use.

By default, there is no command to control the volume of the headphones or activate the voice assistant, but you can enable these two commands in the Labs section of the mobile application. After activating the volume control option, you can increase or decrease the volume by double-tapping the corners of the airbag, but other commands do not work as well, and you may prefer to skip it. Voice Assistant is also unfortunately Bixby who asks you so many questions to perform a simple command that you ultimately prefer to ignore what you want.

If we ignore the vacancy of the popular and very useful Google Assistant voice assistant, the Wearable mobile app is one of the few advantages of Samsung headphones over competitors. In this application, there are various options for personalization and increasing control over headphones, including: ‌

• Turn off / on the option to remove ambient noise and amplify ambient noise
• Change the intensity of the ability to amplify ambient sound from low to high
• Enable/disable touch control
• Testing of silicone heads to determine the appropriate size of the user’s ear
• Equalizer settings: Normal, Bass boost, Soft, Dynamic, Volume boost, and Treble boost (unfortunately EQ customization is not possible)
• Enable integrated airbag connection for switching between different operating systems without having to disconnect from one device
• Enable gaming mode to reduce audio transmission delays when playing mobile games or video streaming (this option is only available for Samsung phones) ‌
• Enable notifications by Bixby
• Locating one of the missing airbags
• View the charge percentage of airbags and charger cases
• Buds Software Update 2

As can be seen from the list above, the Wearable app gives the user more choice, making Samsung headphones a popular choice for those who are not happy with Apple’s inflexible control over the AirPod. However, the app is not available for iOS users, and fans of the Apple ecosystem will remain within the limits of the very luxurious brand, even with the purchase of Samsung headphones.

Special features of Galaxy Buds 2

Galaxy Buds 2 has special features such as ANC, Ambient Sound amplifier, proximity sensor, and support for Samsung and AAC proprietary codecs, some of which we will explain below.

ANC capability

One of the attractive features of the Galaxy Buds 2, which makes it an ideal choice in the range of mid-range headphones for Android users, is the “remove active environment sound” feature known as ANC, which increases the quality of incoming sound and also allows the user with volume. Listen to music quietly in relatively crowded environments.

Really wireless headphones usually do not have enough space to accommodate the powerful ANC system found in large earphone headphones due to the very small design space; As a result, the level of performance expected from the system on headphones like the Buds 2 is not that high. However, despite this limitation, Samsung has managed to offer one of the best ANC experiences with the Buds 2.

However, in order to make the most of this feature, the airbags need to be perfectly matched to the shape of your ear to prevent sound leakage; Therefore, Samsung has decided to offer silicone series in different sizes in order to increase the performance of ANC capability.

According to Samsung, the ANC Winds 2 can eliminate up to 98% of ambient noise, which is 99% for the Pro model. In my personal experience, activating the ANC added more depth to the song and slightly reduced the “sharpness” of the high-frequency sounds. This feature does not completely eliminate outside noise even in very crowded and noisy environments; But considering the price tag of these headphones, the performance was satisfactory.

Ambient Sound Amplification Mode

In addition to eliminating ambient noise, the Galaxy Buds 2 can increase the ambient sound with the help of an ambient sound amplification mode called Ambient Sound to better reach the user. In other words, this feature is the opposite of ANC and is used in situations where the user needs to be aware of what is happening around him while listening to music. For example, if you are cycling on the street or you need to hear the sound of train stations in the subway, but you do not want to stop listening to your favorite song, you can activate the Ambient Sound feature.

Unlike ANC, Ambient Sound can be increased or decreased. If you take this feature to the highest level, you will feel like your headphones have been turned into a pair of hearing aids or you are sitting in a hallway where strange and perhaps little robotic sounds are heard. In general, this feature is much better at amplifying ambient sound than amplifying people’s voices, and you can hear, for example, the rustling of paper, the stretching of a chair on the floor, or the opening of a pack of chips at relatively high distances with great clarity, as if your hearing The level of a vampire has been raised! However, in my personal experience, if music is playing, even at a low volume, it is difficult to recognize people talking unless they are shouting.

Unfortunately, there is no news about the Buds Pro voice recognition feature in Budz 2, which activates the Ambient Sound feature as soon as the user hears the voice, and to activate it, you have to use the touch command or through the application.

Airbag series size test

Since ANC capability and low-frequency coverage require the airbags to be fastened to the ear, in addition to placing the silicone series in three different sizes in the box, Samsung also offers the option of testing the airbag series in the mobile application so that the user can use it best. Find the size of the series to fit the shape of your ear. The Earbud fit test option, which is available in the Airbus settings section of the app, has the same function as the Apple AirPod Pro test, and in less than 5 seconds, by playing several different tones, determines whether the selected series is suitable for the user’s ear or not.

Proximity sensor

Thanks to a proximity sensor, the Galaxy Airbuds 2 automatically cuts off the playing song by removing both earbuds; However, by inserting the airbags in the ear, playback of the song will not resume and it is necessary to use the touch command. Unfortunately, this sensor is not similar to the AirPod 3’s skin detection sensor, which stops playing the song by simply pulling out one of the earbuds, and then automatically starts playing the song by returning the earbud to the ear. But overall, the performance of this sensor is satisfactory, and its presence is better than its absence.

Sound quality and performance of Galaxy Buds 2

The Galaxy Airbus 2 supports AAC, SBC, and Scalable codecs, which are similar to Qualcomm’s AptX Adaptive codec and cover 88 to 512 kbps. Samsung phones and of course the iPhone can make the most of the AAC (Advanced Voice Encryption) codec, but the functionality of this codec is not very reliable in non-Samsung Android phones. In addition, the drivers of these headphones are 11.2 mm, which is 6 mm larger than before, and as a result, they have a more satisfactory performance in playing music.

In general, the sound profile of the Galaxy Buds 2 is rated as uniform and relatively neutral during the low to high-frequency range, although it decreases slightly at the middle frequency and slightly fluctuates at the beginning of the high frequency. Of course, if you prefer to hear the bass, main instruments, or treble levels with more emphasis, you can use the equalization options in the app that comes with these headphones.

The frequency response range of the BDS 2 can be around 20 to 10,000 Hz, although bass coverage up to 80 Hz may not be noticeable enough and the sub bass may be lost on most tracks; However, the Buds 2 performs much better at lower frequencies than its AirPods 3 rival, bringing more satisfaction to music lovers.

The sound profile of the Galaxy Buds 2 is rated as uniform and relatively neutral

The reason for the satisfactory performance of BDS 2 in low-frequency coverage is due to the silicon series and the ability to remove the noise of the active environment, which significantly prevents sound leakage out. It is true that the subbase feels less than it should, but for most ordinary users this will not matter much. Overall, the Buds 2 performs better on the base cover than its AirPods 3 or even the AirPods Pro; For example, the sharpness of the bass sound in Darkside’s Paper Trails, which also uses the singer’s voice at low-frequency depths, was satisfactorily experienced in Buds 2.

The performance of the winds 2 in the middle frequency range, which is related to the voice of the singer and the main instruments, is satisfactory and relatively neutral, and for light and so-called solo songs, you will experience very high clarity and detail of the sound. However, the accuracy of the headphones in mid-range coverage is a bit sluggish, and the sound is a bit fainter than the studio-quality; However, this decline is not large enough to be really noticeable. Perhaps the only place where the satisfactory performance of the headphones is significantly reduced is the playing of songs with a heavy volume of drums and electric guitars, which play them a little cluttered; But in general, the sounds in the middle range have enough clarity and detail.

In the low-frequency range, which is related to treble levels and low noise, we also see acceptable performance of Samsung headphones. The precision of the treble is slightly diminished in the lower range, and the voices of the singer and the instruments seem a bit muffled in this range; But in the middle of the treble, we see more emphasis on playing sounds like the cymbal more vividly than normal. However, the listening experience of Faroe Sanders jazz song You’ve Got to Have Freedom in these headphones was very enjoyable and the magic of the saxophone sound was very palpable.

In addition to increasing the base cover, the Airbuds 2 silicone series also prevents sound leakage out; Listening to loud music in relatively crowded environments such as the subway will not annoy those around you.

Microphone

In addition to three microphones in each airbag to activate ANC capability and amplify ambient sound, the Galaxy Airbuds 2 also uses machine learning to detect ambient sound to reduce ambient noise and increase sound clarity when making a call. The satisfactory performance of the Buds 2 microphones was observed when making a call and activating the noise cancellation, and the sound was transmitted with excellent clarity on both sides of the line. Of course, you should also keep in mind that the quality of the microphones is only satisfactory for a telephone conversation, and you should not expect them to record professional audio.

Compatible with iPhone

These days, it is difficult to find an Apple user who does not want to use the Apple ecosystem seamlessly; However, the very high price of the AirPods 3, the lack of silicone series and incompatibility with some corners, as well as the lack of ANC capability have led some of these users to look at the Galaxy Airbuds 2 as a replacement for Apple headphones. But are Samsung headphones compatible with iPhones?

The answer to this question is that the Galaxy Buds 2 can be paired with the iPhone (although the pairing process can be a bit challenging), but unfortunately its capabilities are very limited. iPhone users can easily listen to music with these headphones and use the touch controls, but Samsung has not provided any iOS-compatible apps for these headphones so that users of this ecosystem can access ANC settings, equalizers, battery percentage, or headphone firmware updates. To be. The Wearable app, although available in the App Store, is oddly compatible only with Buds Plus and Buds Live.

Therefore, the Galaxy Buds 2 is an ideal choice for Android users, and if for any reason AirPod could not satisfy you, you can think of buying Bates Studio Buds, which in addition to full compatibility with the iOS environment, has ANC, transparent and It benefits from high charging.

Battery life

If we do not want to compare the battery life of the Galaxy Buds 2 with other headphones from Samsung and competitors, we can say that it is satisfactory enough for daily consumption. The Galaxy Buds 2 can play up to 5 hours of music with active ANC, and with the charger case, you can charge the headphones three times from zero to 100. You can also increase the headphone usage time to about 7 hours by turning off the ANC.

But the charging performance of the Buds 2 and its accompanying case is unsatisfactory compared to the 11 hours of charging the Apple AirPods 3 or Buds Plus; However, it can be argued that the smaller size of the Buds 2 compared to the Buds Plus, although it has reduced battery capacity, has also contributed to its lightness and comfort. The Air buds 2 charger case also supports fast charging, so you can enjoy up to an hour of music with 5 minutes of charging.

Conclusion

The Galaxy Buds 2, which was released two years after the original Buds and has now replaced the Buds Plus, has been improved enough to justify an upgrade from the previous generation. Among Samsung’s truly wireless headphones, the Buds 2 is the lightest and fits so easily in the ear that you may fall asleep with it without realizing it! In addition to lightness and comfort, the Buds 2 is equipped with the ability to eliminate active noise and amplify ambient sound and offers satisfactory sound quality to be the best choice in the intermediate range of Togoshi headphones. The bundled headphone app also includes a variety of options that give the user more choice of action, and the battery, although less charged than other Samsung headphones, is large enough to meet the everyday needs of the average user.

However, the Galaxy Buds 2 has very little resistance to water penetration and perspiration, and using it in heavy rain or during strenuous exercise will raise the risk of headphone damage. In addition, the touch control of the headphones is sometimes too sensitive and sometimes indifferent to the received shocks, and the performance is not 100% satisfactory. On the other hand, Bixby Voice Assistant is not as efficient as Google Assistant, and users may prefer to skip voice commands. Although the Galaxy Buds 2 can be paired with the iPhone, due to the incompatibility of its mobile application with iOS, it deprives Apple users of many headphone functionality and is not a good choice for them.

Overall, the Galaxy Buds 2 is one of the best choices for those looking for active noise-canceling headphones due to its price tag; But if you can save a little more, the Galaxy Buds Pro offers better bass coverage, more charging, and more satisfying ANC performance.