If we look at the big Apple benchmark, we can realize that Samsung never leaves behind any attempt to be the leader in any of the products launched by the Cupertino brand. Launch after launch, the bar is getting higher and higher, while innovations emerge that the rest of the competitors in this segment try to match.
With this recent release of the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live, we return to the store to analyze another of those headphones with TWS technology that follow the company's characteristic format, but with some peculiarities and Aesthetic details that will delight some fans of the brand.
Design and comfort
With the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live, we return to the controversy over the type of earphone that It does not offer any adaptation option to each type of ear, without a hash mark and with a single format that in theory should be valid for everyone.
The truth is that they have been right to incorporate that bean shape that subtly adapts to the ergonomics of our ear. But this does not prevent the pressure exerted on the sides from being quite uncomfortable for certain smaller ears and can even cause discomfort after long hours of use. In this sense, they are a bad option for athletes, with better (and cheaper) alternatives such as Jabra Elite 65T fully adjustable and waterproof.
As for the aesthetics of the product, we have to admit that we are looking at a rather striking headset. It was launched in three colors (a pink/bronze tone, and the classic black and white) and it has a very rounded and quite unique shape, which possibly results in the most compact type of headset that we can find compared to the competition.
The qualities and details are extraordinary, but suspiciously this is not reflected in the water resistance certification. It is not possible to wet them, not even with raindrops, resulting in a poor result for its high price.
Sound
We might think that Samsung has tried to do a great job in this section by incorporating some Elaborate AKG drivers, a trusted brand in this regard. However, we find a level of Pretty mediocre sound across the entire auditory range, especially in the bass and vocals, which seem to have been completely neglected.
We have a positive aspect and that is that this model, Unlike the Galaxy Buds Plus, It has the functionality of active noise cancellation thanks to a microphone system that, as we will see in the next section, is slightly above average in this brand. It is not an extraordinary cancellation either, because, due to their design, these headphones do not achieve the integral isolation that silicone pads would have solved without difficulty.
On the other hand, in its drive to innovate, the SSC (Samsung Scalable Codec) It is supported by those terminals that allow it (mainly from the brand itself), as well as the AAC codec, very classic in iPhones. But, as expected, neither aptX nor aptX HD are an option for this headset, a bad detail considering how recently it was launched.
Microphone
Despite all the drawbacks we have been able to find, we finally observed a very remarkable feature in the microphone section: Samsung has made a clear effort to achieve, by combining a series of sensors, a Very polished audio input with above average results.
Thanks to the cancellation of ambient sound and the possibility of transmitting sound through bone conductivity, The incoming signal is very clearThis is especially satisfying when we are on a call in a relatively noisy place.
Autonomy and battery life
These headphones do not stand out especially for their autonomy, they are at an intermediate point within their range. Without options such as noise cancellation activated, We can reach the good figure of 8 hours, but as soon as we activate the cancellation, the autonomy drops to 5 hours. It makes sense, but it leaves them in the middle compared to other alternatives.
The case also doesn't do wonders to provide that extra autonomy and It only allows for a little more than 2 full charge cycles, which is much lower than other similar cases. It is true that both the headphones and the case are particularly compact, and this could justify such tight autonomy levels.
Connections and controls
Considering that it was launched at the end of summer 2020 and the price at which we find these headphones, we have to say that They do not disappoint in terms of connections and controls. With a USB-C connection for fast charging of the base and its corresponding wireless charging, something that can no longer be missing in any terminal of this range, we have the basic elements to guarantee that we will be up to date for a long time.
In addition, incorporate Bluetooth 5.0 and their touch controls They are quite intuitive and complete, to the point that they can be customized from the Samsung Galaxy Wearable application.
This app also makes it easy to update firmware, as well as select from several preset equalization modes that improve sound under certain circumstances, although they prevent the fine-grained customization that some of us would like.
Who do we recommend these headphones for?
As is usual with these headphones that accompany a popular mobile brand, quality does not take precedence over price and performance. Loaded with Specific features for Samsung users (for example, those who already own other accessories, such as the Samsung Galaxy Watch smartwatch), may be an interesting bet to stay within the same ecosystem.