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Galaxy Buds Pro vs Galaxy Buds Live: what’s new in Galaxy Buds Pro?

wireless earbuds, Bluetooth headphones, noise cancelling headphones, sports headphones

With Galaxy S21, Samsung released the new wireless earbuds: Galaxy Buds Pro in January 2020 as an upgrade for Galaxy Buds+. This causes some confusions on Galaxy Buds’ lineup because Galaxy Buds Live (released with Galaxy Note 20 in August 2020) is also an upgrade for Galaxy Buds+. So, how about Galaxy Buds Pro vs Galaxy Buds Live?

This earbuds guide explains the new features of Galaxy Buds Pro (vs Galaxy Buds Live): traditional fit/shape, IPX7 rating, Voice Detect, ambient sound, 360 Audio, Auto Switch. Based on the comparison of Galaxy Buds Pro vs Galaxy Buds Live, you may also understand which earbuds are the right one to meet your needs.

The differences among Galaxy Buds Live, Galaxy Buds+, and Galaxy Buds were explained in detail here (Galaxy Buds Live vs Galaxy Buds+) and here (Galaxy Buds+ vs Galaxy Buds).

Galaxy Buds Pro and Galaxy Buds Live share similar active noise cancelling (ANC), similar battery life, similar audio quality, and similar microphone quality. This guide tries to highlight the new features of Galaxy Buds Pro vs Galaxy Buds Live.

Traditional fit/shape

Galaxy Buds Pro looks more like Galaxy Buds+ than the bean-shaped Galaxy Buds Live.

The more traditional ear tip design offers a better seal for the earbuds sound from the ambient noise. You can choose the ear tip of different sizes to fit your ear. It also makes active noise cancelling more effective.

But some users may feel it less comfortable compared to Galaxy Buds Live.

The bean-shaped Galaxy Buds Live is usually more comfortable for wearing for a long time. But it seems a few owners find the Galaxy Buds Live does not fit their ears well and therefore it may cause pains. The wingtip on Galaxy Buds Live offers minor support, and many owners are not aware of different sizes of wingtips in the box.

Anway, Galaxy Buds Pro returned to the traditional shape and improved the fit and comfort over Galaxy Buds+.

IPX7 rating

Galaxy Buds Pro improved water-resistant and has an IPX7 rating, which means Galaxy Buds Pro is waterproof and can be submerged in water at a depth of one meter for 30 minutes. This matches water-resistant of Jabra Elite Sport, which is one of the best sports earbuds.

So, it is safe to wear the Galaxy Buds Pro when exercising in the rain. Or if you accidentally drop … Read the rest

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live vs Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus vs Apple AirPods Pro

wireless earbuds, Bluetooth headphones, noise cancelling headphones

It took Samsung only 6 months to update and upgrade the Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus (Galaxy Buds +) with the totally new Samsung Galaxy Buds Live.

The added active nosing cancelling (ANC) makes Samsung Galaxy Buds Live a direct and serious competitor to Apple AirPods Pro and Sony WF-1000XM3.

This headphone guide explains the new features and improvements of Galaxy Buds Live (vs Galaxy Buds Plus), and how Galaxy Buds Live stands against Apple AirPods Pro to help you choose a pair of proper wireless earbuds.

Samsung now also offers $200 (MSRP) Galaxy Buds Pro with similar or improved features of Galaxy Buds Live. You may check this guide on the new features of Galaxy Buds Pro (vs Galaxy Buds Live).

Galaxy Buds Live vs Galaxy Buds Plus: the new features of improvements

Galaxy Buds Live share many similar features and controls with Galaxy Buds Plus (Galaxy Buds +). For example, both buds share the 2-way dynamic speaker system tuned by AKG, 3-microphone array, touch panel control, Spotify integration, Qi wireless charging and wireless PowerShare charging. The plugins for these two buds in Galaxy Wearables are very similar as well.

But Galaxy Buds Live comes with some improvements and new features that cannot be found in Galaxy Buds Plus.

In this post, we will focus on these differences.

ANC

The No.1 new feature of Galaxy Buds Live is the active noise cancelling (ANC).

Samsung claimed that Galaxy Buds Live received UL Verification for reducing background noise by up to 97% in low-frequency bands.

It is an overstatement, although ANC on the buds is comparable to other wireless earbuds.

In the real world, the top-tier consumer ANC over-ear headphones (e.g., Sony WH-1000XM4, Bose QuietComfort 35) can reduce about 70-90% background low-frequency noise. Wireless earbuds with ANC normally can only reduce about 40-70% noise.

Galaxy Buds Live adopts the open-type design. The buds do not try to create a sealed environment in the ear canal. Instead, there are air vents on the buds so that you will feel quite comfortable even if you wear the buds for extended periods.

Most other wireless earbuds with ANC need the silicon (or foam) tips to create a sealed space. For example, both Apple AirPod Pro and Sony WF-1000XM3 use the silicon tips to help noise cancelling. But for most people, the seal will cause pain and … Read the rest

A Complete Guide for Jabra Elite Sport

sports headphones, Bluetooth headphones, wireless earbuds

Jabra Elite Sport, which was first released in 2016, is still one of the best wireless sports earbuds with a heart rate monitor and audio coaching.

This sports earbuds guide explains everything you need to know about the Jabra Elite Sport: the outstanding (and unique) features (a no-nonsense review of Jabra Elite Sport), items in the box, the layout of the Jabra Elite Sport buds and the charging case/base, how to use the buttons to control Jabra Elite Sport, how to charge the buds and charging case, how to wear the earbuds properly, how to pair the buds with mobile devices, how to reset the earbuds, how to use HearThrough and SideTone.

For owners of the Jabra Elite Sport, this guide will show you how to use the main features properly and answer questions you may have about the earbuds. For readers who are considering this product, this guide will help you make informed decisions when purchasing a new pair of sports earbuds.

Fitness-focused features of Jabra Elite Sport (A concise review of Jabra Elite Sport)

As one of our favourite sports earbuds, Jabra Elite Sport has some outstanding fitness-focused features.

Heart rate monitor

Jabra Elite Sport has a heart rate monitor. Most importantly, it is quite accurate if you wear the buds correctly.

Samsung Gear IconX (2019) removed the heart rate sensor. Galaxy Gear Buds does not have it either. The updated Galaxy Buds+ does not have one. AirPods and AirPods Pro never have one.

So, if you need a heart rate monitor with your wireless earbuds, your choice is actually very limited. And this Jabra Elite Sport wireless earbuds probably is the best choice.

Exercise tracking

Ther built-in tri-axis accelerometer can track your walking or jog very accurately.

Of course, if you want to track or map your run, you need to use GPS on the phone through the Jabra Sport Life app (or some other supported fitness tracking apps).

You can also track reps for some exercises with the Jabra Sport Life app.

Audio coaching

You can get “personalized” real-time audio coaching through the Sport Life app.

You can watch the video illustration for some cross-training activities on the phone. It’s beneficial for owners who didn’t have a coach before.

VO₂max measurement

The Jabra Sport Life app can estimate your VO₂max based on your heart rate and activities. It uses the technology … Read the rest

5 best new features and improvements of Galaxy Buds Plus (Galaxy Buds+ vs Galaxy Buds)

wireless earbuds, Bluetooth headphones

Galaxy Buds+ (Galaxy Buds Plus) may look physically similar (almost identical) to the 2019 version of Samsung Galaxy Buds. But there are many new features and improvements of Galaxy Buds Plus (vs Galaxy Buds).

This wireless earbuds guide explains the five best new features and improvements of Galaxy Buds Plus: longer battery life (11-hour non-stop playtime ), 2-way speaker. 3-microphone system, Spotify integration, and the Galaxy Buds+ app for iOS.

Although Galaxy Buds Plus was announced together with Galaxy S20, it works with all Android devices with Android 5 (Andriod Lollipop) or newer versions and most iOS devices. You can also use Galaxy Buds Plus as a universal Bluetooth headphone on almost all platforms with Bluetooth audio support.

Of course, like Galaxy Buds, Galaxy Buds+ works best with Samsung Galaxy phones with Android Nougat 7.1 or later with the Samsung Scalable Codec.

Galaxy Buds Live and Galaxy Buds Pro (both with active noise cancelling) were released as an upgrade for Galaxy Buds Plus.

Longer battery life: the best improvement of Galaxy Buds Plus

Samsung Galaxy Buds already has a decent battery time. You can use the buds for about 6 hours in one charge. The charging case offers an additional 6 hours of playtime.

Now, Samsung further improved the battery life for the Galaxy Buds+ for about 50%.

You can continuously use the Galaxy Buds+ for more than 11 hours in one charge. The charging base gives another 11+ hours.

In addition to the longer battery life, Samsung Galaxy Buds+ also charges faster. You can use the Galaxy Buds+ for one hour after charging it for 3 minutes. As a comparison, you need to charge the Galaxy Buds 15 mins to get a battery life of 100 mins.

Anyway, no other wireless earbuds can match the battery life of Galaxy Buds Plus currently. We consider the longer battery life is one of the best new features and improvements of Galaxy Buds Plus.

2-way speaker

The tiny Galaxy Buds+ now features 2-way speaker, which is seldom found in other wireless earbuds.

The combination of a woofer for the low and mid-range sound and a tweeter for high-frequency sound technically can significantly improve the sound quality, if tuned properly.

It seems the best (balanced) sound quality can be achieved when you set the equalizer to dynamic for Galaxy Buds Plus.

If you choose the equalizer to normal, it … Read the rest

Top 10 new features of AirPods Pro (vs AirPods 2)

wireless earbuds, Bluetooth headphones, noise cancelling headphones

Top 10 new features of AirPods Pro AirPods Pro is the lastest wireless earbuds offered by Apple. It complements AirPods 2 in the high-end market with some useful new features.

This wireless earbuds guide explains the top 10 new features of AirPods Pro (compared to AirPods 2): active noise canceling (ANC), wireless charging, in-ear design, transparency mode, force sensor, adaptive EQ, Sweat and water resistance with IPX4 rating, ear tip test, secure fit, and a $249 price tag.

Please note, the direct competitor to AirPods Pro is Sony WF-1000XM3, which offers better noise-cancelling and better audio quality (at $229). Samsung Galaxy Buds Live offers similar features with a lower price tag. Samsung Gallaxy Buds+ offers better battery life and cheaper price. Jabra Elite Sport offers a heart rate monitor and a companion workout app (Jabra Sport Life).

#1.Active noise canceling (ANC): the best new feature of AirPods Pro

As explained in this guide in detail, active noise canceling (ANC) uses special sound waves to cancel the ambient noise and therefore gives you immersive and quite listening experience.

Bose and Sony are the indisputable industrial leaders in ANC for consumer headphones. It is unclear whether Apple licensed some technology from third parties or developed their own ANC technology in-house.

If you compare AirPods Pro with Sony WF-1000XM3, Sony is a clear winner in most situations. Please do NOT compare AirPods Pro with the first generation of WF-1000, whose noise canceling was a failure.

Anyway, for many Apple users, ANC is probably new to them. They will enjoy this feature gradually.

Please note, if you want to get better ANC, you may consider an over-ear headphone, like Sony WH-1000XM3, Bose Quite 35, or Bose 700.

#2. Transparency mode

Transparency mode is the opposite of noise canceling. In this mode, you can hear clearly outside without removing the AirPods Pro from the ears.

You can use the force sensor (read on) to switch between noise canceling and transparency mode instantly.

In fact, all noise-canceling earbuds and headphones have this feature.

#3. New in-ear design

AirPods Pro now adopts the in-ear design (see this guide on the difference among in-ear, on-ear, and over-ear headphones). This means the tips are supposed to be sealed into your ear canal.

Unlike AirPods and AirPods 2, AirPods Pro will “stuff” your ears if you are new to in-ear buds. It may take you a few days to get used to it.… Read the rest

How to use Samsung Galaxy Buds and Galaxy Buds+?

wireless earbuds, Bluetooth headphones, Headphone 101

Samsung Galaxy Buds is Samsung’s first wireless earbuds for Android devices, although you can also use it on iOS, Linux, or Windows devices.

This wireless earbuds guide explains everything you need to know about Samsung Galaxy Buds (and Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus): box contents of the buds, the layout of the buds, how to use the buds, how to charge the buds, how to check the battery status, how to pair the buds with other devices, how to use touchpad commands to control the buds. A concise review of the Galaxy Buds was also included.

Of course, some questions you may have on Samsung Galaxy Buds and Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus were also answered. So, this guide covers both Samsung Galaxy Buds and Galaxy Buds Plus (Galaxy Buds+).

Please note, Samsung released Galaxy Buds Live with Galaxy Note 20. Because of the new active noise cancelling (ANC) feature and new design, you may check this page (coming soon) on how to use Galaxy Buds Live. Galaxy Buds Pro was released with Galaxy S21 in Jan 2021 with some new and improved features (compared to Galaxy Buds Live).

What is Samsung Galaxy Buds?

Samsung announced Galaxy Buds, a wireless earbud for Android phones, together with the Galaxy S10 in March 2019.

Prior to Galaxy Buds, Samsung already offered Gear IconX as a fitness (and wireless) earbud.

Galaxy Buds is smaller and lighter by removing the built-in storage and workout-tracking ability in IconX. If you need earbuds for a workout with a heart rate monitor, the best option is the Jabra Elite Sport.

So, you can think Galaxy Buds is the wireless in-ear earbuds for Android phones matching AirPods for iPhones.

In 2020, Samsung updated Galaxy Buds with Galaxy Buds+ (Galaxy Buds Plus) with longer battery life, better sound and audio quality as explained in this guide. The MSRP price is $149. In many regions, Samsung Galaxy Buds+ is bundled with Galaxy S20 as a free gift.

What devices are compatible with Galaxy Buds?

The official spec sheet of the Galaxy Buds requires Android 5.0 and Galaxy Wearable app.

But this is for “quick” pairing.

In fact, you can use Samsung Galaxy Buds as a normal Bluetooth headset. Therefore, you can use the Samsung Galaxy Buds with most devices that support Bluetooth audio, for example, iPhone, Windows PCs, and laptops.

Unlike AirPods, Galaxy Buds … Read the rest