Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro in the test: The future in the ear – just not for everyone

With the smaller and lighter Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, Samsung not only offers 24-bit audio and Bluetooth 5.3, but also excellent sound, very good ANC and some good features in their However, owners of a Samsung smartphone will especially enjoy it. However, the in-ears are worth considering, especially for them.

Table of contents

1 Technical data and functions of the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro
1. Samsung seamless codec for 24 bit/48 kHz
2. Bluetooth 5.3 with LE audio and without multipoint
3. Auto switch with Galaxy devices
4. Spatial audio with Samsung smartphone
5. Two-way speakers
6. Three microphones for the ANC
7. Cross between Buds 2 and Buds Pro
8. Almost 5 hours of battery life with ANC
9. VPU for telephony
10. Waterproof according to IPX7
Sensitive control via touch
1. Auto pause Samsung doesn't understand /Auto-Play
2. Speech recognition for automatic transparency mode
3. Neck stretch reminder
4. Very good single use
There is an app only for Android
Good grip with little diving bell
The sound of the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro
Analysis of the frequency response
ANC of the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro
Good transparency mode
Dull telephony
Latency of the Buds 2 Pro
Conclusion

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro offer a number of functions and properties to set themselves apart from the masses of wireless in-ear headphones. Not only do they offer active noise cancellation and two audio drivers, but with 24-bit audio via Samsung's own codec and Bluetooth 5.3 including LE Audio, they actually do more than the competition. But not all functions can always be used without restrictions, because the manufacturer, like Apple and Google, relies on close integration with their own smartphones in order to keep the user in their own ecosystem.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro have been available since the end of August at a recommended retail price of 229 euros in the colors graphite, white and bora purple. In retail, they currently cost just under 210 euros (best price*) and are therefore around twice as expensive as their predecessor, the Galaxy Buds Pro (test).

The buyer receives the earphones and wireless charging -Case a total of three silicone attachments of different sizes and a USB-C charging cable.

Technical data and functions of the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro

Samsung seamless codec for 24bit/48kHz

A real innovation, not only in comparison to the Galaxy Buds 2 and Buds Pro, is the support of “24-bit Hi-Fi Audio”. In conjunction with the Samsung Seamless Codec HiFi (SSC HiFi), the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro have a sampling depth of 24 bits and a sampling rate of 48 kHz, which puts them above the typical CD quality of 16 bits and 44.1 kHz. However, only Samsung devices support the SSC and these require at least One UI 4.0. In addition, the playback app on the smartphone or tablet must be able to handle the higher resolution. Apple Music, Amazon Music and Tidal, among others, are suitable here. While Sony's LDAC can fall back on a bit rate of up to 990 kbit/s for better sound, Samsung's SSC should even be able to use up to 2,304 kbit/s. You can only find out whether 24-bit audio and SSC are used in the smartphone's developer settings. It is not visible without this detour.

Bluetooth 5.3 with LE Audio and without Multipoint

In addition to SSC HiFi, the Buds 2 Pro support the audio codecs AAC and SBC. Bluetooth 5.3 does not yet bring any important innovations for end customers, but in theory a better connection and longer battery life. In the future, the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro will also support LE Audio, but there is no exact date for this yet. However, the Buds 2 Pro have to do without Bluetooth multipoint. Therefore, they cannot be connected to two devices at the same time via Bluetooth to quickly switch playback or answer calls from the smartphone while a video is playing on the tablet.

Auto Switch with Galaxy Devices

Even if no general multipoint is offered, the Buds 2 Pro also support Samsung's “Auto Switch” again. In connection with the manufacturer's own Galaxy devices, they are able to automatically switch to the device that is currently being used without the user having to change the Bluetooth connection himself. For this, the Galaxy devices must be registered with the same Samsung account. At least One UI 4.1 is also required.

Seamless switching between earphones and Samsung TV is also possible, but this is only available on Samsung TVs launched in February 2022 or later and in conjunction with the July 2022 firmware update. In combination with the TV, it can also only be used for calls.

Spatial audio with Samsung smartphone

The simulated surround sound with 360° audio also requires a Samsung smartphone with at least One UI 4.1. This function, in which the sound is adapted to the position of the head relative to the smartphone, is only beneficial to those who have both the in-ear headphones and the matching smartphone from Samsung. If you turn your head but don't change the position of the smartphone, the position of the sound adjusts accordingly. Apple, among others, also offers such a feature for the AirPods.

Head tracking is one of those features that have divided opinions. With videos it makes sense and is interesting, but with music it seems rather out of place. But everyone has to find out for themselves. In connection with a Samsung Galaxy S22 and M21, the Buds 2 Pro work reliably and without any problems right away. Attempting to enable the feature on a Galaxy phone and then use it on a non-Galaxy phone failed.

Two-way speaker

As with the Buds 2 and the Buds Pro, Samsung again uses a two-way speaker that separates the tweeter and woofer. As usual, the manufacturer promises the best sound in the series with the new model. The woofer measures 10 mm in diameter, the tweeter 5.3 mm.

Three microphones for the ANC

With active noise cancellation, the Buds 2 Pro also suppress outside noise. Compared to the Buds Pro, the ANC is said to have been improved. Its qualities are discussed in more detail below. As with the Galaxy Buds 2 and the Buds Pro, Samsung uses two microphones on the outside of the earphones and one microphone pointing inwards for the new model, so that the sound can be dynamically adjusted by checking which ambient noises are still present penetrate the ear.

Crossing of Buds 2 and Buds Pro

The new design of the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro is closer to that of the Galaxy Buds 2 (test) than its direct predecessors, the older Galaxy Buds Pro (test). Due to the shape, which integrates the ear wings almost directly, they should also be suitable for sports without falling out of the ear. In terms of weight, the new Buds 2 Pro are between the two models at 5.5 gm per earphone – the Buds Pro weigh 6.3 g, the Buds 2 5.0 g. The same applies to the 43.4 g charging case, which supports wireless charging but can also be charged via USB-C. With dimensions of 50.1 × 50.2 × 27.7 mm, it is again handy and can easily be carried in a pocket.

Almost 5 hours of battery life with ANC

The battery life is also unchanged compared to the predecessors. With officially up to 5 hours with ANC on and up to 8 hours of music playback without ANC, the Buds 2 Pro offer nothing in this regard that sets them apart from other models in 2022. Together with the charging case, a maximum of 29 hours is possible (18 hours with ANC). The battery in the earphones has a capacity of 61 mAh, in the charging case it is 515 mAh. In the test, the battery life was 4:50 hours at medium volume, a colorful mix of music, activated ANC and the use of AAC.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Bluetooth standard: 5.3 5.0 5.2 Audio codecs: SBC, AAC, SSC Operation: Touch Battery life of the earphones: 8.0/5.0 (ANC) h 7.5 /5.0 (ANC) h Battery life with charging case: 29.0 h 28.0 h 29.0 h Wireless charging: Yes ANC: Yes Single use: Yes IP certification: IPX7 IPX2 Weight per earphone/charging case only: 5.5 /43.4g 6.3/45.0g 5.0/41.5g USB charging port: USB-C Dimensions charging case: 50.1 × 50.2 × 27.7 mm 50.0 × 50.2 × 27.8 mm Price: from €187 from €119 €149

VPU for telephony

For telephony, the new model again has the “Voice Pickup Unit” (VPU) from Samsung, which was also used in the Galaxy Buds Pro. It recognizes the user's voice and is designed to filter out unwanted background noise to ensure clear intelligibility.

Waterproof according to IPX7

Like the Buds Pro, the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro are protected against water according to IPX7, so they can also be temporarily submerged without being damaged. Samsung recommends submersion to a depth of 1 m for 30 minutes in clear water. As usual, protection in salt water and other liquids, especially those containing soap or alcohol, is not guaranteed. In addition, the IPX7 certification does not refer to the charging case.

Sensitive control via touch

As with the predecessors, it is controlled via a touch surface on the outside of the earphones, but this leads to incorrect entries when adjusting the earphones in the ear. This is how you often pause the playback unintentionally.

A single tap starts and pauses playback, while a touch and hold toggles between ANC and transparency mode. Here the user can set whether to switch between ANC and transparency mode, ANC and “Off” or transparency mode and “Off”. Switching through all three modes is not possible, which is annoying in everyday life. Double and triple taps are again not enabled out of the box, but this can be changed in the Galaxy Wearable app for Android and then used to skip forward and backward through tracks. The basic functions cannot be adjusted, they can only be deactivated one at a time. Only the “touch and hold” can be assigned differently. Instead of noise control (ANC, transparency mode), the voice assistant, volume control or Spotify can be assigned to this function. With the Buds Pro 2 you have to decide which function you want to sacrifice. Full control over the earbuds isn't possible unless you resort to the experimental control feature in the Labs menu item in the wearable app. There, the volume control can be set with a double tap on the edge of the earphones, which is not entirely intuitive in view of the frequent incorrect entries when touching the buds.

When telephoning takes double tap to start or end a call. Touch and hold rejects a call.

Samsung does not understand auto-pause/auto-play

The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro also have an IR sensor that is used for wearer detection. Samsung just doesn't understand how to implement them in a meaningful way. Playback does not pause when an earphone is removed from the ear. Only when both are taken out of the ear does playback stop. In the typical case, when you take an earphone out of your ear, you want to talk to someone. Samsung wrongly seems to think that the music continues to play at full volume in the other ear. Incidentally, when the earphones are reinserted, one or both, playback does not resume automatically.

Speech_recognition_for_automatic_transparency_mode

One feature where Samsung has squinted at competitor Sony is voice recognition for the Buds 2 Pro's conversation mode. When the wearer starts talking, the Buds 2 Pro will temporarily switch to ambient mode and reduce media volume so conversations can be heard without having to remove the earbuds. The time span can be set between 5 and 15 seconds. If you often talk to yourself or sing along, you should disable this function.

Neck stretch reminder

In addition, after 10 minutes, a voice reminds you to stretch your neck if you sit bent down all the time. Here, Samsung takes advantage of the sensors to offer added value. On a day in the office, however, there are a few memories that also always interrupt music playback. The function can be switched on and off via the app.

Very good single use

Both earphones of the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro can be used individually without any problems. There is no disruptive interruption in playback when switching from stereo to mono or vice versa.

There is an app only for Android

The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro again support the Galaxy Samsung wearable app offered exclusively for Android. If you only have an iPhone with iOS, you have no way of adjusting the settings or performing firmware updates.

As mentioned, the control in the app can be deactivated individually or completely for each function, but extensive customization is not possible. It is also not possible to adjust the active noise suppression in the app, so that the intensity cannot be adjusted continuously or in fixed steps. ANC is either on or off on the Buds 2 Pro. The same applies to the transparency mode, which now also no longer allows adjustment in three stages. As mentioned, the conversation mode can be used to set the period of time that the transparency mode should remain active after the last word spoken by the wearer. The pass test built into the app briefly plays tones to test the earbuds' seal.

One of the presets “Normal”, “Bass Boost”, “Soft”, “Dynamic”, “Clear” and “Treble Boost” can be selected via an equalizer. A manual adjustment is still not possible. If you wish, your own voice can be routed through calls, which makes telephoning more pleasant. The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro also offer the option to have notifications read out. It is also possible to have misplaced earphones beep.

As with its predecessors, the Galaxy Wearable app has many good approaches, but lacks a larger range of functions for the individual functions. The controls are not in depth adjustable, the equalizer only offers profiles and does not allow manual intervention and the transparency mode and the ANC cannot be adjusted in any way.

Good hold with little diving bell

The Samsung Galaxy Bus 2 Pro have a larger ventilation channel to equalize pressure to the inner ear. This results in them being more comfortable to wear, even with ANC engaged, as there isn't an excessive diving bell effect created. Even independently of this, the small and light Buds 2 Pro are very comfortable to wear without pressing and still hold securely in the ear.

The sound of the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro

In terms of sound, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro don't have to hide. They offer a clear, clean and comparatively open sound that doesn't sound too constricted despite the in-ear design. If you want to make a direct comparison to the competition, they are superior to both the Apple AirPods Pro (test) and the Google Pixel Buds Pro (test). They lose by a hair's breadth to the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 (test), since the competing model still offers the best heights. When comparing it with the Sony WF-1000XM4 (test), it is therefore more difficult to identify a clear winner – if at all, the WF-1000XM4 are slightly ahead.

However, the deep bass in St Jude by Florence + The Machine causes the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro some problems. It is no longer perceptible at low playback levels. The volume has to be set to around 30 percent to hear it quietly in the background. They have no trouble with the bass in Massive Attack's Angel. On the positive side, Samsung doesn't overdo it when it comes to bass. It doesn't boom in the foreground and doesn't cover all other frequencies, but fits well into the overall picture.

Whether Rock Lobster by The B-52's, 15 Step by Radiohead or the guitars in Scott Street by Phoebe Bridgers and Your Power by Billie Eilish: the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro play every title confidently and clearly, without shrieking. Voices can stand out beautifully, making them seem detached from the music in Roberta Flack's Killing Me Softly With His Song, for example. Even at maximum volume, the treble doesn't get harsh, but hisses slightly.

Analysis of the frequency curve

ComputerBase also carries out frequency response measurements for the wireless in-ear headphones. For this, the miniDSP Headphone & Earphone Audio Response System (H.E.A.R.S.) in connection with the software REW. This is not an IEEE standardized measuring station. However, it provides good comparative values, which in particular enable the headphones under consideration to be compared with one another. The microphones in the right and left ear of the miniDSP H.E.A.R.S. are calibrated. Since the miniDSP H.E.A.R.S. no inner ear modeled, but has a straight auditory canal, the measurements alone are not a sufficient criterion for a final assessment of the sound, but can only be seen as supplements to the descriptions. Clarity and dynamics cannot be rated either.

The sound pressure of all headphones is calibrated at around 84 dB at 300 Hz – not all in-ears can be set to exactly 84 dB here, so that a deviation of 1 dB up and down has to be accepted. All measurements are carried out according to the manufacturer's specifications from 20 Hz to 20 kHz several times and with different earphone positions in order to take these influences into account and to detect a bad fit. In the case of in-ears, this quickly becomes apparent in strong outliers, an unclean frequency response or a complete lack of bass with poor sealing. The results are averaged and smoothed from five measurements per side with the best established fit. A straight line at 84 dB would correspond to a neutral presentation of the frequencies, which is never achieved in reality.

The frequency analysis of the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro shows an increase in almost every area. Calibrated to just under 84 dB at 300 Hz, the bass, mids and highs are boosted. Above all, the strong amplification of the mids makes it clear why voices stand out so much with the Buds 2 Pro. The sound is therefore not neutral.

ANC of the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro

With the ANC, it is positive that the Galaxy Buds Pro 2 do not produce a pronounced diving bell effect thanks to the air duct. They are comfortable to wear even with ANC activated. The downside of the coin, however, is that you also perceive individual ambient noises more strongly. Birdsong and keystrokes, for example, can still be heard without music playback with ANC. In addition, the ANC of the Buds 2 Pro has a quiet background noise.

Compared to the Galaxy Buds Pro, the ANC of the Buds 2 Pro is more effective, as Samsung promises. But the ANC is also convincing in comparison to the AirPods Pro and filters out significantly more frequencies in white noise. The remaining noise is quieter and therefore more pleasant than with the AirPods Pro. During a thunderstorm, the rain is less audible under the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro than under the AirPods Pro. On the other hand, the thunder gets through almost equally in both models, but Samsung is slightly ahead here as well. However, the ANC cannot quite keep up with the leading ANC of the Sony WF-1000XM4 (test), which hides more frequencies and reacts better to sudden sound events.

Good transparency mode

The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro's transparency mode creates a low-level noise floor that isn't distracting when music is playing, and offers a largely natural reproduction of the surroundings. However, the amplification is subtle, the environment sounds only slightly louder with the earphones inserted without music and with the transparency mode activated than without the earphones in the ear. Without music you can perceive and understand your surroundings so well, but with music, as is so often the case, it is only enough for the perception that something is happening around you, but not for a clear understanding. Overall, the point in this category goes to the Apple AirPods Pro, which offer the more pleasant and better-sounding transparency mode.

Dull telephony

When it comes to telephony, the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro show no improvement over their predecessors. Street noise is therefore not transmitted to the person you are talking to, but individual birdsong can be heard. The caller's voice is easy to understand, but the quality suffers somewhat from the filtering of the surroundings, which is why it sounds a bit muffled.

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