I have sensitive ears and in-ear headphones became uncomfortable over time. I got used to open-ear headphones, as well as wired headphones, and thought Samsung's Galaxy Buds Live would be a nice fix and upgrade. These retain smooth sounds, crisp speech, and deep bass and instrumentals after long listening sessions. They sound just like in-ear headphones without that stuffy feeling in-ear headphones can give you. Buds Live give you breathing room; similar to carrying a boom box over your shoulder, but a miniature one your ears carry naturally. The size has a small footprint, not too pronounced, enough without jeopardizing sound or comfort. I used it once for phone calls and the conversations were clear, but I wouldn't take calls with them all the time since (and this is a minor pet peeve) I have to speak a bit louder given the Buds can encroach on how well you hear yourself speak. The ANC is not different from no ANC to my ears, which may deter listeners, but again, these headphones are open-ear with the speaker just outside the ear canal. The simple touch controls are customizable in the Wearable app, but I did notice that I can pause videos and not resume them successfully with another touch. I have to manually pause the video in this case, but resetting the Buds should fix this Touch Control. The Bluetooth connection was instantaneous on my Galaxy Z Flip3 using the Wearable app, but I had to be patient with the Bluetooth on my MSI GP60 2PE Leopard with Windows 10. If you open the case with the Buds plugged in while you click on "Add devices" under device settings, you might have to wait for some time until the "Buds Live" name appears. Ignore all the other Bluetooth device names in the meantime. Charging wirelessly with my Galaxy Z Flip3 was successful and took a couple hours. I imagine the cable charging would be faster, however, the Samsung power brick I have did not charge the case entirely. A USB connection would be needed instead or a different power brick, which is another minor downside, considering I do not always want to have to charge my Buds with my phone. The battery lasts the minimum 6 hours marketed, plenty for my needs; it keeps me from being plugged in all day and paces my listening experiences. Comfort was my biggest deal-breaker, and with the small ringlets, my ears don't feel burdened, even though the weight is slightly more than the early generations of Apple AirPods. The big ringlets may provide more support and comfort for the ear, depending on your ear of course. The Buds Live kidney bean shape cleverly cradles the exterior shape where the outer ear and ear canal begin, which may have something to do with that slight weight. It is an adjustment, but not so pesky or off-putting. They stay on the ear reliably when you're walking and turning your head, but I wouldn't go jogging with these. I also recommend cleaning them often before sealing them in the case. I would use Buds Live as a daily, casual audio experience, mainly for at-home use and for those who like to hear their surroundings.

Yes these look like beans...now that we got that out of the way lets get to the most important things. For starters, these earphones are the boldest design I've seen ever in earphones. They took a chance and it paid off, at least for me. I say this because I understand that such things made like these which have a universal fit, it truly isn't such thing. So these earphones have to fit your ears before anything I'm saying applies. I would say that at least 70% or more people out there will have no problem with these laying in their ears. For me these are the most comfortable earphones I've experienced. They perfectly go in my ears and sit there without movement. Next the sound. These are simi-open back design that allows sounds to come in. Yet don't let worry you so much because the sound is powerful enough to still drown out things if you want that. You also can push them deeper inside your ears for further seal but I don't do this because it takes away from the sound stage that open back profiles provide. The NC tech also helps for small low frequency so that helps too. The bass is really sick and powerful along with amazing sound stage and instrument separation. Next the battery life is all you need withnover 20 hours of life inside the unit and case. It has quick charging if you need to top it off. And finally, Samsung made sure to have wireless charging of course. Extra features you might love too. 1, multiple device support 2. App with EQ presets 3. Touch controls (although a challenge to pull off at times) 4. Pressure relief that stops pressure from building in you head 5. USB C

The growing "True Wireless Earbuds" portion of audio tech has really interested me in the last few years. Samsung has really made a name for itself with their "Galaxy Buds" line lately and I was very intrigued by the new bean design of the Galaxy Buds Live. So far my time with them have proved that they are a risk worth taking! ONBOXING & FIT: - My first impression upon opening these was how small the case is. I really couldn't believe just how nice and sleek it is, the rounded square shape just makes is ideal to easily bring with you everywhere! - I also think Samsung did a nice job making the hinge on the case feel sturdy and not cheap, its a minor upgrade but nice. - I do also once again love the USB-C and Wireless charging for the case. - The earbuds themselves of course look like beans! They really are small and have a premium look to them with the shape, build, and placement of the speakers and microphones. - The fit was the biggest adjustment for me because they feel like they aren't even there! Seriously the bean shape just makes them rest in your ear but yet they are secure and do not fall out. It's a weird feeling not actively knowing you are wearing earbuds but its something that I personally grew to love. - I did worry that these would fall out easily when working out or going on runs/walks. However I did a few workouts with these and had no issues at all! I can't say whether that will remain consistent but so far so good. - On that, these are meant to be comfy for long wearing and I could not agree more on this concept. I don't feel the need to take them off because of fatigue like in earbuds or over the ear headphones. And maybe that's just me, but I do really think the open air concept of these make them much more comfortable than normal earbuds. AUDIO QUALITY: - Its important for a buyer to understand that these are not your typical noise cancelling earbuds. Typical noise cancelling earbuds go all the way into your ear creating a tight seal that helps the noise cancelling tech on them. The Buds Live are an "open air" earbud which means they don't actual go into your ear to create a seal. - The lack of the seal means you will still hear what's going on around you like a person talking but the Noise Cancelling tech drowns out some of the white noise like the sound of a humming AC unit. Of course when you turn up the music most everything is drowned out, but its just a different experience. - That being said, the audio quality is exceptional! The vocals are clear and crisp, the bass is impactful, and the sound is powerful. I really enjoy listening to music on these or just about anything that requires audio! - Taking Calls on the Buds Live are by far my favorite phone call experience out of any headphones I have ever used! Because there isn't a seal, it makes the phone call feel so much more natural because you can hear the person you are talking to while also hearing the volume of your voice while talking. Along with that, the audio is crisp and the people I have talked to say I sound great. BUDS LIVE VS BUDS+ - As pictured in my review, the Buds Live and Buds+ are very similar in their size and style. Both have a small footprint, both have a nice high quality look and feel, both have touch controls, and both have the charging lights. - With audio, the Buds Live have the open air with noise cancelling design while the Buds+ have a closed seal but no noise cancelling. - With Battery, the Buds+ offer about 5 more hours of use per charge then the Buds Live offer but both offer about the same amount of total battery life with the charging case at around 22 hours. (Samsung says you can get 29 hours of battery in the Buds Live but that is without any Noise Cancelling which I don't think anyone plans on doing). - At the end of the day, both are great wireless earbuds no doubt! In my opinion, I think the Buds+ are meant for people who are more active, away from home, and need something that are long lasting and durable. The Buds Live are for those who value better audio/call quality but still want to be able to hear things around you while commuting or around other people. BOTTOM LINE: - Samsung took a leap with The Galaxy Buds Live, and they truly are a unique audio experience. The sound quality is exceptional, calls are so easy to take, and they are so comfortable you will not mind wearing them for 6 hours at a time because you will barely know they are there. However, for those of you who value a closed off no sound feeling with your headphones, these are not going to be for you. That being said, I was worried about the Buds Live not being sealed off and after a few days with these - Samsung has made me a believer in these earbuds and the Buds Live are my new daily drivers!

These are my second pair of Samasung ear buds live. I like that they're compact and very comfortable to wear and easy to store and there's good options on protective cases.I do however wish the were a bit louder. Not everyone likes loud music but i most certainly do. That being said they connect very easily and the battery lasts quite a long time. They're worth the price. I ordered online and picked them up the same day 2 hrs later. The service at Best Buy was superb!

If you are looking for a great, light and comfortable earbud, this is for you. These are open ear type, meaning that they don't go deep into your ear canal. So you won't have that passive seal in the ear. But the sound you do get from these are unbelievable. Very good, clear vocals. Nice mids, and very good punchy bass. That bass doesn't distort as your volume goes up, either. It syncs up to either Android or iOS rather easily through the Galaxy Wearables app. And the battery life is very good at 6-8 hours on a single charge and 22 hours from the case. That charge will vary based on whether you have Active Noise Cancelation on or not. The ANC isn't as advanced or powerful as other earbuds, based on that the lack of rubber eartips that other in-ear buds have. Overall, a great package and you will be shocked how comfortable they are!