Earplugs have never sounded so good
After Samsung acquired the electronics and audio company Harman last year, we began to wonder if the Samsung Galaxy S9 would come with particularly good headphones. The fact that they will be included in the kit already with the Samsung Galaxy S8, we did not expect.
Samsung Earphones tuned by AKG, that is, in-ear headphones supplied with the Galaxy S8, were developed by Samsung together with AKG, which is a subsidiary of Harman.
And here’s what we can say after conducting a practical test in our laboratory: they sound really good. Very well. However, it would be strange to expect a different result, because, as you can see from our ratings for Bluetooth and wired headphones, AKG makes very good headsets in general.
Music of any genre is reproduced here clearly and differentiated thanks to the two membranes of the two-way system. In particular, for example, in «Three Rings», a new song by the American indie band Grizzly Bear, guitars and voices sound natural, and their mixing is balanced.
Genres such as Pop and Hip Hop are also subject to in-ear headphones from Samsung. On «Saturnz Barz», one of the singles from Gorillaz’ new album «Humanz», the bass is accurate and doesn’t cut down other frequencies.
More than just plastic inserts
Comfort when wearing headphones is a matter of personal preference, as everyone’s ears are different. And yet, during practical testing, Samsung Earphones tuned by AKG seemed to us very good. Few «earplugs» sat in our ears so comfortably. And this despite the fact that our editor is an open opponent of in-ear headphones.
Unlike another popular smartphone manufacturer, the headset that comes with the Samsung Galaxy S8 is not just “earplugs”, that is, headphones that simply lie at the entrance to the auditory canal, but full-fledged in-ear headphones.
This means that three sizes of ear pads are included in the package, and there is also a leather storage case. The quality of performance also makes a positive impression. The cable — covered, by the way, with braided material — adjoins the speakers seamlessly in a metal ending.
Samsung is well on its way
With which smartphone you would decide to stay until the end of your days, in most cases it depends only on principles and beliefs. iPhone fans will most likely opt for an Apple device after the update, Android lovers will most likely prefer the Galaxy S8.
But for those who are absolutely indifferent to this holivar, high-quality accessories can become a decisive argument. And in this direction, Samsung decently adds. Where the Samsung Gear Icon X certainly still has room for improvement, the wonderful Samsung Earphones tuned by AKG easily beat Apple’s white Earpods.
Why Apple, which acquired headphone maker Beats back in 2012, didn’t benefit similarly from such a resource remains unclear.
However, since headphones from California are located approximately in the middle of our corresponding rating, they are, of course, not a completely bad product. Here are just AKG show much better results.
Rating leaders: TOP5 headphones in the test
1. AKG Y50
2. Marshall Major II
3.beyerdynamic Custom Street
4. Pioneer SE-MX8
5. Noontec Hammo S (MF3118S)
Conclusion:
The manufacturer developed these earbuds in cooperation with AKG, a subsidiary of Harman. So far, they can only be purchased bundled with the Galaxy S8, but they will soon go on sale.
Pros:
- very good, balanced sound
- sit comfortably
- excellent workmanship
Minuses:
- so far only sold bundled with the Galaxy S8
A photo: manufacturing companies, Samsung
