Samsung Galaxy Buds FE Review - Can it replace my wired IEMs?

[@ResolveReviews]

Hey guys, just a bit of context. This is FC-Construct's first full video review with us, but he's been working with us for a long time doing the written reviews over on the Audio Files and has a lot of experience reviewing and measuring wired IEMs. He also does many of the shorts you may have seen on the channel, including the Review in a Minute segment. The other thing is that... whenever we introduce a new face to the platform some of our community occasionally asks "but where are the other guys?" - rest assured, we're still here! just wanted to make a note of that haha.

[@MrR3DP4ND4]

Is my boy Sebastian cooking anything up to release soon?

[@ResolveReviews]

@@MrR3DP4ND4 Ah, he is sadly no longer part of our team, I believe he's gone back to school or is working on that. But we love the guy of course and he did a lot of great work for us. He's one of my favorite people in audio, both online and in-person. So I recommend subbing to his channel for more from him if he decides to keep going with youtube.

[@MrR3DP4ND4]

@@ResolveReviews Thanks for clarifying!

[@AlexProdanovic]

I've loved his shorts, so happy to see he is doing full length videos now!

[@SheepDude-qp7ux]

But where are the other guys?

[@yupanquid5538]

OMG, this is the first video of FC Construct that I see and I love the examples with different drums for the bass, mids and treble. Really appreciate it. Cheers, mate

[@ying27]

I might be the weird one here but I have been in this hobby for about 10 years and I genuinely enjoyed the video! Great review and first video in the channel! I remember seeing some shorts from you but I am glad that you finally made a video! 😁

[@igmetulume5663]

You have really good skills in reviewing these products. You have incorporated a good amount of technical information (and explained them in layman really well) without going overboard. Plus the practical and real-life examples makes them really relatable. Keep up the good work :)

[@wiesolos]

This video is very thoughtfully designed and succeeds to deliver so much information in all aspects. You should upload more videos than shorts.

[@listener-reviews]

FINALLY! Review came out great, man. You should see if The Evil One will send you the Creative Aurvana Ace 2 TWS too, think you’ll be into that too.

[@bozardo101]

I like when this channel reviews TWS earbuds

[@88fonsfons]

excellent comprehensive review.

[@LurkingLarper]

I have been using Buds 2 for 6 months and going strong. I wouldn't have given Sammy the chance if it weren't for Crinacle's review of them and you know what..? They're one of the best audio products I have ever bought, especially for the price. Very good sound production in general with tasty emphasis in the bass to make it more warm and appeal for more people. I can easily recommend them if you can catch them for any kind of sale, which are regular these days. Will be very interesting to see if Sammy and AKG can improve on them in the future and what the rest of the market does.

[@fli9614]

Just got a Buds2 Pro as my first TWS and I love it, I was skeptical of Crin's S tonality but I understand it now. Sound is cristal clear, bass texture/definition is ridiculously good and it's one of the best Harman tuned gear that i've ever had, mids are not the star here but they're also pretty damn good. I think we grew past most TWS limitations nowadays, it's only a matter of competence. Good gear will be good gear, regardless of having wires or not. Of course, when it comes to TOTL, wired is still the way to go.

[@ArkFisted]

how much you got em for

[@fli9614]

@@ArkFisted About $140 from Samsung

[@Th3Shrike]

​@ArkFisted like 80 buck because they let you trade any wired ear bud in for 40 dollars, and rukaten 12% cash back. Samsung sticker price is always meh but the deals you can get year round makes them almost a no brainer if you don't mind spending on audio

[@Maj0rTac0]

Still rockin the buds 2 pro since launched for my runs.

[@floriangopel3909]

I like this style of diving a little bit deeper in the sound description, for example detailed description of imaging 👍

[@HobbyTalk]

Very cool, nice to see FC-Construct

[@geraltofrivia5363]

nicely explained. this is all I wanted. thanks and subscribed

[@HFIntegrale]

This is the first video of yours that i saw. INSTANT subscribe.

[@brianm2850]

Interested in this channel's take on the Aurvana Ace 2 TWS with xMEMS when it comes out later this month.

[@nikhil8717]

Fantastic review!

[@truthseeker6804]

first i bought the jbl tune buds then i bought this galaxy buds fe, i have both. the Galaxy noise cancellation and ambient mode is way better, night and day difference. The sound is very close, the jbl bass has some punch like he described at 4:43. i usually pick the Samsung due to the fit, it fits best and most comfortable! the galaxy fe sound presets are mostly useless the Clear mode is ok but it cuts too much of the bass. i use wavelet app and do alittle adjustments. overall, for the money this buds FE is the best.

[@auck1969]

The Wavelet app is an absolute gem for Bluetooth headphones. I love it!

[@srinathkolloju3172]

True​@@auck1969

[@Cooker98]

I preferred manual adjustment for eq (powerampeq) since aside 2 wide peaks and the gentle bass slope the response is smooth.. The response this vid. shared is accurate to me, the mid. band decrease made the best difference, others I didn't eq as aggressive.

[@truthseeker6804]

@@Cooker98 my eq was reducing the bass just alittle. but when i got to noisy environment i preferred the default eq because noise could overshadow the bass easily. so nowadays i mostly stick to the default. if im at a quiet place i might bring the bass down alittle. i notice too much eq adjustment causes the music to clip and sound robotic. so i do very minimal.

[@asjadraja]

Great job ❤ you earned a subscriber

[@jamesbush2720]

Nice review!!! For $100 AND wireless a definite maybe. I aleady have wired S-12Pro that sound stellar but if I could skip wires it would be great. Hmm....

[@rubenthekid]

Or compromise and get a Bluetooth cable to keep the sound signature you're familiar with and save money. Hell, it would be better in the long run for a multitude of reasons.

[@josemanuel2244]

Exelente review, thank you!

[@LovroSabljak]

I always thought clear setting sounded best by far on my galaxy buds+, I've lost them few months ago, I think these new buds FE would be a perfect replacement since they have very similar shape and sound, but with NC

[@teeteetuu94]

I snagged a pair for what's essentially USD 40 locally. Sounds better than I thought. Air region rolls off real steep, but with macOS' AAC encoder, it is noticeably slightly better than on PC/Android's SBC/AAC. I recommend Android and Linux users to switch to using SBC-XQ codec if possible to get the most out of it, because Samsung thought it's a good idea (in proprietary sense) to limit bitpool size to 37 on all their TWS models, further limiting the quality on SBC codec.

[@haydersdk5088]

Nice review, i think that at 100 usd these are gonna be a hit for many people especially those who cant afford the buds 2 pro, so budget hifi is still going strong (good for me cause im broke xd)

[@supernaut7946]

My only issue with this video is putting up a budget tws against flagship iems. Just doesn't seem like a useful comparison.

[@AceEclipseRL]

I sure hope FC doesn’t come look at these comments. This is the place where souls come to get demotivated and die. I enjoyed the video and some of the comments have some validity to them, but most are overly negative and are filled with your usual audiophile hubris.

[@ResolveReviews]

Yeah I think it's probably a combination of factors. A) a new face folks aren't familiar with and B) a topic that maybe the existing audience is less interested. But, I also think some of that is to be expected and some of the criticism is valid. Like we probably should've considered who this piece was for a bit more carefully and then cater the style, format and information to those people a bit better. But, it's always a process of improvement.

[@Tallas_]

@@ResolveReviewseven audiophiles want true wireless IEMs when they're out of the house.

[@CookinBeatloaf]

Soundpeats capsule 2 pro is a fantastic intro at $50, for focused music listening I prefer my iSine20 at work or Qudelix 5k and Massdrop+ or Truth ear Crin Red/Blue in a noisy environment

[@ilpastor]

Nice one!

[@orthosympa6993]

I still think that the galaxy pro gen 1 is the best iem samsung ever did. I was super disapointed by the buds pro 2, the mids sounded really thin and the EQ presets are terrible.

[@nomimomu2146]

I love the OG galaxy buds too, the sound on the newer model feels like its missing something

[@DrewAk49]

Wait, so they use phone as a mic to passthrough into buds as well? Thats awesome for certain applications if so. Would just hold phone up to whoever is talking to me. 😊

[@zachle9925]

I love this video

[@Sushanttechworld]

I would say buy buds 2 instead of buds fe they are cheaper and better. I tested both i found buds 2 to be better. Would love to see FC in future reviews.

[@Habanecro]

How would you say current 20-50 dollar IEMs compare to these with a good source and high bitrate audio? I'm thinking of sets like the EPZ Q1 Pro, Juzear Clear, or perhaps more budget options like the Tangzu Waner SG or Celest Wyvern Abyss?

[@sleepyrhythms6668]

How do they sound compared to the Quiet Comfort Ultra?

[@aungchannyein8703]

Jbl wave beam or galaxy buds fe which one? please recommend

[@brucelin5842]

Comparing the sound to the buds pro 1st gen which sounds better?

[@DanielleAshlyn]

I'm sorry but Samsung earphones are trash they start to get staticy I just got these less than a month ago and I'm having problems it's such a waste of money so many people run through so many pairs of these it's ridiculous

[@silveriojohan]

The right earbud(Samsung Galaxy buds FE)after just 3 weeks from getting them started making a very annoying white noise every time I paired with the left one, only alone works fine. So disappointed

[@bigsamiabs8416]

Watching those iems slide off the wood onto the table almost hurt.

[@Mastermnd1]

I cringed

[@aroys900]

Hebjust don't wanna say the word better at the end🙈🙈🙈

[@RobertNES816]

The Buds FE are only okay audio wise. They have muddy vocals at times. The 6.5mm drivers are too small and mid bass is pushed too much.

[@newfnshow031]

I spent 212 on pixel buds and they sound terrible

[@JoanReyes05]

It's unsettling how calming the voiceover is and how anxiety-inducing is the teardown...

[@CHYouTube496]

Mpow M30 for £23. I defy you to beat them.

[@750-DAILY-FROM-HOME]

Your unwavering dedication is remarkable! 💯 ° "In a rapidly changing world, the sole strategy that's destined to falter is avoidance of risk."

[@taidee]

Well these buds would not replace my wired IEMs.

[@thiskarthik]

You talk like the tech guy from loki

[@PeddiDevender]

I like iems becoz they are easy

[@gytispranskunas4984]

Ive bought this for 89€ and Im soooo disappointed. They sound soo basic. I cant believe they can sound so poor for this kind of price wtf. There is no richness in sound. My Bullets Z wireless a freaking 15€ buds (although with a vire around the neck) this makes FE sound like absolute basic 5€ pair of headphones u can buy in your grocery store. Im actually in shock. They charge 100$ for this ? HOW. And before you call me an idiot for saying this. I use beyerdynamic dt 770 pro as a daily driver for music, gaming, entertainment at home. So i know what good sounding headphones sounds like. And Buds FE... Didn't hit me. Maybe i need more time

[@alejandroelcid]

I am not going to be harsh on the guy for his, admitted, clickbait title and video but I do have a question; for who is this video for? The explanations given throughout the review are still too technical for the average consumer. Most of the usual audience already know that a tws (regardless of price) can never replace a wired iem, a tws is a quality of life piece of tech for when cables are more of a detriment (ex. exercising, commute, shores, etc.). It also doesn't work well as a review for the Buds FE as the review is, again, overly technical (despite being toned down) and by the time he reaches his conclusion many might have already clicked out of the video; I'll leave it for the analytics people to figure out if that is the case. So again, I wonder for who is this video made for? Too much jargon for the non-audiophile, and for those in the audio community it did not provide any new insight. In summary, this video was pointless.

[@ResolveReviews]

Yeah it's a fair critique. We do want to try and speak to that broader audience who may not even know about wired IEMs. Most people aren't even aware that better sound quality exists, and this piece could've maybe been made more accessible to cater to that audience. And, as some have pointed out already, those who already know about wired IEMs, and will maybe appreciate the more technical nature of the analysis here, will of course recognize that better sound quality exists already. Something for us to work on for sure.

[@Fc-Construct]

Hey, thanks for the feedback. This was my first time trying to make a long-form review and on a product class I would normally never touch so I really appreciate it and will take it into consideration. To your question of "Who is this video for?", I'd say that a lot of reviews, particularly hobbyist products, are simply "experience sharing". It's one of the reasons I think a lot of people watch reviews of products they already own and enjoy. In this case, I bought the Buds FE and made this video because I wanted to share my experience and knowledge both to people who might not know much about audio but are becoming more interested in it (thanks to larger tech channels like Linus Tech Tips) and for seasoned hobbyists like myself who've thought about making the switch but never committed since older generation TWS products tended to be rather poor. I agree that perhaps the net was cast too wide and ended up less effective than it should've been. Lessons learned.

[@CookinBeatloaf]

​@@Fc-ConstructMaybe just call it Galaxy Buds FE experience, the channel you're in conveys that you have access to competitive headphones

[@truthseeker6804]

im not an audio file, this is basically my third wireless earbud and yet i understood what he was saying. anyone who only wants someone to give them their opinion really doesn't care about sound quality. id like to see a chart and know where the earbuds fall and if its balanced or where it skews towards.

[@Weegeeguy208]

Sounds like a skill issue to me. Is a graph explaining the bass mid and treble response too complicated?

[@RetroKid]

Clearly the answer is no. Anyone with any experience with either IEMs or TWS could have told you that. Click-bait hyperbole just to make a strawman argument. Terrible.

[@jamescruz8678]

don't take the title too literally lol

[@rubenthekid]

Especially for someone who knows about Bluetooth adapters for said iems, you just sacrifice some of the quality for convenience and still come out with something that sounds better than most earbuds and still has passive noise cancelling depending on the ear tips you use. Hell, if the iem comes with tuning modules (64audio iems) or something similar, you can get additional isolation.

[@chancemackey7100]

You don't run a business to lose money

[@listener-reviews]

I know plenty of audiophiles who have expensive IEMs and basically only use eg. AirPods Pro 2. The only limitations that would stop a TWS from replacing a kilobuck IEM are use-case and mindset. Personally, I’d probably use Buds FE or APP2 over *most* of the kilobuck stuff I’ve heard… and yes, that’s a sound quality thing. Most kilobucks are focused on grabbing and directing your attention with tuning risks, and these risks rarely pay off for me. Something like APP2 is a lot more livable, and what i’d opt for.

[@jamescruz8678]

@@listener-reviews Adding onto this, for me it's just that I'm not gonna walk around with IEMs more expensive than the phone I'm playing audio off of. Those aren't daily drivers to me and more like experiences I can visit whenever I have free time.

[@galacticguimo]

I got mine for 50usd lol

[@Potatoalex538]

My spinkter is burning after eating too much taco iam shitting right now and watching my body and head is irritating

[@Mr3Dmutt]

in my personal experience... the samsung buds don't even come close to the Sony WF buds. if Sony's are a 9/10, Galaxy Buds are a 1/10. And the Sony earbuds have 100% replaced any wired, and even my over-ear headphones for mobile travel, with me reverting to my Focal Radiance when at my studio. If you're looking at the XM4's vs the newest XM5's just be aware that the PNC on the XM4's is far far superior, but they lose out on comfort factor by a wide margin as well as call clarity where as the XM5's have superior audio and are less V shaped.

[@OrangeMicMusic]

Radiance=$1300, XM5=$300, XM4=$280, FE=$100 - a shorter version of your comment

[@normalhumanbeing6066]

i think something went wrong with the channel

[@curtismarek1706]

Wtf is this review