These past few weeks we've been testing the waters with Samsung's Level line-up, jamming with the Level On headphones and bringing Bluetooth to our more dated gadgets with the Level Link wireless adapter. Now we've had a chance to spend some quality time with the new Level U Wireless Headphones during long gaming sessions, occasional phone calls and even utilizing S Voice in between.
The around-the-neck style of the Samsung Level U headphones is nothing new in terms of design, but it's matched with a series of unique perks that make it the music machine that it is. Flexible urethane joints make adjustments quick without having to worry about easily breaking either of the arms. Along each arm is an O-ring that slides up and down to increase or reduce tension on the wired ear buds, depending on how much slack suits your comfort level. The smooth, glossy finish of the neck rest looks great, and although it doesn't have any sort of cushioning, the headphones are so lightweight you hardly even notice they're on majority of the time.
On the top of the neck rest is a microUSB port for charging the Level U headphones that has a port plug for keeping out sweat, dirt and other debris during use. Underneath is a simple power switch that's a bit hard to toggle without a fingernail getting it done. Both corded ear buds reach approximately 10-inches from where they're wired into the plastic — plenty of length for anyone's comfort level. The body of the ear buds are magnetic, providing a tangle-free way to keep things tidy while sitting inactive around your neck or for storage purposes. There are 2 microphones built-in, one on the underside of the neck rest and the other at the tip of the right arm. Using both microphones, the Level U provides excellent noise reduction as well as echo cancellation for hands-free calls.
Along the right arm of the headset is where you'll find your buttons for controlling volume, play/pausing tunes, pairing, and skipping tracks. While there are only 3 buttons, each has 2 purposes. Holding the volume-up button goes to the previous track, and volume-down skips to the next. The larger play/pause button kicks the headphones into pairing mode by holding for 3 seconds. This design is certainly intuitive enough and doesn't take long getting used to, but having some extra options on the opposite arm would have been nice — especially since there's no function whatsoever on that side.
Included with the Level U headphones are 2 pairs of regular ear gels in different sizes that fit around the 12mm speakers, and a set of Samsung's active ear gels that feature stabilizing wings (great for workouts and/or steady movement). My ears spit out ear buds no matter what size they are, so these active ear gels were perfect for me, even though they're not the most comfortable after a couple hours.
The Samsung Level U headphones are compatible with their free native Level App, which packs a variety of audio adjustments to customize your music experience — both basic and advanced options. For a closer look at the features of the Level App check out our Samsung Level On Wireless Headphones review. As you might expect, there's also S Voice compatibility, making voice commands easier than ever.
From a full charge you can expect around 11 hours of talk time, 10 hours of music playback, or 21 days of standby time. A 30-inch microUSB cable is also included for all your charging needs. Keep in mind, the Level U headphones can also be used with non-Bluetooth devices if paired with Samsung's Level Link Wireless Adapter.
Final thoughts
There aren't many quality headphones I can use with earbuds, but the Samsung Level U Wireless Headphones stand up to the challenge and definitely deliver. Great sound quality, plenty of audio customizations with the Level App, and acceptable battery life. You can grab a pair in black sapphire or white right now for $59.95 at ShopAndroid.
