Samsung Galaxy S21 – One Year Review, Part 2: Audio

3.5mm headphone port

Having discussed the display, now I’ll talk about my S21’s audio, starting with the loss of the 3.5mm headphone port.

Initially, losing the 3.5mm port wasn’t something I was comfortable with, but I now own 3 pairs of Bluetooth headphones, so at least it’s a little less painful than it was a few years ago.

That collection includes 2 sets of over-ear cans, as well as a really cheap pair of AirPod clones which I’ve just purchased from Amazon for £14.

I also recently bought a cheap 3.5mm to USB-C adapter, to use with my much older Sony over-ear’s.

But last year, I realised I’d had that 3.5mm port on nearly every personal media device I’ve ever owned – from a mid-90s cassette player to my Galaxy S9+ and pre-owned iPhone 6s.

That’s almost 25 years of media consumption via the 3.5mm port, brought to an end due to ‘technological innovation.’

But, fast forward to 2022, and I’ve actually found that I haven’t missed the port as much as I thought I would. It only feels weird to not have a cable dangling from my phone when I stop to think about it.

Bluetooth audio is so much more convenient. I can now do something I’ve never done before, and previously thought was only possible in a sci-fi film – leave my phone in 1 room, and walk around the house with my headphones on. Even upstairs, without the connection dropping.

The only disadvantage I’ve found, is that I can no longer easily use an external microphone with my phone – I have to use an adapter. However, as I don’t use an external mic very often, if I ever do need that functionality, I’m more likely to use my DSLR camera & a shotgun mic.

The 3.5mm-USB C adapter I recently bought works brilliantly for playback, but it might also work for external mic’s too. I shall have to test it with my Galaxy S21, so watch this space!

Equalizer – built-in, Settings

My S21’s inbuilt Equalizer isn’t as good as my Galaxy S9+, especially as the Tube Amp Pro toggle – which I loved – has been removed.

Comparing the sound, with Tube Amp Pro enabled my Galaxy S9+ provides richer bass, so from a personal perspective it sounds better than my Galaxy S21.

Secondly, Concert Hall & UHQ upscaler are also missing – I had to download & install the Sound Assistant app from Galaxy Store to regain those toggles. Sadly, Tube Amp Pro wasn’t to be found even here…

If you’re wondering why I value Tube Amp Pro & Concert Hall so highly, it’s because they change the sound of the audio across the entire system. I’ve downloaded third party EQ apps before, including Poweramp Equalizer, but I’ve found through personal use that, sadly, none of these apps really come close to the quality of a built-in system EQ.

If the app crashes, or a media app like YouTube or Spotify isn’t supported, then the audio SFX stops – so it’s better to have an audio system that is enabled by default.

Also, because you’re filtering audio through those apps, the volume tends to drops whilst the app is active, and jumps back up when deactivated – which is particularly unnerving when using headphones.

While I personally believe a system EQ is so much better & easier to set up, the Sony Headphones app for my WH-XB900N’s has it’s own EQ settings which make up for the S21’s deficit. Yet even then, I’ve found the punchier bass on my Galaxy S9+ still sounds richer than my Galaxy S21.

FM Radio

Nope, my Galaxy S21 doesn’t have an FM Radio. Or, any Radio for that matter. Neither did my Galaxy S9+ or my Galaxy S7. In fact, the last phone I used that had an FM Radio was my HTC Desire Eye – back in 2016!

To be honest, I never used it that much on my Desire Eye, because it needed wired headphones plugged-in to act as the antenna. That made using it inconvenient, as it required headphones to work.

Considering I’ve now owned 3 phones without a built-in FM Radio, I guess it’s not really something I need anymore.

Plus, with apps like Radio Garden and TuneIn that allow me to listen to any radio station globally, it doesn’t make sense to have a feature that would limit my entertainment to local stations.

Also, with podcasts ever more popular, I’ve found that a combination of podcasts and global radio negates the need for an FM radio app.

Therefore, not having an FM Radio on my S21 isn’t a big deal.

In my next post, Features & Connectivity!

KPH tech blog