So you've googled "best earbuds" and ended up here. Good. You've probably got Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro open in one tab and our NL25 in another. Maybe a third tab has a Reddit thread where everyone disagrees about everything.
Let's make this easier.
An honest comparison
Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro is a good product. Let's get that out of the way right now, because we're not the kind of company that claims everyone else makes rubbish. Samsung is a massive corporation that makes phones, TVs, refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, ships, and probably space stations at some point. Headphones are a side project for them – a bit like Henri's Alfa Romeo is a mode of transport: works sometimes, but the heart isn't in it.
Valco makes headphones. That's the whole gig. 14 people, one mission.
Sound quality: The NL25 was tuned by Jasse Kesti, whose ears are insured and whose expertise isn't shared with refrigerator compressors. Samsung produces good sound, but it's generically tuned to please as many people as possible. Jasse's tuning is made to please people who actually listen to music. The NL25 supports the aptX Adaptive codec, which is practically the best you can squeeze out of earbuds. Samsung relies on their own SSC codec, which only runs at full power on Samsung phones. On other phones, you're stuck with AAC.
ANC: Let's be honest here. Samsung's noise cancellation is a touch ahead, especially if you're using them with a Samsung phone. The NL25's ANC gets the job done – airplane hum disappears, office chatter fades away – but neither offers absolute silence. That would require a concrete wall.
Battery life: The NL25 gives you 4.5 hours with ANC on, 6 hours without. Samsung promises 6-7 hours with ANC. Samsung wins this round. If you listen for 8 hours straight, Samsung lasts longer. Then again, if you listen for 8 hours straight with earbuds, your ear canals will want to file for divorce.
Codec and connectivity: The NL25 has Bluetooth 5.4, aptX Adaptive, SBC, and AAC. Works with everything. Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro works best in the Samsung ecosystem. If you've got a Samsung phone, Samsung tablet, and Samsung TV, the Buds3 Pro's seamless switching is handy. If you're running a mix of different brands, the NL25 is more flexible.
Why Valco?
Price. The NL25 costs considerably less than the Galaxy Buds3 Pro. With the savings you could get, say, three grilled sausages with mustard or a 0.0000001% share of our Death Star. Both solid investments.
Repairability. This is where the small company beats the big one. When your Samsung buds break, they go in the bin or off to some service centre in Central Europe. The NL25 gets fixed by Jasse or one of the other repair guys in Kajaani. For real. In a real place. With real hands. We don't throw headphones away.
Design. The NL25 was designed by Jussi Timonen. It looks like earbuds should look – not like a stick growing out of your ear.
Wireless charging. Both support wireless charging. It's a tie. Sometimes life is fair.
Vincent van Gogh mode. You can use the NL25 one earbud at a time. Your other ear stays free to listen to the world around you. Samsung can do the same, but we've got a better name for it.
Who should pick Samsung?
If you've got a full Samsung ecosystem – phone, tablet, watch, TV – and you want everything working together without faffing about, the Galaxy Buds3 Pro is the logical choice. Samsung's ecosystem integration is strong, and there's no point downplaying that.
If you absolutely need the best possible ANC in earbuds and you're willing to pay for it, Samsung edges ahead slightly.
If you like the stick design, well, that's a matter of taste.
Summary
| | NL25 | Galaxy Buds3 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Sound quality | Jasse's tuning, aptX Adaptive | Good, best with SSC (Samsung only) |
| ANC | Good | Slightly better |
| Battery (ANC) | 4.5 h | 6-7 h |
| Price | Cheaper | Pricier |
| Repairability | Fixed in Kajaani | Buy new ones |
| Ecosystem | Works with everything | Best with Samsung |
| Wireless charging | Yes | Yes |
If you want earbuds that sound excellent, cost less, and can actually be repaired – NL25. If you want earbuds that have a chat with your refrigerator – Samsung.
Either way, cheers for considering us. Every NL25 purchase takes us one step closer to the Death Star. And Henri's Ferrari. Though at this rate, he'll run that Alfa into the ground first.
