Original Sounds of the Galaxy S9

From the short, simple tones of notifications and alerts to the lengthier compositions of ringtones, a whole range of notes, tones and melodies come together to form a unified smartphone sound experience.

In addition to a new arrangement of “Over the Horizon”, the Samsung Galaxy brand sound, ringtones and notifications were also reworked for the Galaxy S9. The sounds of the Galaxy phones were not created isolation, but were composed in harmony with the overall design of the device and its UX, leading to a cohesive experience, however you like to use your smartphone.

As well as the addition of 10 new ringtones and 10 fresh notification sounds for the Galaxy S9, the audio UX team reimagined legacy sounds, evoking the emotions ‘Joy’, ‘Serenity’, ‘Interest’ and ‘Optimism’ and widening the spectrum of the Galaxy sound.

Working in Harmony

To create the new ringtones and notification sounds, Samsung reached out to Suran, a K-pop artist and singer-songwriter known for her unique melodies and artistic worldview. The Galaxy audio UX team wished to capture the dreamlike quality of her music for the newest Galaxy smartphone.

Approaching the collaboration not as a designer, but as a musical artist, Suran was able to cast her enchanting sounds over the Galaxy S9. Inspired by the product’s design and images, she commented that she “wanted [her] sounds to be full of detail and imagination.” She also added: “I was attracted to the challenge of creating a totally new sound while also conveying a short yet precise message. It was not a simple task.”

Finishing Touches

Together the audio UX designers and Suran focused on composing even more mellow, minimalistic sounds that were easy on the ears, with dulcet tones designed to make the user feel relaxed. Sampling Suran’s voice on a couple of the ringtones added an original dimension to the sounds of the new smartphone.

After the sounds had been created, they were mixed to produce a richer tone when played through the Galaxy S9’s stereo speakers. During this optimization phase, every instrument used for editing was tested several times.

In a single day, we might receive several phone calls and hear numerous notifications on our smartphones. The sounds of the Galaxy S9 can be tailored to our moods, so that Galaxy S9 users can feel free to express a range of emotions.

A smartphone’s audio capabilities can not only affect the quality of a phone call, but can also make or break one’s mobile entertainment experience. Which is exactly why Samsung has incorporated new and improved audio features, functions and controls into the Galaxy S8 and S8+. Find out more about them below.

UHQ Audio Playback

Recognizing the importance of audio technology, Samsung equipped the Galaxy S8 with Ultra High Quality (UHQ) Audio Playback capabilities with UHQ 32-bit and DSD support*.

This, along with support for digital recordings up to 32 bit/384kHz, ensures that the smartphone can reproduce the full range of sound from recordings that have been mastered from better than CD quality music sources. In other words, the Galaxy S8 does not downsample (or compress) audio files, so the user can experience music and sound much closer to the original recording. Recording quality, too, has also been improved thanks to the High Acoustic Overload Point (AOP) Mic that minimizes distortion in noisy environments.

Dual Audio

The all-new Dual Bluetooth Audio feature provides users with the facility to simultaneously stream audio to two sets of headphones or speakers, while also allowing them to control the volume of the outputs separately.

Settings > Connections > Bluetooth

Separate App Sound

The new Separate app sound function permits users to simultaneously broadcast sounds from two individual apps using their Galaxy S8 smartphone and a separate device. This means that, for instance, a user may listen to GPS navigation via their Galaxy S8’s speaker while streaming music to their car’s Bluetooth audio system at the same time. The volume of the audio, meanwhile, can also be controlled independently.

Settings > Sounds and vibration > Separate app sound

Adapt Sound 6.0

The Galaxy S8’s Adapt Sound 6.0 function has been improved with new Preset and Advanced modes to allow for enhanced audio personalization. Clinical research and statistical analysis of people’s hearing patterns were used to develop three preset sound profiles optimized for people by age: under 30 years, between 30 and 60 years, and over 60 years.

Users can select a preset profile according to their age, or opt to use the Advanced mode to test their hearing and find the best sound for them. The Galaxy S8 will then automatically adjust the audio output for calls, music and video based on their specific needs so they can enjoy a truly tailor-made audio experience.

Settings > Sounds and vibration > Sound quality and effects

SoundAlive 4.1

The latest Galaxy flagship is also backed by SoundAlive 4.1, a tool that gives the user the ultimate control over sound quality and effects.** The tool features an easy-to-use, 9-band Equalizer with six pre-set options to tweak the phone’s audio; a UHQ Upscaler to enhance sound resolution; and Surround, Tube Amp Pro and Concert hall effects.

Settings > Sounds and vibration > Sound quality and effects

Extra Volume

There’s nothing worse than having to make or take a call in a noisy environment, such as a crowded café or heavily-trafficked street. But the Galaxy S8’s Extra volume feature makes it possible to increase the call volume without sacrificing sound quality by simply tapping an icon, right from the call screen.

Interview Mode

To better capture an interview using the Galaxy S8’s Voice Recorder app, users can activate Interview mode. In this mode, sounds near the top and bottom of the phone are amplified, while those closer to the sides are suppressed to ensure the voices of both the interviewer and interviewee are crisp and clear.

UHQ Upscaler

To enhance the sound resolution of music and videos even further, users can activate the UHQ upscaler via the Entertainment Mode settings menu.

Settings >Device Maintenance >Performance Mode>Entertainment

Superior, In-Box Earphones

For the Galaxy S8, Samsung worked with HARMAN to create AKG-tuned earphones that deliver pure, superior sound. Included as an in-box accessory, the new high-performance earphones have dual drivers — 11 and 8 millimeters — to offer uncompromised audio for unbeatable sound quality. In addition, the earphones have a comfortable hybrid canal fit for improved noise cancellation and are made from anti-tangle, metal-fabric material.

*DSD64 and DSD128 playback may be limited depending on the file format.

**Some features are only available when the device is connected to a pair of earphones.