Beats' new true wireless earbuds hit the market with a lot of expectations. They abandon the sporty design to offer lines of pure style, have the active noise cancellation and they promise to work great not only for Apple (owner of the brand) but also on Android. In our review of the Beats Studio Buds we were able to appreciate above all the sound quality, enveloping and particularly recommended for those who appreciate great bass. The result is a pair of headphones that could make you fall in love: we tell you our experience to make you understand if they are the ones for you.
Beats Studio Buds review, the new true wireless earphones
The new Beats came to us in one environmentally friendly packaging and with some interesting promotions for Apple Music, immediately telling us about the care that Beats (and Apple) put into presenting these earphones. Once we opened the box we were sure: these headphones are the perfect combination of aesthetic work by Beats and Apple. Of the brand created by Dr. Dre they have the bright color of the charging case and earphones, in addition to the sharp lines of the keys with the "b" above. But the "egg" case and the discreet look in the ear have the taste of the Apple.
In the box you will also find spare eartips, wider and smaller than those supplied, in addition to the USB-C charging cable. The addition of the trial subscription to Apple Music increases the value of the headphones, which is already positioned in an interesting area of the market with a price of 149,95 euro.
The headphones fit snugly into your ears and stay securely there. Even when you play sports, thanks also to the certification IPX4 against dust and sweat. They are also very light: weigh only 5 grams, which is great for any situation. But they don't have the Beats running line headband and you can feel it: when you run the headphones don't fall off but they don't feel stable. We couldn't resist the temptation to put them in our ears multiple times during a run.
However, you can safely use them in the gym and in all less "hectic" workouts. But this pair of earphones aims to be your musical accompaniment throughout the day, not just during sports.
Audio quality: bass to make your ears tremble
The main feature of any pair of headphones is undoubtedly the sound quality: The best voice assistant can't improve a pair of crackling earphones. In this department, the Beats Studio Buds surprised us positively during the review.
I bassi they have always been the best quality of Beats headphones, but in other respects also their worst flaw. It really depends on what music you listen to and your tastes. The Studio Buds continue in this tradition but by giving a more dynamic sound respect to tradition.
The musical rehearsal
Given who founded the brand, we could only start testing that with Nuthin’ but a G thang, which has completely enveloped us with his heavily loaded bass line. The highs of Dre and Snoop Dog's vocals strike with great clarity, for a truly gorgeous sonic experience. And the same is true for any hip hop, trap, rock song and also for the vast majority of artists pop.
We liked it less when we listened to more complex tracks like Pink + White by Frank Ocean or the "Caribbean hip hop" soundtrack by In The Heights. These tunes have a steady bass that dominates the richness of mids and highs of the tracks. But listening to jazz songs like Jon Baptiste's, we could see that the problem is not the lack of details, which are indeed very rich. It's the powerful bass that diverts attention from the rest. A problem that can be solved with an equalizer, which unfortunately it is not present in the app Beats (but found on many music streaming apps).
Overall, we can say that the Beats have the perfect sound for the vast majority of music fans. And also testing on Audio Check the qualities individually, we are at the maximum possible on such a small and light headset. But those with more varied musical tastes (and like us have playlists that change genre for each track) could risk ruining some songs for too heavy a bass.
The other features: voice assistant and ANC
Unlike the AirPods, which Apple builds with an H1 or W1 chip for the best possible connection with the iPhone, the Beats Studio Buds seem meant for works as well on Android as it does on iOS. Those with an iPhone can use automatic spatial audio (and the spatiality of the headphones is really well thought out) and the ability to recall Siri with voice. But even Android users can set the ability to wake up the Google Assistant on one of the buttons. And the graphics in the notification area communicate information about the charge level, the connection is instant. In short: these Beats are also excellent for Android.
However, iOS users can adjust theANC or transparency from the notification center. Who has Android will have to open the app. You can also activate this function with a prolonged pressure of the keys, even if the "little voice" that warns us of which functionality we have activated is missing.
However, active noise cancellation did not seem like the ace in the hole of these earphones. If noise cancellation is a must for you, these may not be the perfect headphones for you. But the truth is, there are few headphones that are really effective at reducing noise in this price range: the Beats do better than average, but if you really want not to be disturbed, you should think about over-the-ear headphones.
Keys and calls
I control keys have convinced us: they are sensitive as needed and responsive. We would have liked more possibilities to configure them: for example, both headphones when double tapped skip for the next song, when we would prefer to go back to the previous one with the left ear. But you get used to it quickly. On the other hand, there is no possibility to stop playback by removing the headphones from the ear.
With regard to the call quality, we are average. Which means not very good: feel good but yours voice is a bit muffled. Apple users especially are used to better results with AirPods and there are dozens of dedicated alternatives in Android. If you use headphones primarily for calls, the Studio Buds are not for you. But they are great for the occasional call or videoconference.
Beats Studio Buds review: autonomy and recharge
The autonomy of these headphones is very good, although not exceptional. With ANC or transparency activated, you can count on at least 5 hours of autonomy, which goes up up to 8 hours without these functions. The charging case adds some other 16 (or 10 with ANC). But it can quickly recharge up to an hour of playback in just five minutes thanks to the fast charging.
Charging takes place with the socket USB-C, while the wireless one is missing.
Beats Studio Buds review: are they worth buying?
The Studio Beats lack some of the best features Apple has shown with the AirPods Pro, particularly for calls and quality ANC. But they have two huge advantages: they work great on too Android and they only cost 149,95 €. At this price point the competition is stiff but the Beats' signature sound, with deep, ear-vibrating bass ensures a place among the best.
Who does not like the sound profile full of bass or he needs headphones especially for calls he better look for alternatives. But for most users, they are among the best true wireless around. You can buy them directly from the Beats by Dre website.
Discount
Beats Studio3 Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones ...
- High performance wireless noise canceling headphones
- Compatible with iOS and Android devices.
- Pure Active Noise Cancellation (Pure ANC) actively blocks ambient noise
