Beats updated its high-end flagship wireless headphones last year, bringing a number of upgrades over the Studio 3 Wireless, the model it replaced. Beats Studio Pro has better sound, active noise cancellation (ANC), spatial audio, and more. But at $350, it didn't necessarily stand out among the stiff competition from Sony and Bose. Well, today on amazon, the premium headphones have a new appeal that those rivals don't: They're on sale for just $170. That's a 51 percent discount and just $10 more than the all-time low.
Although the Beats Studio Pro doesn't look much different from the Studio 3 Wireless it replaced, it adds subtle aesthetic touches like new colors, a tone-on-tone finish, and UltraPlush memory foam ear cushions (wrapped in leather). Of course, you still get the brand's iconic lowercase “b” logo on each earbud.
Heartbeats
But the biggest changes occur inside. Using Beats' second-generation audio chip and new 40mm drivers with a two-layer diaphragm, micro vents and acoustic mesh, they have improved clarity and a more balanced profile than the Studio 3 Wireless. Although Beats was once known for dominating bass at the expense of mids, treble, and clarity, that's no longer the case. Engadget audio guru Billy Steele found that the cans produced unbiased tuning and an attention to precision that was once unheard of in the pre-Apple days.
The Studio Pro also has Spatial Audio, familiar to anyone who has used Apple's recent AirPods. (Bose also added its equivalent in its Ultra line.) The technology simulates 64 speakers around you, creating a more distinctive separation between instruments and voices. You can also choose between fixed and head tracking modes. However, the effectiveness of the digital trick can vary depending on the track, from breathing new life into old tracks to providing a barely noticeable difference in some other genres.
The headphones also let you listen to high-resolution, lossless music over a USB-C cable, up to 24-bit/48kHz. They also have a transparency mode, up to 40 hours of listening with ANC off (or around 24 hours with ANC or transparency mode on), and a quick fuel feature that gives you four hours of playback after just a 10-minute charge. .
If ANC isn't your priority, you might want to check out the cheaper Beats Solo 4, also on sale. This 2024 model, which offers better sound quality and longer battery life than the Solo 3, is on sale on amazon for $100, half off.
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