Studio3’s active noise cancelation helped reduce the low droning of outdoor construction, but certain noises were still audible. So they’re good, but not on par with competitors like the Bose QuietComfort 35 II. For non-bass-driven music, we found the tuning wasn’t the best. Guitars and vocals sound a bit overly processed on the Beats Studio3, as do more subtle background vocals, sound effects and light instrumentation.
Suffice it to say, the Studio3 wireless headphones have come a long way from when the brand was under Monster. These are on par with the likes of the Bose QuietComfort 35 IIs, and with a suggested retail price of $349.95, they’re not cheap. GearLab is founded on the principle of honest, objective, reviews. Our experts test thousands of products each year using thoughtful test plans that bring out key performance differences between competing products. And, to assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. Pressing the play/pause button twice or thrice can also skip tracks forward and back.
Meanwhile, the Beats Fast Fuel feature gives you three hours of playback from just 10 minutes of charging. Has a control that turns off the audio, and in the case of noise canceling models turns off the noise canceling function, so that ambient sounds can be heard. Useful for hearing ambience like travel announcements without turning off the audio player or removing the headphones. Moving past the adaptive claims and simply testing the overall NC performance, we got solid results. Listening to the NC itself, with no music, the circuitry does produce a very slightly audible hiss, but this is typical, and you won’t notice the hiss with audio playing.
I was on the fence about purchasing them, but I’m glad I did. The fact that I can blast ANY song and not have any distortion is the best thing ever. Three people at my work have bought them after listening to mine once. Activation of 4G LTE/5G phone on 5G Get More plan req’d.
Or as fellow CNET editor Ty Pendlebury remarked, “It’s really good headphone for people who listen to pop music.” The electronic circuitry for the noise cancelation function is integrated into headphones earpiece rather than incorporated as a separate module that is integrated into the audio cord. On Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “No Church in the Wild,” the kick drum loop’s attack gets plenty of high-mid presence and retains its sharp attack, allowing it to cut through the several layers of the mix. Thus, those seeking out a mega-boosted bass sound will likely be disappointed with the balanced, crisp Studio3 Wireless. The vocals here benefit from the solid high-mid presence—perhaps things get a tad too sibilant here and there, but this is a clean sound, generally speaking.
When the battery is low, a 10-minute charge provides 3 hours of playtime using Fast Fuel. Pure ANC-off for low-power mode may last up to 40 hours on a single charge. Lastly, the Solo3s are a little bit lighter and thus better for the gym. So if you’re looking to get wireless over-ear or on-ear headphones to wear to the gym in addition to normal casual listening, the Solo3s are probably the way to go. Now although both headphones will fatigue your ears after extended listening periods, we give the edge to the Studio3 in terms of comfort. They have an over-ear design compared to the on-ear design of the Solo3.
The Studio 3s have a cozy and comfortable feel and can be worn for extended listening sessions. The Studio 3s have a ton of passive noise attenuation, which is to say that even when wearing them on your head without any tech being active, they do a good job muffling external sounds. This close contact also means they function a lot like simple ear muffs — beats solo pro wireless which is brilliant in cold winters and kind of a nightmare in the summer heat. Close to the Studio 3’s $350 price are the $400 noise-canceling Bowers & Wilkins PX that I just reviewed and loved. The PX are vastly superior to these Beats cans when it comes to construction durability and quality of materials, but the Beats advantage is a collapsible design.
Class 1 Bluetooth support means extended range beyond the typical 33 feet Bluetooth allows—our headphones stayed connected through walls and doors, approximately 45 feet, before we lost connection. The Bose QuietComfort 35/QC35 Wireless 2016 are a better headset overall than the beats studio3 Wireless. The Bose have a more comfortable over-ear fit and stronger noise cancellation that will isolate better in noisy environments. On the upside, the Beats have a better wireless range and a faster charging battery life than the Bose. The Beats are also a bit more stable for sports and some will prefer their sleek and stylized over-ear design over the Bose’s somewhat bland but more professional look.
But enough about the W1 chip, let’s get into why you would buy one over the other. The big challenge of assessing the Beats Studio 3 is that they’re two fundamentally different pairs of headphones depending on whether you have them hooked up to an iPhone or an Android device. But before I get to those performance matters, let’s look at the universal aspects of comfort and design. Beats has worked hard to create a great-sounding pair of headphones.