Some kind of leapfrog goes on in the Beats line, as if it were a separate division within Apple, with its own charter and its own rhythm. After all, Studio is the brand’s big headphones. Many other people and I have been waiting for the updated Beats Studio with a new design, an Apple chip, and noise reduction. Cool “ears” could cost less than AirPods Max and live in a large family of Apple products.
So what’s going on? In the summer of 2021, instead of updating Powerbeats Pro, instead of updating large headphones, Beats Studio Buds appear on sale – classic TWS headphones WITHOUT Apple’s chip, but with noise cancellation. When I saw the announcement, I was shocked, and with all my might, I was waiting for the model for the test. I waited. I suggest unpacking and getting to know the device.
Design
The headphones are available in three versions: white, red, and black. White is off-white, rather light-light-light gray. I would choose this particular model again, a very nice shade.
Includes a USB Type-C cable, three sizes of attachments, papers, and a sticker with the letter b. Everything is traditional.
I must say right away, a very nice case, nice to touch. You can charge using any USB Type-C cable. Plastic and not smooth, and not velvety, the letter b instantly catches the eye.
And it is necessary to erect a monument to the one who invented cups of this shape. Do you remember how convenient it is to get AirPods or AirPods Pro? Conveniently, everything is so, but only sometimes do the fingers jump off. But Studio Buds does not have such a problem and is close: the cups are designed for gripping with your fingers!
And there is also an interesting point here: the outer part of the earphone is made of glossy plastic, the main body is matte, the fingers do not slip. But I was even more surprised when I realized that these areas with the letters b are, in fact, buttons! Yes, yes, these are just ordinary buttons. They click very nicely when pressed, just super.
The case has exactly two strange features. Firstly, the lid goes a little bit. But here, everything is understandable: only one loop is used.
Secondly, the case is still slightly larger than the usual cases for AirPods.
It’s strange because Apple taught us the size of these accessories – on the other hand, we all remember the case for the Beats Powerbeats Pro (and these are still the best sports headphones on the market):
Studio Buds fit well in the ears, but I do not recommend buying without fitting. Please note that most of the recent Beats headphones are equipped with Apple chips. We are talking about the W1 or H1. For some reason, the chip was not installed here – probably for the sake of making the model cheaper. That is, it was an attempt to make the most affordable advanced headphones.
The operating time is about eight hours, but it all depends on the volume and the included options (noise reduction or transparency). The case provides two additional charges. There is fast charging: if you put the headphones in the case for five minutes, you can listen to music for another hour.
The connection to the iPhone is standard. There is animation. Everything is beautiful. Fast connection to Android devices is also implemented.
Noise reduction and transparency mode
As for me, the best noise cancellation in small headphones is organized in AirPods Pro: it is immediately noticeable, it works, there is a wonderful transparency mode. The owners already know it all.
What does Beats Studio Pro have? Unfortunately, nothing. When the noise canceling system was turned on, I did not notice any difference at all – I was trying to detect some changes while in the office, walking down the street. No, alas. Nothing to do with AirPods Pro.
The transparency mode works even more fun. You just hear some hum. And in general, switching modes with a pleasantly clicking button, it is almost impossible to distinguish one from the other.
Sound
The familiar Beats sound: lots of bass. Unlike the Powerbeats Pro, there is no such abundance of bass here. Now I’m listening to Paul Kalkbrenner’s new single Si Soy Fuego. Everything is smooth. The low ones stand out just a little against the general background. And so with almost all tracks, if we take into account modern electronic music. Listening to classics is not interesting. Podcasts and YouTube are great. You can watch a movie, play it too. I didn’t notice any delays in CoD Mobile paired with the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
If we talk about an assessment on a five-point scale, I will give a four with a bold minus.
There are no questions about the quality of speech transmission. While it is quiet around, you can hear me perfectly – it’s great to talk in the office. If you need a modern headset more, this is a good option.
Verdict
On Amazon, the Beats Studio Buds are priced at $149.95. For this money, you can buy classic AirPods. For $189 (on average), they sell AirPods Pro, about the same they ask for Powerbeats Pro.
What can I say? The new Beats headphones left a strange impression. Nice design and handling – but strange fit and poor performance of the noise cancellation system. The sound quality of many more affordable headphones will be similar or even better. For example, one of my favorite headphones of all time, Samsung Galaxy Buds Live (here is our review), costs $129.99, while in almost all respects, the Studio Buds are more interesting.
Honestly, I can’t find any reason to recommend Studio Buds for a purchase. There is not even an Apple chip – that is, there is no auto-switching between devices and other benefits that iCloud gives us.
Therefore, my advice is one: if you suddenly want brand new “bits,” it is better to wait for autumn or look towards other products since there is plenty to choose from. Well, or add a couple of thousand and buy AirPods Pro – they sound better, are registered in iCloud. Here is the best noise reduction among compact headphones and, as for me, at times the best sound.
Why do Beats even need Studio Buds, you ask? It’s simple: in the US, headphones cost $ 150, which is the most affordable TWS noise-canceling headphones. Well, you know, already now there are many articles and videos of American journalists, where the conclusions from the series “well, in general, the headphones are normal.” The audience reacts. Accordingly, many will be tempted by the price – however, there will certainly be many returns. How Apple controlled the development of this model is unclear. It seems that someone let go of the reins, but in vain: the model cannot be finished programmatically. Well, if Beats are Apple and the same chips, why would there be a model without H1 in the line?
Many questions, no answers. Alas.