Last year, Beats updated its flagship high-end wireless headphones with a host of upgrades over the Studio 3 Wireless 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 against stiff competition from Sony and Bose. Well, today in AmazonThe premium headphones have a new advantage that the competition doesn't have: They sell for just $170. That's 51 percent off and just $10 off its all-time low.
Although Beats Studio Pro is not much different from Studio 3 Wireless it replaces, it adds subtle aesthetic touches like new colors, tone-on-tone trim, and UltraPlush memory foam ear pads (wrapped in leather). Of course, you'll still see the brand's iconic lowercase “b” logo on each earbud.
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But the biggest changes happen inside. Using the second-generation Beats audio chip and new 40mm drivers with dual-layer diaphragm, micro-holes and acoustic mesh, they deliver improved clarity and a more balanced profile than the Studio 3 Wireless. While Beats was once known for suppressing bass at the expense of mids, highs, and clarity, that's no longer the case. Engadget audio guru Billy Steele discovered that cans impartial tuning performed and a focus on precision that was once unheard of in the brand's pre-Apple days.
Studio Pro also has Spatial Audiofamiliar to anyone who has used Apple's latest AirPods. (Bose has also added an analogue to its Ultra line.) This technology simulates 64 speakers around you, creating clearer separation between instruments and voices. You can also choose between head-tracking and fixed modes. However, the effectiveness of the digital trick can vary depending on the track, from breathing new life into old tracks to making a subtle difference in some other genres.
The headphones also allow you to listen to high-resolution and lossless music via wired USB-C – up to 24-bit/48 kHz. They also have a Transparency mode that gives you up to 40 hours of listening time with ANC off (or about 24 hours with ANC or Transparency mode on) and a fast power feature that gives you four hours of playback after just a 10-minute charge.
If ANC isn't your priority, you might want to look at the cheaper Beats Solo 4, which is also on sale. This 2024 model offers better audio quality and longer battery life than the Solo 3. sells on Amazon for $100 – half discount.
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