The clamping force of the headset is so great, however, that a secure fit is easy to come by. That’s impressive for a pair of on-ear headphones, whose passive noise isolation you might expect to be inferior to that of over-ear models. In fact, my only gripe regarding the headphone’s noise cancelling is that the microphones sometimes pick up and amplify wind turbulence. That’s not a problem specific to the Solo Pro – we’ve seen it on other ANC headphones as well – but it can be quickly remedied by switching off ANC and transparency.
However, the delicate electronic wind instrument and Megan’s commanding vocals managed to shine. The lows on the 700s were better balanced, so not only did you get the thumping bass, but you also got it without distorting another part of the song. In the peace and quiet of my house, Transparency mode allowed me to listen to Outkast’s “Two Dope Boyz ” while watching Halloween Wars on Food Network. I was impressed that I could clearly hear both audio sources without any real clashes. Riding the subway, I managed to drown out a crowded train car by playing music at about 50% volume. When I wasn’t playing music, it sounded like everyone else was far away.
His specialities include all things mobile, headphones and speakers that he can’t justifying spending money on. If you haven’t experienced the pure joy that comes with using wireless noise-canceling headphones, now’s your chance to save big on one of the best options available. These headphones offer adjustable bass levels and enhancement features that help to strengthen the low-end response of the incoming audio signal.
It’s worth noting, though, that the Solo Pro won’t auto-pause if you do take them off, as is the case with some other high-end headphones. That’s around £100 more than the Beats Solo 3 (£190), which lack their successor’s active noise cancelling and around £60 beats flex review more than the over-ear Beats Studio3 (£220). The latter do have ANC but the Solo Pro perform better in this regard and also offer superior sound quality. Although the sound signature remains bass-heavy, as is emblematic of Beats, it rarely overpowers vocal…
At $299.95, the Solo Pro is pricey but in line with some other flagship over-ear models. The Solo3 Wireless is just $50 more and packs many of the same features. Our current favorite option, the Sony WH-1000XM3, has slightly better sound and the adaptive ANC works very well. The Bose 700 is another very nice set of noise-cancelling headphones, but they’re even more expensive at $399. To me, the extra comfort that all three of those offer is worth the extra money.
The trade-off is comfort though, and after about 30 minutes of wearing the Solo Pro, I’m ready for a break. The headphones have Apple’s H1 chip, the replacement for its original W1 chip. Like the W1, it allows for quick pairing with iOS devices, and among other things, “Hey Siri” support for hands-free Siri communication. It also supports newer Bluetooth technology and provides lower latency as a result. If you’re connecting to an iOS device, turning the headphones on will trigger an on-screen prompt—press a button and you’re paired. And turning the headphones on or off is as simple as folding the headband hinge in or out.
Also featured with these headphones is Transparency Mode. This function allows you to listen to music while still being aware of your surroundings. They sound good, have solid noise cancelling and are comfortable and stable on your head. Bluetooth connectivity is rock-solid and the battery lasts long enough for the weekly commute or flights. The Solo Pro are also some of the best-sounding Beats headphones I have listened to.
Simply pair them as you would any other Bluetooth headphones, and you can then check battery status and control ANC from the Beats mobile app. There’s no AptX or Aptx-HD support, as you’ll find with many high-end Bluetooth headphones, but they’ll play audio via Apple’s AAC codec beats studio3 instead. Since Apple acquired Beats in 2014, Beats headphones have been increasingly optimised for iPhones, iPads and MacBooks. Thanks to the Apple H1 chip, the Solo Pros not only pair instantly with these devices but you can also summon Siri at any time using your voice .