Review: Beats Studio Pro Headphones

Football Fashion’s team recently got our hands on the Beats Studio Pro, the latest premium wireless noise-cancelling headphones from the Apple-owned brand. As avid music listeners and sports enthusiasts, we were eager to put these cans through their paces during our workouts, commutes, and casual listening sessions. The Studio Pro promises a lot on paper – improved sound quality, active noise cancellation (ANC), and versatile connectivity options. But how do they stack up in real-world use? Let’s dive into our comprehensive review.

Design and Build Quality

The Beats Studio Pro maintains the sleek, minimalist aesthetic that the brand is known for. Available in four colors – black, deep brown, navy, and sandstone – these headphones offer a stylish look that can complement various outfits, from casual sportswear to more formal attire. The build quality feels solid, with a mix of plastic and metal components that strike a balance between durability and weight.

However, the design isn’t without its drawbacks. The headband, while sturdy, lacks sufficient padding, which can lead to discomfort during extended listening sessions. The ear cups are also on the smaller side, which may pose fitting issues for those with larger ears or who wear glasses.

Comfort and Fit

Here’s where things get a bit tricky. The Beats Studio Pro’s comfort level largely depends on your head size and ear shape. For those with smaller heads, these headphones might feel just right. However, if you have an average to large-sized head, you may experience significant discomfort after an hour or so of wear.

The clamping force is quite strong, which helps with noise isolation but can lead to fatigue over time. The small ear cups may not fully encompass larger ears, potentially compromising both comfort and sound quality. If you wear glasses, be prepared for potential fit issues as well.

Sound Quality

Despite the potential comfort issues, the Beats Studio Pro shines in the audio department. These headphones offer a surprisingly balanced sound signature, a departure from the bass-heavy profile of earlier Beats models. The audio profile favors clear highs over thumping bass, resulting in improved vocal clarity and overall sound definition.

The default EQ setting provides a good balance for most music genres, delivering clear vocals and decent bass response. However, some listeners might find the treble a bit intense on certain tracks. Unfortunately, there’s no in-app EQ to fine-tune the sound to your liking, which is a missed opportunity.

When using the USB-C connection, you can access three EQ presets by tapping the system button. While this adds some versatility, we found the default setting to be the most balanced and pleasing overall.

Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode

The ANC performance of the Beats Studio Pro is impressive, placing it among the upper echelon of noise-cancelling headphones. When properly fitted, these cans can significantly reduce ambient noise, particularly in the low to mid-frequency ranges. This makes them excellent for drowning out the hum of airplane engines or the general buzz of a busy gym.

The transparency mode, which allows you to hear your surroundings without removing the headphones, works well. It’s particularly useful when you need to quickly tune into your environment, like listening for announcements at a train station or chatting with a workout partner between sets.

Connectivity and Controls

One of the standout features of the Beats Studio Pro is its versatile connectivity options. These headphones support Bluetooth (using SBC or AAC codecs), 3.5mm analog, and USB-C digital audio connections. The inclusion of a USB DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter) is a rare and welcome feature, allowing for high-quality wired listening through the USB-C port.

The control scheme, however, might be divisive. The Studio Pro uses physical buttons instead of touch controls. While these are more reliable, especially in wet conditions (think sweaty workouts), they require more force to press. This can sometimes break the seal around your ears, affecting both comfort and sound quality. The clicking sound of the buttons is also quite loud inside the headphones, which can be jarring.

Battery Life and Charging

Battery life is solid, with our tests yielding around 31 hours of playtime with ANC enabled. This should easily cover a week’s worth of commutes or several long workout sessions. Disabling ANC will extend the battery life even further. The fast-charging feature is handy, providing about 4 hours of playback from a 10-minute charge.

Software and Smart Features

The Beats Studio Pro comes with a companion app, which is necessary for firmware updates and some customization options. However, the app feels somewhat bare-bones compared to competitors, lacking features like a customizable EQ or more extensive control customization.

For iOS users, the Studio Pro offers some nice extras like head-tracked Spatial Audio and Find My support. Android users aren’t left out entirely, as the headphones support Fast Pair for quick and easy connection.

Call Quality

Unfortunately, the microphone performance on the Beats Studio Pro is underwhelming. In our tests, voice quality was passable in quiet environments but struggled significantly with background noise rejection. If you frequently make calls in noisy environments, these might not be the best choice.

Sports and Fitness Use

As a sports-oriented publication, we paid special attention to how the Beats Studio Pro performed during workouts. The strong clamping force keeps them secure during most activities, but the lack of any official sweat resistance rating is concerning for intense training sessions.

The physical button controls are a plus during workouts, as they’re easier to use with sweaty fingers compared to touch controls. However, the potential comfort issues we mentioned earlier may become more pronounced during long training sessions or runs.

Value and Competition

Priced in the premium segment, the Beats Studio Pro faces stiff competition from established players like Sony and Bose. While they offer good sound quality and ANC performance, the comfort issues and lack of some features (like multipoint connectivity or a robust companion app) make them a harder sell at their price point.

For sports enthusiasts, there might be better options available that offer more secure fits and sweat resistance. However, if you’re deeply embedded in the Apple ecosystem and prefer the Beats aesthetic, these could still be a viable option.

Conclusion

The Beats Studio Pro presents a mixed bag of premium features and comfort concerns. They offer excellent sound quality, impressive ANC, and versatile connectivity options, including the rare USB DAC feature. The improved, more balanced sound signature is a welcome departure from the bass-heavy Beats of old.

However, the potential comfort issues for those with larger heads or ears, combined with the lack of some features found in similarly priced competitors, make these headphones a bit of a hard sell. The underwhelming call quality and absence of sweat resistance also limit their appeal for sports use.

If you have a smaller head, prioritize sound quality and ANC performance, and appreciate the Beats aesthetic, the Studio Pro could be a good fit. However, we recommend trying them on before purchasing if possible, given the potential comfort issues.

For many users, especially those with larger heads or who wear glasses, there might be more comfortable options available in the same price range that offer similar or better performance. As always, personal preference plays a significant role, and what works for one person may not work for another.

In the end, the Beats Studio Pro shows that the brand is moving in the right direction with improved sound quality and features. However, there’s still room for improvement, particularly in the comfort department, to make these a true all-around winner in the premium headphone market.