The Beats Solo Pros come with a soft carrying case
that looks like a big fat squat pill. It’s fine for what it
is, but it’s really bare-bones – I would prefer at least a
small pocket inside to hold a charging cable – and it’s
very soft and squishy. It will protect your headphones
for dust and scratches, but not from getting crushed
by all the other junk in your bag. A slightly rigid case
would have given me a little a little more peace of mind.Sound quality
Beats have a reputation for being bass-y. ‘Bass
forward’ is the charitable description. With the Solo^3 ,
Beats dialled back the bass boost a little, but it
was still obvious. I was pleasantly surprised to find
that the tuning of the Beats Solo Pros have more in
common with the company’s Studio line. There’s no
overwhelming bass at all. Of course, tracks that are
bass-heavy do have the appropriate thump (at least, as
smaller on-ear headphones go), but at no point does
the low end crowd out the mid or high frequencies.
My headphone and speaker test playlist is
comprised of all sorts of music: modern pop, hip-
hop, R&B, classical, 1990s rock, metal, you name
it. No one genre stood out as exceptionally well
represented – everything simply sounded as it should.
If you won’t buy Beats headphones because you
don’t like how they always boost the bass, it’s time
to update your expectations.
For the size, they offer remarkable clarity and
immersion. There’s just no way a pair of on-ear
headphones are going to compete with the larger
drivers of a really good pair of over-the-earTheBeatsSoloProscomewithasoftcarryingcase
thatlookslikeabigfatsquatpill.It’sfineforwhatit
is,butit’sreallybare-bones–Iwouldpreferatleasta
smallpocketinsidetoholdachargingcable–andit’s
verysoftandsquishy.Itwillprotectyourheadphones
fordustandscratches,butnotfromgettingcrushed
byalltheotherjunkinyourbag.Aslightlyrigidcase
wouldhavegivenmealittlealittlemorepeaceofmind.
Soundquality
Beatshaveareputationforbeingbass-y.‘Bass
forward’isthecharitabledescription.WiththeSolo^3 ,
Beatsdialledbackthebassboostalittle,butit
wasstillobvious.Iwaspleasantlysurprisedtofind
thatthetuningoftheBeatsSoloProshavemorein
commonwiththecompany’sStudioline.There’sno
overwhelmingbassatall.Ofcourse,tracksthatare
bass-heavydohavetheappropriatethump(atleast,as
smalleron-earheadphonesgo),butatnopointdoes
thelowendcrowdoutthemidorhighfrequencies.
Myheadphoneandspeakertestplaylistis
comprisedofallsortsofmusic:modernpop,hip-
hop,R&B,classical,1990srock,metal,youname
it.Noone genrestoodoutasexceptionallywell
represented– everythingsimplysoundedasitshould.
If youwon’tbuyBeatsheadphonesbecauseyou
don’tlikehowtheyalwaysboostthebass,it’stime
to updateyourexpectations.
Forthesize,theyofferremarkableclarityand
immersion.There’sjustnowayapairofon-ear
headphonesaregoingtocompetewiththelarger
driversofareallygoodpairofover-the-ear