Image rights: Apple.T
he Beats Solo Pro headphones might
be the latest in a long line of noise–
cancelling headphones, but these
beauties really stand out.
The new cans from Dr Dre look stunning;
they’re also very powerful at kicking out
sound and offer really impressive battery life.
The headphones are available in six colors,
including three More Matte options.
However, we’re surprised that you’re only
provided with a soft, textured case — a hard
case would have been more reassuring,
especially given the price tag.
They power up when you unfold them. It’s
great that they automatically switch off when
folded up, but it’s not so handy that you
manually have to pause the music if you tend
to keep them round your neck. The physical
button is on the right earcup only, which is
inconvenient if you want to use your left hand
to control volume, music playback, and Siri.
With Apple’s H1 chipset onboard, the
headphones offer hands–free Hey Siri, and
the microphones ensure a reliable response
to commands and voice clarity for calls, even
in noisy locations such as train stations.
Pairing is a breeze, and if you’re running iOS
13 you can easily share the sounds you’re
streaming with other H1–enabled devices.
The headphones boast an updated version
of the Pure Adaptive Noise Cancelling techfrom the Beats Studio3, and do an amazing
job of blocking out external noise. The
technology monitors ambient noise, evaluates
the fit of the headphones and adjusts
accordingly, resulting in really effective noise
cancellation. We had no issues when working
at a laptop in a busy cafe, and they provide
a great way to immerse yourself in a film
on a crowded and noisy commute.
For those situations when you do need to
let a little noise in, like crossing the road or
listening for transport announcements (or
ahem, your boss at work!), Transparency
Mode does a great job of allowing external
sounds. Just enough to hear what’s needed,
but not enough to drown out the music.
Using Active Noise Cancelling and
Transparency Mode does affect battery life.
We actually got around 24 hours out of the
Solo Pro — two hours more than the quoted
22 hours. With ANC and Transparency
switched off, you get about 40 hours.
Whether you’re listening to rock, pop
or podcasts, the sound is fantastic. The bass
isn’t particularly prominent but it’s there in
a subtle, understated way. The Beats Solo
Pro headphones may not be cheap, but the
performance is worth every penny.
THE BOTTOM LINE. Beats’ latest are
superb all–round headphones, as good at
home as in a busy city. SRIVATS LAKSHMANBeats Solo Pro
Fantastic sound quality and great battery
$299.95 From Beats by Dr Dre, beatsbydre.com
Features Active Noise Cancellation, H1 chip, Siri enabled, 40–hour battery lifeBEATS SOLO PRO
Up to 40 hours of
battery life
Hands–free Hey Siri
Unfold to power on
Soft case provided
AWESOME48 MAR 2020 maclife.com
We love the sound
of the Solo Pro,
but a hard case
would have been
preferable.
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