AUGUST 2021 MACWORLD 117mmmm
Beats Studio Buds
PROS- Pretty affordable.
- Extremely compact and
comfortable. - Great music quality for the
price.
CONS - Noise ==cancellation is just
okay. - Missing a few Apple-centric
features.
PRICE
$149
COMPANY
Beats
it’s warranted, and the sound profile is
better suited to modern pop, hip-hop, and
R&B than, say, classical or jazz.
On balance I would say I
prefer the music reproduction
quality in the Beats Studio
Buds to that of the AirPods
Pro. The Studio Buds just have
a crisp sound that puts the
sharp attack into all those
snaps and pops. Combine that
with a more comfortable and
steady fit, and I found
spending time listening to
music with these to be better
than with the AirPods Pro,
despite the fact that these are
priced over $100 less.
That puts one in
an odd position when
it comes to
recommending a
product. I like the fit,
music reproduction,
and controls on the
$149 Beats Studio
Buds better than on
the $249 AirPods Pro.
But the Beats Buds
don’t have iCloud
device syncing or
instant switching,
don’t do Spatial Audio
when you’re watching
video, don’t have a wireless charging case,
and don’t automatically pause when you
take one earbud out.
None of those is a
dealbreaker on its own, but
together they’re enough to
ensure that the AirPods Pro
provide a nicer overall
experience for those who use
multiple Apple products and
services. Is that worth $100
more? That depends on your
priorities. All I know is that I enjoy
the design of these Beats more
than the AirPods or AirPods Pro,
and I hope Apple takes some
lessons from its subsidiary when
designing its next earbuds. ■These little buds put out some impressive sound quality. The call
quality leaves a bit to be desired, though.