After a slew of new true wireless earphones, Beats has revealed its latest flagship over-ear headphones in the Studio Pro.
Following a long line of Beats over-ear headphones that goes back to 2008, the Studio Pro are the first over-ears from the company to adopt a different audio style, dropping the bass boosted sound and replacing with a more neutral, clearer performance.
We’ve not yet listened to the new headphones but we thought we’d compare them to the their Studio 3 Wireless over-ear predecessors, to give interested buyers insight on what’s different and what’s changed with the Studio Pro.
They cost the same
When the Studio 3 Wireless launched they were priced at £349 / $349, and the Beats Studio Pro are priced exactly the same.
The Studio 3 Wireless have, of course, been available to buy for a few years now, so they are available for less. On Amazon UK we’ve seen the Studio 3 headphones at £259.
Although the Studio Pro are effectively replacing the Studio 3 Wireless, they will continue to be sold for as long as stocks last.
The Studio Pro will sound more balanced
Though we haven’t listened to the headphones yet, we can tell you that that the frequency response will be flatter, balanced and more uniform. Bass response is said to be more accurate, and clarity across the frequency range is one of the main focus with noise distortion reduced by up to 80% compared to the Studio 3 Wireless.
Call quality is also said to be an improvement, with the Studio Pro’s built-in microphones filtering out background noise and enhancing voice clarity. Beats claims it’s up to 27% better than the Beats Studio 3 Wireless.
The Studio Pro’s Android support is better then the Studio 3
Unlike parent company Apple, Beats has taken an agnostic approach to platform support, with iOS and Android reaching parity in terms of feature compatibility.
One-touch pairing (Google Fast Pair on Android), firmware updates, and Find My Device are supported across both ecosystems. Users on iOS will get ‘Hey Siri’ voice support, while Android users will be able to switch between compatible devices via Bluetooth multipoint. That feature is not yet supported on iOS, however.
Slightly longer battery life on the Studio Pro
The Studio 3 Wireless were capable of up to 22 hours with noise-cancellation on. The Studio Pro takes that a little further with with 24 hours of playback.
That’s not a big boost, and less than price comparable rivals from the likes of Sony, Bowers & Wilkins, and Sennheiser. Fast charging has been improved over the Studio 3 Wireless, with a ten minute charge yielding four hours over the three its predecessor could manage.
The Studio Pro support 24-bit/48kHz audio
Something of a surprise to glean was that the Studio Pro headphones are capable of 24-bit/48kHz playback through their USB-C connection.
However, it is only possible through a wired connection and not over Bluetooth wireless. In that context, they’re very much like the Beats Studio 3 Wireless, hitting a ceiling of AAC streaming with devices.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
