Thoughts on Beats Studio Buds +

I’ve had several sets of wireless earbuds now, starting with the Apple AirPods first generation, then the AirPods Pro first generation. Both were decent headphones, for what they are as wireless earbuds focused heavily on form. I would never call them excellent headphones but there is a lot to be said for earbuds with no cables that last hours between charges, have small cases for charging and keeping them together, and that seamlessly work with Apple devices, even transferring between devices as I use them. They feature a fairly plain and inoffensive sound profile at stock and simply “just work” as Apple is so infamous for describing their products.

Lately I’ve been having connection issues with my AirPods Pros and decided to look into a wider array of earbud options out there. There are a plethora of options available now, ranging from Apple, to Sony, to an endless sea of options ranging from extremely cheap no-name options to options that make even Apple blush at how painfully expensive they are. I wanted more of a drop-in replacement to the AirPod Pros. Simple, nothing too expensive, similar quality audio, active noise cancellation, and plays well with whatever devices I want to pair them with at the time.

I did some research and found that the new Beats Studio Buds +, also from Apple, meet my criterion. Firstly, the case, while larger than either AirPods case, isn’t exceptionally larger. The AirPods Pro case is 60.5mm by 45mm by 22mm. The Studio Buds + case is less rectangular, more ovular and measures 73mm by 52mm by 26mm. Even so, slipping them into a smaller pocket I find a similar experience because they are more tapered versus the AirPods Pro case. I also appreciate that they don’t feature the glossy white exterior that Apple is still so adamant about using on anything they produce that isn’t aluminum or titanium. The slightly more textured feel is something I prefer as I don’t like the feeling of completely slick plastic but that’s a rather unimportant qualm in the grand scheme of things.

Aesthetically, they are very distinctly not Apple branded which I do appreciate. Though I don’t have any stake in the world of electronics as fashion accessories, I do understand that the glossy white plastic of Apple says one thing while the transparent, textured plastic of the Beats is an entirely different one. For me, the transparent plastic is the entire allure, aesthetically speaking anyway. I’ve always had a fascination with the internal workings of electronics and being able to see those inner workings is always fun for me. I find looking and seeing how they managed to cram the electronics, and battery, into a small case is fascinating and given they are the same price as their traditional opaque counterparts the choice was easily made for me.

The Apple touch is apparent in some of the design though. The Beats branding has become more and more minimalistic since they acquired Beats and it now is down to a simple black, matte “b” logo on the front of the case and on each earbud. If nothing else, Apple is masterful at branding minimalism and they’ve moved that into their Beats branding as well. Other Apple-like aspects are details like the lid behaving identically to the AirPods cases as well, with a slight heaviness to hold the lid open then a satisfying snap when they close.

Going beyond aesthetics, one other aspect that was a factor for me was how the case charges. I didn’t want another set of Lightning earbuds. The Studio Buds + feature USB-C charging and that is something I appreciate with all small electronics at this point. It’s the most compatible and more durable than Lightning, let alone the notoriously awful micro-USB. Having said that, I did give up one of the niceties of the AirPods Pro case: wireless charging. It’s less efficient, and far more finnicky, than a cable but it is something that as far as convenience goes being able to just huck the case onto a charger without fiddling with cables is a great quality of life option. However, given how little I needed to charge the AirPods Pros, and that these Studio Buds + are even more efficient I was willing to give that up in favor of USB-C connectivity and friendlier connectivity to non-Apple devices, something that I toy with from time to time. A side benefit of the transparent case is that I can literally see the battery cell inside the case and the ear pods. Not an issue now but it is a practical concern of battery bloat in the long term and that practical nature was something I considered with these as well.

Beyond that, I like that the buds are smaller than the AirPods Pro buds. I never have cared for the little sticks that protrude from the various AirPods, especially if I’m laying on my side. That makes the Studio Buds + more comfortable when laying down on them than the AirPods which I appreciate. However, laying on them can be problematic because they have a single, physical button on each bud. Laying too heavily on them will cause that button to activate which could have Siri or ANC settings activating while you are laying down as those are the two options they have by default. The ANC is also a copy-paste from Apple, and I don’t notice a difference between the AirPods Pros and the Studio Buds + in how they behave with ANC enabled. That’s a great thing as it was already one of Apple’s strengths with their AirPods lineup. Relatedly in comfort, they offer 4 sizes of silicone ear tips. They have the medium tips installed from the factory and include extra-small, small, and large. I noticed some slight pressure with using the medium tips so I switched over to the small and found they have just as good of a seal in my ears with less outward pressure from the tips.

Setup is identical on Apple devices to pairing other Apple devices. They immediately pop up a notification on the phone showing them ready to pair when you hold them next to the phone with the lid of the case open. They retain that same seamless connectivity, and it honestly is one of the nicest parts of the Apple ecosystem. It also means that you get all the lovely graphics in the iPhone or Mac interface, along with detailed information about remaining charge, current ANC settings, firmware version, and of course AppleCare status. Having said that, my understanding is that using them on Android is similarly seamless and that is also great to see but as I don’t have an Android device at the moment, I don’t have any way of verifying how well they work. From the reviews I’ve seen where they used Android devices, however, they indicated that they were pleased with the experience. That Apple has the Android branding prominent on the box however shows they are taking it seriously. That makes sense to me given they have had Apple Music on Android now for some time now as well.

Now, onto the more subjective parts. Like other Beats headphones, they do have a heavier bass profile. I don’t find them fatiguingly heavy, nor do they do so at too heavy a cost to the mid-tones or high end. They’re not neutral, but I think for many listeners they will find them to have a pleasant, and familiar, profile. I am not necessarily the listener that Dr Dre was targeting in his initial headphones. But, as the Beats brand has expanded to a much broader audience, I think Apple has been wise to mellow out some of that more niche sound profile to something more general. At the least, they are for maximizing sales. Whether that’s true to the spirit of the initial ideas behind the brand that’s an entirely different ball of wax and one that is far more philosophical that I’m not going to go into here. Ultimately, I’ve tried them with a range of music, ranging from Gustav Holst’s Planets Suite, to Queen and I Want to Break Free, to Gorillaz’ Stylo, to Ladyworld by TWRP.

I found all of them enjoyable to listen to using the Beats Studio Buds +. Voices are clear and full, even when heavily synthesized like with TWRP. Basslines are energetic and fun. They make me want to listen to more music, especially with music that already puts forth a punchy bassline. That bass never overpowers the rest of the instrumentation, with piano, strings, and horns all still providing their parts to the music in harmony. Again, they aren’t going to be neutral, but they are going to give a fun sound profile that makes music enjoyable to listen to across genres. If I really want to go deeply into analyzing the music, I’ll use some of my dedicated headphones for that, like my Sennheiser HD599 or AudioTechnica ATH-HD700X. That’s where those are best, hooked up to the computer to listen to lossless music in a quiet room. But, if I’m out and about, or doing something? I want music to be a bit punchier and to enjoy it even in a noisier environment. That’s where earbuds with ANC really shine. And that’s where these earbuds shine.

If you’re looking for neutral, wireless earbuds these may disappoint you. That’s not the target for them. Going into them for a good pair of wireless earbuds with good battery life, great ANC, seamless interaction, and a fun sound profile and you’ll likely find these a great option. I keep using the word fun because that’s how I perceive their sound. They’re fun, enjoyable, and a nice listening experience when I’m doing things while listening to music. I’d never consider them analytical. They’ve got a feeling of that common v-curve with raised bass and treble with a softer middle, if a bit lopsided to the bass side but not oppressively so. At the $170 price point they fit in nicely there. You pay less versus AirPod Pro 2 at $250 but retain the ANC, ease of use in the Apple ecosystem, and have a distinctly better experience than the original Beats Studio Buds that are only $20 cheaper. It’s a crowded market for quality, wireless earbuds at the $150 price point and I think these are a great option for that. And, because they are Beats rather than Apple there is a greater opportunity for them being put on a sale making them even more appealing should they drop to that $150 point. If anything they make the original Studio Buds on discount an interesting prospect. Though older, and with less battery life, with them dropping to $100 versus their MSRP of $150 they are another great option for wireless earbuds.