Eons ago , when iPhones still had Lightning port , I used to trust on theAirPods Pro 2andAirPods Maxfor secret audio consumption . The former ’s portability and water resistance made it ideal for outdoor role , while the latter ’s long battery sprightliness and large spike cups excel at delivering long , immersive music hearing sessions — mostly indoors .
With my iPhone switching to USB - light speed last year , it was sentence to call the AirPods Max word of farewell . I just was n’t willing to keep a Lightning cable around and clutter up my desk for this unmarried accessory . Plus , silly me , I cypher Apple would soon release the AirPods Max 2 , have USB - C and other interior upgrade . Well , except that the caller casually rereleased the AirPods Max 1 with a USB - blow port wine , fresh coloration , and nothing else . So , despite being theoretically subscript , I decided to opt for 2023 ’s Beats Studio Pro .
Beats Studio Pro
I refuse to pay $529 (again) for 2020 technology
The AirPods Max ( USB - C ) are objectively a lazy rise . Apple did n’t get to to put any travail into the product , and it find wrong to honour that by paying a agio . At the very least , it could ’ve introduced the newer feature already offer by the more affordable AirPods Pro 2 , but it did n’t . The absentees include the H2 micro chip , Adaptive Audio , Conversation awareness , Siri ( not Hey Siri ) trigger word , Voice Isolation , Personalized Volume , Bluetooth 5.3 , and more . Alternatively , Apple could ’ve discounted the $ 529 cost tag end , as users are now paying full price for four - twelvemonth - previous components . Spoiler alert : it did n’t do that , either .
Since all my primary devices are Apple - branded , buying third - company headphones did n’t feel like the correct move . I ’ve tried a mates in the past ; while they may deliver superior sound lineament and quilt , the lack of proper desegregation with the Apple ecosystem makes them irritating to use .
That ’s not to mention needing to swear on comrade apps for maintenance and firmware update and whatnot .
So , the only first - party over - auricle headphones with ANC I was leave with were the Beats Studio Pro . While they typically deal for $ 350 , the fellowship often dismiss them intemperately , sometimes by over 50 % . In fact , at the fourth dimension of writing , Apple is offer them for just$170 through Amazon .
Shiny materials come at a cost
The first thing I notice after unbox my Beats Studio Pro is how cheap they feel compared to the AirPods Max . They ’re primarily made of charge card ( instead of untainted blade and atomic number 13 ) , their ear cup are little , the forcible button clicks miss the flagship feel , etc . The cheaper build , however , improved my overall listening experience , as the Beats headphones are around 125 Hans C. J. Gram lighter . While this may vocalise like a negligible number to some , it pretend a liberal difference when put that weight on your head for prolonged periods . I will intromit that , while the AirPods Max ’s pinna cup look too clunky , they rested more well over my ears .
The coloration alternative did n’t really sway my purchase decision , as I always opt for black , and they both offer it . Those seek vivacious options may find the AirPods Max more likeable . Otherwise , the Beats Studio Pro come up with a proper carrying case ( rather than a weird brassiere of sorts ) , along with a USB - C to USB - light speed send cable and a 3.5 millimeter parallel audio cable . For reference , the AirPods Max put up a charging cable’s length but lack the phone Jack-tar and its respective cable television service .
Performance: A balanced mix of pros and cons
Beyond the terms , comfort , and cosmetic , how the earphone do obviously plays a major role in the picking unconscious process . I ’m not an audiophile to comment on which gets what sound in term of sound quality . However , I was still able to make some applicable observation .
For starter , both devices voice crisp and put up an acceptable active dissonance scrub ( ANC ) musical mode . I ca n’t tell which ANC is stronger , as the two isolate noise for me in a similar , moderate mode . Though , the AirPods Max certainly get louder , as I often happen myself knock down the Beats Studio Pro ’s volume to 90 % or so . With the former headphones , I would n’t typically cross the 75 % volume mark .
Audiophiles may prize the Beats more as they support lossless playback through wired USB - vitamin C connections , thanks to the build - in DAC . They also support three different sound profile in wired mode , each tailored for a different kind of audio ( euphony , game , motion-picture show , calls , etc . ) .
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Beyond that , both headphones are deeply integrated into Apple ’s ecosystem . You get fast pairing support that automatically colligate them to all of your iCloud devices , although Automatic machine Switching is absent on the Beats Studio Pro . The two earpiece likewise support Audio Sharing on Apple devices , Find My , Spatial Audio , OTA software update through the preferences app , and handy Control Center toggles .
Admittedly , the Beats Studio Pro ’s ANC on-off switch in the Control Center often bugs out for me , which then limits me to switch between ANC modes using the physical button . That ’s an issue I ’ve never encountered with the AirPods Max .
Otherwise , the Beats Studio Pro feel a bit old - fashioned compared to the AirPods Max . For example , taking them off does n’t automatically pause the euphony . You likewise have to manually turn them on and off with each hearing session using the physical push . Meanwhile , the AirPods Max mechanically wake up when you take them out of their questionable font and eventually go to slumber after staying idle for a while .
The lack of a power push on the AirPods Max debilitate their battery faster , though , as they ’re often left unnecessarily powered on . Besides , the Beats Studio Pro offer a longer battery life by nonpayment , reaching up to 24 hour of playback with ANC on ( or 40 hour with ANC off ) . The AirPods Max , on the other hand , last up to 20 hours with ANC enable — according to Apple ’s own tests .
Nothing beats a pair of cheap AirPods
take all of the above into thoughtfulness , the Beats Studio Pro are essentially a cheaper AirPods Max replica . For a fraction of the latter ’s price , you could get a very exchangeable hearing experience and unseamed ecosystem desegregation while arguably not sacrifice any notable perks . surely , the Beats Studio Pro depend chintzy and jam some botheration , but they also get many things right — like lossless playback , Bluetooth 5.3 ( Class 1 ) , unaccented design , longer barrage life , etc .
And while this does n’t apply to me personally , the Beats Studio Pro also solely pop the question similar desegregation with Android , which create them the perfect pick for those bank on multiple platforms .
Until the AirPods Max live up to their name and support all the of the essence feature present on the Pro 2 variant and some of pulsation ’ products , I would stay away from them . It makes absolutely no sense to make up multiple folds more for a superficial couplet of earphone that lacks engineering offered by cheaper iterations sold by the exact same society .
