Beats Solo Pro Review | Reborn Beats on-ear headphones.Neucan is more comfortable than you can imagine and is comparable to a professional name

From the audio brand "Beats" under the umbrella of Apple, the new wireless headphones "Beats Solo Pro" have appeared.

This Beats Solo Pro is a high-end model and a substantial successor to the "Beats Solo3 Wireless Headphones" that are still on the market. It is the first on-ear type to support adaptive noise canceling, and it is finished as a product at a level suitable for the "professional" name.

How strong is that ability? This time, I lent Solo Pro directly from Apple and was able to actually try it, so I would like to introduce in detail the parts that are difficult to understand from the specifications alone, such as usability and sound quality.

In addition, it's just boring to review, so I compared the performance with the completely wireless earphone "AirPods Pro" released on the same day. There are many users who are worried about purchasing because it has relatively close performance such as mounting an H1 chip and an adaptive noise canceling function. Please use this review as a reference when purchasing.

1. Actual machine review
2. Wearing feeling and noise canceling function
3. Sound quality
4. H1 chip
5. Battery life
6. Comparison with AirPods Pro ・ Active noise canceling ・ Sound quality ・ Easyness ・ Which should you choose, AirPods Pro or Solo Pro?
7. Summary: Beats Solo Pro deserves a professional name.Performance is comparable to over-ear even on-ear

Actual machine review

Before introducing the actual usability and sound quality, I would like to first check the product design of Beats Solo Pro.

Beats Solo Pro adopts the design of the predecessor "Beats Solo3 Wireless", and it is so sick that it is indistinguishable at first glance. A round U-shaped headband and Beats "b" -shaped ear cups. It may be a little difficult to tell which model it is based on its appearance.

However, if you take a closer look at every corner, you can see that Solo Pro has properly brushed up the design of Solo 3 Wireless.

For example, the "b" part of the housing part. Since the Solo 3 Wireless era, there have been buttons for controlling music playback, but the same is true for Solo Pro. However, the surface of the housing is a single plate, and the physical power button under the ear cup has been abolished, resulting in a simpler and smarter design.

And the slider for adjusting the length of the headband gives a sense of luxury unique to a professional model. This slider is designed so that you don't feel the joint between the ear cup and the headband, and the material is made of alumite-treated aluminum, which has a luxurious appearance and texture.

This aluminum is the same material used in some Apple products, such as the iMac stand. I've heard that Beats Solo Pro was supervised and developed by Apple, which is undeniable evidence of Apple's deep involvement in the development of Solo Pro.

A cushion is provided inside the headband and it is soft and punipuni. On-ear headphones can hurt your ears and head if you wear them for hours on end, but with Solo Pro you don't have to worry about crown pain.

In addition, the headband has excellent rigidity, so even if you pull the left and right ear cups to the opposite side with both arms or twist them strongly, there is no sign of breakage. Toughness is justice. With Solo Pro, which has a toughness that is contrary to what it looks like, everyone should be able to use it with confidence.

Beats logo on the outside of the headband

The Beats Solo Pro can be folded as compactly as the Solo3 Wireless and Studio3 Wireless. By folding the slider part inward, it can be put together in a small size as shown in the image below, and can be carried in the included fabric case. It will be useful when you use it in a narrow seat such as an airplane or Shinkansen, or when you want to move with as little luggage as possible such as traveling.

The fabric case is fluffy and can be a little difficult to hold, but it feels good and I personally like it a lot.

Fold the headband to make it compact

Solo Pro is very smart. This is because a mechanism has been introduced that automatically turns on the power when using it and automatically turns it off when it is finished using it. The power is turned on and off when Solo Pro is closed or opened. Perhaps the folding hinge has a built-in sensor that detects it.

With this feature, users can simply wear Solo Pro on their head and be ready to listen to music. With Apple products such as the iPhone, once paired, the connection is always automatic, so it can be said that there is almost no user side. This is nothing but convenience.

However, be careful not to forget to turn off this function. I had a habit of leaving the headphones on my desk without folding them, and in some cases I forgot about them and wasted battery power. I always had a habit of folding it when I took it off my head, so I'm no longer in trouble, but it's painful that I can't use it because I don't have a battery when I want to use it. I want you to.

Below the left ear cup is a mode button that switches the playback mode such as noise canceling function and external sound capture function. This button doubles as a pairing button for pairing with additional devices.

Below the left ear cup is a white LED that indicates the power status (ON / OFF). There is also a Lightning connector next to it, and you can charge the battery by connecting a Lightning cable here.

Wearing feeling and noise canceling function

Regarding the fit, the Beats Solo Pro was better than I had imagined.

Speaking of on-ear headphones, the ear pads may be placed on the ears, and it is common for the ears to hurt after long-term use, but unfortunately this is the same for Solo Pro.

The specific pain is in the auricle. The author feels that it's a little difficult to watch a movie through it because it hurts about 2 hours after wearing it, so I want to take a break every 1 to 2 hours. Also, if you are wearing accessories such as piercings or earrings, the area will be more compressed, which may cause the earlobe to hurt before the pinna.

However, this "ear pain" is not unique to Solo Pro. This problem is rather the fate of on-ear headphones, as it usually happens with any headphone.

I think Solo Pro took great care in reducing this pain in the first place. I thought so when I touched the softness of the cushion inside the ear pads and headband of this product.

The Solo Pro is a rather tight headphone, but the ear cup cushions are thicker than the previous model Solo 3 Wireless, which reduces the strain on the ears. The softness of the cushion inside the headband also plays a role, and you can get a comfortable fit in about 1 to 2 hours.

And when talking about this product, the noise canceling function is indispensable.

The noise canceling function installed in Beats Solo Pro is active noise canceling. The microphone on the outside of the headphones picks up the outside sound and emits the sound of the opposite phase to cancel the surrounding noise.

Beats calls this technology "Pure ANC: Pure Adaptive Noise Canceling Technology," but the point is that it's OK to think of it as almost the same technology as the noise canceling technology used in AirPods Pro.

In fact, I took the Beats Solo Pro around the crowded points in Tokyo for testing. For example, Tokyo Station, Shinjuku Station, Roppongi intersection, Ginza 4-chome intersection, etc.

The power is enormous when actually using it. The surrounding environmental sounds were drowned out cleanly, and people's voices and car noise were suppressed to a level that was almost unnoticeable.

Of course, it's an on-ear headphone, so it's not completely shut out, but when you wear Solo Pro, you feel like you're in your own world. It may be a bit exaggerated, but at least if you play music, you can't hear any of the surrounding sounds, so it's quite possible to immerse yourself in the music.

By the way, Solo Pro has two music playback modes in addition to the noise canceling mode. "External sound capture mode" and "off mode".

As the name suggests, "external sound capture mode" is a function that captures ambient sound. By picking up the sound with the microphone mounted on the outside of Solo Pro and playing it inside the headphones, you can intentionally listen to the surrounding sounds even with the headphones on. This is a useful function when walking on a busy road or listening to announcements inside a train.

"Off mode" is a function that does not use either the noise canceling mode or the external sound capture mode. You may not have much chance to use it, but if you dare to use this function, the battery life will be slightly longer, so it may be useful in situations where you are concerned about battery life.

Had to re-learn how to buy movie tickets online this morning.

— Theron Bretz Wed Jul 14 15:08:56 +0000 2021

You can switch between these playback modes from the iPhone's Settings app or the Control Center, but you can also switch quickly by pressing the mode button on the left earcup of Solo Pro.

By the way, these three playback modes are also installed in the AirPods Pro released on the same day, and their usability is the same as Solo Pro.

Sound quality

When I touched Solo Pro this time, I was of course surprised by the new features such as the noise canceling function and the automatic power-on function, but the most surprising thing may be the sound quality.

Beats earphones and headphones tend to be preceded by the image of "stronger bass," but Solo Pro's is a bit different. The bass is still rich, but this time the treble is often in front. The headphones are very compatible with bright and up-tempo songs.

For example, if it's a song from the British electronic group Clean Bandit that I like, it goes very well with "Tears" and "Stronger".

The bass sounds like Beats headphones, and the claim is firm. Some people may find this bass too noisy, but Solo Pro isn't too strong to interfere with other sounds, and it's well-balanced with vocals.

And what I would like you to pay attention to is the expression of high notes. The sharpness of the squishy sounds of snare drums and hi-hats is very good, and the body moves involuntarily according to the light rhythm, so I felt that the sound was finished to make me feel "fun" anyway.

Of course, it is clear and the outline of each sound is clear. It's been a while since I've had headphones that I'm used to listening to, but I've never felt so much fun, and when I listened to the same song with different earphones / headphones after using Solo Pro, I felt unsatisfactory. It can be said that it is a perfect headphone for those who want to enjoy music comfortably.

Even if you usually have a lot of opportunities to listen to moist and calm songs, why not choose a song that raises your tension a little when listening to music using Solo Pro.

H1 chip

The Solo Pro replaces Apple's W1 chip on the Beats Solo3 with the H1 chip on the AirPods (2nd generation) and AirPods Pro.

The H1 chip is designed for smoother pairing than its predecessor, the W1 chip, and has improved connection stability. Even when used in a crowded place such as a crowded train, there was almost no disconnection or noise. This area is similar to the AirPods (2nd generation) and AirPods Pro that also have the H1 chip.

In addition, the H1 chip makes "Hey Siri" available, allowing you to voice commands to Siri without removing your iPhone. For example, listen to today's weather or request the music you want to hear. I think some people may feel a little reluctant to say "Hey! Siri!" In public, but I would like you to use it in places where there are no people.

Also, the elimination of sound delays is a big benefit of the H1 chip. Although it has improved a lot with recent wireless products, it is still difficult to watch YouTube videos and play rhythm games with wireless earphones.

However, Solo Pro has solved these problems thanks to the H1 chip, which features low latency. Since the speaker's mouth and voice can be heard with almost no deviation, watching videos is also comfortable. When I go out, I often watch movies and animations using a video distribution service, but I enjoy watching movies and animations with good sound every time without any sound deviation.

Battery life

According to the spec information published on Apple's official website, Solo Pro's battery life is up to 22 hours when the Pure ANC function or external sound capture function is on, and up to 22 hours when neither function is used. It is 40 hours.

Since the Solo3 has a battery life of up to 40 hours, using the Pure ANC function that uses an external microphone or the external sound capture function inevitably comes at the expense of battery life.

However, considering that the AirPods Pro, which also supports the noise canceling function, has a battery life of up to 4.5 hours, it's rather thankful that it can be used continuously for up to 22 hours.

I was sober and stressed that the battery of the AirPods Pro was running low as I saw it, but after the arrival of Solo Pro, which lasts 22 to 40 hours, I can enjoy music freely without worrying about the battery level. became.

The following is the result of checking the battery level of Solo Pro every hour. I checked two states, one with the Pure ANC function turned on and the other with the Pure ANC function turned on.

As a result, it was confirmed that when the Pure ANC function was turned on, it decreased by 4 to 6% in 1 hour, but in the off mode, it decreased by 2 to 4%. After all, off mode seems to be able to make the battery last longer.

AirPods Pro is also said to have a slightly better battery life in off mode, but the difference was only about 30 minutes, so I dare to use the noise canceling function and external sound capture function to extend the life by 30 minutes. That was recommended in the review.

However, when the difference is as clear as Solo Pro, if you know that you will not be able to charge for a long time, you may dare to listen to music in off mode. In particular, Solo Pro has solid ear pads and is reasonably sound-insulating even in off mode, so if you turn up the volume of the music, you should be able to have a comfortable music experience even if you turn off the Pure ANC function.

By the way, the battery consumption in the external sound capture mode is the same as in the noise canceling mode.

Comparison with AirPods Pro

I've talked about the power of Solo Pro to some extent, but from now on, I would like to give you a little comparison with Apple's completely wireless earphone "AirPods Pro" released on the same day.

Although there is an essential difference between Solo Pro and AirPods Pro in terms of headphones and earphones, there are many parts that are close in performance such as active noise canceling function, so many people are wondering which one to buy. I hope I can help you decide which one to buy.

Active noise canceling

First, let's talk about active noise canceling, which is the most important function of both devices.

Both are mechanisms that pick up the surrounding sounds with the earphones or the microphone mounted on the outside of the headphones and play a sound that cancels those sounds to eliminate the noise, but which is the higher accuracy to eliminate the noise?

In conclusion, you can think of both AirPods Pro and Solo Pro as having similar performance.

I first tested it in a relatively quiet residential area, but at this time I felt that the AirPods Pro was better at eliminating noise than the Solo Pro. Solo Pro was able to hear the sound of the wind and the voices of the people around it directly.

However, when I re-verified it in the busy city of Tokyo, I noticed that Solo Pro was able to cancel noise at a higher level than in the first verification. Furthermore, if you play music on this, the surrounding sounds will be less noticeable, and it will be quieter than the first impression you felt.

Since it was a little windy day during the first verification, the Solo Pro may have been a little disadvantaged in terms of the device structure, such as the headband being hit by the wind and making a wind noise, and maybe depending on the location and environment. Each may have their own strengths and weaknesses.

However, from the verification after the second day, it can be considered that basically both AirPods Pro and Solo Pro have the same high level of noise canceling function.

Sound quality

As for sound quality, Beats, which specializes in audio equipment, is better. The AirPods Pro doesn't sound bad either, but the Solo Pro has a more complete sound than the AirPods Pro and is more satisfying to listen to.

I think there is a difference between earphones and headphones, but if you want to listen to the sound more firmly than to enjoy music casually, please do not hesitate to pick up Solo Pro.

Feel free

However, the AirPods Pro may be better off in terms of the ease of listening to music.

Although there are differences in the size of the main body, AirPods Pro can be quickly taken out and listen to music immediately, while Solo Pro takes out the main body from the pouch, opens the headphones from the folded state, and finally listens to music by wearing it on the head. be able to.

The smooth pairing of the H1 chip allows you to start listening to music faster than regular headphones, but the AirPods Pro is still better at ease.

Which to choose, AirPods Pro or Solo Pro

In addition, regarding battery life, as mentioned in the "Battery" section. If battery life is important, Solo Pro is your choice.

To summarize the above, Solo Pro has an advantage in terms of sound quality and battery life, but due to the shape of the headphones and the size of the main body, it is not as easy as AirPods Pro.

In short, what users should think about is whether they want to listen to music carefully or enjoy it instantly. If you analyze how you enjoy your music on this point, you should be able to get the answer.

Summary: Beats Solo Pro deserves a professional name.Performance is comparable to over-ear even on-ear

Due to the structure, on-ear headphones tend to be inferior to over-ear headphones in terms of performance, but Beats Solo Pro has a powerful noise canceling function, high sound quality that allows you to fully enjoy music, and the good product design of Beats. The author feels that it has performance that can be surpassed not only by other companies' on-ear headphones but also by over-ear headphones.

In particular, the noise canceling function has a level of performance suitable for calling itself "Pro". It's easy to pair with Apple products, and it's easy to start listening to music just by wearing it on your head. I think these headphones are perfect for enjoying music.

It's the only drawback that it can hurt your ears if you wear it for a long time, but if you don't mind it, it's one of the best products in the industry at the moment.

It has high durability, so it should be able to be used for a long time. If you're looking for wireless headphones, be sure to add Beats Solo Pro to your purchase options.

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