In-ear headphones £180 whf.cm/StudioBudsPlus
Beats has had a rebirth of sorts in recent years. Shedding its once loud, brash and boomy identity that attracted plenty of young fans but repelled many audiophiles, the company has now evolved into a more elegant offering for today's demanding wireless earbuds market. "Like Apple, but more fun" - that seems to be the unspoken tagline.
The Beats Studio Buds + (or Studio Buds Plus) are the newest wireless earbuds in the company's range, offering all the bells and whistles you would expect from a modern, mid-priced pair of in-ear headphones. There are upgrades galore from the previous model and acoustic technology inspired by the company's aforementioned, more decorated parent company - which surely can mean only good things, right?
Let's talk price first. The Beats Studio Buds + enter the market at £180, which is a perfectly sensible amount to pay for a pair of well featured ANC wireless earbuds. But the competition at this price is ferocious, with rivals poised to strike from every angle.
That includes the superb, Awardwinning Sony WF-1000XM4, which have been around for a couple of years and can now be picked up for less than £200. Formidable. On the more budget end, there are two five-star rivals: JBL's Live Pro 2 TWS (£130) and the Sony WFC700N (£100), as well as competition from within in the shape of the top of the range Beats Fit Pro (£200).
Basically, the Studio Buds + don't simply have to better the performance of the original Studio Buds (which are now the cheapest option in Beats' earbuds line-up at £130), they also have to stand alongside and be heard above some of the best-in-class performers. A tall order.
If it ain't broke...
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة October 2023 من What Hi-Fi UK.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة October 2023 من What Hi-Fi UK.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Yamaha True X
An enjoyable, energetic sound from a small package
Sennheiser Momentum Sport
Sport-friendly tech abounds, but what about the sound?
How to set up a turntable and get the best sound
Make the most of your shiny new record player
Meze Audio Empyrean II
In a relatively short time, Meze Audio has made quite some impact on the world of headphones.
System of the month
For our vinyl special, an affordable turntable set-up brought right up-to-date with streaming smarts
From voice to vinyl how records get their groove
Ever wondered how music actually gets onto your vinyl records? Let us take you now on a journey into sound…
STAGE RIGHT
Our pick of the best phono stages that will help your records bring the house down
Q Acoustics 5050
Grace and power at a really competitive price
Sony ULT Wear
Sony breaks from its winning wireless formula... with very mixed results
Denon AVC-X6800H
Denon delivers yet another feature-rich and powerful-sounding flagship AVR