Noise Meets Beats The Audio Edit

Can Beats and Noise replace my AirPods and Sonys, or will my ears stage a mutiny?

- By Niraj Kakade

Every guy has a three-tap system before leaving the house—wallet, keys, phone. I have a five-tap system—wallet, keys, phone, and two different sets of noise-cancelling headphones, which dictate how much social interaction I'm in the mood for.

The smaller ones, my battle-tested AirPods Pro (Gen 1), have been my loyal sidekicks for five years—seamlessly pairing, drowning out unsolicited life advice, and keeping me entertained whether I'm dodging airport chaos or fake-smiling through a work call. Then there are the big boys—my Sony WH-1000XM4s—which only come out when I wish there was a mute switch for human beings. Working out of a noisy newsroom? Mute. Seated next to a chronic oversharer on a flight? Mute.

But now, the Beats Studio Pro Kim Special Edition and the all-new Noise Master Buds have arrived, promising to dethrone my tried-and-true travel essentials. Do they succeed, or are they yet another impostor?

Noise Master Buds

Pardon the pun, but Noise has been making a lot of noise about the new Master Buds—and for a good reason. The biggest USP of these earbuds is that they come tuned with Bose audio. Noise doesn't exactly whisper about this collaboration, but it isn't exactly shouting it either, at least not in terms of design or branding. The unboxing experience is downright plush: a sleek, square metal box with a magnetic lid that houses the true wireless earbuds in a vinyl record-inspired casing.

The plastic case also features an intriguing LED indicator that's meant to mimic the needle of a vinyl player. On the Master Buds, it glows orange when charging and white when pairing. While I wish the case had a bit more heft for fall protection, the silicone-tipped earbuds themselves feel premium—both in your hand and in your ears. They fit snugly yet comfortably, without that initial adjustment discomfort.