Although an Amazon listing leaked the news first, Beats is now officially launching its newest true wireless earbuds. That foreshadowing was basically correct: the Studio Buds + sport a familiar design with a slew of enhancements on the inside. These improvements include increased battery life, retooled call performance, and improved noise cancellation. There’s also a new translucent design option, which allows you to see all of the inside components. They are, however, slightly more expensive at $170, which means the new version isn’t quite as good a deal as the original.
Design
While the IPX4-rated Studio Buds + appear to be the same as the previous model at first appearance, there are several minor differences. The inclusion of acoustic vents on both the front and side is the most significant. According to Beats, the new design enhances airflow to the transducer, which not only boosts sound movement but also enables more effective active noise cancellation (ANC) and a superior transparency mode. Interestingly, altering the airflow was a crucial component of Apple’s sound quality enhancements in the second-generation AirPod Pro.
The vents also reduce pressure, making the Studio Buds + more comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. Throughout my testing, I noticed that the claim of greater comfort was real. This time, Beats also included an extra small ear tip size. According to the business, this was done after hours of testing and analysing “fit success” for a range of people. The company claims that the new size would create a better seal and, as a result, enhanced sound quality for more individuals.
Although the overall design remains same, Beats claims that 95 percent of the internal components have been replaced with new parts. This list comprises custom-built transducers that, according to the company, produce “cleaner” bass with low distortion while producing an overall “powerful, balanced” sound. The new microphones are three times larger, and the battery capacity has increased by 16 percent. There are also battery updates in the charging case, and Beats managed to increase power without expanding the size of either the buds or their holder.
Another important feature that Beats improved is the “b” button, which streamlines the onboard controls. When adjusting the fit of the original Studio Buds, it was quite simple to hit by unintentionally. According to the corporation, it “revised the design” for “better product interactions” and to reduce “accidental button presses.” The controls’ dependability was never a concern, and it remains so on the Studio Buds +, but after testing, I’m delighted to inform that inadvertent presses are no longer an issue.
Features and software
There are no significant modifications to the Studio Buds Plus companion software. Everything is still built into iOS for iPhone owners, as it was previously. One-touch pairing, iCloud device pairing, and hands-free Siri are all included. More settings are available in the Bluetooth menu by selecting the device name, where Beats provides battery % and noise control (ANC, transparency, or off), as well as the ability to customise the press-and-hold action, how you wish to end calls, and microphone priority. In the Find My app, there’s also a shortcut to show the earbuds. As with other Beats devices, you can rapidly access noise control in Control Centre by using the volume slider.
On Android, a separate Beats app is still required for button customization and firmware updates, although some capabilities are now available directly in the operating system. One-touch connection via Google Fast Pair is now available, as is the ability to connect the earbuds to all of your Android and Chrome devices. Once those are synced, the Studio Buds plus multipoint pairing allows you to swiftly switch between them. These new Beats earphones will also appear in Find My Device on Android, assisting you in locating them if they are misplaced.
One of my main complaints about the original Studio Buds was the lack of inbuilt volume controls. However, you will have to forego noise cancellation – the ability to switch between ANC, transparency, and off – right on the earphones. You’ll also lose the ability to manually summon a virtual assistant, which is essential for Android users. When you enable volume controls, a long push on one side raises the volume while a long press on the other lowers it. You can, however, select which side you prefer on which side.
Active noise cancellation and sound quality
Beats hasn’t always been known for its balanced sound and crisp bass, but that’s what the Studio Buds + promise. The overall tuning is a strong blend of highs, mids, and lows that stand on their own and cut through the mix with ease. Even more bass-heavy songs, such as Underoath’s “Damn Excuses,” sound neutral. The strong bass rhythm and thumping kick drum don’t overshadow the gritty, distorted guitars, backup vocals, or the more subtle synth and keys underneath.
In fact, I wish the Studio Buds + had a little more bass. Or maybe a little more bass. The bass end feels flat at times, as it does on other songs from Underoath’s Voyeurist. Hip-hop tracks perform better, but Run The Jewels’ propulsive, almost droning quality is considerably muted. Beats did achieve a balanced sound, but it did so by draining some vigour from the EQ’s bass region. This holds true for both spatial audio and “regular” music.
Beats claims a 1.6x improvement in noise cancellation effectiveness thanks to updated microphones, vents, and the company’s second-generation processor. It’s a minor improvement, but there’s a noticeable improvement in the ability to block persistent noise sources. However, there is still work to be done when it comes to things like human voices and random rackets. The initial Studio Buds did a good job of noise cancellation, and these are significantly better.
I don’t normally mention transparency mode in reviews because it’s usually just… there. However, Beats claims that the enhanced mics, vent design, and sound processing improved the ambient sound. There is a significant change between the Studio Buds Plus and the prior generation, but it is nowhere near what Apple achieves with some of its AirPods. One explanation for this is that Beats does not transmit back the sound of your voice through the headphones. So, whereas the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max can make it appear as if you’re not even wearing them in transparency mode, the Studio Buds + fall short.
Durability of the battery
Beats claims that the Studio Buds + will have longer battery life than the prior model. With ANC or transparency mode turned on, the new earphones can last six hours with three more charges in the case. If you turn off noise suppression and ambient sound, you can get up to nine hours in one go (up to 27 hours with the case). That’s an extra hour in the buds and 11 more in the case. It’s a considerable improvement, and it accurately represented battery performance during my tests.
During my testing, I easily exceeded six hours with a combination of ANC and transparency mode for both music and calls. In fact, I still had 6% left at the moment, so you’ll likely get slightly better results from the Studio Buds Plus than Beats claims. The lack of wireless charging is the only drawback to this model’s battery. It was not there in the first Studio Buds, and the corporation did not find the need to include it this time.
The challenge
Beats’ own audio gear is the finest alternative to the Studio Buds Plus. With completely adaptive ANC and multidimensional audio that uses head tracking and customisation, the Beats Fit Pro are my current favourite in the company’s lineup. I really like how the bass is balanced and powerful on these. With noise cancelling turned off, battery life isn’t nearly as good as on the new model, but it’s the same (six hours). There is no wireless charging here, but the wingtip design provides a more secure fit during workouts. The Fit Pro launched mere months after the first Studio Buds in 2021, therefore they may also be updated.
If you don’t want to go with Beats, Sony’s WF-1000XM4 remain our top selection for the best wireless earbuds. Simply simply, no one comes close to the comprehensive range of functions provided by the organisation. In addition to superb sound and powerful ANC, the earbuds can adjust settings automatically based on your activity or location. Furthermore, useful tools like Speak-to-Chat make fast conversations a snap with automated pausing via speech detection. However, iPhone owners will have to forego the tight connection with iOS, iCloud device sharing, and hands-free Siri.
Wrap-up
The Studio Buds +, like the Studio Buds, remain the best Beats option for the majority of consumers. They have the most universally appealing design and work in tandem with iOS. The business has also worked hard to ensure that the earbuds perform better with Android. With obvious enhancements to ANC and other changes, Beats has created yet another enticing truly wireless model. With the price increase, items have risen from the mid-tier to the premium level. This makes them a less obvious value than the original model, but it’s by no means a deal killer. Let’s hope the firm has some improvements in store for the Beats Fit Pro as well.
The Beats Studio Buds Plus are available in black/gold, ivory, and transparent colours beginning today for $170. Apple is currently selling the updated model in the United States, Canada, and China.