[neil74]

Apple music and AAC Bluetooth yes as it is effectively 1:1 source music file to headphones.

When using the W1 chip used for example with say tidle hifi you may well find that others more than match it.

 

[jude]

It also offers range and connection reliability. Speaking from real-world experience it’s the best chip on the market for Bluetooth headphones. Apple also uses the Bluetooth AAC codec, which is better than regular aptX, so consequently the sound quality of their wireless headphones has no degradation with iTunes/Apple Music.

All-in-all W1 + AAC = zero compromise wireless.

That's a strong claim and one that's hard to validate (or invalidate).

We have a Beats Studio3 Wireless here, and (for its features and sound) I think it's the best Beats headphone so far (though the BeatsX is perhaps a stronger value). W1 is indeed impressive for convenience, and definitely also for battery life, stability of the connection, and the range. That range! With the Solo3 Wireless I can place my paired iPhone 7 Plus in the counter of my office, and walk to the building across the street without losing the connection, without a single drop. I expect the Studio3 will have similarly crazy range. (One day, we'll measure the exact distance of line-of-sight dropout for the various models, and I suspect the Solo3 and Studio3 will be among the top performers in terms of distance.)

But is it "zero compromise wireless"? It's hard to say when we're comparing across several different headphones. I can tell you right now that the very best Bluetooth headphones I've heard so far (in terms of fidelity, resolution) are the beyerdynamic Xelento wireless (aptX HD) and the Audio-Technica ATH-DSR9BT (aptX HD), both resolving substantially more detail than any of the Beats products. For wireless active noise-cancelers, I prefer the Sony WH-1000XM2 to the Beats Studio3 Wireless, both in terms of overall sound quality and its ability to cancel noise. The WH-1000XM2 has both aptX HD and LDAC, and I'll soon be comparing both subjectively (LDAC paired with the Sony NW-WM1Z and aptX HD paired with the Astell&Kern A&utlima SP1000).

What I'm trying to say is that we can't currently compare W1 to aptX HD to LDAC. With the WH-1000XM2 and WI-1000X -- both of which have AAC, LDAC and aptX HD -- at least we can compare their implementations of these within the same headphone in each of their cases (which I haven't done yet). For now, it'll have to be mostly subjective, but we'll soon be able to get a step closer to objectively assessing these when we update the Audio Precision APx555 with the new Audio Precision Bluetooth Duo Module which can act as source and sink for AAC, aptX, aptX-HD, aptX-LL and SBC.

Anyway, I think that calling W1 + AAC "zero compromise wireless" is a stretch.

 

[MICHAELSD]

That's a strong claim and one that's hard to validate (or invalidate).

We have a Beats Studio3 Wireless here, and (for its features and sound) I think it's the best Beats headphone so far (though the BeatsX is perhaps a stronger value). W1 is indeed impressive for convenience, and definitely also for battery life, stability of the connection, and the range. That range! With the Solo3 Wireless I can place my paired iPhone 7 Plus in the counter of my office, and walk to the building across the street without losing the connection, without a single drop. I expect the Studio3 will have similarly crazy range. (One day, we'll measure the exact distance of line-of-sight dropout for the various models, and I suspect the Solo3 and Studio3 will be among the top performers in terms of distance.)

But is it "zero compromise wireless"? It's hard to say when we're comparing across several different headphones. I can tell you right now that the very best Bluetooth headphones I've heard so far (in terms of fidelity, resolution) are the beyerdynamic Xelento wireless (aptX HD) and the Audio-Technica ATH-DSR9BT (aptX HD), both resolving substantially more detail than any of the Beats products. For wireless active noise-cancelers, I prefer the Sony WH-1000XM2 to the Beats Studio3 Wireless, both in terms of overall sound quality and its ability to cancel noise. The WH-1000XM2 has both aptX HD and LDAC, and I'll soon be comparing both subjectively (LDAC paired with the Sony NW-WM1Z and aptX HD paired with the Astell&Kern A&utlima SP1000).

What I'm trying to say is that we can't currently compare W1 to aptX HD to LDAC. With the WH-1000XM2 and WI-1000X -- both of which have AAC, LDAC and aptX HD -- at least we can compare their implementations of these within the same headphone in each of their cases (which I haven't done yet). For now, it'll have to be mostly subjective, but we'll soon be able to get a step closer to objectively assessing these when we update the Audio Precision APx555 with the new Audio Precision Bluetooth Duo Module which can act as source and sink for AAC, aptX, aptX-HD, aptX-LL and SBC.

Anyway, I think that calling W1 + AAC "zero compromise wireless" is a stretch.

Nice to see you in this thread, @jude.

What I had meant was that it’s zero-compromise Bluetooth when used with iTunes/Apple Music, not zero compromise compared to a proper setup with lossless files or that it doesn’t have its drawbacks compared to newer, higher-bandwidth codecs — but many people are doing a majority of their listening with AAC files which are relatively high quality. As you had mentioned, the W1 experience provides extremely long range with zero dropouts so consumers/audiophiles using AAC files up to 256kbps (those in the Apple ecosystem) are getting all of the benefits of going wireless with none of the drawbacks. The WH-1000XM2 is certainly a better option for audiophiles who have gear that supports the aptX-HD or LDAC codecs, but in terms of range and reliability W1 probably has the edge over the WH-1000XM2’s chip.

aptX-HD and LDAC are much-needed advancements in Bluetooth audio with the additional bandwidth afforded by newer Bluetooth versions but most consumers would have to purchase a dedicated device to actually take advantage of it, so it’s a bit of a difficult proposition at this time. If I’m going to listen losslessly through Bluetooth, I’d prefer to wait for a format that doesn’t reencode the files though it certainly doesn’t hurt to have aptX-HD and LDAC as viable listening options.

I speculate that it’s on Apple’s roadmap to offer a lossless wireless format based on Apple Lossless (like AirPlay) when the timing is right for them as it will give them the opportunity to market high-fidelity wireless sound as a killer feature.

What I had intended is that W1 provides a zero-compromise experience for iTunes/Apple Music users . Advancements in the Bluetooth space are quite exciting, and I expect within the next decade we’ll be streaming lossless files with zero compromises.

 

[MICHAELSD]

Re: overblown expectations

I honestly expected more out of Apple/Beats as I highlighted in this thread so on first listen the Studio3 was disappointing. Perhaps I was naive to think that the Studio3 would outperform a $499 wireless headphone from Sennheiser widely-lauded as the best wireless offering until B&W released the PX.

What the Studio3 does well is a balanced sound where there is a sculpted but totally satisfactory representation of all frequencies at a moderate volume, and the W1 chip is killer for range/reliability compared to any other wireless headphones I’ve used. (The Momentum don’t cut out in the house if it’s within range but for being out-and-about you can’t beat the rock-solid connection the W1 chip provides.)

So yes, I was disappointed at first as others pointed out but the Studio3 has its merits. I can hear a difference in compression between the Studio3’s AAC codec and the Momentum’s SBC with the iPhone, but the Momentum definitely has better overall sound quality. To me, it’s going to be which headphone would I use more often and that’s a toss-up. I’ll probably return the Studio3 and go back to the Solo3/Momentum combination but wouldn’t be surprised if I do keep it in my collection. I do still wish audio quality was better but it’s far from a bad signature.

 

[MICHAELSD]

My return period seems to be extended until November 18th, I’m guessing that’s because October 18th is the release date the retailer has in place for this “preorder.” So I’ll continue giving the Studio3 a trial till then. I do have two concerns with the fit, which is that I felt I had to constantly readjust them while running (maybe more of a “me” issue) and they did start falling off my head whenever I used a bench at the gym, which the Solo3 never do. Regardless I don’t like running with over-ear headphones as opposed to in-ear but the Studio3 mostly hold their ground for fitness. Also, I notice the weight of the headphones on the top of my head over time due to lack of padding. The Solo3 uses the same headband design and it works perfectly on that as it’s a lighter headphone but the Studio can benefit from a redesign for the next generation.

While I don’t feel Studio3 replaces any of the headphones in my collection, the balanced sound is nice for long listening sessions.

Anyway I’m going to be out of town for the next few days so I figured I’d post one more impression in this thread beforehand.

Edit:

I went for a run with them without my glasses and they were definitely more secure, and also sounded better with better bass impact but that’s generally par for the course with over-ears. I’ve been thinking about getting contacts since I’ve had the M-100 lol.

 

[henree]

Just a few observations.
They get hot real quick. I went for a 30 minute walk and my ears were sweating alot.
They muddy up when there is too much going on in a particular song. I have until this saturday to return mine. And I am still on the fence. They are darker and more closed in than I expected.

 

[JackPackage]

I just received mine, however, they are way too tight on my head. Will they get better in time, or is there something else I can do? Because as of right now, they're almost unbearable

 

[plakat]

I've now used the Studio3 for some days, mostly playing from my iPhone. Sorry, I did not take the time to compare to the V-Moda Crossfade 2, but I've found comparisons of Bluetooth headphones very cumbersome, with too much of a delay when switching to be useful.

So I listened for my overall impression during normal usage, with sometimes listening in a bit more closely. After all I did not buy it for home use, and I don't spent time with what one might call critical listening anymore. The simple question is: does it satisfactorily reproduce my music in the situations I intend to use it for, i.e. mostly on the go, while commuting, walking, maybe in a cafe, during work etc. And that it does. Yes, comparisons with my current mobile favorite, the K3003, won't end well for the Studio3, but I more and more came to love the option of wireless headphones for the use cases mentioned above.

The Studio3 is balanced enough for me to actually like its sound signature. No revisions to my initial comments, but now I know it still feels fine after some actual usage.

What I also learned with usage is that the padding on the headband could be a bit softer, but it works OK as long as it sits correctly. Cups could have been deeper, but the soft cover over the drivers works well and I don't feel discomfort. The cups should move a bit more around both axis, they tend to apply more pressure below the ear then above. Not a problem, but that could be perfected. Clamping force is rather high, but not bad.

They are much more comfortable to wear around the neck than the V-Moda models (which happen to have a metal gimbal pressing into my collarbone. Of course that comfort is to be expected, since that was the primary use case for Beats headphones until recently (add smiley here, but I hate the graphics and can't disable them after the move to the new forum...)

Bluetooth connection is... just about perfect. Very impressive. Nothing to add. It would still be nice if it could connect to more devices at the same time though: listening to music on my AK380 and automatically blending over to the phone call on my iPhone was a really nice feature with the CF2, while I did not even try the obviously seamless switch between Apple devices. That is just something I don't really use (if I listen to music coming from my Macbook there's an external DAC and a different headphone in play

That lead to my iPhone (again) becoming my primary source while on the go... so switching to a phone call does not involve more than one device anyway. This was an intended effect, I mainly bought the Studio3 for its integration with iOS, to simplify my music listening when not at home. Nevertheless I still take the AK with me for use at a cafe, together with the already mentioned K3003 -- which is a wonderful combination.

I've tried to disable ANC, switch between on and off. There was not enough of a difference to pass on the advantages, such as keeping my hearing intact as the fire sirens went off today at work (just for training fortunately). I did hear them when the music was not playing, and walking past them was no problem while my colleagues had to cover their ears. I would still like to have an option to set the default to off (the setting in the iOS bluetooth panel is also only temporary), but given the implementation I can see myself actually using it.

I'm definitely not missing sound profiles or a separate settings app. Yes, what B&W did with the PX50 does look nice, but I know that I would not use it beyond trying it out. Same happened with the app for the Sennheiser PXC550...

 

[RamGuy]

I ended up with keeping mine... The range is great, the convenience with the Apple W1 chip is awesome and the microphone is rather good for wireless headphones. We did a comparison between 2x Plantronics, Apple AirPods, Beats Studio3, BeoPlay H9, Bose QC35 and Sony WH-1000X2M today and the AirPods and the Beats where the only two with good microphones and they obliterated the others in terms of range. The audio isn't great, but the "compressed" soundstage makes them work really good with audiobooks and podcasts.

 

[malibuboats91]

I just received mine 10 minutes ago....they’re going back today. Sound is very recessed and bass sucks. I listened to 'Enormous' by Gucci Mane with the Beats, then switched to the 1000xs and the Beats are like a pair of headphones from Walmart for $10-20. This comes from someone who listens to rap 90% of the time. W1 chip is amazing, but that’s about it. I’m rather displeased with these compared to my 1000XM2s and M-100s. I'm either keeping the 1000XM2 or getting the V-Moda CF2Ws.

 

[hifi80sman]

I just received mine 10 minutes ago....they’re going back today. Sound is very recessed and bass sucks. I listened to 'Enormous' by Gucci Mane with the Beats, then switched to the 1000xs and the Beats are like a pair of headphones from Walmart for $10-20. This comes from someone who listens to rap 90% of the time. W1 chip is amazing, but that’s about it. I’m rather displeased with these compared to my 1000XM2s and M-100s. I'm either keeping the 1000XM2 or getting the V-Moda CF2Ws.

Honestly, if you don't need ANC, the Bowers & Wilkins P7 Wireless is the way to go. I had both the Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 Wireless and Bowers & Wilkins P7 Wireless at the same time (deciding which one to keep) and they are both great sounding headphones with a warm presentation, however, I did find the Bowers & Wilkins P7 Wireless sounded markedly better over my iPhone 7 Plus due to the AAC codec. ALSO, the other issue is the headband adjustment slider began to lose resistance on the left side, so when I adjusted it, it wouldn't hold. Seems to be a design flaw that could express itself over time.

I've not heard the Bowers & Wilkins PX Wireless, but it looks like that model replaced the P7 Wireless, which you can still basically get everywhere (Amazon, Best Buy, etc.). Based on the reviews, without ANC it sounds good, although in comparison to the P7, it seems the sentiment is it's not as good. The sound apparently takes a big hit when ANC is on, so it seems kind of counter-intuitive to get the Bowers & Wilkins PX Wireless for great sound if your goal is also an ANC headphone.

I'll probably take a swing on the Studio3, but only when it goes on sale. I also am not going into it with high expectations, given the reviews indicate the bass is lacking and the overall sound was basically run through a compressor.

 

[malibuboats91]

Honestly, if you don't need ANC, the Bowers & Wilkins P7 Wireless is the way to go. I had both the Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 Wireless and Bowers & Wilkins P7 Wireless at the same time (deciding which one to keep) and they are both great sounding headphones with a warm presentation, however, I did find the Bowers & Wilkins P7 Wireless sounded markedly better over my iPhone 7 Plus due to the AAC codec. ALSO, the other issue is the headband adjustment slider began to lose resistance on the left side, so when I adjusted it, it wouldn't hold. Seems to be a design flaw that could express itself over time.

I've not heard the Bowers & Wilkins PX Wireless, but it looks like that model replaced the P7 Wireless, which you can still basically get everywhere (Amazon, Best Buy, etc.). Based on the reviews, without ANC it sounds good, although in comparison to the P7, it seems the sentiment is it's not as good. The sound apparently takes a big hit when ANC is on, so it seems kind of counter-intuitive to get the Bowers & Wilkins PX Wireless for great sound if your goal is also an ANC headphone.

I'll probably take a swing on the Studio3, but only when it goes on sale. I also am not going into it with high expectations, given the reviews indicate the bass is lacking and the overall sound was basically run through a compressor.

Thanks for the reply! I definitely want the P7 or PX, but don’t want to spend over $350ish. I think I’m between just keeping my M100s or maybe loosening the budget a bit.

 

[AlwaysForward]

If you try living with the PX for a week, you’ll be out $400 but have the most feature complete set of wireless headphones out there. I can’t get over how good they are.

 

[malibuboats91]

I've been listening to music all day today so I decided to unbox the Beats again....I've listened to '1901' and 'If I ever Feel Better' by Phoenix a few times today so I wanted to give them another shot. Needless to say they're still a disappointment. I don't typically do reviews, so excuse me if my references aren't proper. Mids are very recessed, so it seems like the vocals are somewhat far away. Treble isn't sharp or exciting. Where is the bass kick? I then put on my M1000XM2s and it's like I'm right at a Phoenix concert.

I really want to like these headphones because of the W1 chip and the fact that they're the most comfortable headphones I've owned, but they just aren't worth the money. I think I would keep them if they were $50-100 but nothing more than that. Hopefully in time Apple gets more in line with what their competitors at this price range are offering for sound signatures, but I don't foresee that happening in the near future.

 

[MICHAELSD]

If you try living with the PX for a week, you’ll be out $400 but have the most feature complete set of wireless headphones out there. I can’t get over how good they are.

It sounds like the PX are what Studio3 should have been.