[MacedonianHero]

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

I personally was disappointed in how they (PX) sounded. The P7s were much better and sadly they are being discontinued.

 

[hifi80sman]

I apologize if i missed it, but did anyone do an A/B vs. the Studio 2 as far as sound? I'm curious how they compare with one another.

 

[andrenb]

I haven't found anything in the thread about how these work with multiple non-Apple devices. As I've understood they're not multipoint but how do they work when used with multiple devices? Do they try reconnecting to the last used device or cycle through all known devices when you power them on until they find one?

And do anyone know how many devices they can be paired with? I have six devices I juggle between (Samsung S8, Apple iPad Air 2, three different work laptops and my MacBook Air).

Today I use Bose QC35 most of the time which have no trouble working with all these six devices but they are quite beat up and I´m thinking about trying the Beats Studio 3´s as they are easily available for purchase and I alway love trying a new headset.

I'm also going to check out the B&W PX when they become available in november in my country which I already know are multipoint and maybe check out the new Kef Space One Wireless when they are released.

 

[MICHAELSD]

I apologize if i missed it, but did anyone do an A/B vs. the Studio 2 as far as sound? I'm curious how they compare with one another.

The mids are definitely better on the Studio3, comparing the same songs as found on the Studio2 store demo. Bass is toned down, and treble is more refined. I’d wait for a FR mesaurement for a full comparison but it still seems to retain a similar sculpted sound signature.

 

[MICHAELSD]

I haven't found anything in the thread about how these work with multiple non-Apple devices. As I've understood they're not multipoint but how do they work when used with multiple devices? Do they try reconnecting to the last used device or cycle through all known devices when you power them on until they find one?

And do anyone know how many devices they can be paired with? I have six devices I juggle between (Samsung S8, Apple iPad Air 2, three different work laptops and my MacBook Air).

Today I use Bose QC35 most of the time which have no trouble working with all these six devices but they are quite beat up and I´m thinking about trying the Beats Studio 3´s as they are easily available for purchase and I alway love trying a new headset.

I'm also going to check out the B&W PX when they become available in november in my country which I already know are multipoint and maybe check out the new Kef Space One Wireless when they are released.

It will cycle between all known devices until it connects to one, though I’ve only ever used it with Apple devices. I assume you will have no issues but it will work better with your iPad and MacBook Air. I believe it only remains paired to one device at a time. It can quickly switch between Apple devices though it doesn’t simultaneously stay paired to multiple devices like the Momentum.

 

[MICHAELSD]

I’ve seen two people compare the Studio3 to the ATH-M50x and looking at the FR for that headphone that’s probably a fair comparison. So $350 for an ANC W1 “ATH-M50x” isn’t the worst, even if it’s decidely mid-fi and that headphone currently sells for $170. That Beats has a headphone that can be compared to the ATH-M50x is good progress even if Studio3 should be comparable to higher-end headphones for the price.

 

[MICHAELSD]

I’ve figured out how to fix the Studio3’s sound.

Literally all it takes is a moderate boost in the lowest sub-bass frequencies that the stock tuning neglects. Here I’m using Sennheiser’s CapTune app and just applying a small boost between 45-120Hz, the frequencies responsible for impact.

To Beats’ credit, the Studio3 responds well to any type of EQ. But they really dropped the ball by rolling off the sub-bass since it’s possible to make the headphones sound better with just this simple EQ. The headphones are also capable of a stronger bass tuning. I see many people write about listening at “max volume” where bass is quite strong but it’s too much with the other frequencies. I think they held back a tad too much on the bass. But I’m not even using a bass boost EQ here, just a boost of a few dB in the lowest frequencies Beats chose to neglect. You can indeed combine this with the "bass boost" EQ in the CapTune app for bass-heavy tracks and it will sound quite good without completely messing up the sound signature. (The bass boost EQ doesn't sound nearly as good without adding this bump in the 45Hz-120Hz region first .)

After playing around for a bit, I even think a smaller 1-2dB boost in this range provides the impact Studio3 was missing without affecting the overall clarity.

Edit 2:

Even a proper, minor boost from 45-300Hz makes a huge difference. The bass boost EQ in iTunes doesn't sound the best for impact or quality, but playing around in CapTune definitely helps the Studio3's case a lot. Studio3 is capable of a strong bass without muddying the mids even more so than the Momentum, so I really don't get Beats' decision to be so ho-hum here. I think if they went back to the drawing board and made some adjustments to the sound they could've had a real winner here. They're not audiophile headphones as-is, and with the ability they have for a killer bass response without ruining the other frequencies it really doesn't make sense why Beats didn't own the fact they're a bass-oriented brand and tune Studio3 ever so slightly differently.

Edit 3:

I went back to the tracks that specifically disappointed me the first time around with the stock tuning and this EQ makes a major improvement. This fairly minor change makes a world of difference at adding the character and impact the bass was missing. It's honestly a much better sounding headphone with well-extended bass with just a minor boost in the lowest frequencies. I think if the frequencies under 45Hz were also given more presence it would make a positive difference as well.

 

[MICHAELSD]

@Christian de Looper, you were right. The Momentum Wireless is definitely a better-sounding headphone. Beats has a bit of an advantage with its Bluetooth tech (even though the Momentum connects almost instantly and sounds very good with aptX) but Sennheiser has a really underrated headphone with the Momentum Wireless. Mids are more detailed, the soundstage is more open, and even the sub-bass is more defined and impactful. Although, the more I listen to the Studio3 the more I do like them.

 

[Nujjy]

MICHAELSD, I've been following your posts with interest.

I had the Beats Studio3 for a couple of weeks - the ANC was great and found the headphones to be one of the most comfortable pairs I've worn in ages.
I was disappointed by the bass response and I returned them on the weekend, before your latest post using CapTune (I didn't even know you could do that!).

I'm tempted now to purchase a new pair and tweak it (as you've done) to see if I can make the bass sound better.
One of my favourite test tracks is Kanye West - Can't Tell Me Nothing. The bass drop at the beginning always give me a good sense of whether the headphones are any good. They were good but not great on the Beats.

 

[Christian de Looper]

@Christian de Looper, you were right. The Momentum Wireless is definitely a better-sounding headphone. Beats has a bit of an advantage with its Bluetooth tech (even though the Momentum connects almost instantly and sounds very good with aptX) but Sennheiser has a really underrated headphone with the Momentum Wireless. Mids are more detailed, the soundstage is more open, and even the sub-bass is more defined and impactful. Although, the more I listen to the Studio3 the more I do like them.

They grew on me too! I mean they're still great headphones even if there are better. The Momentum Wireless is just considered among the best consumer Bluetooth headphones and that's a hard title to dethrone. I rated it as such in a guide I wrote for Business Insider, and I've seen others agree. Though I expect that will change relatively soon with new releases. Still, the Beats are a little more convenient, slightly better connectivity (though for most it won't be noticeable) and so on.

 

[MICHAELSD]

MICHAELSD, I've been following your posts with interest.

I had the Beats Studio3 for a couple of weeks - the ANC was great and found the headphones to be one of the most comfortable pairs I've worn in ages.
I was disappointed by the bass response and I returned them on the weekend, before your latest post using CapTune (I didn't even know you could do that!).

I'm tempted now to purchase a new pair and tweak it (as you've done) to see if I can make the bass sound better.
One of my favourite test tracks is Kanye West - Can't Tell Me Nothing. The bass drop at the beginning always give me a good sense of whether the headphones are any good. They were good but not great on the Beats.

The problem with CapTune is that it only works with Tidal or downloaded songs without DRM, and the interface is glitchy so it’s not an ideal fix. The Studio3 is capable of sounding better with just a bump in the lowest sub-bass but there’s no way to do it permanently since Apple doesn’t provide a full EQ.

I sent product feedback to Apple. I don’t expect much to come of it but perhaps they will issue a firmware update and improve the sound.

 

[MICHAELSD]

They grew on me too! I mean they're still great headphones even if there are better. The Momentum Wireless is just considered among the best consumer Bluetooth headphones and that's a hard title to dethrone. I rated it as such in a guide I wrote for Business Insider, and I've seen others agree. Though I expect that will change relatively soon with new releases. Still, the Beats are a little more convenient, slightly better connectivity (though for most it won't be noticeable) and so on.

Cool, I’ve seen that guide .

While the Momentum hands-down has a better signature, there’s a noticeable difference between SBC, aptX, and wired. Beats to me sounds as clear as the Momentum does wired with Apple Music, sound quality issues aside. I still believe Apple has the opportunity to release amazing over-ear wireless headphones with their Bluetooth tech, it’s a shame how average the Studio3 is.

Studio3 is just a mid-fi, fun-sounding consumer headphone. Its build doesn’t feel premium, nor is its sound high-end. In fact despite a similar design I think the Solo3 feels more solid with less creaking plastic. I wish it was amazing but the only real blow away aspect is the connectivity, no other features are that great. Even the mic produces a boxed-in sound for phone calls that I would avoid using. They’re good for consumers who haven’t heard better but I really wish Beats priced it at $399 and offered a premium build with truly high-end sound. I’d be happy with Studio3 for $199, but $349 is a stretch — and I was so excited I was willing to pay full-price.

Hopefully they’ll see all the disappointed reviews for the Studio3 (I also notice a lot of people posting about returning them) and totally redesign Studio4 from the ground up.

 

[whsbuss]

Cool, I’ve seen that guide .

While the Momentum hands-down has a better signature, there’s a noticeable difference between SBC, aptX, and wired. Beats to me sounds as clear as the Momentum does wired with Apple Music, sound quality issues aside. I still believe Apple has the opportunity to release amazing over-ear wireless headphones with their Bluetooth tech, it’s a shame how average the Studio3 is.

Studio3 is just a mid-fi, fun-sounding consumer headphone. Its build doesn’t feel premium, nor is its sound high-end. In fact despite a similar design I think the Solo3 feels more solid with less creaking plastic. I wish it was amazing but the only real blow away aspect is the connectivity, no other features are that great. Even the mic produces a boxed-in sound for phone calls that I would avoid using. They’re good for consumers who haven’t heard better but I really wish Beats priced it at $399 and offered a premium build with truly high-end sound. I’d be happy with Studio3 for $199, but $349 is a stretch — and I was so excited I was willing to pay full-price.

Hopefully they’ll see all the disappointed reviews for the Studio3 (I also notice a lot of people posting about returning them) and totally redesign Studio4 from the ground up.

I highly doubt Beats will redesign a Studio4 - they are targeted as a consumer headset. Audiophiles need not apply....

 

[Carnelian]

It seems the key is what was it made for? It has NC and wireless, so one big use will be travel. I think mine will work really well for that. Beyond that, portable use I don’t use it much for that. But if you’re a hard core audiophile, you probably don’t want wireless or NC for that matter. So they should be judged for what they are. I think a number of the issues can be tweaked with firmware updates. I’m traveling next week with a few 4+ hour legs. I expect they’ll be great for that. I’ll certailny report back.
At some point, people will have to get over what they aren’t and stop or slow down on the number of posts complaining that they aren’t what people hoped they be and review them for what they are. A good solid review against the Bose QC35 I or II. Or your other favorite silimarly features cans.
Just my 0.02

 

[MICHAELSD]

It seems the key is what was it made for? It has NC and wireless, so one big use will be travel. I think mine will work really well for that. Beyond that, portable use I don’t use it much for that. But if you’re a hard core audiophile, you probably don’t want wireless or NC for that matter. So they should be judged for what they are. I think a number of the issues can be tweaked with firmware updates. I’m traveling next week with a few 4+ hour legs. I expect they’ll be great for that. I’ll certailny report back.
At some point, people will have to get over what they aren’t and stop or slow down on the number of posts complaining that they aren’t what people hoped they be and review them for what they are. A good solid review against the Bose QC35 I or II. Or your other favorite silimarly features cans.
Just my 0.02

They're great as ANC wireless headphones pitted against Sony or Bose, but otherwise there's no "wow" effect here beyond the Shadow Gray color and W1 chip. If I was to keep the Studio3 I would undoubtedly exchange my Matte Black for Shadow Gray as to me the new design is a huge part of the appeal. The main pros are W1 and design. The rest is just serviceable.

Sound - very good, not great.
ANC - very good, not great.
Comfort - very good, not great.
Build quality - good, not great.

If you're considering the QC35 or MDR-1000x I would definitely throw the Studio3 into the mix, especially if you want the most lively sound. For everybody else I would wait until they're on-sale for $199-$249 as they don't feel premium at full price whereas I wish they did.

P.S. The Verge posted their review which I know quite a few were looking for. It's fairly positive for Apple users.

Beats Studio 3 Wireless are great for Apple users, mediocre for everyone else