Against my better judgement I ended up purchasing an Ivory pair. I’ve got to say I do like Powerbeats Pro a bit more than I was expecting, but that’s not to say it’s perfect. The aesthetic looks nice and I could tell I stood out from a sea of AirPods, Beats Studio, and Bose headphones — I caught a few people staring at them in the gym. You definitely are paying a premium for style with these.
The main difference over AirPods for me is that Powerbeats Pro has a semi-open design with a carefully-constructed amount of passive noise isolation. It’s just enough to let users focus on the music, without blocking out the environment. Being that I don’t like to be completely isolated, this was a plus to me over AirPods Pro. It’s designed well for fitness purposes.
Surprisingly I got a good fit and seal with the medium tips out of the box. I’d like to experiment with the large to be sure. I do wish they had the same ear tip test as AirPods Pro so I can be sure I’m getting an optimal seal.
Onto sound: I do think Powerbeats Pro is a quality product. It’s almost reference quality. In fact, Beats did a complete 180 and put their focus on the mids and highs. It does reach those sub-bass notes with authority, but I found usually when I expected a bass drop that I was familiar with I expected a bit more. It’s tight, defined bass — I just wish there was a little more of it. But keep in mind I’m used to listening to sound systems with 10-20dB+ boosted bass. The mid-range is clear and adequately natural, perhaps a tad too intense on the upper mids and sibilants but it still lends itself to detail and a relatively fun sound signature. Still, I remember Solo Pro sounding better overall. It’s just the convenience factor of truly wireless that’s difficult to give up.
I will test the larger tips and see if they produce more bass. In the meantime, my only real issue with them is when I’m walking they rub against my glasses and produce audible noise. That won’t be acceptable for runs. They also do take some effort to put on, but that’s how they’re designed. Other than that, I just realized I didn’t have any complaints regarding comfort during my workout which is a good sign. I do like Powerbeats Pro and think it’s a good product. Consumers are for the most part getting their money’s worth.
The main difference over AirPods for me is that Powerbeats Pro has a semi-open design with a carefully-constructed amount of passive noise isolation. It’s just enough to let users focus on the music, without blocking out the environment. Being that I don’t like to be completely isolated, this was a plus to me over AirPods Pro. It’s designed well for fitness purposes.
Surprisingly I got a good fit and seal with the medium tips out of the box. I’d like to experiment with the large to be sure. I do wish they had the same ear tip test as AirPods Pro so I can be sure I’m getting an optimal seal.
Onto sound: I do think Powerbeats Pro is a quality product. It’s almost reference quality. In fact, Beats did a complete 180 and put their focus on the mids and highs. It does reach those sub-bass notes with authority, but I found usually when I expected a bass drop that I was familiar with I expected a bit more. It’s tight, defined bass — I just wish there was a little more of it. But keep in mind I’m used to listening to sound systems with 10-20dB+ boosted bass. The mid-range is clear and adequately natural, perhaps a tad too intense on the upper mids and sibilants but it still lends itself to detail and a relatively fun sound signature. Still, I remember Solo Pro sounding better overall. It’s just the convenience factor of truly wireless that’s difficult to give up.
I will test the larger tips and see if they produce more bass. In the meantime, my only real issue with them is when I’m walking they rub against my glasses and produce audible noise. That won’t be acceptable for runs. They also do take some effort to put on, but that’s how they’re designed. Other than that, I just realized I didn’t have any complaints regarding comfort during my workout which is a good sign. I do like Powerbeats Pro and think it’s a good product. Consumers are for the most part getting their money’s worth.
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