Design & Construction

The Beats Solo 3 Wireless is finally here! Probably the best-selling headphones on the market today, the long-awaited headphone follows similar design cues of the old Solo 2 Wireless. The left earcup has the (From Top-Bottom): Vol+ button, Multi-function Button (Beats logo), Vol - button, LED status, Mic and 3.5 mm input, while under the right earcup, we have the power button, 5 LEDs to indicate the remaining battery life and Micro-USB port. The Beats logo on the left earcup allows: play/pause with a single press, skip forward/backward with a double press or triple press respectively. To bring up Google Assistant/Siri, hold down the Beats logo. Pairing via Bluetooth should be simple and quick with both Apple and Android devices. The headphones has thick and soft earpads which sits on your ears, since it is a Supra-aural headphone. This means that you will feel wearing fatigue after a few hours of continually usage. The clamping force is just right and does not cause any serious discomfort to users. On the other hand, the firm clamping force makes it the ideal headphone to use while working out. The headband bears the 'Beats' logo and is very light in weight. This does not cause any discomfort to those who wear spectacles. Under the headband, there is also a silicone headrest which provides a good amount of comfort but unfortunately picks up dust if you buy the dark models. The exterior of the earcups has a nice finish which resists fingerprint smudges very well, however the gloss colour models do pick up a lot of fingerprints easily. The earcups pivot only a little in all directions but conforms to your head shape rather well.

 

Sound Quality

The headphone gives us a new surprise. Apple, after owning Beats for a year now, changed the Beats sound signature. Apple focused on a fun and enjoyable sound setting that is good for genres like EDM, R&B, Rap & Pop. The headphone drivers provide a very immersive experience even though there is a emphasis of bass. Tuning of the sound settings via presets like Pop, Rock, Bass Booster Etc, is only available for IOS devices but the sound can still be altered to your liking with a third-party app if you are on the Android platform. Based on user experience, the noise isolation is top-notch. Call quality was fantastic, the caller manage hear me clearly on the other end but noticed that the normal volume I speak at was a little low so i had to talk slightly louder.

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Connectivity & Portability

The headphone operates both passively and wirelessly. I noticed that the sound quality was more articulate in wired mode. In wireless mode, I listened at about 50% volume which was already as loud as other headphones which I had to push the volume to 75% volume to achieve the same. The mic and playback controls worked in wired mode and users can charge the headphone and use it at the same time. Listening via the Micro-USB cable is not available. The battery life peaks at a staggering 40 hours in wireless mode. The Solo 3 Wireless also feature quick charging, 5 minutes for 3 hours of playback. Easily the fastest headphone to recharge on the market as of right now! The Bluetooth range I got was even further than that of headphones with Bluetooth Ver 4.1 and there wasn't any drop-out from my usage so far. The package also comes with a carrying pouch to protect the headphones from drops and scratches and also a carabiner for you to hook the case to your bagpack.

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PROS

• Durable Construction

• Enjoyable Sound Signature

• Long Battery Life

• W1 Chip For Easy Pairing

• Controls For Music Playback & Calls

• Long Bluetooth Range

• Quick Charging

• Folds Up into a Smaller Profile

• Good Call Quality

• Carrying Pouch

• Passive Operation

• A Range Of Colours

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CONS​​

• Wearing Fatigue

• Lack Of Voice Prompts

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The Bottom Line

The Beats Studio 3 Wireless is the most stylish on-ear headphone housing comfortable ear cushions with firm clamping force, fantastic sound quality, long battery life and easy to use controls. However, the lack of voice prompts may let some users down. It is highly recommended for daily commutes. A range of colours is available to fit users of different gender.