Amazon Black Friday, a decent find for the first time in a while: "Beats Studio Pro"
Did you buy anything during Amazon Black Friday?
This time, I clicked buy on the headphones I'd been curious about for a while, "Beats Studio Pro".
I often end up wondering if my Black Friday purchases were worth it later, but this time I'm quite satisfied.
This model, which usually costs 49,800 yen at list price, was a staggering 24,800 yen. Almost half price.
It's hard to resist an impulse buy when it's a high-end Beats model that's usually out of reach.
In this post, I'd like to honestly review the "pros" and "cons" I felt after actually using them.
I chose the "Shohei Ohtani color"
I purchased the Sandstone.
It's the color Shohei Ohtani is wearing in the Beats ads. I didn't hesitate.
You could call me a follower, but the actual product has a calm tone that blends well with my skin, and I really like it. The design looks great just sitting on my desk, which is exactly what you'd expect from Beats.
......I'm starting to feel like I don't look as good wearing them.
Sound quality and noise canceling performance
As for the all-important sound quality, my first impression is that it's "slightly V-shaped, but basically flat."
The bass isn't too strong, and the highs aren't piercing. Personally, it's a balance I really like. I felt the sound profile is designed to be easy on the ears even during long listening sessions.
And what surprised me was the performance of the **noise canceling (ANC)**.
It's on par with the AirPods Pro I use daily, creating a very powerful sense of silence. This might be partly due to the benefit of the over-ear design physically covering the ears.
It seems like it will be the perfect companion for working in cafes or when I want to focus.
The "connection" issue that Apple users care about
Beats is owned by Apple, but this model does not have the Apple H1 chip (or H2 chip) installed.
Because of this, you can't use the magical feature found in the AirPods series where it seamlessly switches automatically between iPhone and iPad depending on which device is playing audio.
I was worried that this might be inconvenient, but in reality, it wasn't that bad.
Once you connect to an Apple device like an iPhone, it is automatically registered to other devices (Mac or iPad) logged in with the same iCloud account.
When you want to use them, you just select "Beats Studio Pro" from the Bluetooth menu in the Control Center.
**"It's not automatic, but manual switching is instantaneous,"** so once you get used to it, it doesn't feel that troublesome.
Honestly, the disappointing points
Of course, it's not perfect. There are two things that bothered me.
1. The included case is too tight
The included carrying case is so perfectly sized for the unit that it's quite difficult to put in and take out. It does give a sense of "being protected," but it feels a bit stressful when you want to take them out or put them away quickly.
2. Cable specifications and color
The included cable has a material feel that is a bit difficult to handle, and above all, it was disappointing that it does not match the color of the device. Since the device itself is a beautiful sandstone, I honestly wish they had matched the color of the cable as well...
Conclusion: It's a "buy" at 24,800 yen
There are a few minor complaints.
If I had bought it at the list price of about 50,000 yen, my evaluation might have been a bit harsher.
However, at 24,800 yen, this sound quality, this noise-canceling performance, and this design make it a purchase I'm glad I made is my conclusion.