Beats Solo 4 was launched earlier this 12 months, and the corporate’s newest on-ear headphones made their approach to India in August. They’re geared up with audio options discovered on costlier wi-fi headphones from Apple, together with spatial audio with dynamic head monitoring and help for lossless audio, however lack help for lively noise cancellation (ANC). The headphones are appropriate with iOS and Android units and have an ordinary USB Kind-C port for charging. The Beats Solo 4 competes with equally priced headphones from Bose and Sony.
Pricing for the Beats Solo 4 is about at Rs. 22,900 in India. It’s bought in three colourways — Cloud Pink, Matte Black, and Slate Blue (the corporate despatched us this variant for assessment) — by way of the corporate’s on-line retailer and authorised retailers within the nation.
Beats Solo 4 Design: Light-weight and Comfy
- Dimensions – 177x158x6.8mm
- Weight – 217g
These over-the-ear headphones are principally made from plastic and seem fairly much like earlier technology fashions, except for the extra pastel-like colors that give them a barely much less edgy look. This additionally means they’re fairly gentle to put on for prolonged durations, regardless that you’ll be able to really feel them in your head. The earpads do not look like user-replaceable, which is unlucky.
Like its predecessors, the Beats Solo 4 has the corporate’s brand embossed on each earcups. There is a small ‘4′ on the correct aspect of the adjustable headband, whereas the within of the scarf accommodates extra textual content associated to regulatory data (proper) and a left ear indicator — none of those are seen whenever you’re sporting the headphones.
The headphones ship with a carrying pouch that’s barely cushioned, together with a 3.5mm audio cable and a USB Kind-C to Kind-C cable that can be utilized for lossless audio playback or to cost the headphones. You will have to buy an influence adapter individually, although.
I’ve a reasonably lengthy head and put on spectacles, however the Beats Solo 4 felt comfy even after sporting them for just a few hours at a time. Nevertheless, headphone becoming can fluctuate from individual to individual, so it is best to attempt these out at a retailer to verify they really feel comfy in your head.
Beats Solo 4 Software program: Will get the Job Completed
- Software program platforms – iOS, Android
- Customisable controls – Name administration, media playback, mute/ unmute, quantity controls
Just like the Beats Studio Buds+ and the Beats Solo Buds, these wi-fi headphones work with Android smartphones and most of Apple’s units. You will must obtain the Beats companion app on the previous, whereas the identical controls are baked into the settings app on iPhone, iPad, and Mac computer systems.
You get help for Google’s Quick Pair service on Android and Quick Pair on Home windows whenever you arrange the Beats Solo 4 for the primary time. You probably have an iPhone or iPad, you will see the acquainted card pop up asking you to connect with the headphones. The machine additionally works with Apple’s Discover My service, whereas Android customers can see the place the machine was final related to the companion app.
The left earcup helps you to management media playback and handle calls — a single press pauses and resumes playback, whereas calls will be answered and muted with a single -press and ended with a double press. You may also push the panel’s high and backside to extend and reduce the quantity, respectively.
A button on the correct aspect have to be long-pressed to activate and switch off the Beats Solo 4. The underside of the left earcup has a 3.5mm audio port and an LED indicator that signifies when the headphones are charging and in use, whereas the correct earcup has a USB Kind-C port, an improve over the Solo 3 mannequin with a Micro USB port.
Like different audio merchandise from Beats and Apple, the companion app on Android and the built-in audio settings for the Beats Solo 4 would not embrace help for equaliser presets. Which means that you’ll have to depend on media apps that embrace their very own EQ controls, resembling Spotify or Poweramp.
Beats Solo 4 Efficiency, Battery Life: Par for the Course
- Bluetooth model – 5.3
- Energetic noise cancellation – No
- Battery life – As much as 50 hours
The Beats Solo 4 headphones are geared up with upgraded 40mm drivers and a redesigned acoustic structure. They function a impartial sound signature, which suggests they’re splendid for varied genres of music, and there is not any perceptible distortion, even when listening to music on the highest quantity.
My typical headphones testing playlist accommodates tracks that span varied genres, and the Beats Solo 4 might simply deal with it. Sasha Alex Sloan’s voice sounds extraordinarily clear on Older, whereas the mids and the bass have ample separation. The identical is true for Taylor Swift’s Daylight, the place her vocals are distinctly audible from the background music.
Abba’s Mamma Mia and Voulez-Vous sound glorious on the Beats Solo 4, with ample emphasis on all devices. Afterglow by INXS, a observe that sometimes sounds ‘muffled’ on many headphones, was clear with simply the correct amount of bass.
Beats audio merchandise have gained a repute for providing heat, U-shaped audio, however this does not look like the case for the Solo 4 headphones. The extraordinarily busy Yo soy María by Ástor Piazzolla and María Dueñas is a classical piece that accommodates a mixture of violin and piano which can be each distinctly audible on the headphones. That is additionally noticeable on No. 24 in A Minor, by Hilary Hahn, one other fast-paced observe that sounded good.
As anticipated, the Beats Solo 4 headphones deal with tracks resembling Billie Eilish’s Birds Of A Feather effortlessly, and there is not any distortion, even when the quantity is cranked up. The bass response on Crab Circulation by NLE Choppa and Nbhd Nick’s Method Up is superb.
Like different Beats Solo audio fashions (just like the Solo Buds), these wi-fi headphones don’t supply ANC help. That is disappointing to see on a tool at this value level, particularly contemplating that equally priced wi-fi headphones ship glorious ANC efficiency.
Whereas the dearth of ANC could be a obvious omission from the Beats Solo 4, the headphones supply two helpful options — spatial audio with dynamic head monitoring and lossless audio by way of USB Kind-C or 3.5mm audio ports.
I related the headphones utilizing each interfaces and located that the sound high quality was glorious, and the wired mode lets you use the machine even when the battery is empty. In the meantime, you will want an iPhone to make use of the spatial audio with a dynamic head monitoring function, and it really works reliably whereas listening to or watching supported music and movies, respectively.
Beats says that the Solo 4 is provided with digital beam-forming microphones which can be used together with a voice concentrating on algorithm designed to enhance voice high quality on calls. This works seamlessly with the built-in noise discount function on the iPhone, permitting customers to take calls whereas sporting the headphones.
The Beats Solo 4 is not geared up with an Apple H collection or W collection chip, which suggests it lacks help for seamless switching throughout Apple units. Nevertheless, pairing it with an iPhone lets one use it throughout all linked Apple units, and the Quick Pair function on Android permits customers to make use of it.
In keeping with the corporate, the Beats Solo 4 can ship as much as 50 hours of media playback however remember that that is with out options like spatial audio with dynamic head monitoring or taking voice calls. After utilizing the headphones to take calls or conferences and hearken to music, I acquired about 5 days of use with a mean of eight hours day-after-day, which is someplace across the 40-hour mark.
Even when you find yourself utilizing the headphones for an prolonged interval, you should not must cost them greater than as soon as every week. The corporate says its Quick Gasoline function permits customers to plug within the headphones to a appropriate charger and get about 5 hours of playback with a 10-minute cost.
Beats Solo 4 Overview: Verdict
For those who’re on the lookout for a pair of vibrant wi-fi headphones below the Rs. 25,000 mark that work properly with Android smartphones and Apple merchandise, then the Beats Solo 4 is simple to suggest, thanks partially to its dependable sound high quality and glorious battery life.
Nevertheless, for those who do not want options like spatial audio with dynamic head monitoring or do not have an Apple machine that lets you entry the function, you would possibly need to think about the less expensive JBL Dwell 770NC on-ear headphones.
Extra superior wi-fi over-the-ear headphones in the identical value phase embrace the Sony WH-1000XM4 (Overview), the Marshall Monitor II, and the Bose QuietComfort wi-fi headphones. Alternatively, you may look forward to the value of the Beats Solo 4 to drop earlier than buying the headphones.
These headphones supply ANC help, which is lacking on the Beats Solo 4. The older Beats Solo Professional from 2019 is on the market from some sellers in India for round Rs. 25,000, with help for seamless switching and ANC utilizing Apple’s H1 chip, for those who do not thoughts the deprecated Lightning port and decrease marketed battery life (22 hours and 40 hours with ANC enabled and disabled, respectively).