These add up to make the Solo 4 less impressive than rivals at the same price.
The sound is perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the Solo 4.
These problems arent solved if you listen via any of the higher-quality wired options, either.
Both of these are larger, over-ear models with ANC.
The Sennheiser headphones also match the Solo 4s 50-hour battery, even with ANC on.
Simultaneous charging is also possible when connected to devices that provide power.
Again, this can offer higher-quality audio than Bluetooth, and is useful on planes.
Theres no support for this on Android.
So, it auto-switches between iPhone and Mac; or it switches between Android and Chromebook.
Locating this blindly when wearing the Solo 4 isnt easy.
The only indication that the Solo 4 are turned on is a small LED on the outside.
Basically, see to it you turn them on before they’re on your head.
The microphone is also high quality, although perhaps too eager to pick up extraneous noises.
Beats quotes the battery life as being a generous 50 hours of playback.
And during my test, this figure seemed to live up to reality.
The lower mids are also disappointingly muddy, but the upper mids are pleasantly crisp without being harsh.
Songs with detailed percussive arrangements, for instance, come across well in the Solo 4.
Using the 3.5mm analog input seemed to marginally improve the quality of these frequencies, but not by much.
Where the Solo 4 shine, though, is the noise isolation.
Despite not having any active noise cancellation profiles, external sounds are blocked out well.
This helps songs with heavy reverb and a strong sense of space to be comprehensively conveyed.
The Solo 4 stay true to the Beats aesthetic, looking almost identical to the Solo 3.
Having used them for exercise, I can say that they stay on without the slightest deviation.
The price I paid for this secureness, however, was a lack of comfort overall.
The Sony headphones have superior sound and comfort levels, as well as having more features, including ANC.
Should I buy the Beats Solo 4?
Read ourhands-on Sony ULT Wear WH-ULT900N reviewwhile we complete our full, in-depth testing.
Edifier Stax Spirit S3Curveball!
They really are magnificent here’s our fullEdifier Stax Spirit S3 review.
I tested them with a variety of genres, including rock, pop, electronic, classical and jazz.
I listened both in quiet indoor environments and noisy outdoor ones.
I also tried exercising with them to test how secure the fit was.
I also made phone calls and recorded voice memos with the Solo 4 to test the microphone quality too.
Read more about how we test
