Contrary to what you may think, this isn’t to the detriment of noise cancelling performance. In fact, AKG’s on-ear ANC headphones do a better job of combatting external noise than Beats’. Neither headset is exceptionally durable, but the pivot points on the N60NC are more prone to breakage compared to the Solo Pro. For less than $100, though, the AKG N60NC are an absolute steal. The Studio 3 Wireless can similarly insta-connect to Apple devices, sounds incredible, and looks great, but you won’t feel like your head is a watermelon about to burst. Both pairs of headphones also offer super-fast charging (up to three hours in just 10 minutes of charging!) and excellent battery life.
They’re also eligible for repair at Apple stores should something go wrong, which is a usually one of the major bonuses of paying a premium for Apple devices. If you’re hunting for new headphones this is probably one of the better deals you’ll come this sale season, especially for Apple for technology. But this is a review, and there’s always the nit-picky stuff.
Other than the included charging cable, these are the only accessories. An audio cable would have been nice, but since Beats is owned by Apple, and Apple has disowned the 3.5mm headphone jack, this exclusion beats flex review should come as no surprise. When you need to keep an ear out for those trying to get your attention, Transparency mode filters outside noises in while still providing the signature Beats sound quality.
Turning the ANC on can sometimes change the sound signature. Here, there’s the slightest change in bass response, but it’s not at all obvious, so there are no issues on that front. It would be nice to have software that allows you to adjust ANC or EQ levels. Most headphones beats studio3 in this price tier tend to have something along these lines. The outer panel of the right earcup houses the clickable control panel. The central Beats logo is a multifunction button, controlling playback, call management, or summoning Siri when held in.
To switch listening modes on your iPhone, go to Control Center and tap and hold the headphones volume control. Press the mode button once to switch between Noise Cancelling and Transparency. Press twice to turn both modes off for maximum battery life. When you’re done hearing what you need to, just hit the button again to crank noise canceling back up.