Comfortable, easy to use headphones
★★★★★
WiltshireD· Review provided by
johnlewis.com ·
November 21, 2024I was sent these headphones to test - I already own a pair of wireless headphones from another brand which I use a lot, but find uncomfortable to wear for long periods. This design is different - they sit on the ear rather than around the ear, and the fit, whilst snug, isn't too pressured, and they're very well cushioned so they're actually pretty comfortable to wear for long periods. There is a wee bit of noise leakage but this isn't really a problem when listening at normal levels. When streaming tv shows, the audio is well lip-synced (there's no noticeable delay/latency) which is great. When listening to music, (for review purposes, I compared listening to Jacob Collier, Dayglow, The National and Elbow via Apple Music player) I found the sound to be lovely and clear and smooth, but a bit more 'pop' (less bass?) than I'm used to, so I turned on the EQ in the Apple Music Player equaliser (under the 'window' menu) to find a sound profile to my taste (be aware I found it takes a few seconds for the selected EQ setting to be audible) - I seem to prefer the pre-set 'rock' profile as it has a bit more bass. Having set this up, I'm really happy with the sound quality. The headphones are light, foldable (yay!) and come with a handy case so they can be neatly stowed with cables when not in use - this is much appreciated. The ear cups are small and unobtrusive so you don't look like you're flying a helicopter when wearing them. I think they look really cool and would happily wear these in public. I found them easy to sync to my Apple MacBook laptop - I don't have the latest MacBook, but I turned bluetooth off and on and pressed the button on the headphones and synced without issue. The controls are easy to use - I really like being able to skip back and forth between tracks. This is really what you want in headphones that you use every day - for the experience to be comfortable, great-sounding and hassle-free. Recyclable packaging too. Overall, great headphones!
Sleek and comfortable for everyday use
★★★★★
Andrea· Review provided by
johnlewis.com ·
November 24, 2024These Matte black Beats Solo 4 Wireless Bluetooth On-Ear headphones are incredibly quick and easy to set up. They are quick charging and when I pressed and held the power button, they paired instantly with my iPhone. They come with a USB-c charging cable and a wire to connect them if you aren't using Bluetooth.
For this style of earphone, they are actually pretty lightweight and I found them comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. I didn't find them to be tight as some other reviewers have. The battery life is very impressive.
I haven't worn them for running because I prefer the bone conducting style, but I think they would sit nice and securely. They might be a little hot though?
The controls are on left ear, and are the "b" button for: play, pause, skip, scan through a track and answer/decline calls; and the volume control button that surrounds the "b" button. You can also use Siri if it's already activated it on your iPhone.
I found both the music (especially with Apple Music) and call sound quality to be excellent. It's definitely improved from some much older wireless Beats headphones that I had, and at the time I was impressed with those.
I also found them easier to get in and out of the case as the zip opens further down both sides of the case. This is important because I know my university student daughter will definitely be wanting to borrow these and I would want to encourage her to put them away when not in use!
As they are On-Ear, rather than Over-Ear they aren't completely noise cancelling, but this can be an advantage in some situations and it's the choice you make when deciding which style of headphone to go for.
Overall, I would recommend these and they'll certainly be getting lots of use.
Fantastic sound experience
★★★★★
Miss Sam· Review provided by
johnlewis.com ·
November 24, 2024I've used Beats for years & these are an upgrade from a pair of 8 year old Solo 2.
Everything about them looks & feels good, from the sustainable packaging to the colour. They feel slicker & have an updated design & controls from previous models. The case is neat & has handy inbuilt pockets for the charger & aux cable.
I love the aux as I use headphones most days for long periods, so being able to switch when I don't have time to charge is perfect. Especially as the battery lasts so long compared to some others - so I sometimes forget they do need charging! The battery life seems to have improved in this model too, which I didn't think was possible!
They're easy to power on, pair & turn off. The navigation for the music & call controls is straightforward & helpfully explained in the guide.
The cushions are comfy & unit is light which makes for easy wearing. Sadly, I can confirm they still trap hair, so those of us with long curly locks take care when taking them off as you can get strands wrapped in the crevices of the ear pieces.
I'd say these are a snug fit, which can cause an echoing effect to sounds I'm making. My own talking when on calls is really loud & I sometimes have to slip an ear off but I'm sure this will become less as they stretch & the cushions adapt to my ears. Same with my own footsteps - when not playing sound they're really loud.
I was expecting more in the way of sound control & was a little disappointed to see no noise cancellation controls. Whilst they do block out background sounds very well, there is no option to enhance that feature or turn on regular or transparency modes, which I'd really appreciate to enable me to still engage with colleagues & also for safety when walking / travelling.
For music the listening experience is fantastic! Can't beat them in my opinion!
I'm hoping these will last as long as my last pair and have no doubt they'll continue to demonstrate the longevity and reliability of Beats.
Excellent
★★★★★
human27· Review provided by
johnlewis.com ·
November 20, 2024On first look they are understated, with a tiny status light, on button, headphone socket and a USBC port for charging. They collapse well and fit neatly into the soft carry case which seems enough to protect it from minor falls but I'd pack it at the top of my luggage. They also come with good length USBC and headphone cables.
Setup was easy, just press and hold the on button, and they showed up instantly on both my mac and android phone. They also paired first time with my smartwatch which most other brands have struggled with. I've had no dropouts or other issues as of yet.
I'm no audiophile but the sound is crisp and clear with a decent amount of bass, as good as any other set of 'premium' headphones I've owned and better than most. Calls were crisp and clear with no issues.
The passive noise cancellation works surprisingly well, I've not tested it on a packed commuter train but they block most noises out when I'm working.
Controls are simple, press the left ear one to three times to play/pause, skip forward or back. You can't change how these controls work in the app which seems strangely lacking; it would be nice to be able to get them to skip time rather than tracks - especially useful for audio books.
Overall they are comfy, although a little tight so I couldn't keep them on for long periods; they may be better suited to those with a smaller head. They also made my ears hot after a while, but that happens with any over or on ear headphones I use.
I've personally not had a need to try the audio cable but it allows them to be used without draining the battery, which is a nice touch.
Overall a great on ear headphone that I'd highly recommend, I'll definitely be adding Beats to my list of preferred audio technology brands.
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