Beats Solo Pro: Noise cancelling makes all the difference

Fantastic noise cancelling, the H1 chip, and very good sound quality make these the on-ear wireless headphones to beat—for iPhone users.

- JASON CROSS

I personally don’t prefer on-ear head-phones. If it’s portability I’m after, I’ll go for a pair of true wireless earbuds, or if I want the best sound quality for extended listening, I’ll use over-the-ear cans.

On-ear headphones certainly have their place, though. They tend to be more affordable than their larger over-the-ear counterparts, they’re smaller and easier to stuff in a bag, and often lighter and easier to wear for long periods. The success of the Beats Solo series has made it clear: on-ear headphones have lots of fans.

With the Beats Solo Pro, Apple’s headphone brand has taken the very successful design of the Beats Solo 3 and tweaked it in some meaningful ways, while also adding a stellar active noise cancellation mode. The result is a fantastic, if pricey, pair of on-ear noise-cancelling headphones. They don’t break new ground, but they’re probably the best on-ear wireless headphones for anyone with an iPhone.

DESIGN AND COMFORT

If you’re familiar with the Beats Solo headphone line, you’ll have a good idea what to expect from the Solo Pros. They’re on-ear headphones with thick, dense pads that come in a variety of colors—not as many as the Solo 3 now do, but still, it’s a veritable rainbow array. You get white, black, gray, red, and two shades of blue.

I have a very small head. Every pair of headphones I have are set as small as they will go. The Beats Solo Pros are no exception, but they are still comfortable to wear even for several hours. The earpads are thick and dense, but not at all stiff. If I’m wearing glasses, my right ear starts to get a little sore after a while, but that’s a problem I seem to have with any pair of on-ear headphones, no matter the brand or design.