It is here: Transparent Beats Studio Buds Plus. The ‘Plus’ version of Apple’s most well-known Beats wireless earbuds is now officially available after weeks of speculations, and it comes with improved capabilities for both iOS and Android users, including active noise cancellation (ANC), transparency, call performance, and longer battery life.
The good news is that a lot of what made the original Studio Buds so well-liked has been carried over into the new Studio Buds+ edition. When the Studio Buds were first in 2021, they were among the finest wireless earbuds available, but as wireless earbud technology changed quickly, an upgrade to the Studio Buds seemed long overdue. Here are some specs for Transparent Beats Studio Buds Plus:
- Price: $169 / £179 / AU$269
- Colors: Black/gold, ivory, transparent
- Battery life: 9 hours (ANC off); 6 hours (with ANC and/or transparency enabled); up to 36 hours total (with charging case and ANC off)
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3
- Size: Approx. 0.9 x 0.8 x 0.6 inches (per bud)
- Weight: Approx. 0.2 ounces (per bud)
Transparent Beats Studio Buds Plus: Design
The Studio Buds Plus are only offered in three colors: black & gold, ivory, and translucent, as opposed to the original Studio Buds’ six vibrant alternatives. Along with the earbuds is a charging case for USB–C. Although I wasn’t able to get the transparent finish for this hands-on review, I believe it will showcase the earbud’s internals well, much as the Nothing Ear. The transparent option is perhaps the most intriguing choice to look at. When I finally get to see the transparent version in person, I’ll be sure to share my impressions with you all.
I’ve seen more sophisticated-looking designs for a comparable price, like as the OnePlus Buds 2 Pro, but they don’t look as lovely or feel as well completed as the ivory color choice that I received for my hands-on review.
The charging case is the same size and shape as the original and has an eggshell-like feel. It comes with a short USB–C-to-USB–C charging connection and doesn’t allow wireless charging, which is disappointing considering the price rise and the growing number of devices that do.
The Studio Buds+ still feature the pill-shaped outer part that sticks out of the ear somewhat. On top, the recognizable Beats “b” is prominently displayed for everyone to see.
Transparent Beats Studio Buds Plus: Controls
The multifunction button on the top of the earphones works similarly to the original. Although we criticized the force sensor in our first evaluation for being overly sensitive and requiring a positive motion to receive the instructions, it may now be modified. Press the play/answer button once to start the music or take a call, twice to skip, three times to go back, and long-press to turn on noise cancellation or enter transparency mode.
There is no head tracking or audio modifications like an equalization, but Dolby Atmos mixed music is automatically given spatial audio playback for Apple Music members. When connected to my iPhone 12 Pro, the Beats Studio+ app is quite simple and lacks the degree of customization tools I’ve seen on competing manufacturers selling products for the same price.
Of course, your playback device and music streaming service’s settings allow you to alter the sound. If you’re using an Apple device, the Studio Buds have hands-free Siri assistance. They were easy to set up and responsive to my requests. I haven’t yet tested Google Assistant compatibility on my Android smartphone, but I’ll provide an update once I have.
Removing one or both earbuds doesn’t halt playing, and on-ear detection doesn’t seem to be enabled.
Transparent Beats Studio Buds Plus: Sound
The sound from the new Plus version was different from what I anticipated because I didn’t have a set of the original Studio Buds to compare it to. I was somewhat aback by how thin the lower bass levels sounded on the Beats Studio Buds+, especially because Beats has a history of giving whatever you’re listening to a bass gravitas.
According to the press material I have, the transducer within the earbuds is a dual-layer speaker that provides balanced bass levels with less distortion. Furthermore, according to Beats, “three new acoustic vents improve audio precision and gently relieve pressure for a more comfortable all-day fit.”
Transparent Beats Studio Buds Plus: Price and release date
Apple Store offers the Transparent Beats Studio Buds Plus in three color variations: black & gold, ivory, and transparent. They cost $169, £179, or AU $269.
Additionally, we’ve discovered that the Beats Studio Buds+ are now on sale at Best Buy and Amazon.
For the Plus version, the pricing is $20 more than Studio Buds’ initial launch price of $149 in June 2021. At the time this article was written, it was unclear if the old version and the new Plus version would coexist.
Transparent Beats Studio Buds Plus: Battery
Transparent Beats Studio Buds Plus battery life playing duration has been extended by Apple to 9 hours after a full charge. With ANC or transparency settings on, this equals 6 hours plus 3 more charges. One hour of playing is possible with fast charging and just a 5-minute charge is required. It takes two hours to recharge a system fully.
Are Beats Studio Buds waterproof?
The Studio Buds+ maintains the original’s IPX4 water resistance rating, which is the same as the AirPods Pro 2 and is enough to fend off perspiration and small water splashes. To accommodate all types of ears, they come with four distinct ear tip sizes: XS, S, M, and L. Although there is no ear fit test to ensure that they are properly put into your ears, the medium size provided the finest acoustic seal for my ears.
We hope that you enjoyed this article on Transparent Beats Studio Buds Plus. If you did, we are sure that you will also enjoy reading some of our other articles, such as AirPods Pro 2 is finally here: Specs, price and release date, or iOS 16: Get full screen music player on Lock Screen.
