
Beats
Beats Solo 4
The Solo 4 keeps the classic Beats on-ear formula but fixes the two old sins: battery (now a huge 50 hours) and sound, which is far more balanced than the bass-cannon Solos of the 2010s while still warm. It also does something rare at any price — genuine lossless audio over USB-C or the 3.5mm jack. The honest problems: there's no ANC at a $200 list price, which is why you should only buy at the frequent $99-130 street price, and the trademark Solo clamp is still here. Comfort is fine for an hour or two, then your ears know about it, especially with glasses. There's no EQ app on either platform, and no true multipoint — you get Apple's ecosystem switching and one-touch pairing on Android instead. Personalized Spatial Audio with head tracking works great on iPhone. Fit-dependent, but the battery is untouchable.
Specifications
Highlights
Pros
- ✓Huge 50-hour battery is untouchable for on-ears
- ✓Genuine lossless over USB-C or 3.5mm
- ✓Far more balanced tuning than 2010s bass-cannon Solos
- ✓Fast Fuel: 10 minutes buys 5 hours
- ✓Personalized Spatial Audio head tracking on iPhone
- ✓One-touch pairing on both iOS and Android
Cons
- ✗No ANC at a $200 list price
- ✗Trademark Solo clamp aches after an hour or two
- ✗On-ear clamp plus glasses gets painful fast
- ✗No EQ app on either platform
- ✗No true multipoint — just Apple ecosystem switching
Compare the Beats Solo 4
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