Beats is finally ready to talk about its next-generation Solo headphones.
These on-ear headphones have proved wildly popular for the Apple-owned (AAPL) audio brand — more than 40 million pairs have been sold since they were introduced. It’s been eight years since Beats ushered in the Solo 3 on-ear headphones with a lightning port and Apple’s W1 chip inside.
Now, Beats is dropping the $199.99 Solo 4 headphones in three colors and a substantial hardware upgrade, all housed in a familiar design. Suffice to say, if you’re still rocking the Solo 3, I think you’ll be right at home with longer battery life, better feature parity across iOS and Android, and great audio.
Let’s dive into the Beats Solo 4, specifically the on-ear headphones in Slate Blue, which I’ve been testing for close to a week.
Related: Sony’s 2024 Bravia 9 is the Mini LED TV to beat
Familiar-looking, super lightweight headphone set
Like Studio Pros, Beats isn’t ushering in a new look for the Solo on-ear headphones. The Solo 4 retains the classic Beats Solo look, albeit with less shiny plastic and a more modern set of colors.
As the name suggests, these on-ear cans won’t separate you from the world around you. The left and right sides simply rest on your ears. Luckily, there isn’t an ultra-heavy clamping force, and these fit comfortably for multihour listening sessions.
Aiding in comfort is what Beats dubbed UltraPlush ear cushions, which mean more plush padding under the hood for a closer-to-cozy listening experience.
Related: Beats partners with a popular athleisure brand for custom earbuds
More critically, the Solo 4 weigh just 217 grams (less than half a pound), which makes them the lightest Beats headphones yet. This means you can rock them at home, around town, and while working out.
Beats doesn’t rate these to a specific water- or sweat-resistance designation, but like previous models these should stand up to light and medium workouts.
Jacob Krol/TheStreet
The main controls are on the right earcup, where the “b” logo acts as a play or pause button, track control, and even a voice assistant button. Even neater is that the broader ring around this central physical button is volume control. I’d prefer a touch solution, but considering that much of the build is plastic here, it fits in and does get the job done.
The power button is a small circle on the right side. You’ll also find two ports — USB-C for power and audio on the left and an audio jack on the right. Two cables are included in the box.
Lastly, Beats is launching Solo 4 in three colors, and for those wondering, royal blue and what it calls product red are not here. You can pick from slate blue, matte black and cloud pink — but considering Beats' past launches, I’d be surprised if more colors aren’t on the horizon.
Strong sound with spatial and lossless chops
Much like Beats Fit Pro, Studio Buds, and even Studio Pros, the Solo 4 ushers in Beats’ latest approach to audio — a forceful mix with clarity across low, mid, and high tones that come together for an accurate, rich representation.
Sure, these don’t automatically up the lower end, but on a track emphasizing bass, the Solo 4 won’t crackle or distort but delivers a rich mix for on-ear cans.
Under the hood, Beats mixing and audio representation are backed by a 40-millimeter dynamic diaphragm transducer that is passively tuned. The latter, a first for Beats, means that whatever you're listening to isn’t getting a custom mix or change applied — it’s presented and produced from the original signal.
In my testing so far, it’s created a rich, wide soundstage mix that feels energized. It also works for however you’re connected — via bluetooth, USB-C to USB-C for lossless, or even audio jack. It’s a great feature, and I have a feeling we’ll see it in future Beats products and maybe even something from Apple’s AirPods lineup.
Whether I threw Bruce Springsteen, Olivia Rodrigo or Taylor Swift’s “The Tortured Poets Department” at the Solo 4, it all sounded great.
With “Werewolves of London” by Warren Zevon streaming in Hi-Res Lossless via Apple Music, the lower-end piano and drums come through clearly, with Zevon’s voice flowing on top—a fresh mix that shines here. The main repeating beats in Taylor Swift's "Florida!!" aren’t just a singular sound but rather revealed as a two-step drum with great clarity and zero distortion.
Related: Sony Ult Wear Review: Bringing the oomph with long battery life
“Seaside Bar Song” by Springsteen showcased how Solo 4 handles a packed track with organ, piano, guitar, drums, bass, and even saxophone. The result is a clear separation — when intended — and well-deserved attention paid to the main instrumental for about the first minute. The Solo 4’s transducer then presents vocals over precise backing instruments.
The only thing missing here is dedicated listening modes, but active noise cancellation and even transparency aren’t standard with on-ear headphones. At $200, however, buyers have options for earbuds or even over-ear headphones that offer both.
It comes down to what you value most, though, and the team at Beats certainly focused on sticking with a loved design and core features.
Long-battery headphones with equal iOS and Android support
Jacob Krol/TheStreet
Along with impressive audio quality and an ultra-lightweight build that was comfortable for writing this review at a desk and even on a Peloton ride, I’m also not stressing about recharging these headphones.
Beats promises up to 50 hours of battery life, and the Solo 4s meet the mark. That’s a 25% improvement over the Solo 3s and does laps around competing headphones. You’ll have no issue using these on a vacation or even a day at the beach, and when you are running low, you can plug them in via USB-C.
Since these are powered by a Beats-made processor, they feature parity across iOS and Android devices. This isn’t the first Beats product with this, but it’s becoming a hallmark of the brand and an attractive feature that makes these an excellent choice whether you have an iPhone or an Android phone like the Pixel 8 or Galaxy S24 Ultra.
You can fast pair by simply powering these on next to an iPhone or a variety of Android phones to see a fast-pair window come up. From there you can connect and be ready to listen.
It’s quite handy and worked well in my testing on an iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone 14 Plus, Galaxy S24 Ultra, Galaxy Z Flip 5, and a Pixel 8. Most of the controls live in settings on iOS and within the Beats app on Android, but with the latter, some live as quick settings when the headphones are connected.
Bottom line for Beats Solo 4
Beats
After eight years, Beats' much-anticipated next-generation on-ear headphones don’t disappoint. The Solo 4 will make folks waiting to upgrade from second- or third-generation Solos quite happy, but it also doesn’t strip the design ethos that has made these quite popular.
Instead, Beats reworked the hardware internally for better, more robust audio that works for various genres, supercharged the battery life, and tossed in more impressive features for iPhone and Android consumers.
At a $200 MSRP and potentially cheaper with forthcoming discounts, the Beats Solo 4 are an excellent pair of on-ear headphones that succeed with a lightweight build and robust audio.
Related: Veteran fund manager picks favorite stocks for 2024
