Updated 3 Aug 2017
Beats by Dr. Dre
Solo3 Wireless
Snapshot: The Beats by Dr. Dre Solo3 Wireless on-ear headphones have built-in cable player controls, works with virtual assistants (such as Siri) and can be used wirelessly. But how do they sound?
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Test results
Overall score
Sound
Comfort
Durability
Classical
Good points
- OK sound.
- OK comfort.
- Excellent durability.
- Excellent wireless connectivity.
- Has player controls.
But
- Needs battery power for some functions.
How we test
Noise-cancelling models
Overall score includes:
Sound (50%)
Comfort (30%)
Noise-cancelling (10%)
Durability (10%)
Other scores don’t count towards the overall score.
Non-noise-cancelling models
Overall score includes:
Sound (60%)
Comfort (30%)
Durability (10%)
Other scores don’t count towards the overall score.
For our test, we get 5 expert testers to wear each pair of headphones for an extended period while listening to a range of content from various audio sources. Each set’s sound quality was also tested using a reference ear, a device with an acoustic input impedance resembling that of an average human ear. This was also done for noise-cancelling if applicable. The scores from the testers and reference ear are then averaged into the final sound quality score.
The same 5 testers allocate the comfort score. Finding the headphone type that’s most comfortable for you can take time, because everyone’s ears are different. Earbuds often come with different-sized rubber nibs to help fit into your ear. Over-ear headphones tend to be bigger and heavier, so you may need to adjust the headband to get the fit right.
