The Status Between 3ANC True Wireless are premium buds from this manufacturer's small lineup and have a triple driver design; they're one-part dynamic driver and two-part balanced armature, which helps improve their sound quality. Unlike the more basic Status Between Pro True Wireless, they have a noise cancelling (ANC) system to help cut down sounds when you're on the go, support multi-device pairing, and have a companion app so that you can customize their sound to suit your tastes. Unfortunately, they lack aptX codec support for higher audio quality compared to the default SBC codec and have a somewhat bulky design.
The Status Between 3ANC are satisfactory for neutral sound. Out of the box, they have an excited sound that delivers extra bass to music while vocals and instruments sparkle, thanks to added treble. If you don't like their sound, their companion app offers an 8-band graphic EQ and presets to help you customize them. However, they're still closed-back, in-ear headphones, and their soundstage doesn't seem natural or immersive.
The Status Between 3ANC are very good for commute and travel. These buds are well-built and have a decently comfortable fit, although they can feel fatiguing over time due to their design. They last nearly eight hours continuously, and the case holds about three extra charges for top-ups throughout the day. However, even though they have ANC, they struggle to block out the low rumble of bass-heavy noises like bus engines. They do a better job of cutting down passenger chit-chat, though.
The Status Between 3ANC are great for sports and fitness. Even though they have a bulkier design than some earbuds, their stability fins help keep them in place if you're lifting weights or using a stationary bike. However, if you're running or need to use the controls, the buds can move around in your ear, which is annoying. Their fit can also be fatiguing over time due to the weight of the stems. On the upside, the buds are certified IPX5 for resistance against direct water contact.
The Status Between 3ANC are decent for office use. They last nearly eight hours continuously, and if you need to recharge them, their carrying case holds extra charges to get you through the day. These buds also have multi-device pairing, so you can simultaneously connect to your PC and smartphone, and they have ANC to help block out chatty coworkers and the hum of AC units. That said, even though they have a decently comfortable fit, they can become fatiguing over time, making it difficult to wear them for long shifts.
The Status Between 3ANC are Bluetooth-only buds, and their latency on PCs is too high to be suitable for gaming. While their latency is also high on Android devices, it's lower on iOS devices, making them a more appropriate choice for light mobile gaming.
The Status Between 3ANC are Bluetooth-only; you can't use them wired.
The Status Between 3ANC are okay for phone calls. Their integrated mic offers an acceptable overall performance. Your voice is intelligible but slightly thin and distorted. If you're taking calls in noisy environments like a busy street, your voice gets lost in background sound, making it a frustrating experience for whoever you're talking to. On the upside, these buds have an ANC system to help reduce noise like ambient chatter.
The Status Between 3ANC come in two color variants: 'Onyx' and 'Bone'. We tested the Onyx variant, and you can see our model's label here. If you encounter another variant of these headphones, let us know in the forums, and we'll update our review.
The Status Audio Between 3ANC are the high-end model of this manufacturer's earbud lineup. Compared to their more affordable sibling, the Status Between Pro True Wireless, they have a few extra features like companion app support, multi-device pairing, and noise cancelling. That said, compared to other buds in their price bracket, they don't block out quite as much background noise as the Google Pixel Buds Pro Truly Wireless or the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) Truly Wireless.
Check out our recommendations for the best wireless Bluetooth earbuds, the best true wireless earbuds, and the best wireless earbuds for Android.
The Sony WF-1000XM5 Truly Wireless are better for most people than the Status Between 3ANC True Wireless. The Sony headphones' ANC system blocks out more noise, they have a longer battery life, and they support LDAC, Sony's codec for streaming high-res audio. They're also more comfortable for most people. On the other hand, the Status earbuds' default sound profile is a bit more v-shaped, which some users may prefer as it adds sparkle to vocals and instruments while still delivering satisfying extra bass. However, both models offer in-app sound customization features.
The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) Truly Wireless are better in-ear headphones than the Status Between 3ANC True Wireless. The Apple are more comfortable, and are better built. They also have Spatial Audio to help make your audio even more immersive, their ANC does a significantly better job of blocking out background noise, and they have an H2 chip for seamless pairing with other devices in your Apple ecosystem. However, the Status have a companion app with sound customization features, support multi-device pairing, and have a longer continuous battery life.
The Status Between 3ANC True Wireless have the edge over the Status Between Pro True Wireless. While both headphones look very similar, are well-built, and have a triple-driver design, the 3ANC have noise cancelling and can block out more ambient noise across the range. They also have a companion app to help customize their sound to your liking, and they support multi-device pairing so that you can stay connected to your PC and smartphone simultaneously. However, the Between Pro support aptX codec for high audio quality via Bluetooth.
The Google Pixel Buds Pro Truly Wireless are somewhat better in-ear headphones than the Status Between 3ANC True Wireless. While both buds are well-built and decently comfortable, the Google have a more neutral default sound profile, which some users may prefer, and their ANC offers superior full-range noise isolation. However, thanks to their stability fin design, the Status have a more stable in-ear fit.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro True Wireless are better buds than the Status Between 3ANC True Wireless. While both buds are well-built, the Samsung are more comfortable and have a virtual soundstage feature to help immerse you in your audio. Their ANC also does a better job of blocking background noise across the range. However, the Status support multi-device pairing, their companion app offers a more robust EQ to help you customize their sound to your liking, and their battery performance is significantly better.
The Status Between 3ANC Like the Status Between Pro True Wireless, the Status Between 3ANC have an unusual rectangular design with a metallic shell covering the lower half of the stem. Each bud has a triple-driver design comprised of two balanced armature drivers and one 10mm dynamic driver, which helps improve sound quality and clarity. These buds come in two color variants: 'Onyx' and 'Bone'.
The Status 3ANC are decently comfortable for most people. Like the Status Between Pro True Wireless, they have a lightweight design and come with a couple of differently-sized ear tips and stability fins to help you get the best fit. That said, they stick out of your ears more than typical in-ears like the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) Truly Wireless, and can feel heavy during long listening sessions. On the plus side, since the controls are located on the top of the buds and on the stem's touch-sensitive surface, you won't push them deeper into your ear when registering a command.
These buds have good controls. There's a physical button on top of each bud's stem, and there are also touch-sensitive surfaces on the stems. Unfortunately, you need to hold the bottom of the stem when using the controls, as pushing the buttons can cause the buds to wiggle out of your ears. You must also be quick in double-tapping to register this kind of command; otherwise, it'll only register a single tap. On the upside, there are voice prompts for ANC off or ambient sound off, reaching min or max volume, searching for devices, and powering on and off the device. There are also chimes for turning ANC or ambient sound on and beeps when playing and pausing audio. However, there aren't any track-skipping tones.
Physical button (on either bud):
Touch controls:
The carrying case is great. Unlike the Status Between Pro True Wireless case, it supports wireless charging. The front of the case has three LED lights, and the back has a reset button.
They have a good build quality. They're mostly made of plastic with a metal sleeve capping the stems. The ear tips and stability fins are silicone and come in different sizes. The manufacturer also states that they're certified IPX5 for resistance against direct water exposure, but it isn't clear if this certification includes the case.
These earbuds have a stable fit, thanks to their stability fin design. Although they stick out of your ear, they stay in place while you're on the move. If you make a lot of vigorous head movements, you may need to readjust their fit since they can feel like they're falling out our your ears due to their design.
Using the Status Signature EQ preset, the Status Between 3ANC have an excited sound profile that delivers extra thump, punch, and boom in the bass. However, thanks to some extra treble, vocals and instruments are bright and sparkly, so their sound is suitable for bass-heavy music like EDM and hip-hop, as well as genres like rock and pop. If you prefer a different sound, their companion app offers a graphic EQ and presets.
We noticed a difference in frequency response when using the Status Signature EQ preset depending on whether the ANC is on versus off. When the feature is off, the buds deliver a lot more bass than when on. However, the extra boom and warmth also muddies vocals and instruments. You can see a comparison between both settings here. You can also see a comparison of all the EQ presets with ANC on versus off here.
The Status 3ANC have very good frequency response consistency. The buds have a small hole that could affect the ANC performance when covered by the stability fins. However, because our rig's ears are made from silicone, the buds move more than they would in a human's ears. As a result, once you get a good fit, you'll experience consistent bass and treble delivery each time you use them.
The bass accuracy is very good. The response is overemphasized across the range, resulting in extra thump, punch, and boom. This sound is great if you like genres like EDM and hip-hop that can benefit from extra bass. However, instruments and vocals can sound cluttered.
They have great mid accuracy. The response is fairly even, although a bit of overemphasis coming from the bass range into the low-mid clutters the mix. The mid-mid is more neutral, ensuring the presence of vocals and instruments, while a bump in the high-mid makes them sound intense. In songs like Psycho Killer by Talking Heads, the lead singer's voice is fairly clear and present throughout the mix, but in the higher registers, it starts to sound a little harsh.
While the mid response is quite flat, the Peaks and Dips shows a dip in the low to mid-mid, suggesting that the buds have trouble controlling their sound profile in this range.
They have great treble accuracy. The response is overemphasized throughout most of the range, especially in the low treble, adding harshness to vocals and instruments. That said, sibilants like cymbals are bright but not piercing.
The peaks and dips performance is great, meaning the headphones control their sound profile very well. A small peak in the mid to high bass adds punch and warmth to audio. A dip in the low to mid-mid thins out vocals and instruments while nudging them to the back of the mix. The low to mid-treble is slightly overemphasized, too, making vocals and instruments sound harsh while sibilants like cymbals are bright.
Status hasn't produced a lot of headphones, but previous products from this manufacturer, like the Status Between Pro True Wireless, have shown solid quality control and ergonomics. Our unit's L/R drivers are well-balanced in group delay, ensuring tight bass and transparent treble reproduction. Our unit is also well-matched in phase response, amplitude, and frequency response, which ensures that objects like voices are placed correctly in the stereo image. Although there's a peak in the phase response's mid-mid, it isn't easy to hear in real-life content and won't affect your listening experience. Imaging varies from unit to unit, so you might have a different experience.
The passive soundstage is bad, which is to be expected for in-ear headphones. These headphones bypass your outer ear by design, which sound needs to interact with to create a more immersive and wide soundstage. As a result, the soundstage these buds create is closed-off and sounds like it's coming from inside your head rather than from speakers in the room around you.
The weighted harmonic distortion performance is very good. Although there's a small peak of distortion in the high-treble range, it's hard to hear as we lose sensitivity to this range over time. As a result, all ranges fall within good limits, resulting in clean and pure audio reproduction.
These are the settings used to test these headphones. Our results are only valid when used in this configuration.
They have a good noise isolation performance. They're equipped with an ANC system that can block out a good amount of noise across the range. The ANC works mostly with bass-range noise, like rumbling engines. That said, even though it can reduce some of this noise, it falls short compared to similarly priced buds like the Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro True Wireless. On the plus side, even though they rely more on passive noise isolation for higher-pitched sounds, they do a good job of blocking out noise like ambient chatter and computer fans.
The leakage performance is outstanding. Most of the audio leakage is concentrated in the bass and treble range, so it sounds thumpy and thin. Luckily, if you're listening to audio at high volumes and in a moderately noisy place like an office, people around you won't hear it.
The integrated mic has an okay recording quality, like the Status Between Pro True Wireless. Your voice sounds thin and slightly distorted, but you'll still be intelligible and clear.
When testing the mic, we noticed distortion was introduced into our passes by our headphones mic. After switching the mic from the left mic (which we use by default for testing) to the right mic, we still noticed similar levels of distortion. This original THD measurement skewed this test's scoring and made it seem like the mic was performing worse than it was. As a result, we've put 'N/A' to bring the score closer to what we believe is its performance.
The mic has trouble separating your voice from background noise, which can affect speech quality. If you're taking a call from a noisy environment like a busy street, your voice isn't very clear, and the mic distortion will annoy whoever you're talking to.
Their battery performance is good. The manufacturer doesn't specify the battery life stored in a fully-charged case, but the manufacturer advertises the earbuds to last eight hours continuously, and we measured a similar amount. We also measured three charges in the carrying case, which makes it easy to keep the buds recharged on the go. Keep in mind that battery life varies depending on use, though. Luckily, if you want to extend their battery life, their auto-off timer automatically turns them off if you forget.
The Between 3ANC app is good and simple to use. You can see a video of how it works here. You can customize the buds' sound using the EQ presets or the 8-band graphic EQ. You can also see the amount of battery life remaining on each bud, disconnect the buds directly from the app, and enable ANC on, ANC off, and ambient mode.
The Status Between 3ANC have great Bluetooth connectivity. These buds support multi-device pairing, so you can stay connected to your PC and smartphone simultaneously. That said, unlike the Status Between Pro True Wireless, they don't support aptX codec, which can help improve audio quality when streaming. Their latency using the default SBC codec on PCs is quite high, so they aren't ideal for watching videos. Their latency on Android devices is high, too, which causes lip sync, but it's lower on iOS devices. That said, different apps and devices compensate for latency differently.
The Status Audio 3ANC can connect to Bluetooth-enabled PCs with full audio and mic compatibility. However, this is the only way to connect these headphones to your PC.