Our Verdict
The Beats Solo 2 Wireless are a decently versatile set of on-ear headphones. They deliver a well-balanced sound and a good wireless design. They feel sturdy and have a comfortable fit but don't isolate very well, which limits a bit their use in loud, noisy environments.
- Above-average audio reproduction.
- Sturdy, wireless design.
- Comfortable and stable fit.
- Poor isolation from ambient noise.
- A little leaky at high volumes.
The Beats Solo 2 Wireless have an above-average audio reproduction with a well-balanced bass-range that doesn't overpower the instruments and vocals. The high frequencies are also not too sharp, but due to their small ear cups, they can't create a spacious soundstage. This makes them a little less ideal for critical listening, but they sound good enough for most casual listeners.
Average for commuting. They won't be sufficiently isolating for loud, noisy environments. However, the compact, wireless design and convenient, easy to use control scheme make them a decent option to use while traveling.
Above-average for sports. They're stable enough to jog with and have a comfortable fit. They're also wireless with a good control scheme. However, they get a little steamy during intense exercise and although relatively compact they still feel a bit bulky to go to the gym with.
Above-average for office use. The Beats Solo 2 Wireless have a good wireless range, and they're comfortable. However, they won't be ideal for loud, lively offices due to the subpar isolation.
Subpar for home theater use. The Beats Solo 2 Wireless have a bit too much latency for watching videos and movies. They're also a bit tight on the head so they may not be comfortable enough to wear for long viewing sessions.
Changelog
- Updated Aug 10, 2017: Converted to Test Bench 1.0.
- Updated Oct 24, 2016: Review published.
- Updated Oct 22, 2016: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Sep 12, 2016: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Beats Solo3 2018 are slightly better headphones than the Beats Solo 2. While both headphones have a similar sound profile, the Solo3 have a noticeably better battery life with about 40 hours of continuous playback. They also take advantage of the W1 chip on iOS devices, which the Solo 2 don’t do. Design-wise, there isn’t much difference between the two models.
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