Hi friend and Welcome aboard!!
Before we get into the Bose QC15 vs. Beats Studio comparison, grab a snack, sit back and relax because..
You’ve come to the right place!!
What I will bring you in this review
For this article, I will outline the Beats Studio Wireless, and then compare and contrast them with the Bose QC15 towards the end! 🙂
- Iterations of Beats by Dre
- Ratings/Price
- Specifications
- Summary
- Pros
- Cons
- Video Review
- Amp/DAC requirements
- Who these headphones benefit?
- Consensus/Conclusion
- Thoughts from Stu’s notepad
- Similarities & Differences
- Final Word
Now without further ado, let’s get rolling!!
Iterations
Wow. Okay. So before we even get into the specifics, let’s go over all the different versions of this headphone so we have a clear idea of what we’re getting into. This review will not cover any In-ear models. The models underlined in green are the only ones that have received overall positive reviews. I honestly wouldn’t even bother with the other models.
That said, if I’m missing anything, please let me know!
Beats Studio Wired (Discontinued)- Beats Studio 2.0 Wired Over-Ear (Circumaural)
- Beats Studio Wireless Over-Ear (Decent)
- Beats Studio Wireless 2.0. (Decent)
- Beats Studio Wireless On-Ear (Supra-aural)
- Beats Pro Wired Over-Ear (Decent)
- Beats Executive Wired Over-Ear
- Beats EP Wired On-ear
Monster Beats Solo (Discontinued)Beats Solo HD Wired On-Ear (Discontinued)Beats Solo HD “drenched in color” 2.0 (2013). Really? No.- Beats Solo2 Wired On-Ear (Good)
- Beats Solo3 Wireless On-Ear (Better)
- Beats Mixr Wired On-Ear (Decent)
So for the purposes of this article, I will be comparing the QC 15’s with the best studio version which happens to be the Beats Studio Wireless Over-Ear.
Beats Studio Wireless
Ratings/Price
Check eBay!
Specifications
- Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz
- Fit: On-Ear (Supra-Aural)
- Bluetooth enabled: Yes
- Foldable: Yes
- Remote and Mic: Yes
- Wireless: Yes
Summary
All in all, the Beats Studio Wireless Over-Ear headphones aren’t awful, but they do get a lot of negative reviews. Users note the clean but hard hitting bass sound that isn’t typical of your standard Beats outfit. The bass isn’t overdone like in previous models, and overall they are comfortable but sadly not quite as durable as they should be.
The noise cancellation feature is also mediocre. It just doesn’t compare with Bose as far as purely drowning out the most sound possible. You will need to crank the volume up considerably on the Beats to achieve a somewhat similar result.
Pros
- Good sound. The bass isn’t punchy and doesn’t drown out the other parts of the song with this model. The highs, mid-range, and bass are much more balanced than in previous Beats iterations.
- Comfortable.
- Lightweight.
- Detailed. People were saying that they started to hear hidden aspects of the song that they didn’t know existed.
Cons
- They have a tendency to break down in various ways. From the folding hinges to the plastic, etc.
- There are problems with the Left or right speaker going out. They also may sound distorted or have a loose connection.
- A big complaint was the Bluetooth connection not working. There is also a hiss in background when no audio is playing.
- They may stop charging or suddenly die on you for no apparent reason.
Video Review
Amp/DAC requirements
An amp for these is not needed. How to choose a headphone amp!
Who these headphones benefit?
Well, it’s Beats by Dre, so naturally:
- Bass heads
- Hip-Hop
- EDM
- Reggae
- Trance
- Gym goers
Pretty much anything with a lot of bass emphasis.
Consensus/Conclusion
A slick-looking headphone with a more tamed down bass emphasis than previous models. Prone to a myriad of issues, and a bit overpriced. I probably will not recommend these, although they are still a decent purchase if you’re digging this type of sound.
Thoughts from Stu’s notepad
- I read that people having issues with the headphones disconnecting from Bluetooth should download Beats Updater program from the official Beats website and connect them to the PC/MAC with the included micro USB cable. This will update the firmware as it wasn’t updated when Apple took over Beats. Also, if using a PC, disabling driver-signature enforcement also helps. Users include: Windows 10/8.1/8 and 7.
- Listening to high-quality MP3 files, as well as .WAV and Pandora/Spotify on high settings will net you the best results with these.
- The battery will last about 2 1/2 – 4 days before needing to be recharged. This is non-continuous use.
- On wired mode, you get around 20 hours of continuous use, and with wireless, it’s about 12.
- Their range seems to be good. One user noted about 47 feet before they cut out.
Similarities & Differences
Similarities
- Case. They both have hard-shelled cases. The Beats Studio Wireless case is smaller but quite a bit thicker. They also have a carabiner hook so you can hang them off of your suitcase or wherever else you so desire.
- Mid-range. They are mostly similar in this regard, with the Beats getting louder by contrast.
Differences
- Noise Cancellation. The noise cancellation with the QC15’s is better than Beats. It’s also harder to turn on and off than the QC15.
- Portable. The Beats are a little more portable than the QC15, as they fold up pretty nicely.
- Accessories. The QC15’s include 2 wires: One with an inline remote and one without. They also come with an airplane adapter. The Beats by Dre come with a high-quality red wire. In addition to being wireless, you can also plug them in to save battery.
- Style. The Beats look more fashionable by far than the nerdy-looking QC15’s. Just my opinion. 🙂
- Comfort. The QC15’s are much more comfortable than the Beats Studio Wireless.
- The Noise cancellation features are different. Beats has a button that’s integrated into the ear-cup; it simultaneously pauses the song and turns off the Noise Cancellation so that you’re able to talk to someone. The QC15’s do not have this feature. For the QC15, the Noise cancellation light starts flashing when you’re low on battery. On the Beats Studio Wireless, you get an LED battery indicator that has 5 LED lights to show you how much you have left. One thing to keep in mind is the pressure. When you turn on NC for the QC15, there is a lot of pressure on your head/ears. Many people have said it made them feel very uncomfortable and even nauseous. The Beats don’t give you those sensations, but they also don’t cancel noise as well.
- Battery. Speaking of, the Bose QC15 takes 1 AAA battery, while the Beats Studio Wireless does not need separate batteries. You simply plug it in via USB to charge the internal battery.
- Sound. The Bose sound is much better, with better acoustics and a cleaner sound overall. With Beats Studio, you’re essentially getting a lot of bass, albeit less bloated and artificial sounding than previous models. The bass does immerse you in the music and is less distracting than some of the earlier flops, but you’re not getting as much treble detail. The QC15 also does the same thing as far as involving you in the sound, but the bass isn’t nearly as powerful. They are crisper and do better with music that places more emphasis on the higher frequencies such as Techno, Country, Rock, and Metal. They’re also better with movies.
- Weight: The Beats are significantly heavier than the QC15’s.
- Choice. The Beats come in many colors, while the QC15’s only come in standard grey and black.
- Packaging. The Beats Studio Wireless goes the extra mile in packaging, while the QC15’s is very standard.
Final Word
Between these two, I would still go with the QC15’s over the Beats Studio Wireless in all regards, but especially if you need a good noise cancelling headphone for travel, that excels with most genres and has a crisp sound.
I cannot recommend the Beats Studio Wireless, although truth be told, these are far from a bad purchase. I can’t get over the build quality issues, as well as the numerous complaints I read on the internet, ranging from broken parts to cracked headbands, to ear-cups falling off, to Noise Cancellation issues, etc. The sound is decent, but not worth the price in my opinion.
So where does that leave us? Well, I will give you some of my top recommendations for various instances.
If you’re looking for a Bluetooth wireless bass-heads phone, I would go for the Beats Solo3. Normally I would never recommend a Beats headphone, but I think they finally got it right with this one. I had a chance to demo them and I really enjoyed the sound immensely. Interested in learning more?
CHECK OUT MY OFFICIAL BEATS SOLO3 REVIEW!!
If you’re needing a balanced, ACCURATE sound with a bass response that sits perfectly in the mix, The Sony MDR V6 is just about the best purchase you can make. At its price, it’s an absolute steal, and has been around since the mid 1980s. Users report having these babies anywhere from 10-30+ years, and I can see why. They represent perhaps the best all around price to performance ratio as far as closed back headphones are concerned. They’re light, durable, comfortable, and have in my opinion the best all around sound that is both enjoyable and suited for critical listening situations. Make no mistake, this bass still hits pretty hard, but in a way that puts a smile on your face. 🙂 Interested in learning more?
CHECK OUT MY OFFICIAL SONY MDR V6 REVIEW!!
What about a deep bass response with incredible clarity that isn’t Bluetooth or wireless? Well, for a closed back model, I would suggest the V-Moda Crossfade M-100. Find out everything you need to know about the M100 in my official:
V-MODA CROSSFADE M-100 REVIEW!!
Well that’s about it for today my friend! I hope you’ve enjoyed this Bose QC15 vs. Beats Studio comparison.
Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I miss the mark on something? Looking for something else? Please let me know down below or Contact me!!
Which of these tickles YOUR pickle? I would love to hear from you. Until next time..
All the best and God bless,
-Stu
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