Before You Buy The Beats Solo 4, Check Out These Cheaper Alternatives
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Beats has long held a reputation as one of the best major headphone brands. The Beats Solo 4 wireless on-ear headphones that were released last year are one of the latest additions to the company's catalog of stylish, bass-forward audio gear. These lightweight and portable headphones have had several improvements to their design, emphasizing lightweight, ergonomic comfort, a 50-hour battery life, sound quality, and connectivity, along with some unique features like Apple and Android ecosystem integration. They might not be listed among the best over ear headphones you can buy, but their portability, bass-forward sound, and connectivity features have made them a popular choice among casual listeners and audio enthusiasts alike.
There's no question that there is a lot to love about them, but one aspect that fans may not love quite so much is the price. The Beats Solo 4 currently retail for $199.99, which might be more than consumers are willing to pay for portable headphones. Beats isn't the only game in town, though. There are plenty of other great Bluetooth headphones out there that share a similar niche in the audio market, and many of them are significantly more budget friendly. With that in mind, there are a few cheaper options that you might want to consider before you go spending all of your hard-earned cash on the Solo 4s.
Soundcore Space One
One of the first options that you might want to consider is the Soundcore Space One headphones. Soundcore is owned by Anker Innovations, the same company behind the brands Anker, Nebula, and Eufy. There are a lot of different kinds of headphones on offer under the corporation's brand umbrella, but the Space One is probably the best option if you're looking for an affordable alternative to the Beats Solo 4.
The Space One headphones retail at $99.99, but you can get them on Amazon for $79.00. They connect wirelessly via Bluetooth 5.3 and have active noise-cancelling technology baked in. Soundcore claims that it performed tests under laboratory conditions that report up to 98% noise reduction when this is in effect. The battery reportedly lasts 40 hours when active noise cancelling is turned on, and as much as 55 hours when it's off. The headphones themselves have 40mm customized dynamic drivers with LDAC support.
PC Mag stated that they "produce bass-forward (but adjustable) audio and offer reasonably effective noise cancellation for their sub-$100 price. We also like the LDAC support, long battery life, and option to listen in a wired mode." Though he admitted that the control layout could stand to be improved.
SoundGuys gave a similar report, claiming that, "These headphones are packed with features, giving you customization over the sound quality, ANC, and controls. If the design and feature set pique your interest, don't hesitate to grab the Space One." The heavy low-end sound that the Space Ones produce is yet another of the key reasons that you might see them as a worthy alternative to the Solo 4s.
JBL Live 460NC
You also might want to take a look at the JBL Live 460NC. These originally started at $129.95, but the price has since dropped to $79.95, and Amazon currently has them listed for just $77.99. This is another set of wireless headphones with a sleek, lightweight, and portable design, as well as its own take on active noise-cancelling technology. According to JBL, "The Ambient Aware technology allows you to safely walk busy streets by increasing ambient sounds, while with TalkThru music is lowered and speech is amplified so you can easily chat keeping your headphones on." The Live 460NCs are also compatible with both Google and Amazon Alexa smart assistants when paired with an Android mobile device. The headphones utilize Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, and their audio is powered by 40mm drivers. The battery offers 50 hours of life with ANC off and 40 hours with it on.
"Out-of-the-box, they have a neutral sound profile with a bit of extra thump and rumble, which is suitable for lots of different audio content," said Rtings in their review. The review further notes that the companion app offers a parametric EQ and presets to help get the sound to your liking. This is another of the more bass-heavy options on the low-midrange market, making them a close alternative for those seeking the low-end sound of Beats on the budget side of the spectrum.
Sony WH-CH520
Of course, it's always worth seeing what Sony has in stock anytime you're looking at sound gear. The company has been making some of the best headphones in the business for decades and it nearly always manages to release something to compete in just about every arena. The Sony WH-CH520 wireless headphones are probably the closest item it produces to the Beats Solo 4 in terms of design and specs — though you can get them for just $58.00 on Amazon.
These headphones have smaller, 30mm drivers and feature Sony's DSEE (digital sound enhancement engine). They feature Bluetooth connectivity, are able to get up to 50 hours of battery life, and are compatible with Sony's Sound Connect app which offers EQ settings, Apple Siri, and Google Assistant. Another interesting facet of the WH-CH520s is that they have multipoint connection. This allows them to pair with two Bluetooth devices at the same time and quickly switch between them.
Tech Radar called them "some of the best cheap headphones you can buy," arguing that their balanced sound, customization options, multipoint pairing, and battery life were among the more desirable features.
Tom's Guide wrote, "It provided an impressive audio range, delivering a thumping but nuanced bass and crisp midrange, which makes it a great all-rounder. If the pre-settings are not to your liking, you can also use the nifty equalizer to play around with the music settings too." Both reviewers lamented the WH-CH520's lack of noise cancellation, however.
Sennheiser HD 250BT
Another brand that's always worth considering is Sennheiser. While the company is primarily known for its high end audio equipment, it has also been known to produce a few budget products from time to time. The Sennheiser HD 250BT is a wireless set of headphones with a lighter design that fills the same niche as the Beats Solo 4s. What's more, you can currently get them on Amazon for just $43.90, making them one of the cheapest options in their class.
Sennheiser claims that these headphones are designed to give a "Dj-inspired audio experience." They connect via Bluetooth 5.0 and are stacked with a whole host of built in audio boosting tech. They have aptX low latency compression and decompression, and specialized dynamic transducer technology. Their 25 hour battery life is on the lower end, however, so they might spend a bit more time on the charger than the other models featured thus far. Like many of the others, the set also has a smart control app with an integrated equalizer.
"Underestimate these headphones at your peril," said What Hi-Fi? in their review. "Sennheiser's ultra-affordable and durable headphones do not disappoint sonically for the price. Indeed, the company has done a top job, offering a gateway product that will get early adopters hooked."
PC Mag offered similar praise, stating, "You get a mids-and-highs, detail-focused sound signature with EQ that can tweak things to a degree, along with AAC and aptX support, which is rare in a model this price."
Skullcandy Riff Wireless 2
The final addition to our list is the Skullcandy Riff Wireless 2. Skullcandy is a well known budget brand that has a reputation for producing reasonably good quality audio equipment at low-to-midrange prices. The Riff Wireless 2s are another incredibly affordable set of wireless headphones. Their official MSRP is $49.99 and Amazon currently has them listed for a buck cheaper at $48.99.
These headphones have 40mm drivers and connect via Bluetooth 5.2 wireless technology. Skullcandy boasts that they offer low latency audio, preset and custom EQ, voice assistant activation, auto-connect, multipoint pairing, and more advanced features that are available through the Skullcandy App. They offer 34 hours of battery life, which is somewhat middling, but reasonable given the price.
"The Skullcandy Riff Wireless 2 are satisfactory for neutral sound," wrote Rtings in their review. "Out of the box, they have a pretty excited sound, which delivers intense punch and boom to audio while sibilants like cymbals are piercing." They further noted that many of these weaknesses could be adjusted through EQ. Alex Rowe of Medium also seemed to have similar notes about the sound, but was less pleased with the build quality. "You won't hate yourself for spending 20/50 dollars on these, and they might even surprise you," he said. "Just don't expect them to last more than a year."