Beats debuts Solo Pro on-ear headphone

Apple subsidiary, Beats by Dr. Dre (Beats), has debuted the $299.95 Solo Pro, its first on-ear, noise-cancelling headphone. 

It builds upon Solo3 Wireless’ sound profile with an evolved acoustic platform to drive improved performance, according to Luke Wood, president of Beats by Dre. A refined driver with optimized diaphragm geometries contributes an exceptional frequency response with lower total harmonic distortion, while two beam-forming microphones and an updated speech-detecting accelerometer provide audio quality for voice and video calls and enhanced voice pickup for “Hey Siri” functionality, he adds.

After testing with users, Beats redesigned the on-ear cushions with a remodeled enclosure for more comfort. Exposed metal sliders enable a more durable and personalized fit, making the headphones more accommodating to users than ever before, says Wood. 

Pharrell Williams, artist and longterm ambassador of the brand, has partnered with Beats to create the “More Matte” collection, comprised of vibrant colors Dark Blue, Light Blue and Red. The collection will be available alongside core colors Black, Ivory and Gray.

Solo Pro boasts Pure Adaptive Noise Cancelling (Pure ANC), the brand’s proprietary technology derived from Beats Studio3 Wireless, with updated tuning to accommodate the on-ear form factor. Using advanced algorithms to continuously monitor and adjust to your listening environment, Pure ANC efficiently detects and blocks ambient noise—not only on an airplane, but also in a noisy café or a busy office, according to Wood. 

Pure ANC also evaluates fit and adjusts for leakage caused by hair, earrings, different ear shapes and movement of your head. Additionally, it simultaneously checks what you’re hearing while noise cancelling is applied against the original music content .

When Transparency is enabled, Solo Pro activates its external microphones for a natural filter of environmental noise. Wood says there’s no need to pause your music as Transparency effectively blends the outside world into your listening experience. You can hear announcements, talk with your friends and stay aware of your surroundings — all with a tap of a button.

All Beats headphones powered by the Apple W1 and H1 chips, including Solo Pro, Powerbeats Pro, Beats Studio3 Wireless, Solo3 Wireless, BeatsX and Powerbeats3 Wireless, are compatible with Apple Audio Sharing, which allows you to instantly — and temporarily — pair a second set of headphones to your iPhone or iPad.

With the Solo Pro, you simply unfold the headphones to power on, and fold to power off. Multi-function controls on the right earcup allow you to answer/end calls, play/pause music, skip songs, control volume and activate voice command without ever having to reach for your device. 

The Solo will be available in the U.S. starting Oct. It will be offered in black, ivory, gray, dark blue, light blue, and red. You can pre-order in the U.S. at apple.com.