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Updated January 10, 2024·
For an active lifestyle or on-the-go listening, Beats Studiobuds offer a portable and workout-friendly design with a secure fit, active noise cancellation, and hands-free controls, making them convenient for everyday use, especially if you're mindful of spending. However, if sound quality and an immersive audio experience are your primary concerns, the HifiMan Arya Stealth headphones provide a superior listening experience with their open-back design and planar magnetic drivers, which offer detailed and natural sound. These are more suitable for quiet environments and critical listening but are bulkier and less convenient for travel. Keep in mind that the Arya Stealth lacks the convenience features such as noise cancellation and portability that the Studiobuds offer, and also demands a higher price. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Beats Studiobuds
Good for phone calls
Good for exercise
Very good for air travel
Excellent for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the HifiMan Arya Stealth
Best in class for music
Good for gaming
Excellent for TV and video
Key differences
Music
7.2/10
10.0/10
The HifiMan Arya Stealth is best in class for music, while the Beats Studiobuds is good.
Gaming
5.2/10
7.1/10
The HifiMan Arya Stealth is good for gaming, while the Beats Studiobuds is poor.
Phone Calls
7.0/10
5.1/10
The Beats Studiobuds is good for phone calls, while the HifiMan Arya Stealth is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
9.0/10
8.1/10
The Beats Studiobuds is excellent for podcasts and audiobooks, while the HifiMan Arya Stealth is very good.
TV and Video
5.6/10
9.4/10
The HifiMan Arya Stealth is excellent for TV and video, while the Beats Studiobuds is poor.
Noise Reduction
6.5/10
2.5/10
The Beats Studiobuds is only fair for noise reduction, while the HifiMan Arya Stealth is poor.
Battery
6.0 Hours
N/A
The Beats Studiobuds has 6 hours of battery life. The HifiMan Arya Stealth does not have a battery.
Cost
$80
$649
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Beats Studiobuds has a price of $80 and the HifiMan Arya Stealth costs $649.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HifiMan Arya Stealth to have excellent build quality, while the Beats Studiobuds has very good build quality.
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How the Beats Studiobuds and the HifiMan Arya Stealth compare to other earbuds and headphones
"For less than the price of the AirPods, the Beats Studio Buds delivers a good fit, great sound, and active noise cancellation. This is also the first set of Apple-owned Beats earbuds to feature quick pairing with Android devices, albeit at the expense of some key features for Apple users."
"The Arya can easily be end-game headphones for 99% of consumers, satisfying most audio desires. Priced well above USD$1000, the Arya are obviously and gloriously not for the mass market consumer; they are designed and built by enthusiasts for enthusiasts – especially those who view their expenses on this level of gear as investments."
Get a great deal on the Beats Studiobuds or the HifiMan Arya Stealth
About Beats
Beats is an American, consumer-focused, audio products manufacturer. Founded originally by American rapper and producer Dr Dre, the company is now a subsidiary of Apple. Beats sells a wide range of audio products, including several models of headphones, earbuds and speakers as well as full car audio systems.
About HifiMan
HiFiMAN is a Chinese, high-end, audio product manufacturer, with 20 years of experience, that specializes in amplifiers, digital audio players and planar magnetic headphones, some of which have become a staple in the audiophile community such as the entry-level Sundara, the midrange Edition X, and the very well-regarded, high-end, Arya.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Luis Torres
Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.