Beats 360 review: Very capable, but is it versatile enough?

A Beats product comes with certain expectations. It should look distinctive, deliver an energetic sound, and offer a premium listening experience. At the same time, the brand also has to justify its price. The new Beats 360 is priced at Rs 42,900 in India, and these over-ear wireless headphones are designed for more than music and movies. They have a petite and peculiar design with an IPX4 rating and interchangeable ear and headband cushions. But design is only one part of the experience. Do the Beats 360 deliver the sound quality, comfort, and convenience expected at this price? That’s what we are here to find out.

Beats 360: Dandy and distinct design

Beats has focused on giving its new headphones a standout design. It has a slim metallic headband and earcups with a two-tone finish. Both the earcups and the headband get replaceable cushions. You can kist twist and change the cushions. The mix-and-match option could extend the usability of the headphones and also adds to their sporty look.

At 294.5g, the Beats 360 are reasonably light and portable. The earcups fold flat, and Beats includes a woven fabric carrying case. It takes up less space than a bulky hard-shell case, although since there is no proper locking mechanism, it offers less protection against heavy pressure in a packed bag.

While they are light and sit snug during workouts, they are still headphones, and sometimes, they can become unbalanced. Similarly, the cushions are made of breathable fabric, but they don’t dissipate heat completely. They can get slightly warm around the ears after long time usage. This is in India’s humid weather, though. In an AC room, this shouldn’t be a problem.

A neat aspect of this design is the presence of physical buttons that are clicky and more accessible for most people compared to touch-based alternatives. And needless to say, the IPX4 sweat resistance is a handy feature to have on workout-centric headphones.

Engaging sound for workouts and dance

Beats 360 has custom 40mm drivers with dual neodymium magnets and three-layer diaphragms. The aim is to deliver strong bass while keeping the rest of the frequency range clear. Our frequency response test also shows a bass-forward sound signature. So, workout or groovy tracks like Flower In A Hurricane by Tame Impala and So Swaezy by Honey Singh sound right with ample weight and impact here.

The vocals in the middle region feel fairly forward and clear. The instruments are also audible, but bass does take prominence. The treble region has peaks and dips, and there is a sharp roll-off beyond around 14kHz. While this is a common thing, in our test track Chanakya by Rishab Rikhiram Sharma, the high notes in his voice were sufficiently clear.

Both highs and lows of a track like Holy Ghost by Gameface Official were easy to hear on headphones. But because there is no custom EQ option, you cannot fine-tune the sound to bring vocals forward or reduce frequencies.

The Beats 360 also support Personalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking and Dolby Atmos content on compatible devices. I tried lots of tracks on Apple Music, and the experience was more immersive than regular sound.

Reliable noise cancellation and transparency

Noise cancellation is one of the stronger parts of the package. Beats claims that the 360 delivers 1.75 times more combined active and passive noise cancellation than the Beats Studio Pro.

In practice, the ANC was particularly useful for reducing steady background noise, such as air conditioning, traffic rumble while in a cab, office floor noises, and the hum of an aircraft cabin on a recent trip. It helped me escape the noise of a baby crying on the flight and can be useful for focusing in a busy gym or while working at your office desk.

Transparency mode is pretty good. But there is no conversation awareness mode here.

Also Read: Apple Beats Powerbeats Fit review: Secure workout earbuds that also work for everyday use

Essentials: yes; conveniences: not all

The Beats 360 support Bluetooth 5.3 and work with both iOS and Android. This is an important advantage over headphones whose most useful features are tied closely to one platform.

Apple users get features such as one-touch pairing, automatic switching between compatible Apple devices, Siri support, and Find My integration. Android users get Google Fast Pair, Audio Switch, and Find Hub support, along with additional controls through the Beats app.

But app or otherwise, some basic conveniences like automatic wear detection and wired playback are missing.

Beats 360: Decent battery life and charging

Beats rates the 360 for up to 32 hours of playback with active noise cancellation enabled. In our test involving continuous playback of a FLAC file at 80 per cent volume and with Transparency processing on, we could get close to 34 hours. That’s decent, but not suitable for a long weekend trip.

Additionally, the lack of wired audio also means that a depleted battery leaves you without a cable-based listening option. That is less of an issue for a gym-focused product, but it matters more when travelling.

The good thing is a five-minute charge provides up to one hour of listening, which should be useful when you need to head out on short notice.

Should you buy the Beats 360?

The Beats 360 make sense for those who want one pair of sporty over-ear headphones for both workouts and casual listening. They have a distinctive design, a bass-forward sound that works well with energetic tracks, effective noise cancellation, and support for both Android and Apple devices. The interchangeable cushions are useful, too, if you want to swap them out because of regular workout sweat or for style reasons.

However, the additional cushion kits cost Rs 6,900 in India. That would be on top of the asking price of Rs 42,900 for the headphones. And at this price, the Beats 360 leave out some features expected at this price. There is no wired playback, automatic wear detection, or custom EQ. Battery life is adequate, but our test result of close to 34 hours is not particularly impressive for headphones in this segment, especially when you consider the lack of a wired fallback option.

So, you can consider the Beats 360 if you want energetic-sounding over-ear headphones for the gym and value their sporty design, interchangeable cushions, and reliable noise handling. However, if you need a more versatile or more feature-rich pair for everyday use, they face quite the competition from other headphones like the JBL Tour One M3 and Sennheiser Momentum 5 Wireless in this price range.

Also Read: Apple AirPods 5 review: Best everyday earbuds for those who dislike in-ear designs