Status Pro X Earbuds Work Hard to Earn Their $300 Price Tag
Status Prox X Earbuds Small, comfortable, and performance-driven.
Specs:
Connectivity: Bluetooth
ANC: Hybrid
IP Rating: IP55
Battery Life: 6 to 7 hours (5 with ANC)
Charging: USB-C, Qi Wireless
A Comfortable Fit for Quality Audio
Performance is arguably the crux of any earbud, with comfort falling second. Status Pro X earbuds blend a comfortable design with high-resolution audio for a listening experience I’m not dreading 30 minutes in.
Whereas most buds have my inner ears screaming after a few songs, I quickly forgot I was even wearing the Pro X buds. I could sit with them for a full six-hour battery cycle, especially since Status makes it easy to get lost in your music with a high-quality design, adjustable equalizer (EQ) settings, and impressive noise filtering.
Driving the audio experience are 12mm dynamic drivers, a pair of balanced armatures per bud, and an LDAC codec. Overall, the sound quality is crisp. However, advertised as “Earbuds with Subwoofers,” I expected a punchier bass. There is some depth, but it falls short of an authentic subwoofer, and none of the presets do much to enhance the deeper tones. Similarly, the buds struggle to hit the upper treble hard.
While the audio resolution is more than serviceable, and casual listeners may not even notice the diminished treble and bass, it’s difficult not to be a little critical considering the $300 price tag.
Drowning Out the World
When you just want to get lost in your music, Active Noise Cancelation (ANC) drowns out the world around you. I have experienced buds that marginally mute external audio, but that’s not the case here. With the Status Pro X, ANC is very effective. Whether vacuuming or typing, the feature drops harsh noises to a dull roar or subtle clack.
Alternatively, Ambient Aware (or transparency) mode ensures I’m not completely deaf to the world. Ultimately, ANC is great for at-home use, while Ambient Aware is ideal in any situation where you want to be cognizant of your surroundings.
Unlike the default or ANC listening modes, Ambient actually boosts external noise. You’ll still hear the world around you as voices and other sounds are boosted by the Pro X. You can turn off both features and conserve battery, but neither greatly affected how long the buds lasted.
EQ Customization & Presets
If you’re not thrilled with the initial sound settings, the Status Hub app (on iOS and Android) offers EQ presets and customization. There wasn’t a preset that fit my situation better than the default setting, but the podcast and vocal enhance options are good additions if you’re watching a movie or have issues distinguishing lyrics.
The app’s custom EQ setting gives you control of eight bands. You’ll hear your changes in real-time, ensuring you can accurately tune the audio to your liking. This is more suited for audiophiles who understand the real difference between a 30Hz band set at 12 db and a 5.8K band at -12 dB.
Finnicky Connectivity, Untethered Possibilities
As is standard with earbuds, each Pro X bud connects separately via Bluetooth. The process is as simple as pulling the buds from the charging case. So long as your device is in pairing mode, it should automatically detect the left and right buds. On rare occasions, one bud wouldn’t connect, despite the other linking almost immediately. Fixing it has been as easy as repeating the pairing process with the disconnected earpiece, so it’s a very minor nuisance.
Once connected, I never had issues with one dropping off. Audio remained crisp and clear whether I was stationary by my phone or at the opposite end of my home. I enjoyed being untethered to my device, so my phone could be left to charge or kept out of my pocket (where it tends to get very hot).
A rather large and sensitive touch area also makes it easier to leave your phone behind. Customizable tap commands seamlessly cycle songs, pause tracks, increase volume, and answer/end calls. It’s rather responsive, so expect to accidentally pause your music every time you go to scratch your ear. Thankfully, the touchpad can be deactivated.
One neat feature is that the device pauses and restarts music apps like YouTube Music when it detects a bud has been removed from and returned to your ear.
Long Battery Life, Short Charge Cycle
I briefly mentioned that ANC and Ambient Aware chipped away at the battery life a little faster. If the Pro X struggled with usage time, that would be a significant detriment. However, each bud lasts about seven or eight hours in standard listening mode. Kick on ANC or Ambient Aware, and that only drops to about five hours, which is still more than long enough.
When the battery does need to recharge, the buds come with a very compact charging case. Recharged via USB-C or wirelessly, the case is convenient and efficient. Pop the buds into place, and within 1.5 hours, they’ll be back 100%. I got just over 2.5 full charges before the case needed to be plugged in.
A Fine Enough App Experience
Though the earbuds have tap commands and a small button to toggle power, ANC, and voice assist, the Status Hub app is best for fixing connectivity issues, swapping EQ modes, and customizing commands. Even battery power is displayed by default in most devices’ Bluetooth settings. You’ll also want to download it for the Find Earbuds feature.
If you’re prone to losing small objects, so long as the buds are connected via Bluetooth, you can ping them to play a sound. If they’re not still connected to Bluetooth, the Find By Location displays the last location they were paired.
Even if your phone is already cluttered with apps, you’re spending $300 on these buds. You might as well make room and enjoy the full experience.
Do You Need It?
The Status Pro X earbuds should be a consideration for audiophiles. If their price were even $100 lower, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to casual consumers, who may not notice the perks of the dual driver and balanced armatures or take full advantage of the custom EQ settings.
However, they’re so incredibly comfortable. I’ve been in such a surprising amount of pain using other buds that I could endorse these on that alone. If you need to replace a subpar pair of buds or want to ditch those cumbersome headphones, I’d keep the Pro X on your shortlist.