Status Audio Pro X Review

Introduction

The last pair of Status headphones I reviewed were the Between 3ANC, and while they were very good, they also had their issues. Status has followed those up with the Pro X which look to be a genuine flagship contender to compete against the likes of Sony, Bose and Apple.

Much like the 3ANC, the trick up the Pro X’s sleeve is that it doesn’t have just the one driver to produce sound but three, including a dedicated subwoofer to cover the low frequencies.

It’s an improvement on the 3ANC but can it really challenge the big guns to be one of the best wireless earbuds?

Design

• Stylish looks
• Slimmer design
• IP55 rating

The Between 3ANC were big, chunky earbuds though that didn’t affect comfort levels for me. The Pro X are slimmer (by about 21%) and while comfort remains as good as it was with the previous pair, the smaller size is likely to fit better in a wider range of ears – though I can only speak for myself.

It’s still a combination of touch controls and physical controls, which are located on top of the earbuds. I’d still say that the latter still aren’t the easiest to find, and pressing them can upset the noise-cancelling seal. Both the right and left earbuds cover the same controls (noise-cancelling, accessing the voice assistant, powering off), and the physical controls can’t be customised in the app.

The touch controls can be customised, and by default they cover playback, track skipping and volume with the triple tap function left untouched. The controls respond well to taps, with very minimal misinterpreted taps.

If you do find that switching noise-cancelling modes is fiddly with the physical controls, you can move the ANC/Transparency button to the touch controls instead.

The Status Pro X are a stylish pair, though they only come in one colour (black alloy). The build quality feels better than the 3ANC, the look and feel more befitting of the £225 / $299 price.

The IP rating has been boosted to IP55, protecting them better from water and dust. You get two other pairs of ear-tips (small and large) with the default medium (there’s no fitwings this time). The charging case has undergone a diet too: slimmer and not as wide, with a charging LED indicator inside the case and a USB-C input for charging on the back.

I wouldn’t say that anything massive has changed, but it’s been refined and boosted in the areas it needed to be.

Features

• LDAC Bluetooth
• Status Hub app
• Range of EQ options

The Status Pro X covers a solid range of features – there’s more room to customise the performance than you’d get from the Bowers & Wilkins Pi6, to pick a similarly priced pair.

There’s Bluetooth 5.3 for connecting the headphones, and I can’t say I’ve come across any noticeable drops walking through the streets of London and Houston. Bluetooth pairing does bring some aggro to the table, requiring three taps of the button inside the charging case when surely only one should do.

There is Google Fast Pair for Android devices (Microsoft Swift Pair for Windows), and the Pro X supports SBC, AAC and LDAC (the 3ANC only went as far as AAC), the latter promising more bandwidth for higher quality streams from the likes of Tidal and Qobuz. Bluetooth multipoint is supported to connect to two devices at the same time. You’ve also got Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast to round out the connectivity options.

The Status Hub app is where the action is. Along with customising the touch controls, you can switch Listening Modes (ANC/Transparency) with a Find Earbuds setting where you can locate the earbuds through sound or location.

Wear Detection is now supported, automatically pausing audio when the earbuds are removed from the ears. For calls there’s Sidetone where you to hear more of your own voice so you aren’t shouting at the other person.

The EQ options are plenty intriguing. There’s a Dynamic EQ setting (which is slightly hidden in the menus), that restores bass and treble energy at lower volumes.

There are five main EQ options: Status Signature, Status Audiophile, Knowles Preferred, Podcast and UGC, and Vocal Enhance; plus the option to add your own with a 7-band custom EQ. Of the three ‘proper’ audio EQ settings, I find myself liking the Knowles Preferred option – it’s the most natural sounding to my ears.

Battery Life

• Up to eight hours
• Wireless charging

Like the Between 3ANC, the Pro X claim to offer up to 8 hours battery life, and it’s here where I think the Pro X trips up.

I’ll assume that Status’s claim is when AAC is enabled, as when LDAC is engaged the battery life tumbles. An hour’s listening with volume at 50%, Knowles Preferred, LDAC, and ANC on; and the battery life fell to 70%. This has happened repeatedly so if you want higher quality audio, be prepared for battery that’s about half as much as claimed.

All-in-all, it’s 24 hours in total with the case, and while I can’t find any mention or evidence of fast-charging, there is wireless charging support.

Noise-cancelling

• Effective performance
• Wind Noise Reduction
• Average call quality

The Status Pro X’s noise-cancelling is very effective, a step up on the Between 3ANC. Wearing them as I walked through Downtown Houston and it was often a quiet experience, the Pro X were good at suppressing traffic, cars, buses and the various trams that went by. It confidently gets rid of plenty of noise.

There’s Wind Noise Reduction if you live in more blustery conditions; while the Transparency mode filters through outside sounds. It’s not the clearest or most detailed performance, and while you can customise how much sound to let in (from Low to Super); I found there’s not much of a difference between the settings.

But, compared to the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds II or the Sony WF-1000XM6, and the Status aren’t in the top with the best noise-cancelling earbuds. Those pairs usher in a level quiet and calm the Status can’t reproduce; but in their favour is that the Pro X are less expensive.

Call quality isn’t great. Status say they’ve improved it but it’s a similar performance to the 3ANC where all sounds are let in during calls. While my voice comes through clearly enough for the person to hear, it’s competing against all the noises around me. It’s another case of a true wireless that’s fine when it’s quiet but struggles when there’s lots of noise around you.

Bose, Sony, plus the Technics EAH-AZ100 and JBL Tour Pro 3 all offer a better performance with calls than the Status when it comes to it.

Sound Quality

• Rich, clear bass performance
• Natural, balanced sound
• Spacious soundstage

I liked the Between 3ANC plenty when I reviewed them, calling them one of the best-sounding earbuds for the money at the time. But time moves on and sound improves – what does Status have in the bag with the Pro X?

While I don’t agree with the assertion that three drivers is better than one (more does not equate to better), the triple driver configuration here is interesting – 12mm dynamic driver for the bass and two Knowles Balanced Armature drivers that cover the mids and highs. An impressive configuration in such a small space, but it’s Status’ tuning that blends them altogether.

There’s a clarity and naturalism that beats a number of similarly priced and more expensive pairs. I like the Bowers & Wilkins Pi6 for their explosive energy, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds for its spaciousness but I think the Pro X’s well-judged, balanced and natural sound wins out of those two pairs.

These are a comfortable listen, and that doesn’t always translate to ‘good’ but I like the approach Status take where it lays the track out in front of you to enjoy without necessarily drawing attention to its tuning.

They sound a little warm, but that can depend on the EQ mode. They arguably don’t draw that last bit of detail with its high frequency performance – I’d like some more brightness and reach with the highs – but that’s me being fussy.

The bass is confidently reproduced in Lakeside Drive’s Hypotheticals, rich in tone, weighty and with high levels of clarity. The bass can change switching between ANC and Off – the former sounds a little sharper – but the bass performance presents a good foundation for the rest of the sound to build on. Without good bass, music can sound anaemic.

With GoGo Penguin’s Erased by Sunlight, the highs are clear, detailed and most of all, natural. It’s a measured, balanced performance – not edgy but also not dull, finding solid ground with a natural enough presentation.

The soundstage is wide, and tonally instruments and voices sound true across a range of genres that makes for a consistent listen. Phoebe Bridgers’ voice in Garden Song is a clear, smooth reproduction.

I will say that it’s not the most energetic, nor is it the most dynamic – the swings between quiet and loud are hops rather than jumps but nonetheless delivery of music impresses. I’d still prefer the Sony WF-1000XM6, and even the WF-1000XM5 – maybe the Technics EAH-AZ100 as well – but the fact the Status Pro X are in the conversation speaks to its sound quality.

Should you buy it?

FAQs