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I’ve examined so many headphones and earbuds lately that it is getting tougher and tougher to inform them aside. However I’ve by no means examined a pair fairly just like the Standing X Professional earbuds. These earbuds set the bar fairly excessive.
If you happen to’ve not heard of Standing, it could be as a result of they’ve solely been round for about 9 years (not lengthy in any respect within the ever-evolving world of audio tech). Once I first obtained the Standing Professional X, I did not assume a lot of it. I hadn’t unboxed them but, however might see the shape issue on the field and wasn’t instantly impressed.
Little did I do know.
My expertise
Let’s lower to the chase: the Standing Professional X earbuds are freaking incredible. In reality, they sound so good, I did not wish to cease listening. They’d a readability I’ve not heard in earbuds at this value vary, and the soundstage was superb. On prime of that, I discovered the earbuds to have a sublime design. That is a giant change to my favourite earbuds, the Denon PearL Professional, that are huge and reasonably clunky. As for the Pixel Buds Professional, they simply look foolish in comparison with the Standing Professional X.
To my nice shock, if I had been to match the Standing Professional X to the Denon PearL Professional earbuds (which value practically twice as a lot because the Standing Professional X), the Standing Professional X really wins. The explanation for that is that the Standing Professional X earbuds beat them within the highs. Each earbuds have incredible, dynamic bass, however the Standing Professional X enjoys some severely crystal highs.
In reality, the Standing Professional X earbuds are completely pleasant from the low finish to the mid vary. That could be a feat not many earbuds can match. Typically, a pair of earbuds will win out in sure frequencies however lose in others.
Sure, you’ll be able to all the time tweak the sound of most earbuds with an related app, however I have a tendency to guage earbuds by how they sound out of the field (after which tweak them as wanted).
The Standing Professional X enjoys magnificent sound, with out having to put in an app (Thanks, Standing). That, my associates, makes an enormous distinction, particularly for individuals who both do not wish to should take care of EQ or those that do not know what EQ is.
How do these earbuds obtain this feat? A number of drivers. Most earbuds follow a single driver design, however the Standing Professional X makes use of a number of: a dynamic driver for lows and twin Knowles drivers for mids and highs. The multi-driver setup makes that unbelievable separation of sound and clean element attainable.
Throughout my whole testing time with the Standing Professional X earbuds, I did not obtain an app or make any adjustments to the sound, and nonetheless I loved a heat and agility I’ve by no means heard from a mid-range pair of earbuds. If I did not know the costs of those ($249 on the official website), I might have sworn these value a minimum of twice the worth. Spectacular.
Now, I did try to allow Android’s LDAC codec for 990/kbps/090/kbps, however discovered the connection dropped an excessive amount of, so I switched it again to greatest effort. I additionally had HD audio enabled. Each of those options are solely out there from inside the Developer Choices.
Even with out the upper high quality LDAC setting, these earbuds simply bested each pair of earbuds I’ve at my disposal. Each tune and style I threw on the Standing Professional X earbuds sounded gloriously alive. From Rush, Leprous, Purity Ring, Spiritbox, Cocteau Twins, Gary Numan, and lots of extra — all of them got here alive by way of these.
The match is the place issues aren’t fairly as incredible. To get a superb seal with these earbuds, you must pull your ear up as you insert them and be sure to’re utilizing the precise measurement ideas. The Standing Professional X will not offer you a strong really feel in the event you simply jam them into your ears with out intention. However if you get them correctly seated, you are in for lots of dancing and smiles.
ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation
You aren’t going to discover a better-sounding pair of earbuds at this value. These are, fingers down, one of the best pair of earbuds I’ve examined at this value level. Heck, the Standing Professional X earbuds are higher than each pair of earbuds I’ve examined or used (from a budget to the costly and the whole lot in between).
These earbuds sound so good that I might dare every other firm to ship me earbuds that they consider can dethrone the Standing Professional X earbuds as my prime suggestion of 2025.
Simply purchase these and overlook about these trashy earbuds you have been utilizing for years.
Standing Professional X earbuds tech specs
- Triple driver setup (twin Knowles balanced armature drivers and one 12″ dynamic driver)
- -52db energetic noise canceling
- AI speech enhancement
- Bluetooth 5.3
- IP55 water resistance
- 3 beam-forming mics
- 8-hour battery life from a single cost (with a complete of 24 hours utilizing the charging case)
- Optical carrying sensor
- 24-bit/96 kHz audio over Bluetooth
- LDAC help for audio as much as 990 kbps
- Each contact and bodily button management
