For months before Status Audio launched the Pro X earbuds late last year I was blanketed with ads on social media. That’s not always a good indicator that the product itself will live up to the claims, but it’s been nine months since I first got the earbuds in for review and I still use them as part of my rotation.
The Status Pro X specs are pretty wild:
- dual Knowles balanced drivers and a 12mm bass driver PER EARBUD
- IP55 water/dust resistance
- -52db ANC
- 8 hours battery life, multipoint connectivity, and more
Those are premium specs and they started out at $300. They now appear to be permanently discounted to $250, but that is still in the thick of the premium end of the market. Are they the best premium earbuds? No. But if you value sound quality over ANC adaptability, spatial audio, and AI, they might be. Those separate drivers for mids and highs – the dual balanced tweeters and traditional dynamic driver for bass frequencies really do create an excellent soundstage. The midrange and highs are the highlight: clear and distinct without being fatiguingly bright. This isn’t all that surprising; some of my favorite earbuds have Knowles balanced drivers in them, so putting two of them per earbud should be even better provided that crossovers and tuning is managed well. Bass is noticeable but controlled; you can bump it up in the app, but I’ve been spending all my listening time between the Status Signature — essentially flat to the driver tuning — and Knowles Preferred, which is a modified Harmon curve that provides a bit more sparkle on top.
The ANC is good, but the stated spec is somewhat misleading, as it doesn’t shut out the plane like the AirPod Pro 3, especially for non-continuous higher frequencies like people talking. While there are situations where I prefer Apple’s ANC, on a commute, the adaptive ANC on Bose QC Ultra Gen 2 are even better overall. It’s not that the Status Audio ANC is ineffective, just that it is not nearly class leading; if loud commutes or frequent flights are a key use case, it may make sense to spend more on other earbuds, even if the Status Audio Pro X sound better in a quiet environment.
Battery life is good, I was able to successfully pair them with both iPhones and Android phones, and they look unique without being silly. The oval case looks bulky in photos but is compact in reality. The Pro X are fairly comfortable in my ears, but Google’s Buds Pro 3 feel better YEMV (Your Ears May Vary), and I wish Status Audio would provide foam ear tips standard rather than silicone. Status Audio does offer foam ear tips – which should improve the ANC – for $20, and a pop-up on Status Audio’s site suggested that a pair will be included free if you give them your email address and buy the earbuds direct on the site.
The microphone is fine in a quiet environment. In my tests I found it clear but it adds some fuzz and warmth around the tone compared to the clearer, more natural sounding AirPods Pro 3 mic. Performance in a noisy environment was just average; the best wireless earbuds for being understood in even the loudest areas is the new Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro – and it’s not even close.
Buying wireless earbuds requires figuring out your mobile audio priorities. Some will want to remain tightly in Apple’s ecosystem, or prefer class-leading noise cancellation on playback or microphone recording. If your priority is sound quality first, good ANC and features second, give the Status Audio Pro X a try – it could be a perfect fit.
Disclosures: Status Audio sent the Pro X earbuds for review but Devices View does not accept paid posts, does not participate in affiliate link programs, and Status Audio had no editorial control over this article. Status Audio is not a Techsponential advisory client.
