$200 Upgrade: Essential Headphone Features That Made Replacing My Old Pair Worth It

Key Takeaways

• Spatial audio enhances immersion by mimicking surround sound effects, improving movie and live music experiences.
• Lossless audio retains original sound data, improving audio quality, but requires a wired connection and storage considerations.
• Upgrading to headphones with spatial and lossless audio features can significantly improve your sound experience.

Concerning audio equipment, I’ll rarely crane my neck for anything other than fundamental quality. In other words, how’s the sound? Rarely ever will I call attention to a feature, given features are so often nothing more than marketing ploys.

Yet, sometimes they rise above the fray, and recently I switched to a new set of headphones because of two specific features.

I’m Sold on Spatial and Lossless Audio

The device that caught my attention was Beat’s new Solo 4 headphones . It’s been years since Beats updated this specific model, and what prompted me to swipe my card was the addition of spatial and lossless audio.

Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek

However, keep in mind that in this article I’m focusing on the features, rather than the model itself. So, rather than try to sell you on this specific model, I’m explaining why these features were enough for me to buy an entirely new set of headphones even though my existing pair worked just fine.

What Makes Spatial Audio Worth It?

When I put on TV, movies, or music, I don’t listen passively; I’m looking for total immersion. If you share this sentiment, I suggest giving spatial audio a test drive at the very least.

Spatial audio technology re-orients stereo sound to mimic the effects of surround sound, whether it’s for headphones, earbuds, or a soundbar. For example, if you’re watching a western flick and a herd of cattle comes thundering in from the left side of the screen, the software processes the audio, producing a louder sound starting on that side. Then, as the herd stampedes from left to right, the sound shifts with it, mirroring the direction.

That’s the basics of spatial audio. But the Solo 4’s (as well as many other headsets) take this feature a step further with dynamic head tracking , a technology that places sensors in the headset to adjust sound based on the direction and orientation of your head. So, let’s say you’re listening to a live studio recording, and the guitar and vocals are staged to the left; your baseline spatial audio alters the sound, making the guitar/vocals sound stronger on the left. But now, with head tracking, when you turn around, the audio shifts to the right speaker.

I knew I wanted spatial audio when I first bought the headphones, but was unsure about head tracking. Low and behold, the more I used them, the more I found myself loving how head tracking made me feel as if I was actually in the room listening to my favorite artists.

What are the Best Uses for Spatial Audio?

The Beat’s Solo 4 offers great spatial audio. However, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend spatial audio just for the sake of it.

Spatial audio works best with formats that truly capitalize on a 3D format. So, if all you do is listen to studio-recorded and mastered music, spatial audio might be cool, but not a pressing need. However, if you’re a fan of listening to live recording sessions or concerts, I find spatial audio can seriously boost the experience, especially with head tracking.

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When you get down to it, spatial audio shines brightest with movies that feature epic scores and intricate sound production. I’m not saying it’s superior to surround sound, but it significantly levels up watching on your laptop. However, remember that to use spatial audio, you need both headphones and a platform, like Netflix , that supports this feature.

## Lossless Audio: Audio the Way It's Intended

Lossless audio isn’t necessarily a feature in the same way as spatial audio. Rather, it indicates that your headphones support high-bit-rate audio formats . There are many different kinds of lossless audio, but they share one characteristic: They retain original sound data, meaning tracks sound clearer and more lifelike.

The average song you stream is a lossy file , like an MP3, which compresses the original recording data, thereby diminishing audio quality and detail. Now, many headphones can play lossless tracks, but my previous headphones didn’t. So, when I saw that the new Beats featured lossless audio, I decided to take the leap, and I was by no means disappointed.

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Remember, Lossless Audio Is Worth It, But It Takes Some Work

Enjoying lossless audio is a complicated relationship, I’ve found. I love the sound upgrade, but it comes with asterisks.

For one, there’s not an overwhelming amount of music and video material available in lossless formats. With each passing day, more becomes available, and major companies like Apple keep investing in lossless audio formats . Still, other major platforms, like Spotify, don’t offer this quality option as of this writing. It takes some work to find a good source of lossless material.

Another thing to be aware of is that lossless audio mandates a wired connection, such as a USB-C or a 3.5 mm analog cable, which takes away some of the freedom of use, especially if you like to work out with headphones.

Lastly, because lossless audio retains much more recording data, the files present storage issues if you’re looking to build your own library of files. Not only does it take up more space, but it also eats up more battery. So, if you’re interested in committing to lossless audio, I recommend purchasing a dedicatedhi-res audio player instead of a smartphone, given they’re built to handle the more demanding storage and battery consumption needs.

Some Features Are Worth the Money

If you’re wholly content just listening to music and videos the way you always have, maybe you shouldn’t rush out and replace your existing headphones. However, if you’re looking to polish your sound experience, lossless and spatial audio are two features I wholly endorse investing in.

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In my experience, the Solo 4’s have seriously brightened my day-to-day listening, and are responsible for a large step toward that auditory bliss my ears crave.