Move over, Bose — I tested these new 'hidden gem' earbuds, and they're the audio world’s best-kept secret

Opinion
By published

Won't be a secret for much longer

A pair of black Status Pro X wireless earbuds
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

I'm just gonna come out and say it: there are too many earbuds on the market. I'm up to my ears (pun intended) in hundreds of identical 'buds, with identical price tags, identical specs, and identical sound to boot. You know what? It's just too much.

That's why our list of the best earbuds has just seven pairs. To get on that list, earbuds need to be Special with a capital S. And honestly, even some of my personal favorite earbuds aren't on that list (yet). Namely, the Status Pro X, which I tested just this past week. If we had a "Best for surprising you" section, you best believe the Pro X would be there. These unknown earbuds are utterly fantastic.

Status Pro X
Status Pro X: was $299 now $239 at Amazon

The Pro X are Status' newest earbuds, and they are, put simply, divine. With dual drivers that result in rich, multifaceted bass, impressive instrument separation, and melodic, responsive mid-range and high-end. Although they're pricey, these earbuds are good enough to go head-to-head with big names like Bose and Apple.

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Dual drivers for double oomph

A pair of black Status Pro X wireless earbuds

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Why do I love the Status Pro X earbuds so much?

Because they sound fantastic.

I'm not a complicated person. Sound = good? I'm = sold.

And why do the Pro X sound so good? It's all in the drivers. The dual drivers, to be exact. I'm not saying this is unique to the Pro X, because that would be aggressively incorrect. Many earbuds these days boast dual drivers: the $99 EarFun Air Pro 4+, for example, which are some of my favorite budget in-ears right now.

A driver, if you're not sure, is kind of like the mitochondria of audio gear. It's the brain. The core from which everything else relies. In essence, good drivers = good sound. It's that simple.

Dual-drivers don't inherently result in mind-blowing sound: the AirPods Pro 3 sound divine, and they have one driver. And what do the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Gen 2 ($299), Sony WF-1000XM5 ($299), and Cambridge Melomania A100 ($149) have in common?

A pair of black Status Pro X wireless earbuds

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

One driver.

Ergo, a dual-driver design does not good earbud make.

But in the case of the Pro X, oh, yes, it does.

Status have stuffed these mini little earbuds with not one, but two drivers. As I said earlier, this isn't unprecedented, and many brands are doing this now. Even so, just because it's been done before doesn't mean you can't do it — and do it better.

The Pro X have a 12mm dynamic driver and a Knowles balanced armature driver. Simply put, these drivers work in tandem to create an expansive, faithful, yet immersive and electric sound.

No stone's been left unturned here. The Pro X sound utterly phenomenal. As soon as I pressed play during my testing, I gasped. Genuinely. I didn't expect the Pro X to sound quite this good.

A pair of black Status Pro X wireless earbuds

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

In my review, I wrote, "You don’t miss anything with these earbuds. Not a single cymbal, breath, or guitar string. Everything is laid out bare, exactly as it’s supposed to be."

During my testing period, I listened to as many genres as possible, with heavy metal, electronic, pop, DnB, and indie being my most listened to. Every genre sounded fantastic, even the grungy rock tracks that push even the best earbuds to their limits.

As much as I wanted to keep the Pro X for myself, my boyfriend's ancient earbuds broke just this past week. Very kindly, I gifted him the Pro X — and nearly shed a tear whilst doing so — and he loves them, too. It's like when you have to give up a pet, so you make sure one of your family members takes it so you can still visit on the weekends. I wave to the Pro X wistfully when I see him grooving along to their fantastic sound.

How do the Status Pro X compare?

a side-by-side image of the status pro x and airpods pro 3

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

I'm intimately familiar with AirPods; I've had my Pro 2s for coming up three years now, and I got the Pro 3 on release. While I was testing the Status Pro X, I unconsciously compared the Status Pro to my beloved AirPods Pro 3.

Considering the AirPods Pro 3 are $249 — so $50 cheaper than the Pro X — it's quite tricky to recommend the Pro X for every type of consumer. If you want a familiar, comforting, trusted brand name, why wouldn't you just get Apple's flagship buds?

I waffled on about this topic at length in my full review of the Status Pro X, but at the end of the day, most "regular" consumers don't have $300 to spend on earbuds that might not be as good as AirPods.

That's where I come in. I'm planning a full Status Pro X vs. AirPods Pro 3 article, so make sure you check back soon for the full comparison.

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Erin Bashford
Erin Bashford
Senior Writer, Reviews

Erin Bashford is a senior writer at Tom's Guide, focusing on reviews. She has a Masters in Broadcast and Digital Journalism from the University of East Anglia. As an ex-barista, she knows her way around a coffee machine, and as a music lover, she's constantly chipping away at her dream of having a multi-room home sound system. In her spare time you can find her reading, practising yoga, writing, or stressing over today’s NYT Games.

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