Deutsch
Español
Français
Italiano
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Русский
Türkçe
Svenska
Chinese
MagyarStatus Audio Between 3 ANC TWS hands-on: Premium earbuds with better noise-cancelling than Apple's AirPods Pro
The Between 3ANC wireless earbuds are TWS buds that offer an excellent sound stage in a uniquely styled package. The buds are somewhat bulky for a TWS system, but the overall experience is quite good and rivals high-end earbuds, such as Apple's AirPods Pro 2. In fact, there are some areas in which the Between 3ANC buds outpace Apple's popular in-ears. We'll take a look at where the 3ANC buds excel and where they fall short in this review.
Design & Features: Chunky build, but responsive touch controls
The Between 3ANC have a striking and unique design. Rather than cures that hug the user's facve, the buds are flat and somewhat blocky. The rounded edges of the main body give the buds a sleek profile, and their two-tone coloring (matte plastic on the top half, shiny metal on the bottom half) stands out in a sea of boring, plastic TWS buds. However, the buds stick out a fair bit from the ear, so they are noticeable from a distance. Despite this distant displacement from the ear canal, the buds stay securely in place, even after a sweaty workout.
The ear tips, which are interchangeable, are comfortable. They are made from a thin rubber and conform to the ear canal well. Status includes a variety of ear tip sizes in the box, so most people should be able to find a good fit. The tips also create a good seal, which greatly enahnces the noise-cancelling features (more on this down below).
The two-tone coloration exists for more than style points. The top half of each bud (the plastic bit) is touch-sensitive, and there are some handy controls available via taps and holds. For example, single-tapping either bud will play or pause music, while tapping and holding the left or right bud will lower or raise audio volume, respectively. This is one area where the Between 3ANCs outshine the AirPods Pro 2; while Apple's buds also have volume control, I find it a bit finicky. Controlling the volume via the Between 3ANC buds worked flawlessly every time. It isn't as smooth as Apple's option, but it is significantly more consistent.
There is a button on top of each bud that controls the ANC modes. A single tap on either button will toggle between audio passthrough and ANC. Pressing and holding this button will turn that bud on or off manually. Double clicking launches the voice assistant on the paired phone (Siri or Google Assistant), and a triple click gives the remaining battery life of the buds.
The ANC is quite good, and I would rank it above the ANC on the AirPods Pro and AirPods Pro 2. Using my gas lawnmower as a gauge, the AirPods Pro 2 reduce the lawnmower to an audible roar that drowns out noise lower than about 30% volume. The Between 3ANC buds, on the other hand, keep the lawnmower at a dull rumble that is felt more than heard. More importantly, I was able to hear the same music track and podcast all the way down to 0% volume; there wasn't a point with ANC active that audio lost to the lawnmower.
The audio passthrough, on the other hand, is mediocre. It works well enough volume-wise; my kids voices could easily be heard from across the room with the volume at 50-60%. However, there is a persistent static or white noise with passthrough active that quickly became annoying and never fully faded into the background. I wouldn't say this soft hiss is a dealbreaker, but it is frustrating considering how good the buds are otherwise.
The Between 3ANC earbuds paired seamlessly with both my iPhone 13 and Doogee S99 Android phone. Opening the case will turn the buds on, and they pair within 1-2 seconds of turning on. Roughly 10% of the time, they were still "searching for devices" once they made it into my ear, but within 5 seconds of opening the case, they had successfully paired. This works well with either one or both buds at the same time. Having one bud in my ear and pulling the second out is a similar experience: the second bud typically pairs by the time it's in my ear, though every once in a while it takes a bit longer to find the phone.
A major drawback (especially compared to the AirPods Pro 2) is that the Between 3ANCs lack an IR sensor. One of the nicest features of the AirPods Pro 2 is that they pause playback when a bud is removed from the ear. The Between 3ANC buds lack this feature, and it can be frustrating going back to a system that requires a manual pause if I need to remove a bud. This may be a small quibble for some, but it was an annoyance I had to adjust to.
Audio and Microphone Quality: More dynamic than AirPods Pro, but not as balanced
Despite some small annoyances, I found myself trading out my AirPods Pro 2 for the Between 3ANCs for two reasons: audio quality and battery life. Speaking to the former, the Between 3ANC buds pump out superior audio compared to Apple's offering (as well as to most other TWS systems). The Between 3ANC buds each house a 10 mm dynamic driver and two additional armature drivers that sit in the ear canal. The whole package creates a fuller, more dynamic sound stage than the AirPods Pro 2 can produce. Yes, Apple's buds have a slightly larger 11 mm driver, but the overall sound profile is flatter and more balanced. The Between 3ANC buds seem to operate in a wider frequency range, and the extremes of that range are amplified compared to the AirPods Pro 2.
The AirPods Pro 2 are more balanced out of the box and have a flatter noise curve, which offers a more natural, balanced profile. The Between 3ANCs are more dynamic and offer a fuller, brighter sound (which can further be adjusted via Status Audio's app). Using an analogy, it's like a camera that snaps flat, neutral, photos versus one that does some post processing on its photos to create more vivid, bright, and colorful images. It comes down to personal preference, but in my opinion, the Between 3ANCs offer more color, especially across a wide range of music genres from pop to hip-hop to classical.
The sound stage of the Between 3ANCs can be tweaked further via Status Audio's app, which offers a few preset sound profiles and allows users to create and save their own sound profiles. I wish there was a way to navigate between sound profiles via the buds (maybe a double click on the button?), but they have to be selected in the app. This would make it easier to swap from a music-centered profile to one for spoken word, but this is a nitpick.
The Between 3ANC buds each have three beamforming microphones (for a six-mic array in total). These microphones are excellent. Not only do they improve the ANC experience, but they accurately capture and isolate the user's voice during phone calls. A common complaint I get when I call someone via my AirPods Pro or AirPods Pro 2 is that my voice sounds thin, tinny, and faraway from the phone. I have yet to receive such complaints when using the Between 3ANCs. In contrast, people on the other end of the call have remarked that my voice sounds full and clear, and that it is significantly better than with other TWS buds. There is still some thinness through the Between 3ANCs, but these are the clearest TWS buds I've used for voice calls.
Lastly, the battery life of the Between 3ANCs is excellent. Status Audio rates the buds at 12 hours of battery life without ANC and 8 hours with ANC, and I'm inclined to believe those numbers. In my practice, I averaged roughly 6.5-7 hours with ANC on, and over 10 hours with ANC off. I never managed to kill the buds in regular use; my listening session would end with the buds at roughly 40-50%. The case offers an additional 20-24 hours of battery life and charges either wirelessly or via USB-C.
Pros
+ excellent sound quality
+ dynamic sound profile
+ excellent ANC
+ long battery life
+ good set of features
Cons
– bulky
– no placement detection
Conclusion: Better sound than AirPods Pro, but fewer features
Status Audio nails it with the Between 3ANC TWS earbuds. These wireless in-ears easily compete with other high-end TWS buds, including the venerable Apple AirPods Pro 2. On the audio front, the Between 3ANC buds are spectacular, offering a wider range than the AirPods Pro 2 alongside a good amount of customization. The ANC system is also excellent, cancelling out noise better than most other TWS buds out there. Lastly, the six-mic array clearly captures voice and is great for phone calls and speaking to your phone's digital assistant.
There are some drawbacks. For one, there is no placement sensor that tells the buds whether or not they are in your ear. As such, playback continues when a bud is pulled out, which can be annoying (especially considering most other TWS buds at this price offer this feature). Audio passthrough is subpar, primarily due to an annoyingly subtle hiss that is ever-present in that mode. Lastly, the buds are big; while this allows for better battery life and a fuller sound profile than most other TWS buds, they are bulky and stick out from the ears, and some may find they look a bit awkward when in use.
Overall, the Status Audio Between 3ANC TWS earbuds are an excellent option for those in search of high-end earbuds for both music playback and phone calls. The ANC system is excellent, but the features that are present in competing buds but absent in the Between 3ANCs hold the buds back from excellence.
The Status Audio Between 3ANC TWS earbuds retail for US$249. They can be purchased from Status Audio or from Amazon.
Transparency
The present review sample was made available to the author as a loan by the manufacturer or a shop for the purposes of review. The lender had no influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review.
