BluetoothBudgetHeadphonesReview

Status Audio BT One Review – Chi-Fi For The Buy-American Crowd

I’m way too old and jaded to be style-conscious, but I confess to being swayed by how cool and Bauhaus the Brooklyn-bred Status Audio BT One look in pictures, so when Amazon discounted ‘em down from $99 to $60, I took the plunge. The Status Audio BT One aren’t quite as striking in person—the frames are mostly plastic and the earpads a stiff leatherette—but they are extremely lightweight and comfortable, without the viselike clamping pressure of most on-ears.

Isolation isn’t great—there’s no ANC—but these actually well-suited for situations where you want some awareness of the outside world. Mic quality is very good. I really like the physical control buttons, which are more reliable than the usual control panels. The claimed 30 hour battery life is legit.

Soundwise, the Status Audio BT One presents a warm, expansive V-shaped signature with a modest bass boost and a thick note texture. The low end isn’t the most sculpted and registers as slightly tubby, though pleasantly so, and these steer clear of the Beats-like thumpiness. Mids have good presence and clarity, while treble isn’t especially extended or detailed, but has a nice smooth timbre which avoids sharpness or peakiness.

Imaging is accurate—performers are well-positioned across a wide stage, and (some bass bloom notwithstanding) the Status Audio BT One is coherent across the frequencies. Something like the AKG NC60NC ($299, but often deeply discounted) has much tighter, punchier bass and better overall resolution, though not as much as the price differential would suggest, while I found the Status Audio BT One sonically superior to the Beats Solo/Studio, which is less coherent and has a more artificial timbre.

The much pricier Sony WH-100MX4 actually has a similar tuning—warm and smooth, albeit with tighter less enhanced low end and a richer tonality; the Sony is the better-sounding phone, but I often find myself preferring the sleeker form factor and more “open” aural experience of the Status Audio BT One.

Check out my review of the Status Audio Pro TWS earbuds.

That an American company can deliver a product of this quality at this price is something of an anomaly; Bose and its ilk should be fearful. The Status Audio BT One is by any measure a roaring bargain and garner a thumbs-up.

Disclaimer: Bought the Status Audio BT One myself.

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Status Audio BT One Review - Chi-Fi For The Buy-American Crowd 1

Author

  • Loomis T. Johnson (Chicago, USA)

    Head-Fier since 2014. Based in Chicago, Loomis T. Johnson is a practicing attorney, failed musician, and lifelong music fanatic and record collector. He has frequently contributed to such review sites as Headfi, Sound Advocate, and Asian Provocative Ear (as well as many other far less interesting non-musical periodicals). A former two-channel and vintage gear obsessive, he has sheepishly succumbed to current trends in home theater and portable audio. He’s a firm believer that the equipment should serve the music and that good sound is attainable at any budget level.

Loomis T. Johnson (Chicago, USA)

Head-Fier since 2014. Based in Chicago, Loomis T. Johnson is a practicing attorney, failed musician, and lifelong music fanatic and record collector. He has frequently contributed to such review sites as Headfi, Sound Advocate, and Asian Provocative Ear (as well as many other far less interesting non-musical periodicals). A former two-channel and vintage gear obsessive, he has sheepishly succumbed to current trends in home theater and portable audio. He’s a firm believer that the equipment should serve the music and that good sound is attainable at any budget level.

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