On-Ear
Beats Solo3 Wireless
54Average
$200
Full review dataBeats Solo3 Wireless vs Sennheiser HD 25: which should you buy?
On aggregated review scores the Sennheiser HD 25 comes out ahead with a HearWiki score of 81. The full breakdown - sub-scores, specs and what reviewers actually said - is below.
Our pick: Sennheiser HD 25 - Outstanding overall at around $110.
On-Ear
Sennheiser HD 25
81Outstanding
$110
Full review dataScore breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
Sennheiser HD 25 leads on 4 of 6 measures.
- Beats Solo3 Wireless
- Sennheiser HD 25
HearWiki score
54
81
Sound
6.3
7.8
Battery
8.7
-
Calls
4.8
-
Value
4.8
8.0
Price (USD)
$200
$110
Generation & platform
The scores rank quality. This is the other question: is the newer one actually newer technology, or the same platform in a new shell?
Same generation
The Sennheiser HD 25 is 8 years newer, but it is the same generation of hardware: nothing in the radio, the codecs or the noise cancelling separates them. Nothing separates them on convenience features either, so the choice comes down to tuning and price. For 8 years between them, that is a thin return - treat this as a restyle rather than a new platform.
- Solo3 Wireless2016
- HD 2520248 yr newer
Specifications
Solo3 WirelessHD 25
- Type
- On-Ear
- On-Ear
- Price (USD)
- $200
- $110
- HearWiki score
- 54
- 81
- Released
- 2016
- 2024
- Availability
- Still sold new
- Still sold new
- Driver
- 40 mm dynamic
- dynamic
- Driver type
- dynamic
- dynamic
- Driver size
- 40 mm
- -
- Drivers per side
- 1
- -
- Frequency response
- 20 Hz - 20 kHz
- 16 Hz - 22 kHz
- Impedance
- 32 Ω
- 70 Ω
- Sensitivity
- -
- 120 dB/mW
- Sensitivity (dB/Vrms)
- -
- 120.4
- Bluetooth
- 4.0
- -
- Codecs
- SBC, AAC
- -
- Multipoint pairing
- No
- -
- Battery life
- 40 h
- -
- Full charge time
- 120 min
- -
- Quick charge
- 5 min → 3 h
- -
- Wireless charging
- No
- -
- Active noise cancelling
- No
- No
- ANC type
- none
- -
- Transparency mode
- No
- -
- Companion app
- No
- -
- Custom EQ
- No
- -
- Wear detection
- No
- -
- Controls
- buttons
- none
- Voice assistant
- Siri
- -
- Weight
- 215 g
- 140 g
- Water resistance
- none
- -
- Foldable
- Yes
- -
- Detachable cable
- Yes
- Yes
- USB-C
- No
- No
- Microphones
- 1
- -
What reviewers said
Beats Solo3 Wireless
The Beats Solo3 Wireless are lightweight, foldable on-ear headphones known for their exceptional 40-hour battery life and punchy, bass-forward sound. They offer easy pairing with Apple devices and solid wireless performance, but their tight fit and average audio fidelity leave them better suited for casual listening than critical use.
- Pro:Exceptional battery life (40 hours)
- Pro:Lightweight and foldable design
- Pro:Fast charging capability
- Con:Tight clamping force can cause discomfort
- Con:Bass-heavy sound can muddy vocals and details
- Con:Micro-USB charging port is outdated
Sennheiser HD 25
The Sennheiser HD 25 is a lightweight, wired on-ear headphone built for professional tasks like DJing, broadcasting, and field recording. It offers a neutral, accurate sound with good separation and a durable, modular design, though its lack of ANC and limited passive isolation make it less suited for travel or office use. Comfort can be an issue during long sessions, and the cable connection at the earcup is a known weak point.
- Pro:Accurate, neutral sound with good separation
- Pro:Lightweight and stable fit for active use
- Pro:Durable, modular build with detachable cable
- Con:Comfort declines during extended wear
- Con:Weak passive isolation without ANC
- Con:Cable connection at earcup is fragile
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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