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.
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.
