$ 200 Puro Pro hybrid over-the-ear headphones are almost perfect

Last December, a representative of Puro Sound Labs presented me with an example of the company’s Bluetooth hybrid headphones. Her timing could not have been better – on January 8, I had to undergo an operation that would put me on the couch all day, every day, for two weeks in a row, with nothing to do but movies and television (ideally without my wife and manage children) insane).

The Puro Pro is an over-the-ear design that can be connected to audio sources via Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity or a simple headphone cord. It offers almost any function you can think of for a pair of headphones: the limited volume of safety (adjustable for 85dBA or 95dBA), the battery life of more than 30 hours, content control via the buttons on the left, active noise suppression and even ‘ a built-in microphone for telephone calls.

At $ 200, the Puro Pro costs more than I would normally spend on a headphone to watch late night TV and occasionally fly (my two primary use cases). But after spending a few months a day with the Puro Pro, I would drop the cash in a heartbeat.

How I tested

Puro Sound Labs PuroPro Hybrid Active Noise Canceling Headphones

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Most of the time I spent with the Puro Pro was on my couch watching content from YouTube Music, Amazon, Hulu and Netflix, along with some local TVs and movies. Both my Roku Premiere + 4K UHD media player (for streaming content) and my custom-built HTPC (for local content) are connected to my Denon AVR-S510BT receiver and from the Denon headphone jack to a low-end Boltune Bluetooth 5.0 transceiver latency.

This setup was my main test scenario for the headphones, but I also gave them more demanding tests of musical accuracy by connecting it (wired) to the Scarlett Solo preamplifier I use in my podcasting studio. The Scarlett Solo is connected to my workstation; its main “work” feature provides an XLR input for my RE230 microphone, but these are dual duties as the main audio output interface of my system, via the 1/4 “headphone jack – usually paired with a pair of Sennheiser HD 280 Pro studio headphones.

I need to be very clear that my testing is subjective—I actually used the headphones and compared them to several sets of reference equipment, and I share my impression here. With that said, I’m a pretty demanding listener; I grew up with a broadcaster for a dad, and for the past thirty years I’ve been trying to buy personal audio equipment that crosses the line between ‘it’s the best you can buy’ and ‘it’s an audio movie that has audio carry nonsense. ‘

The competition

I’m a night owl, but my wife is an early riser, so a quiet movie late at night and watching TV is essential in the Salter household. Wireless earbuds were a no-go for me. I have tried several models that I like the sound of, but although I initially found it comfortable, it has led to repeated ear infections after prolonged, daily use. Battery life was also less than ideal – the LG Tone HBS-510 earbuds I used the most only got eight to ten hours of playing time, with similar results for a variety of lesser-known brands.

Next, I tried a set of Monodeal Bluetooth headphones over and over – at $ 35 it’s an incredible value, and I finally get a second pair for my wife (who also loved them). But I still had comfortable problems; after a few TV deliveries in a row, the on-ear design would get a little ouchy. The battery life was also desirable, about eight hours – not bad for the price, but not long enough to get you through plane flights across the continent without farming thoroughly.

Finally I used a $ 200 JBL Live 650BTNC over-the-ear Bluetooth headset. Their over-the-ear design was much more comfortable for long-term use than the Monodeal pair, and the 20+ hour playing time was a huge improvement. The sound quality was also a bit better than the Monodeal. They were still not 100 percent comfortable for long-term use, due to weight, balance problems and the combination of very firm filling and considerable squeezing pressure on my head.

Although the JBL headphones were not perfect, they were workable enough that I did not really want to be in the market for a replacement.

Evaluation of Puro Pro

The Puro Pro headphones are by far the best thing I have tried. I also find it excellent to listen to a wide variety of musical genres, including classical, acoustic, a capella and hip-hop.

The only fault I was able to detect with them – apart from the fact that the charging port is not USB-C – is an annoying artifact in the background that is produced when the headphone volume is maximum and a staccato sound (for example the “click” when u focus focuses on the Roku interface from one item to another) manufactured. That error can be easily solved: just turn off the headphones with a single click and no more rumbling.

Comfort

The filling is extraordinarily soft and comfortable, and the headphones offer just enough clamping pressure to stay firm without getting long for a few hours.

Although the weight of the JBL and Puro headphones is the same, the balance is different. This is not something I immediately notice when I put on some set of headphones, but after a few hours of episodes of a binged show (or one Lord of the Rings JBL phones make my neck feel a bit tense, while the Puro Pro phones do not feel.

The lighter clamping pressure and softer filling on the Puro Pro headphones also make me feel significantly less “sweaty over” after a few hours of prolonged use than I got from the JBL headphones – or, for that matter, from my Sennheiser HD 280 Pro studio phones after recording a podcast.