I'm always a huge fan of any set of earbuds that look different from the crowd. In a world where earbuds are black, white, or grey blobs or blobs with stems, having the Status Audio Between 3ANC earbuds land on my desk is an absolute pleasure.

The L-shaped earbuds have a modern design that combines metal and plastic, and while the extra bulk may turn some folks off, they don't feel heavy while being worn. Further to that, the extra size is being put to good use, with the 3ANC featuring a hybrid triple driver design with two balanced armatures for extra precision, building on the success of Status' previous earbuds, the Between Pro.

Style and Comfort

The world of earbuds is competitive; almost every major brand produces earbuds these days. Competing on sound is obvious, but a distinctive, unique design is another opportunity to one-up the competition.

Status Audio's Between 3ANC lean into that, and these are some of the most interesting-looking earbuds you can buy, combining a unique shape, plastic, and metal into an eye-catching design. The 3ANC are available in "Bone" and "Onyx," both of which feature the half-and-half plastic metal split. I'm reviewing the Bone color scheme and like the contrast between the metal and "bone-colored" top half, but the dark metal of the Onyx looks equally impressive.

Despite the size of the L-shaped earbuds—they are somewhat bulky compared to an earbud, especially one without a stem—they weigh 13.6g (0.48oz) per earbud. Now, while this is on the high end of earbud weight ( for reference, AirPods weigh 4.6g / 0.16oz per bud), the Between 3ANC buds don't feel overly heavy in your ears. At least, they don't to begin with.

After a few hours of continuous playback, the additional weight did begin to tell, with some ear fatigue creeping in, causing me to shuffle and squirm the 3ANCs around to find another comfy spot. You can address any ear fatigue by making sure you use the correct ear tip size for your ears, which makes a difference to both comfort and audio quality (it really is worth experimenting and finding the right combination).

There are three different silicone ear tip sizes to choose from, along with three different silicone supports that fit around the earbud casing, facing towards your ear. Status Audio refers to the supports as "fit-wings," and in combination with the ear tips, you should find a suitable combination.

Case

The earbuds are obviously the main draw for any earbud review, but the earbud case is also worth considering. In this case, the Between 3ANC charging case is a tidy addition to the package, with an all-plastic pill-shaped design (bar the hinge) with the Static Audio logo engraved (or maybe debossed) on the lid.

It has excellent hand feel, and you can open the lid with one hand, though you definitely won't be taking the earbuds out with one hand due to their size. But overall, the Between 3ANC case is a good addition to these buds. However, a splash of metal would have added to the premium feel, though I realize it would also add to the price.

Connectivity

Connectivity comes courtesy of Bluetooth 5.2, using the SBC and AAC codecs.

Now, given the price point of these earbuds and that they're marketed towards the audiophile market (the companion app even has the "Status Audiophile" EQ), it's more than a little surprising not to see a high-res Bluetooth codec option. The omission of aptX (or one of its variants) or Sony's LDAC would cater more directly to this market.

Still, the Between 3ANC buds connect fast, which is great, and the connection remains stable when streaming audio and making calls.

Battery Life

The Between 3ANC battery life is also decent. With ANC switched on, the 3ANC buds last around eight hours, rising to around 12 hours with ANC switched off.

You'll also find an additional 24 hours of playback in the case, which should keep you going for two or three more full charges when you're out and about.

As you'll most likely toggle ANC on and off, expect the Between 3ANC buds to last anywhere between eight and 12 hours. Furthermore, if you do get caught short, the fast charging feature delivers up to two hours of playback on a rapid 15-minute charge.

Charging is taken care of via USB-C (there is a cable in the box), and wireless Qi charging is also supported.

Sound Quality, EQ Settings, and ANC

Status has built the Between 3ANC on the same "award-winning triple driver acoustic system" as the Between Pro but with some tweaks for "color and clarity." The use of the word "color" should give you an idea of what you're in store for with these earbuds; the only question is, just how fun are we talking?

The 3ANC uses an interesting hardware combination. Alongside the primary 10mm driver are two balanced armatures designed to give extra clarity across the entire audio spectrum, a combination you're more likely to find in high-end IEMs and other premium earbuds. It's a combination designed to deliver an audiophile-focused sound profile, further evidenced by the Status Audiophile EQ setting in the app.

But back to that word: color.

The default 3ANC sound profile is decently v-shaped, with a warm and fun sound profile with a decent level of emphasis on bass. Although the 3ANC buds have been pushed towards "audiophiles," the in-house tuning isn't one I would suggest for recording or mastering audio.

They are a fun listen, though, and despite misgivings about that label, music is presented reasonably accurately and with great clarity.

For example, because of the tuning, you'll always notice a little extra bounce and boom when listening to dance music or hip-hop, the bass and low-end pushing hard to bring tracks to life. But it's not the same as a true set of audiophile earbuds that wouldn't add much emphasis or boost specific ranges, at least not to the same degree.

Similarly, the emphasized high-end suffers slightly from the same issues. Although not always present, tracks with soaring vocals and instruments registering on the high end can seem overly sharp and somewhat harsh. It's not an ever-present, though. The extensive range of treble frequencies can also provide enough space and sparkle.

So, no, I wouldn't specifically consider the Between 3ANC audiophile earbuds, but they're a fun listen, without a doubt.

Companion App EQ Settings

The Between 3ANC companion app has three different EQs and the option for a custom EQ.

The Sound Quality section above details the default EQ option, Status Signature. But if you want to reduce the sparkle, shine, and color, you can opt for the Status Audiophile EQ, a flatter audio experience.

The third EQ is Original Between Pro, which is similar to the Status Signature, but adds a little more treble on top.

Finally, the custom EQ option provides eight frequencies to adjust, allowing you to meld the Between 3ANC audio to your liking. As far as custom EQs in companion apps go, this is pretty good. Often, you'll find just four channels, so having eight to choose from gives you plenty of options.

ANC

The Between 3ANC noise cancellation is decent but not brilliant. Rated for -38dB, it blocks out background chatter in a cafe enough to focus on work, but not completely. The 3ANC also struggled with lower-frequency noises, though many earbuds also struggle to block these frequencies.

Microphones

Status has packed six microphones into the 3ANC, with three on each earbud. It's a good amount that should result in clear call quality, but the reality differs depending on your local environment.

Where other earbuds actively block noisy surroundings and other background noise, the 3ANC can sometimes struggle to process both the speech and blocking, resulting in a muffled, awkward sound. For example, the 3ANC struggled at times while I was walking along the windy seafront where I live, causing the person on the other end of the call difficulty hearing me.

Should You Buy the Status Audio Between 3ANC Earbuds?

The Between 3ANC buds retail for $249 on Amazon, putting them up against serious competition, like the Sony WF-1000XM4 (the previous generation, as the newer WF-1000XM5 are expected to cost around $350), AirPods Pro, Powerbeats Pro, Astell & Kern UW100, and so on. It's a tough crowd at this end of the market, and the names are far more established.

So how do the Between 3ANC buds stack up?

The unique design only gets you so far. I'm a big fan of earbuds attempting to do something different, and packed into the Between 3ANC's interesting style is decent hardware, too. In addition, the triple-driver design delivers a fun and mostly accurate audio experience, with plenty of EQ options to choose from for extra customization.

Battery life is another positive point for the Between 3ANC. Assuming you're not using ANC all the time, between eight and 12 hours of playback is good enough to get most folks through the day and long enough to outlast most flights.

But there are issues. The lack of a high-res Bluetooth codec is disappointing, especially given the buds pitch towards premium audio, and the bulky design, while fun, will definitely push people away. They're not earbuds you'd naturally consider for running or other sports, even if the ear tips and fit-wings help to keep the buds in place.

Still, if you're after a unique set of earbuds that sound the part and not just look good, the Between 3ANC could be what you're after.