Early in 2024, I reviewed the Bose Ultra Open earbuds and was blown away by their audio quality. The sound quality was exceptional for open earbuds, and the features were premium. They stood out head and shoulders above everything else, but then I heard about another premium brand doing something interesting that could change that.
Wait, what? A brand known for audiophile-quality audio gear is doing open-ear earbuds? When I heard that Beyerdynamic was bringing an open earbud to market, I was confused but eager to give the Verio 200 a shot! I was confused because, given Beyerdynamic’s reputation for high-quality audio tech, why? I was eager because of that same reputation.
Higher price, higher sound quality
Released in June 2024, the Beyerdynamic Verio 200 is available for $220 directly from beyerdynamic.com or Amazon. They are available in black, cream, or an orange and black “Sport” version.
| Category | Beyerdynamic Verio 200 |
|---|---|
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Codec support | aptX™ Adaptive Lossless, AAC, SBC |
| Battery life | Up to 8 hours, 60 minutes playback with 10 minute charge |
| Charging | USB-C |
| App support | Beyerdynamic app for Android and iOS |
| Microphone | Two cVc microphones utilizing Qualcomm aptX Voice |
| Durability | IP54 |
| Colors | Black, Cream, Sport (black and orange) |
What I like
There’s much to like regarding Beyerdynamic’s first foray into open-ear products, the Verio 200. First up, the soft touch case is the first thing you’ll notice after unboxing.
It has a two-stage hinge, which keeps the lid open. Inside, you’ll find the earbuds, a status LED, and a multifunction button for pairing the earbuds, which support multipoint pairing; the feature worked flawlessly in my testing when simultaneously connected to a Pixel 9 and iPhone 15 Pro Max. The back of the case is where you’ll find the USB-C port for charging.
Compared to Bose’s offering, the Verio 200 is much larger, favoring the ear hook-style build, but they don’t feel heavy on me. They’re quite comfortable during extended wear, which is great because the sound quality is so good you’ll likely want to wear them for as long as the battery lasts. It’s around 8 hours, depending on your listening volume. Part of the reason the Beyerdynamic Verio 200s sound so good is because they support Bluetooth 5.3 and Qualcomm aptX Adaptive Lossless, as well as the usual AAC and SBC codecs.
In other articles on open-ear true wireless earbuds, I’ve talked about auditory masking and how that affects the sound output of these types of earbuds. With that in mind, I first hit my Bass Test playlist and The Roots radio playlist on Tidal when trialing the audio quality. AptX 16 bit, 48kHz was the audio quality from Tidal and the Pixel 9, and I have to say that the bass reproduction was very full for a pair of headphones that don’t sit inside your ear canal. I’d say it’s on par with Bose.
The intensity of bass response will be predicated on the environmental noise around you. Less noise more bass rumble. More noise, less rumble. The Verio 200 isn’t for bass heads, but for those who enjoy deep, dark bass and require or want open earbuds, these are among the best I’ve listened to, outdone only by the newer Nothing Ear (open) I recently reviewed.
What about other aspects of the sound signature? Mids and highs are a delight here. Vocals are bright and airy. The Beyerdynamic Verio 200’s love well mastered Jazz. Charles Mingus’ “Moanin’” was an absolute joy to listen to with the Verio 200. The track is currently my “go-to” for examining the stereo imaging and soundstage of a pair of headphones or earbuds and the Verio 200 did not let me down—beautiful imaging, with instrumentation layers well nuanced in the mastering of that track.
Listening to “Violin Duel” from the Chevalier belies the level of clarity the transducers in the Verio 200 reproduce. The attack and chord changes on the violins in the song are full of tension and texture as if you’re standing next to the musician, watching them aggressively attack these movements with the bow asserting itself over strings.
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Though not the most feature-laden app to come with earbuds, the Beyerdynamic app has what you need. Though the sound is solid out of the box, I tuned it a bit more to give me what I want when I’m wearing these in the streets. I boosted the low and high end, adopting a v-curve with the five-band EQ found in the app. You can also choose from several presets, along with the ability to set the auto power-off time, control the assistant functionality, and customize the playback and call functionality.
Last but definitely not least, the call quality was solid. Callers said I came through clear and didn’t sound tinny or like I was in a closet.
What could be improved
I have two issues with the Beyerdynamic Verio 200, which are somewhat related. First, there is a lack of wireless charging support. I wonder why we couldn’t get Qi charging on board in 2024 at this price point and with a case this large (my second issue).
If Beyerdynamic puts out a second-generation version of the Verio 200, it should support wireless charging.
Does anything else compare?
There are products by Shokz, Anker’s Soundcore, and 1More in this category. All of these products are sold at a lower price than the Verio 200, but the products that most directly compete on features are the Nothing Ear (open) and the Bose Ultra Open earbuds. Both compete on sound quality, but you’ll pay a premium for the Bose experience. Bose’s Ultra Open are one of my favorite open earbuds to date, but I don’t know that they’re $80 better than the Verio, which cost $220 on Amazon.
On the other hand, I would take a serious look at the Nothing Ear (open). They retail for $150 and are one of the most compelling open-ear products launched in 2024.
Though more expensive than the Ear (open), your other options in this category are Shokz OpenFit with its wireless charging case or Soundcore’s AeroFit Pro with its LDAC support. Both will save you around $40, though, as I stated, they are more expensive than Nothing.
If you’re an avid swimmer, check out our review of Shokz $180 OpenSwim Pro, which are open-ear bone conduction headphones specifically tailored for watersports, that sound amazing underwater!
Should you buy the Verio 200?
My review period answered my initial question, “Why open ear?” The answer is likely that they knew they could do it and live up to their pedigree.
The Verio 200s live up to Beyerdynamic’s reputation for creating refined, high-end audio experiences! No, these won’t sound like their audiophile-grade, over-ear headphone cousins, but my time with the Verio 200 has given me an experience on par with two of my favorite open earbuds, the Bose Ultra Open and Nothing Ear (open) earbuds. With that, I can wholeheartedly recommend the Verio 200 as a solid option if you’re looking for high-quality audio in the open earbuds format.
High-quality open earbuds
The Beyerdynamic Verio 200 offers one of the best audio experiences in the open-ear audio category. Robust sound, a capable companion app, an IP54 water resistance rating, and good battery life make these a great option, if you’re in the market for an open ear product.