Gadget Makes $10 Headphones Sound Like $200 Headphones

Megalith

Megalith

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I guess this is awesome for anyone who hasn’t heard of a software equalizer.

In a few weeks of testing, I found that the BoomStick made a pair of $10 headphones sound even better than $200 Beats by Dre Solo2 headphones (without the BoomStick). I actually preferred my cheap headphones, when they were plugged into the BoomStick over the $200 headphones that were plugged right into my phone.
 
Besting a pair of Beats is setting the bar pretty damn low. Like on the ground...

How about a comparison of quality $200 phones like Sennheiser or Grado.
 
Couple things worth mentioning here.

The "Boomstick" is $100. So title should be "$100 Gadget Makes $10 Headphones Sound Like $200 Headphones". That's a 45% savings!


With BoomStick, you hear instruments you wouldn't otherwise hear.
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I heard cowbell in songs I never heard it in before. Which is a good thing.

The secret sauce in the BoomStick, according to parent company BoomCloud 360, is a chip with some particularly smart software. Inside the BoomStick, the chip analyzes the sound profile of the content you're listening to, and in real time replays it in a more natural sounding way, with deeper bass and better-optimized high-frequency sounds.
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EQ.jpg


Now, in theory, this device could actually do what people are claiming. It would require a microphone and the device would get an unfiltered frequency response of the headphone. Then apply a custom equalization to make an more accurate frequency response. I would say "natural" frequency response, but based on the paragraph above, this is not what passes for natural anymore.
 
couldn't they have at least compared to some decent headphones? implying that beats headphones (or anything with Dre's name on it) sound good loses all credibility.
 
The only way you get more natural sound, is by removing any unnecessary intermediate sound processing, not adding more.

And without an in built sound analyzer how does the "boomstick" knows that what's coming out is not ass-fart on the other end? Every piece of earphones sound differently, so no matter how smart that chip is, how does it know what to change and how?
 
I agree with the above beats are just 2 dollar headsets with an eq from Dr dre, if you have read any headset reviews beats always comes last.. Beating them ain't hard my 17quid seinheisers beat them ffs.
 
THRESHIN said:
couldn't they have at least compared to some decent headphones? implying that beats headphones (or anything with Dre's name on it) sound good loses all credibility.
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What's with those anyway? I see more and more poeple wearing them everywhere. Is it some fashion choice like the iphone? Instead of an educated one?
 
M76 said:
What's with those anyway? I see more and more poeple wearing them everywhere. Is it some fashion choice like the iphone? Instead of an educated one?
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It's just like buying Nike shoes, ipod, dyson vacuum, etc. You're buying the name and not necessarily the best or even good.

But don't just believe me, go try a pair out. You'll find them extremely bass heavy with little to no mid range. Forget the high range, it's not happening.

So if all you want is bass sure go get a pair. If you want to hear all of your music, move along.

I found that a $40 pair of Sony's sounded better...
 
The article writer has two earthing strips on his cars rear bumper and a magnet around his fuel tube too.

And this has prevented his car from exploding and gave 40% fuel savings all day. Even when he's not driving.
 
The headphones in the picture are Amazon Basics On-Ear headphones. I keep a pair hooked on the back of my monitor ready to grab for general use. Not bad for £12.
 
Well, realize that quiet a lot of people think "more bass" == "sounds better", too. Take a look at a parallel... "home theatres" in a box. They mostly sound like muddy ass, but a lot of people rave about those, and like to show them off as something special. This "boomstick" is likely similar, if I had to throw out an uneducated guess.
 
In a few weeks of testing, I found that the BoomStick made a pair of $10 headphones sound even better than $200 Beats by Dre Solo2 headphones (without the BoomStick). I actually preferred my cheap headphones, when they were plugged into the BoomStick over the $200 headphones that were plugged right into my phone.

When I used the BoomStick with the Beats headphones, the sound was off-the-charts awesome.
Click to expand...

I stopped reading after this...
 
So a $10 set of earbuds with a $100 "device" sounds better to him than a pair of $10 headphones that are overpriced? Now imagine if he spent $100 on a decent pair of headphones.
 
M76 said:
What's with those anyway? I see more and more poeple wearing them everywhere. Is it some fashion choice like the iphone? Instead of an educated one?
Click to expand...

You have heard the rumors that an iPhone is a top tier device that stands at the top of all most every possible benchmark when it is released?

You have at least *heard* this before? :confused:
 
biggen said:
Besting a pair of Beats is setting the bar pretty damn low. Like on the ground...

How about a comparison of quality $200 phones like Sennheiser or Grado.
Click to expand...

Preach it! Beats are the Monster Cable of headphones.
 
Shitty site, shitty metrics, shitty title. This doesn't belong here, this isn't even close to [H]ard.
 
THRESHIN said:
It's just like buying Nike shoes, ipod, dyson vacuum, etc. You're buying the name and not necessarily the best or even good.

But don't just believe me, go try a pair out. You'll find them extremely bass heavy with little to no mid range. Forget the high range, it's not happening.

So if all you want is bass sure go get a pair. If you want to hear all of your music, move along.

I found that a $40 pair of Sony's sounded better...
Click to expand...

My $15 pair of Sony headphone sound better (and accurate) than that Beats junk.

Nothing sounds worse to me than over amplified booming base.
 
Monster no longer makes Beat headphones, they make their own branded headphones and some of them are actually decent sounding. I own Senn and beyer headphones but have listened to some Monster headphones that I wouldn't mind owning.
 
Because "Beats" are $10 headphones with $2 of flashy plastic and millions in marketing sold to complete idiots. Anyone who isn't acoustically deaf is going to buy better headphones.
 
Compare to an enttry-level Bose headset. Then we will see what that $100 device gets you.

Beats by Dre... No audiophile on earth would use those as a dollar-per-dollar comparison unless they wanted to loose ALL credibility.
 
Dekoth-E- said:
Because "Beats" are $10 headphones with $2 of flashy plastic and millions in marketing sold to complete idiots. Anyone who isn't acoustically deaf is going to buy better headphones.
Click to expand...

Which explains why Apple bought them :)
Perfect magical product for all their iBots.
 
It should have been called "Placebo" since that's basically what ends up being the true functionality. This is the audio equivalent of creating details in images that simply don't exist ala the 'Zoom in on that screw..." CSI meme:

 
This seems like a sponsored post, its on few large websites, then the small ones report is as news and voila it goes viral.
 
I seen a guy walking around with some Razer Krakens the other day can't miss those green things.
 
THRESHIN said:
It's just like buying Nike shoes, ipod, dyson vacuum, etc. You're buying the name and not necessarily the best or even good.

But don't just believe me, go try a pair out. You'll find them extremely bass heavy with little to no mid range. Forget the high range, it's not happening.

So if all you want is bass sure go get a pair. If you want to hear all of your music, move along.

I found that a $40 pair of Sony's sounded better...
Click to expand...

I found that most sony phones sound pretty good to me. Even the cheapo $10 ones.

I believe you about the beats, I never even wanted one considering how ridiculously overpriced they are. They sell them in the 150 - 300 range here.
 
M76 said:
I found that most sony phones sound pretty good to me. Even the cheapo $10 ones.

I believe you about the beats, I never even wanted one considering how ridiculously overpriced they are. They sell them in the 150 - 300 range here.
Click to expand...

I normally hate sony but really have to give them that. Love their low end headphones, always have. Beats just didnt' impress me, the sound was good don't get me wrong but it wasn't good for the price.
 
ianken said:
Preach it! Beats are the Monster Cable of headphones.
Click to expand...

Monster used to own beats.

Now Monster is suing them for intentionally undermining the value before sale.

Both companies are loosers.
 
M76 said:
What's with those anyway? I see more and more poeple wearing them everywhere. Is it some fashion choice like the iphone? Instead of an educated one?
Click to expand...

Yup, all that marketing seems to be working. People who buy Beats are not educated about the overpriced, poor quality headphones. The money Beats is making seems to be going into advertising, rather than quality. I see a bunch of celebrities endorsing Beats, and see them featured in popular music videos as well as in movies such as Avengers: Age of Ultron and Jurassic World. People are just buying it for brand recognition.
 
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