Beats by Dre

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The Donut

2[H]4U
Joined
Jan 28, 2003
Messages
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Hey,

I listened to a pair of the studio headphones in a store the other day and found them to sound outstanding. I was considering a pair.

I was just wondering if anyone had any experience with them?
 
do not get.


Id recommened sennheiser hd600/650 and denon d2000/5000 cans (around the same price range.) I'm assuming your using them with a computer? to amp them get a xonar essence ST(X) or a Musiland Monitor 002.
 
They are ok but overpriced compared to what you can get. More of a status symbol than anything. Not crap but kind of like bose.

Beyer 880 is another great choice.
 
You pay about £100 more for the name, keep looking, you'll find better for less e.g Sennheiser HD25-1 II
 
I will say the Beats are pretty meh IMO. Then again, it depends if you're wanting accurate music or overzealous bass production.
 
A general summary of beats:

One sunny afternoon, several marketing executives were brainstorming in a Bose conference room. "What we need is brand appeal, like Apple. Then we can raise prices"
 
I thought they sounded alright in store, though I have no idea what was powering them.

On the other hand, I picked up some Sennheiser ear buds and found them to be very lackluster.

I'm looking for some good audio, decent bass at around £100-£200.
 
You aren't going to get decent sound from earbuds. Cannal phones yes, buds no.
 
No point recommending open headphones for someone who wants closed headphones.
 
If you must have active noise cancelling...get the Sennheiser PXC 450's. They really are pretty amazing, and are in that 300 buck price range.
 
I listened to some of the upper Beats range in BestBuy the other day and they sounded pretty poor IMO... They were loud and a bit boomy but they had little range and didn't sound nearly as crisp as I expected. Actually they sounded exactly like when you set the EQ to a hip-hop preset or anything that cranks the lower frequencies and mutes the highs and mids.

Although to be fair it might just be that the demo station had done just that since the selling point is they they're boomy for rap & hip-hop.

I thought my Beyer DT-770's sounded better though, and they cost about half as much. Grados & AudioTechnica both also make good products in the sub $150 pricerange (or above, whichever)

Rarely though (IMO), do products that overly hype their badge or 'professional' spokesman live up to their price...
 
The Donut said:
I thought they sounded alright in store, though I have no idea what was powering them.

On the other hand, I picked up some Sennheiser ear buds and found them to be very lackluster.

I'm looking for some good audio, decent bass at around £100-£200.
Click to expand...

Hello fellow UK person :)
Again, i suggest the Sennheiser HD 25-1 II you can get them for around £125-£150 I have 2 pairs, that's how much i like them. Very precise, replaceable parts, build quality is brilliant in general, doesn't require much to power them = they're loud on portable use.
I have the HD 25SP-II as well, prefer the headband on the 1's though.

Amazon

Digital Village 24/7 (Basic Edition coems without a case (whoop-dee-doo)).
 
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My DT770 Pro/80ohm headphones destroy the beats when it comes to bass while costing significantly less.
 
@ the OP...

I actually own a set of Studio Beats (in white) and I really like them. I will mention that I actually really like how they look and I have the money to blow on an overpriced item that I want. I use mine as my mobile headphones, on the bus, at work, at school... They sound great for the music I listen to (rap, dubstep, dnb, house) and they work well for calls too. I find the sound similar to cars I used to drive that had subwoofers in them, that most audiophiles would scoff at, but I loved. The noise cancelling might not be the best, but they do a really nice job on the bus for me and I find them very comfortable. The Studio ones are also really nicely made, not like the flimsy Solo version. The only complaint I have with them is the sound leakage, anything above a medium volume level will be almost clearly audbile to someone close to you. The only time I really crank em up is on the bus, and I dont think people can hear it much over the bus/road noise, not that I really give a f about people on the bus...

It is also worth mentioning that I also own a set of DT770 Pro's that I love as well. They are my @ home pc/stereo headphones, which I use for the same type of music and gaming. I have them properly powered and they sound amazing. Not as much shaking bass, but still a ton of bass and awesome clarity. They are also extremely comfortable, which is possibly the most important factor to me. Back when I bought them, I was debating between them and some Sennheisers, but the Senns hurt my ear after like 10 minutes of use, so the choice was clear. This was just my head/ears though, and Senns are probably super comfy for others. I dont like to take the DT770s out and for me, the Studio Beats are better in the mobility area.

So...if you like the sound of the Beats (hopefully the Studio version), like the look, are okay with the price, and plan on using them on the go, definitely check em out. If you are looking for a more audiophile-friendly set for home use, and can power them properly, definitely check out the DT770, Sennheiers, or Audio Technica's.
 
Thanks for the input guys.

I'm going to be primarily using these for travelling and while at work - so they'll be powered merely by my Windows Phone 7 or my iMac.

I'm one that prefers some good bass; however there are some people close to me - I don't really want to disturb them if I can avoid it. Though, I won't be listening terribly loud.
 
The Donut said:
however there are some people close to me - I don't really want to disturb them if I can avoid it. Though, I won't be listening terribly loud.
Click to expand...

The HD 25's are good for this, excellent at keeping the noise in your ears rather than others.
Where about's in the UK are you? I would offer you a test on a pair of mine if you were in north Hertfordshire.

Edit: Wait... your profile says Canada, nevermind! lol
 
The Donut said:
Thanks for the input guys.

I'm going to be primarily using these for travelling and while at work - so they'll be powered merely by my Windows Phone 7 or my iMac.

I'm one that prefers some good bass; however there are some people close to me - I don't really want to disturb them if I can avoid it. Though, I won't be listening terribly loud.
Click to expand...

I agree with what ModKip said, but you'll need something else to fit your needs. Bass is hard to acquire without the use of an amp. A portable amp would work as well. You'll want a closed headphone design to prevent sound leakage that might bother people next to you. Perhaps another alternative which would retain bass and clarity while isolating sound would be In Ear Monitors. Some good ones would be Sennheiser IE7/8's, Yuin RE0's, Altec Lansing UHP336's, or any of the Ultimate Ears.
 
Rossi~ said:
The HD 25's are good for this, excellent at keeping the noise in your ears rather than others.
Where about's in the UK are you? I would offer you a test on a pair of mine if you were in north Hertfordshire.

Edit: Wait... your profile says Canada, nevermind! lol
Click to expand...

I'm in the UK! I moved from Canada last year!

I'm in West Midlands, Shrewsbury area!
 
BK_201 said:
I agree with what ModKip said, but you'll need something else to fit your needs. Bass is hard to acquire without the use of an amp. A portable amp would work as well. You'll want a closed headphone design to prevent sound leakage that might bother people next to you. Perhaps another alternative which would retain bass and clarity while isolating sound would be In Ear Monitors. Some good ones would be Sennheiser IE7/8's, Yuin RE0's, Altec Lansing UHP336's, or any of the Ultimate Ears.
Click to expand...

Any suggestions for a portable amp?
 
The Donut said:
Any suggestions for a portable amp?
Click to expand...

The FiiO E5, iBasso Cobra D10, and Pico Slim come to mind. It will depend on the impedance rating of your headphones though. Some portable amps won't have enough power to drive certain headphones.
 
I just bought a pair of Audio Technica's ATH-A700's for 150 quid yesterday, I must admit, they are worth every penny.

Also in the UK, have a look at https://www.hifiheadphones.co.uk/

Thats where I got mine from, and next day delivery also, plus as a bonus they send put a lollipop in the box with your item :)
 
I havent tried any other cans from that page, but what I can say is, the A700's really are great, decent bass, comfy as hell, blocks out alot of background noise, and thats just with the cans on your head without audio playing, and they give out a nice crisp clear sound, mind you I have only had them for 1 day, but compared to my technics cans which I paid a fortune for a couple years ago, these things totally wipe out my technics.

Personally I would say they are worth 150, but as someone else said, its subjective, what sounds good to me, might not sound good to you.

I listen everything from classical - rap and heavy bass tracks and these cans are well suited to the complete range of music I listen to.
 
Put it this way, i'm listening right now to Sennheiser CX300II ear buds and it's basically shit.

I'll be using these primarily for work; I listen to rap, metal, rock, some softer stuff and just want something that sounds good. I'm fed up of not having any bass listening with ear buds.
 
Well, I am listening to these things via the dedicated headphone output of my XFi Platinum, and these things have enough bass, actually they have a pretty decent bass. They are huge, but they have a great seal around the ears and they are EXTREMELY light and very very comfortable, I had them on most of yesterday and at times I actually forgot I was wearing them, with my technics after about an hour or so I get a sore left ear, but not with these things.

Also, think of it like this, UK distance selling laws, if you buy from that store and you dont like the headphones for ANY reason, just return them within I think its 7 or 10 days for a COMPLETE refund no questions asked. So you can try them out, if you dont like them pack em back up and send em back.

UK distance selling laws are great :)
 
EVIL-SCOTSMAN said:
Well, I am listening to these things via the dedicated headphone output of my XFi Platinum, and these things have enough bass, actually they have a pretty decent bass. They are huge, but they have a great seal around the ears and they are EXTREMELY light and very very comfortable, I had them on most of yesterday and at times I actually forgot I was wearing them, with my technics after about an hour or so I get a sore left ear, but not with these things.

Also, think of it like this, UK distance selling laws, if you buy from that store and you dont like the headphones for ANY reason, just return them within I think its 7 or 10 days for a COMPLETE refund no questions asked. So you can try them out, if you dont like them pack em back up and send em back.

UK distance selling laws are great :)
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Does this apply to Amazon, as well? They state that any returns must be unopened?

Also these will be powered mainly by my Windows Phone 7 or iMac, though I might invest in a cheap amplifier if it's cost-effective!
 
Um, amazon can state what they want, but its the UK distance selling laws that take precedence.

Aslong as you box the shit up correctly and dont break anything, then you can return the item no problem.

Also, if it breaks within the first year, you are entitled to a refund/repair/replacement, if it happens within the first 6 months, then the law states that the item was faulty from the day or purchase and you can demand a refund, even if the retailer only wants to give you a replacement.

But yea, the UK distance selling laws apply to amazon aswell ( it has to be a UK based company for the UK distance selling laws to apply ), you can try the item for X amount of days and if you dont like it, then the item HAS to be returned within that period otherwise the sale will count.

And it gets even better, if you dig deeper into consumer laws, you will see that the UK and EU consumer laws are great and are always in the favour of the consumer. one EU law states something about electronic items having a 6 year warranty, I havent read much into that, but supposedly things are warrantied upto 6 years, but 99% of the public and companies dont know about it, but its supposedly a law of some kind.

Since you have moved to the UK, get acquainted with the consumer laws, as they are totally different from north america

here

http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/business_leaflets/general/oft698.pdf

^ Distance Selling Regulations in a pdf if you are interested.

Also this is a quick guide

http://www.onlineshoppingrights.co.uk/understanding-uk-distance-selling-regulations.html

Basically you have a 7 day cooling off period for anything you buy over the phone or internet or any other medium that isnt a shop.
 
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For what it's worth, they're by the overpriced Monster Cable company. The same people that will sue you if your name so much as begins with the letter M. Something you might consider if you are thinking of buying them.
 
Dr. Dre might be a god at producing music but his headphones suck.

I got a pair of Solo HDs with my Envy 14 Beats and I sold them on Ebay for $170. Not worth it at all. Maybe under $100 but for nearly $200 its horrible. Wayy too much bass. Only good for rap but if you happen to listen to anything else they suck.

My gaming headphones blew these away. (Sennheisers PC350)
 
Im very surprised nobody recommended the Audio Technica M50s. They are $100. I was deciding between this and the DT770 and ended up purchasing the M50. I cant wait to get them. They have really great, clean bass I hear along with very good highs and mids. The only downside of these are that they do not provide the wide sound stage that you get from open headphones. If you like the Beats, you should love these.

If you want something a little cheaper, you can go with the JVC RX900 or RX700. Both are closed and should provide better bass than the A700.
 
The Donut said:
Thanks for the input guys.

I'm going to be primarily using these for travelling and while at work - so they'll be powered merely by my Windows Phone 7 or my iMac.

I'm one that prefers some good bass; however there are some people close to me - I don't really want to disturb them if I can avoid it. Though, I won't be listening terribly loud.
Click to expand...

I come from the DJ world, and we like our headphones with good, loud sound, that are easily transported, and built like a tank.

The HD 25s fit the bill. They aren't noise-cancelling, but if they can mute the sound of a packed club, they'll cover just about anything. They're rock solid, and made of easily replaceable parts. They sound great, are efficient, and can handle a lot of power. I can't think of a much better set of cans in my opinion.

The SPs are cheaper, but do not have the reputation of the originals. HD 25-1 IIs for the win.
 
Pyroja said:
I come from the DJ world, and we like our headphones with good, loud sound, that are easily transported, and built like a tank.

The HD 25s fit the bill. They aren't noise-cancelling, but if they can mute the sound of a packed club, they'll cover just about anything. They're rock solid, and made of easily replaceable parts. They sound great, are efficient, and can handle a lot of power. I can't think of a much better set of cans in my opinion.

The SPs are cheaper, but do not have the reputation of the originals. HD 25-1 IIs for the win.
Click to expand...

Someone that agrees with me :)

Rossi~ said:
Hello fellow UK person :)
Again, i suggest the Sennheiser HD 25-1 II you can get them for around £125-£150 I have 2 pairs, that's how much i like them. Very precise, replaceable parts, build quality is brilliant in general, doesn't require much to power them = they're loud on portable use.
I have the HD 25SP-II as well, prefer the headband on the 1's though.

Amazon

Digital Village 24/7 (Basic Edition coems without a case (whoop-dee-doo)).
Click to expand...
 
As an Amazon Associate, HardForum may earn from qualifying purchases.
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