The HD 25 series has been around for 15 years and this has been my 2nd purchase of the famed dual-band headphone.
 

 
Value: 10 years ago, if you are purchasing a $200 headphone it would've sounded absurd. Thanks to Beats by Dre, $200 headphones are now a steal. For $200, you get 2 pairs of ear pads (1) velour and (1) synthetic, also you get a nylon carrying bag, and of course the star of the show, the HD 25-1 II.
 
Audio Quality: HD25s are a favorite among DJs and broadcasters, although it is primarily designed for studio use, I rarely see this headphone used for mixing and remastering. The most common headphone, I see in studios are the ATH-M50 and SRH-840s.
 
Bass: It is there, present and just about right for a variety of tracks such as rock, hiphop, jazz, RnB, acoustic. But, if you are a basshead, this might not be for you. Bass is not deep as the ATH-M50s and the pacing is not as fast. This headphone will suffer from house music and dubstep. 
 
Mids: Now this is HD25s cream, the mids are very revealing, it is an ENG headphone after all, it will be unforgiving on bad recorded tracks as you will hear all the pops on the vocals. This is great if you like absolute precision when mixing. And, those who love vocals will definitely enjoy this.
 
Highs: Average, rolled-off in some tunes, very common in studio headphones. Purposely done, not to fatigue your ears for long listening session.
 
Design and Comfort: HD25s are a ruggedly designed headphones, they are used almost everywhere by professionals. It is a favorite among DJs because of its isolation. This headphone can cancel out 20db of noise, better than those noise-cancelling headphones with batteries. Standing right into a noisy washing machine, I can't hear a thing with only 60% volume from an iPod, that's amazing. With isolation, you lose comfort. But in my case, I find this headphone very comfortable, the padding are well-balanced to distribute the clamping force of the band.
 

 
If you have a small ear, then it be uncomfortable. For medium and large ears, they'll be comfy since they will sit just on the inner side of the ear. Build quality is very good, plastics are tough, but not as polished as say Audio-Technicas. The plastics on the HD-25s are unpolished and raw. But, since I own this for 10 years, they are very reliable.
 
Split band will secure the headphone better, although, I'm not a fan of it. I use them as a single band. Also, there are a lot of aftermarket parts for this headphone, no worrying in breaking them. Replaceable ear cups, headband, cables with different flavors, ear pads and more.

 
Overall: The past 10 years, nothing has changed. But, this little headphone will continue to wow new enthusiasts and it will continue on production forever. If there is something to improve, it is to polish the plastic make it look more presentable and classy. Overall, it is still a highly recommended headphone, and it is my favorite DJ headphone for the clubs and commute.
 
 
 
 

NOTE: To give justice on headphones, you should always compare them with products are in the same price range and target audience, not with audiophile-grade headphones like the HD800s.
 
It is very hard to review these headphones as they are in the middle of the pack. It is a step toward the right direction for Koss to rename this headphone as "TBSE1" or Tony Bennett Signature Edition 1, since they are better fit for studio reproduction than for DJing.
 

 
Value: Again, at the $100 price range there are better options such as the Philips CitiScape Downtowns, the Grados, WS55s, but for what the package offers, it is pretty good. First, you have a hard-carrying case which I don't see at any $100 headphone, removable coiled cables, machined-aluminum ear cups, 17 digital music downloads, and musical legend Tony Bennett's signature etched on the headband and both cups.
 

 
Audio Quality: Here's where a lot of argument will rise. When Koss released this headphone before with the name DJ100 people complained that it is lacking punch from its bass. I would have agreed with them, but when you are DJing you are really not concerned about the lower bass range, but the mid bass range, it is where you do your beat counts. So this headphone may not be particularly good for general consumers, but for professionals they will do their job.
 
Lows: Bass response is very accurate, good for music reproduction, but may not sit well for general consumers. Its bass doesn't go deep, but the mid bass is very accurate and will give you enough punch.
 
Mids: Is the selling point of these cans at $100 there's no better cans that produces a better vocal reproduction. The Grados are also very good with the mids, but they are too forward. The mids produced by the TBSE1s are not fatiguing in any manner.
 
Highs: Slightly rolled off, but present. They are papery sound into it. Technically, they do not exceed in the low and highs category, but when you mix them with the mids they are very easy to listen to. So what good are these headphones? Musicality and pacing, very good.
 
We audiophiles have always been too technically which is a strong point and also a weakness. Some forgotten the importance of music. And, this headphone gives you that beautiful natural melody. If you want to escape the techno-babble of the world and relax somewhere else, this is the headphone that will do it for you.
 
Design: This is one of the better designed headphones around. The cups are machined aluminum, hinges are aluminum built too. Tony Bennett's signature is embedded on the headband, not just printed like any other headphones. One downside to this headphone is they should've used a better material for the ear pads. I guess what's lacking with this headphone is the craftsmanship. It needs more precision, but not an issue with me they are very tough and durable.
 

 
Comfort: While I hear some complaints regarding its fit, I have no complaints for it. Maybe if you have a humongous head that's your problem. For me, the headband has a good fit, they aren't clampy compared to the M50s or the PRO700MK2s. My ears fit the ear pads, even though I have bigger than average ears.
 
Overall: There are better options if you want a more neutral headphone, a bassy headphone, a DJ headphone, a monitoring headphone for the $100-$150 price range. But, if you want very good mids this headphone is worth looking.
 
Update: With the PRO700MK2s' pads the Koss TBSEs' sound improved. The bass got tighter and punchier, more prominent. The soundstage got wider and the imaging improved more. Koss TBSEs' ear cups are the standard 90mm which will fit any DJ over-ear headphone.
 

Today, I am reviewing my old partner at work, the Aiaiai TMA-1 "DJ" headphones and I am putting an emphasis on the word DJ. There have been many good reviews on this headphone, but none has actually pointed out to their true nature as DJ headphones.

Remember from day 1, these headphones are designed by DJs for DJs, not for producers, not for general consumers, not for audiophiles. This is a pure DJ headphone, unlike the Sennheisers HD25s which caters a wider variety of professional uses like broadcasting and studio monitoring.

So what's the main difference with other professional headphone monitors? These are designed and tested for the field which means mixing and DJing in a noisy club environment, not your silent-comfy-listening room or your bedroom DJ.
 


Value: For an asking price of $199 for a professional equipment, it is competively priced.  You get a soft carrying case, although I would love to get a hard case since moving around heavy DJ equipment is a rough job. And, something as small as a headphone bag can be thrown around. You also get a removable coiled 1.7m cable which extends to 10 feet, very good professional use. A set of replacement pads with different flavors, a synthetic leather with foam and a mixed leather pads.

Packaging is very well done, aesthetics is top notch; however, if the packaging cost you a hard case, I would rather have a hard case than a very nice box.
 
Audio Quality: People have them compared to ATH-M50, but that doesn't give justice to this headphone. The ATH-M50s are a proper studio headphone and the TMA-1 is a proper DJ headphone. And, if you are to compare them with a headphone of the same class, then it should be the PRO700MK2.
 
What is the perfect sound signature for DJing? It's dark sounding, and the TMA-1s offers you this listening experience which is very good for long listening, high volume tunes, beat-matching, and beat-counting. They aren't supposed to be as detailed as your studio monitors, as DJs we are more concerned with the pacing, the rhythm, and the beat.
 
Lows: are very punchy, very good for beat-counting. Mids: well-controlled, has some forwardness into them, works well with your cue-points. Highs: are distant and recessed, they are made to sound like that since we play tunes at a high volume in noisy clubs which makes them non-fatiguing for long-use.
 
Between the PRO700MK2s, they have softer and smoother bass, better controlled. The Audio-Technicas simply assaults your senses, they work well with electronic house. Both of them are pure breed DJ headphones, and aren't meant to be your casual bassy headphones.
 
Design: Although this is a DJ headphone, there is no swivelling features. Some DJs do rest their headphones on the table and pick them up with one ear. Not a problem though, most DJs rests their headphone on the table because they are heavy and big, the TMA-1s are very light and small, and it goes unnoticeable.
 
[size=9pt]The band is covered with a rubbery material, it looks sleek but it can get chipped off on a very busy DJ booth. The headband is stretchable and very well-built very good for cueing with one ear even better than the HD25s.[/size]
 
[size=9pt]Comfort: [/size][size=9pt]is top-notch. It sits well on your head, they have enough clamp, but not enough to bother you while you spin your way to your turntables. They are a bit-loose sometimes which is also good when you are monitoring the club. Although, they don't have a swiveling feature, they are comfortable with one ear cueing.[/size]
 
[size=9pt]Overall: [/size]This is the first time, I have given 5 stars to all categories. For a DJ utility headphone, this is simply perfect. But, of course if you are reviewing them as an audiophile or casual listening they aren't perfect because they are not supposed to be used for non-pro use. If you want a proper audiophile headphone from Aiaiai, then simply wait for the TMA-1 Studio headphones.
 
While they are DJ headphones, I believe they can also fit for commute, with the dark sounding signature they are very nice for noisy environments and long commute hours. But, for casual listening in a very cozy and silent room, you would definitely pick out the faults on this headphone. So let's just keep it that way.
 

If you want to audition or buy these headphones, then you should listen to them in a place that is very noisy, you'll will experience the true value of these headphones and why they were designed to sound that way.
 
Update: Had to deduct one star with the design, it's been just over a year and the pegs which holds the ear cups has created a space which caused it to shake. Could've been stressed by cueing with one ear, since it doesn't have any swivel features. There were isolated cases from customers that their headband cracked, mine hasn't but when I compare them with a newer one, I notice that the band has gotten flimsy. Will let you readers know when they should break.
 

I've seen alot of PRO700MK2 reviews labelling them as "Bassy" headphones and "uncomfortable", please stop. These aren't meant to be for your "casual" listening, Audio-Technica designed these headphones with "utility" in mind. A exclusively for DJs and I will elaborate why.
 
Unboxing




 
I have heard complaints about the Pro700Mk2s' clamping issues. Audio-Technica has advertised these headphones as DJ "Monitor" headphones they are supposed to be worn with one ear. If you need a comfy headphone for your two ears, you should look into AT's "Earsuit" series or the WS55/WS70s.
 
Value: For a DJ headphone retailing at $159-$209 with a build quality of a tank, solid isolation, and detailed mids and highs, and well-extended punchy bass, these headphones are well-recommended in the DJ world.
 
Audio Quality: DJs in noisy environments will enjoy this, the bass is really punchy and extended you will not miss your bit counts. BPMs are very important to DJs and this headphone offers you them in thundering style. Mids and highs are well detailed good for doing those cuts and drops on the fly. The sound signature is accentuated bass, then flat mids and highs.
 
If you do not understand the demands of being a DJ, you really need a very good isolating, secure clamping headphone which is why AT designed this headphone to really give your head a bear-hug. For audiophiles, I will recommend XB500s instead of the Pro700mk2s, if size is not an issue.
 
Design: Audio-Technica designs this as a "utility over aesthetics" headphone. There's really nothing eye-popping with these headphones, but their sheer size. They are technically smaller than the M50s, but they look bigger. They are built solid with high quality military-grade plastics. You are also given two (2) 1.2m cables. 1 straight cable and 1 coiled cable which extends for about 9 or 10 feet.
 


 
Comfort: Wearing them with 1 ear, they are comfortable than most DJ headphones, I have used. The ear pads feels circumaural with the large opening. With 2 ears, they will clamp hard, but they are not designed to be worn like your usual headphone. If you aren't a DJ, keep out. But, if you are a hard-core audiophile who doesn't care about comfort issues, then go for it.
 
Update: How to make it comfy, add 5mm of memory foam pads. Resting them on 22cm boxes does lessen those clamping force. Audio-Technica has noted that the base of the headband are indeed aluminum and can be bent.

 
Overall: Very solid DJ headphones, one of the best. I would definitely recommend them for the isolation and the solid bass. It will really help DJs not to miss any beat. Are these audiophile headphones? Definitely not. If you want an audiophile headphone, there's a lot of options Audio-Technica is offering. Would I recommend these for casual listeners? Never, if you want a bassy headphones for casual listeners go for the Sony XB500, you will have comfort and very tight-bass extensions.
 
Again, these are DJ headphones designed for DJ monitoring on live-performances! If you need a headphone for mixing or recording get the M50s.
 
If I am to review these as your audiophile/casual listening headphones, these would fail for one big reason. Comfort wearing these on two ears will destroy your listening pleasure. As your are more concentrated on the head-clamp rather than the music.
 
Update: Audio-Technica confirmed that just like the M50, the Pro700Mk2's frame is made out of aluminum so I wrestled with them and bent them into the shape of my head. They are now very comfy just like the M50s; however, they don't fold-up tightly anymore. It is fine with me as long as it will fold-up and fit its bag.
 

1.  
   

    
   

   1. How do I reduce the tightness of my ATH-PRO700MK2 headphones?
   2.   http://eu.audio-technica.com/en/support/questions/question.asp?id=219

    
    

   Click to expand...

   
    
   

Here's some pictures:


 
The original clamp had the two pads touching each other, after I bent them it looked like this, but I'm quite satisfied with the comfort. Something just have to go and comfort is better than foldability.
 
 

 
Update: With TBSEs' pads the PRO700MK2s isolation improved, since the pads were softer it conformed more with your face, blocking out spaces. Also, comfort improved a bit with the softer pads. But at what expense? The mid-bass got muddy and it messed up the mids as well.
 

Value: For an asking price of $55-60, it is a very good deal. The sound quality is above average for this price point. Best buy among the SJ series and will give you a taste of entry-level "HiFi" sound.
 
Audio Quality: Against its little brothers the SJ11 and SJ33, the SJ55 headphones stands-out by a mile. It has this mild touch of HiFi sound into it. With that, I'll be comparing this can to the WS55. 
 
Lows: The bass of the SJ55s seems to have more power, more punch than the WS55s. While the WS55s have better bass extension. Compared to AKG K518LE, the bass of this can is definitely better. I thought the K518LE bass are a bit muddy and distorted.
 
Mids: Just like most Audio-Technica headphones, they have warm sounding vocals. Tuned for female vocals.
 
Highs: Somewhat lacking and rolled off. Don't expect this cans to stand-out with acoustic and live music though.
 
Design: If you have a Pro700Mk2 headphone, they are exactly the same without the headband padding. They look like a miniature version. There's no structural weakness I can see with the design. The plastics are sturdy, it will survive falls, it won't break when sit upon. It also folds to a portable size, just like the Pro700Mk2s, and also offers the same swivel features. Isolation is very good even at 50% volume it blocks outside noise. Leakage is also well controlled, at 80% volume you barely hear a thing leaking out of them. The cups have aluminum rings on them, they look like plastic, but Audio-Technica confirmed they are aluminum. This aluminum rings are made to provide stability and prevent vibration from the sound the driver produces.
 
For a very affordable and small headphone, Audio-Technca really got technical into this. One caveat on these cans that consumers might now like, is it doesn't have any padding on the headband area. But, since it is so light it's not going to be an issue.
 
This should be a good can when listening to silent rooms like libraries. Great for studets.
 
But, compare to the WS55. The WS55 stands out with its classy aluminum ear cups.

 
 
Comfort: Good but not great. This might be a deal breaker for some. But, since these are advertised as a DJ portables it is quite good, it creates a very good seal but doesn't have this James Bond Girl thigh lock clamps like the Pro700Mk2s. The ear pad sits on your ears might be uncomfortable for some.
 
If you grade this as a consumer portable, then this would fail since comfort is one of the most important aspect when it comes to portables. 
 
For a DJ portable, these are above average, very good seal, it blocks noise in and out, with one ear it is comfortable.
 
Update: After resting them on my desktop speakers, it did stretched some, comfort level has improved a notch. With velour pads, comfort level changed significantly while suffering mild leaks at 70%

 
Overall: I would recommend this headphones for DJ on the go. A cheap alternative to those HD-25s. Above average SQ for the price. Very durable withstands stress test quite well. Doesn't I don't see any structural weakness. It is primarily made out of high-grade plastics, very solid. I can fold down to size and will fit your hand bag. It does fit on my walking-shorts, but I don't think they'll fit with my pants.
 
For a portable DJ headphone at $50, these are very good. They are marginally better than those overpriced AKG K518LE DJ; however, I thought those cans has better styling/build.

There are only 2000 pieces of this anniversary version, unfortunately, people doesn't know how to read Japanese which makes it harder to order from a Japanese web site. Advantage LOL
 
Value: You have elegance, exclusivity, classiness, pristine musical reproduction with a hefty price of course. Technically, this headphone is not for everybody. Consumers might want to pass on this one.

 
Audio Quality: The initial word that comes to mind when listening to this headphone is clarity. Audio Technica has long been known for that warm sound. This offer impeccable detail and precision. The advertised frequency response is rated at 5-42,000Hz. I would need my dog's advice for the 23,000 to 42,000 sound range, that's a big laugh. Okay, seriously, they are a little forward in the mids, and this could be a dream for vocal and acoustic fans. The mids are incredibly butterly-smooth. The highs have so much detail that it maybe too harsh for general consumers. The lows are very detailed and well-balanced; however, the bass extension is a little lacking. The low-end of the bass at 20Hz is a little subdued in comparison to the rest of the tonal range.
 
I have yet to really burn this, when I reach the 200 hours mark, I will then make a proper review with the sound quality.
 
Design: "Japan" insignia, the spiritual birthplace of the Audio-Technica line. The lacquer-finish from a Hokkaido Asada cherry heartwood tree. The carefully crafted audio jack. These headphones spell class at its finest. Would I stress test this? No way. I will be so delicate with these babies.

 
Comfort: The stock-pads on these cans are said to be made of "lambskin", they feel so good definitely better than cow's hide leather. They also have a [size=small]3D wing support for a great fit and long-wearing comfort. These babies are up there.[/size]
 
These headphones will definitely give you a piece of that "heavenly sound". Build by audiophiles for audiophiles. For the hefty price, these aren't for the general consumers. You'll have to be a full-fledged audiophile for this one.

After 200 hours of burn-in, I will give a proper review on these cans.
 
Value: For an asking price of $34-76 these cans are very good. You get a total package of portability, flashy design, well-balanced sound, and unsurpassed comfort.
 
Audio Quality: After 200 hours of burn-in, I find these cans dynamic sounding. It controls the amount of lows, mids, and high exceptionally well. At this price point, you can compare them to Brainwavz HM3, but the HM3s are certainly better in every way.
 
As a drum musician myself, I know how drums sounds, I've played more than 30 drum-kits in my lifetime. There were claims that these are natural sounding and clean, but after really listening to them, I find graining in the sound of the cymbals and hhopens. The drum sound that are produced in these cans are similar to electronic drum kits such as the TR-606/808. That said, these are far from natural.
 
Auditioning these cans with tunes from the Far East Movement, they are very good since the bass on those tunes that are electronic in nature. But, when used them with Jazz tunes, they are lacking in punch. In Santana's Smooth, the bongo's drums are completely gone and the cymbals are completely grained.
 
The sound produced on these cans are fun, but not to be used as reference. They bass needs punch and the high lacks in smoothness. It's a consumer headphone, not for professionals.
 
Update: After listening to Santana's Smooth for the 20th time, I found the culprit, it doesn't have a very good music separation between the drums and guitars, which makes the drums sound electronic next to an electric guitar. In drum solo, the sound is there but it still lacks punch. It lacks conviction that tells "Hey, I am a drum" hear my beat. Lacks clarity on cellos too.
 
Design: This can is a beauty. It looks slick, the ear cups looks metallic; however, they are plastic. The ear cup holder is made out of anodized aluminum which is pretty sturdy. The headband however, I believe is made out of plastic. The design of the ear pads sits on your ear and it creates a very good seal. It doesn't leak your music at all. The wires are flat, but they aren't oxygenated rubber. The cables from Sony XB500/300s are better. These cans can also fold flat for storage.
 
Plus the head band itself doesn't stickout like Batman's ears. Most of headphones today sticks out, this is flat on the sides regardless if you have a big head.
 
Update on Design: Major design flaw with the hinge support. The designers have clearly overlooked this one. It's a major rule in design to make your design reliable first, then concentrate on the aesthetics later. This model, just like the Monster Beats product line stands "aesthetics first over the design reliability". A major deal breaker.
 
Probably that's why this model, SHL5500 is so hard to find in the market. Maybe Philips is silently killing this model due to the design flaw.
 
Again, I have to deduct major amount of points for this design failure.

 
Comfort: Spot-on, regardless how big your head is. The cushions are soft and Philips advertises them as cow-hide leather. It may not be as durable as pleather but atleast they are replaceable with generic 75mm pads. The headband doesn't have hard contact points and it is entirely made out of some foam material.
 
For the asking price of this headphone, they are very well recommendable. But, if you are looking for a better sound quality at the same price point, I would recommend Brainwavz HM3s.
 
But for the overall value for comfort, sound quality, and design this would be a better deal since the HM3s have an issue the ear cup seal and comfort. For long listening, commute, and decent sound quality this would be my number 1 choice for portables.
 
Update: deducted 1.5 stars for the major design flaw, it is a deal breaker after all. Too bad for a nice headphone.

 
If you are familiar with Fischer Audio FA-004 these cans are exactly the same. These are simply rebranded/rebadged/reincarnated version of those headphones. Just as the ones before it they are definitely a steal for such price.
 
Into the review. At a first glance the packaging is very good, it comes with an extra pair of ear pads, finally somebody has thought of that. It also comes with a professional gold-plated ¼ adapter screwed into the 3.5mm jack for DJ and production use.
 
Design:  Very retro looking, very nice, built-quality is very good. You can bend them horizontally without breaking them. The ear cups are made-out of high-quality plastics, the headband is made out of aluminum. The headband looks and smells like real leather; however, I think they are pleather.  The cables aren’t detachable, they are tangle-free and thick. The 3.5mm jack is gold-plated; however, it is a straight connector rather than an L-shaped.  In theory, L-shaped connectors are better in relieving stress in the cables.
 
The major flaw is the headband design, it is shaped like the letter “C” which doesn’t create a seal for most heads. But, you can always straighten them out with the use of some cloth and pliers. The cloth is of course to prevent plier-marks .
 
Update: After a month of use I didn't see any damage, now for the extreme test. I really tried pulling these cans in all directions, hitting them hard on the floor. I can say that these are extremely rugged and can hold for a lifetime of normal use. If they are able to stand the abuse.

 
Comfort: Without bending them the C-shaped headband would be terribly uncomfortable, but after bending them they sit well to your ears and they are quite comfortable and roomy for an on-ear pads.
 
Audio Quality: Out of the box, they are very good. Well balanced, the bass is strong but not over-powering just right for any music. The mids and highs are reasonably detailed for the price. You would think that these cans are at $130-$150 for their sound quality, but in-fact they are just $40 the price of some over-priced ear pad replacements. How could you go wrong? There are some flaws with it too, there are some peaks with the trebles, but if you like the sounds of cymbals crashing then this might be your cup of tea. I have played FLAC files with the likes of Daft Punk, Jamiroquai, Chesky Jazz, Led Zeppelin, they all sound very good.
 
Value: For a modest price of $40, I would definitely recommend this for incoming-audiophiles

Short and sweet review, I bought this at Best Buy during their launch about $106. They were an upgrade to Apple's white buds and provided more detail unfortunately even with careful use the buds started to break in less than a year. Would I recommend them? After the $60 price drop, yes.

The first time I unboxed these cans, the first impression were whoa that is some big cushions as Sony would refer to them as "king-sized" cushions.
 
Sound Quality: These are true basshead cans, these cans are best among the Sony XB series (XB1000, XB700, XB300) because of their balance. The other XBs produces unnatural bass sounds. While it is better than its other brothers, this is still no match to Audio-Technica PRO700MK2s when it comes to bass quality and volume. The mids and highs feel distant, yet they are very clear.
 
Build Quality: I've tested the XB300s before bent them all the way 360 degrees and the band won't break. The only weakness I see in these XB series cans are the hinges that holds the cups. But, you have to totally abuse them in order for them to break. It is entirely made out of high quality plastics and they are very good.
 
Design: When you bring these cans out in the open, people will immediately recognize you as an audiophile due to the size of those cushions; however, girls may see you as a geek lol. In my personal preference, I wouldn't use them as portables as they are too big. I will instead go for the XB300s. I also love the flat spaghetti like cables. These cans is better to stay in homes.
 
Isolation: Unlike the XB300s, the isolation of XB500s are terrible. They don't block outside noise, and they leak massively which is entirely the opposite of the 300s. I find them very good when playing movies, they feel real because of their massive sub-woofer sound.
 
Comfort: Nothing comes close to this when it comes to comfort; although, they may cause your ears to be warm in the summer since they put a seal around your ears. The cushions hugs to your ears like marshmallows.
 
Value: the price is a steal, you won't find a headphone with this quality.

Fresh out of the box, with 0 burn-in hours, I put their headphones on my head I immediately noticed the signature hard-clamps of an Audio-Technica and an exceptionally clarity of its sound.
 
Demoed on FLAC quality audio using tunes from Daft Punk (dance), Lost Fingers (jazz crossover), Best of Chesky and Audiophile tests (jazz), Sitti Navarro (live bossa), Damien Marley (reggae/hiphop crossover), Deadmau5 (house), Norah Jones (classic jazz), everything played nicely.
 
Value: For an asking price of $70 to $105, this is a steal. The build quality is great, signature sounds of an Audio-Technica; clear mids and highs, punchy natural sounding bass, simply like a baby-M50s
 
Audio Quality: Lows: The volume of bass of the WS55s is definitely more than the M50s, in terms of quality? The M50s edges them in a tiny fraction. The bass aren't accentuated like the PRO700MK2s, it is definitely more refined, natural sounding, no vibrations, the dual air chamber does its job. Mids: Unlike the M50s where the mids are recessed, the WS55s have a more forward mids, you can definitely here the vocals more (and these babies are fresh out of the box). Highs: M50s are definitely better with the highs, but the WS55s are fine. The highs rolls off politely to the next note. They aren't over-extended, nor they are piercing. 
 
These are definitely an upgrade from the previous WS50 and WS70 models.
 
Design: I, an industrial designer myself is impressed with the minimalistic look of the WS55s. They are definitely stylish, but they aren't like an attention whore (like the Beats or other celebrity headphones). The WS55s are like the Mercedes Benz of headphones, beautiful, refined, and classy. While the Beats are like your typical sports car, I need attention, look at me. 
 
The headphones themselves fold flat, but they don't fold like a shell i.e. M50s. The cups only rotate by 30 degrees that's it, but they do rotate 180 degrees sideways. Also, I would have love them more, if these had removable cables. Another thing about these cans is that the band adjustment is small and it won't fit you if you have a very large head.
 
Update: I'll be doing my usual disassembly and stress tests. I must say these cans are mighty impressive when it comes to durability. I don't see any structural weakness having the cans disassembled. You can flex the aluminum base, but the plastic structuring were carefully thought about. Props to Audio-Technica for a job well-done
 

 
Comfort: A step better than the M50s, the ear pad size is an issue for small and big ears. It has an irregular sized ear pads which sits on the ear, but feels like an over-ear on the tips. But, they definitely have softer cushions than the M50s. They are breathable, plush, almost comparable to the pads you find in the Beats Studio. The hard clamp is definitely a signature of Audio-Technicas mid-range lines. M50s, PRO700MK2s, PRO500MK2s, WS70s, WS50s, ES7s, they all suffer from that same clamping force which Audio-Technica argues that is used to seal the headphones.
 
But, since Audio-Technica have very rugged build, you can stretch them out flat or rest them into a couple of books to loosen them up.
 
Update: comfort improved significantly without the headband pads, since the ear pads were able to sit in your ear rather than outside of your ear.

 
Overall: These babies are worth the purchase, they are definitely great sounding headphones, balanced mids and highs, very clear given a punchy bass to the package. Bass lovers will love it, as well as those who listens to acoustics, classicals, or ambient sounds. They are advertised as bassy headphones, but they are definitely a well-rounder.
 
If not for the comfort, this is going to be definitely 5 stars. For it's versatility, value for its class this is a 4.5 stars
 

Dr. Dre like this

 
This is probably the most recommended headphones in the audiophile world. The Audio-Technica is an instant classic, the value for its price is simply unbeatable. Its versatility? A chameleon of headphones. Classical, club, dance, pop, reggae, rock, techno? name it, and this set of cans can play it.
 
Overall its value is 5 of 5. I would gladly pay $250 for them.
 
Audio Quality: Lows: The bass is punchy, but just about right. It's is not overwhelming, it doesn't make the mids and highs muddy. The balance is just perfect. Very natural bass. Mids: a little recessed, but also positive in a way, they're not going to hurt your ears as they roll off quite well. Highs: Perfect, and they are not accentuated in a way that is very tiring to listen to. Very accurate high sonics may pierce to your ears and be hard for long listening sessions. The sound of these cans are like open-back headphones, but they are indeed closed back.
 
Design: The M50s are plain and janes, but I quite like them. They come in black with those stainless aluminum linings which is an-ongoing signature between Audio-Technica's products. These headphones are built like a tank, it is primarily build on very high quality plastics. I assume these are ABS plastics. The headphone jack is made out of gold and steel with a spring stress relief which looks very professional. The cord is very thick and the coiled cable is something I am pleased with. Since they are a swiveling closed cans, you can use the for either studio recording or DJing. Plus, they fold small, you can always bring them in your bag, very portable.
 
If there is something I would change on this headphones, is to add removable cables like the PRO700MK2s.
 
Comfort: This is probably the only con of this headphone. The clamping force of this headphones are headache inducing, especially fresh out of the box. Audio-Technicas are very notorious known for this clamping issues. I have a WS55s and they also clamp hard. But, you can stretch them out with some books, I personally put them on my computer speakers and they loosen up over time. When you are used to them, you won't find it as an issue. Maybe velour pads could help.
 
Since comfort was discussed, I'm going to discuss inside and outside isolation. I though the engineers produced this heavy clamp for isolation. M50s are terrible in blocking outside noise regardless it is a closed and sealed headphones, however, they are pretty good at preventing sound leakage.
 
Overall: No question, this is definitely the most recommended headphone in the audiophile world. A chameleon of headphones.

First impression: The first time I saw this headphone, I thought they were stylishly beautiful with the Adidas emblem and the white and blue theme. The packaging was really nice.
 
Build: After opening the box, I find the headphone's plastic very cheap. Although, they don't break, it feels they are very hollow. The white plastic on the hinge turns yellowish due to oxidation, while the band maintains its whitish color which looks like a mess. Yellow, white, and blue don't match together. The ear pads which I don't think are replaceable are durable and doesn't peel off. But, the white pads underneath the headband crumbles like rubber and gets this black spots.
 
Sound quality: This headphones have a similar sound signature as the Marshall Major, it lacks bass. But, its mids and highs are very clear. However, I find it to have a piercing sensation when having long listening session.
 
Comfort: This headphone doesn't have any clamp and it has a very breathable ear pads, but I would have liked a little clamp to hold the headphones to your head, or a little wider ear pads.
 
Isolation: Although it's an on-ear headphones, the pads aren't memory foam so it leaks your tunes even at 60 or 70% volume. And, it also doesn't isolate you from outside noise very much.
 
Conclusion: Would I recommend this headphones? absolutely not. It is a nice looking headphone, but it runs out of its mojo when it gets yellowish. Its sound aren't top notch even for its class, unless you are listening to rock and roll all the time. It is quite overpriced for its class. Maybe Sennheiser should sell this one for $30, but yes you have the Adidas logo which is the only thing you paid for.

Let's get this over quick. Bought this XB300 today,  freshly out of the box. 0 hours burn-in. Writing this review while listening to them.
 
Sound Quality: Out of the box, they are terrible. They might improve with a little burn-in. The selling feature of these headphones are its bass and it is so colored that it overwhelms the mids and highs. The bass feels unnatural, it's there but it doesn't have the punch like the XB500 had. However, it responds well to EQs take off the bass or boost the trebles it turns quite okay, but not great.
 
Comfort: This are on-the-ear-cans compared its brothers the XB500, XB700, and XB1000s which are over-the-ear phones. Some people may not be a fan of s[size=small]upra[/size][size=small]-[/size][size=small]aural [/size]but I thought they are great for portability and commute. The pads are absolutely marshmallow soft and there is no clamping pressure, yet they hold on to you even you try head-banging.
 
Isolation: This was a bit of surprise to me, but it's isolation is quite good. When, I put them on I don't hear any noise from the outside, considering I'm beside a very noisy fan. Sound leakage? No leaks, another surprise because the XB500 leaks like mad. Even at 80% volume, the XB300 is well controlled all you hear are faint badumps from it's bass.
 
Build: Exceptional build, you can literally stretch them more than 180 degrees or even 360 and it won't break. If you don't believe me check the Youtube videos. But, I like to point out the pads. The pads on the XB300 feels cheaper than the premium pads on the XB500. It looks like something that can get flaky over time. The XB500's pads feels like real leather. I love the cables on this cans, they are not removable, but they are spaghetti-like-flat and tangle free. It also has an L-shape gold-plated jack.
 
Value: You get what you paid for. If you want a sturdy cans that can take some beating, and something that is comfortable for everyday commute or probably jogging around the park this cans are great. You can even play DJ with it, since the band is very flexible for cueing and the isolation is great. Other than that using it as an audiophile reference is a No.. No.., I thought this headphones are simply for fun, nothing serious.
 
The reviews about the clarity of these cans on the internet are overrated. They are too muffled for my taste, probably these people don't have a refined taste when it comes to music or I'm just listening to my M50s too much.
 
I would recommend these cans for watching movies, daily commute, jogging, and casual listening. But, I won't recommend them for audiophiles, serious listeners, audio reference, mixing. The sound quality from XB500 and XB300 are so different. I thought the XB500 are great for bass-heads but the XB300s are simply too colored and unnatural.
 
Works for people who aren't bothered to keep changing their EQ settings because this babies simply doesn't work on flat EQs they have too much bass.
 
After 24 hours of burn-in update
The mids has started to come-up out, the bass is now more laid back than it was out of the box. At 70% volume, the sound signature has started to become like the XB500s. Still, the mids and highs sounds nasally unlike the XB500s which are great out of the box. Its either the mids and highs are lacking warmness or the bass is simply overwhelming. Nothing is accurate with it..

 
Since I haven't seen any fair reviews on the Monster Beats Studio headphones, I will be making an unbiased straight-forward review on this pair of cans.
 
First, I've read alot of bashing with this set of cans. I thought the sound quality of this set of cans is fairly decent and a guilty pleasure for bass-heads. If you are an audiophile enjoying your music in a silent room, then this headphones aren't meant for you. I thought that this headphones is good for noisy environments (i.e. djing in a club, riding a train, strolling the city), right amount of noise cancelling which will not lead you to getting hit by a car 
 
The marketing of Beats headphones should be for general consumers not pros or audiophiles, that said let's not get ahead of ourselves.
 
I thought Monster and Dre just used the wrong branding for this set of cans, it shouldn't be named as "Studio" for one, that is probably why it is not getting any love from audiophiles. Another thing, it is overpriced for the overall value of the product.
 
So let's get started with the review.
 
I'll be doing two sets of reviews per category one for general consumers and for audiophiles.
 
Design: I thought Beats Studio has one of best good-looking headphones I've seen, it has an Applesque design, minimalistic, and a glossy finish. Unfortunately, Monster have sacrificed too much of its build quality over its design. As an industrial designer myself, I would've prefered a matted ABS-plastic over the scratcheable glossy-finish although Monster claimed it has a scratch-free coating. No amount of coating will prevent scratches when it is being dropped.
 
Build Quality: As I have discussed earlier with the design, they have sacrificed too much aesthetics for its build quality. In just a month's use, the outer screws of this headphones are getting loose. The solution? Swap the inner screws with the outer screws and tighten them up with a T5 screw driver. Another issue is the headband. The base of the headband is made out of very thin plastic, if you have a fairly large cranium, over time it will break; there is too much stress for that thin plastic to withstand it. I've seen Youtube videos of users pulling the headband horizontally and it wouldn't break, of course it wouldn't. But, say in 6-12 month's use, it will have this hairline cracks that will ultimately cause it to break. Overall, the build quality needs improvement.
 
Comfort: One of the most comfortable headphones that I've used. The ear cushions are so soft, the head padding are thin, but you wouldn't feel a thing.
 
Sound Quality: For general consumers, who just wants to have fun, enjoy fine design and have money to burn then this headphones are for you. But, if you are in a tight budget, then I would't recommend this cans at all. 
 
Setting the cost aside and purely judging this set of cans with its sound quality, this headphones are fun to listen too. Since I do work as a Club DJ from time to time, you would appreciate a headphone that you can actually hear in a very noisy environment. It doesn't have the swivelling features of other DJ headphones, but you can just wear and take it off for cueing.
 
For outside use with fair amount of noise, the noise cancelling feature is good enough. You don't want to block out all the noise as you might get hit by a car. 
 
Now we got to the AUDIOPHILES:
For audiophiles, if you are listening in your quiet room, this set of cans is ABSOLUTELY NOT FOR YOU. The bass of this thing is overwhelming. It has an electronic sounding bass, not very natural. 
 
If you listen to it intently, it is fairly detailed with its mids and highs; however, because of the overwhelming bass it muffles the sound. Quick fix, of course is play with your EQ and remove the bass. The highs are extended, when you hear percussions, cymbals or claps, they very well extend to the next note which is not good when you want absolute detail.
 
For studio use, not recommended. Too much sound leaking, highs are extended and bass aren't natural sounding.
 
Cost: For consumers and audiophiles alike, this set of cans are overpriced. I think the price of this cans should be in the range of $80 to $130. But, if you have money to burn, and just wants to have overwhelming bass and something you could use in the noisy streets or if you are a club DJ wanting style, then go ahead buy the cans. Not recommended for serious listeners (audiophiles and music producers)
 
I would rate this cans 6/10. It is an eye-candy, bad build quality (cannot take abuse), good enough beats for people on the go (not for serious listeners), overpriced (but for those who have money go ahead and buy it).
 
For people who wants fun, flash, style, definitely for urban living who has money to burn. Not for serious listeners, purist, audiophiles.
 
For people hating the headphones, I'll make this simple. If you give an Audio-Technica M50s to say, general consumers then they might not like the sound of it because of its warmth, which us audiophiles love it. If we audiophiles get Beats Studio or Bose headphones, we don't like because of its lacking detail. 
 
Bottom line, there is a headphone for everyone. So we must look at that fine line, objectively. And, stop all these pop-culture hating. The Studios might be their ticket to the Audiophiles' world, then they might discover the M50s, HD800s, the Grados
 
Blessed are those who wear fine headphones, for theirs is the sound of heaven