DR DRE STUDIO BEATS . GOOD OR NOT? - Page 3

When I first tried these @ Best Buy, I thought they were alright in terms of comfort and SQ. After much more testing, I found the comfort to hurt since they felt like they were squeezing my head. Sound wise, I felt the harshness and the overbloated sound. Then I saw the price, and I couldn't justify spending over $100 for these.

 

I think I get about the same amount of bass from my Sony XB500 and the sound doesn't feel overbloated. And at 1/4 the price of the beats, I can't complain.

They are comfortable...I'll give them that. I guess since they are basically fashion accessories they should be. That should be their new slogan...."Dr. Beats...meant to be worned, not heard."

Fixed....

 

The es7 are good to look at, but ugly to wear in my opinion with the U shape headband when on even with the mod. Plus, they are super uncomfortable.  I would choose the beats studio over them any day.  Although I agree with everyone, they are way over priced. Yup, the bass are unclean, bloated and all, but fun because they can hit so hard.  I enjoy them as non audiophile headphone.  Would I buy them? probable if they were under $100.

I like everything about the ES7 =)

My Eleven's top the Dre's in my books. Have a look at these headphones. Surprisingly neutral for headphones aimed at the surfer/skate community who usually favor bass-heavy headphones.

 

http://www.siegeaudio.com/products/eleven/

you sure can handle some uncomfortable headphones or either that you have high resistances to pain =)

Edited by soundeffect - 12/12/10 at 11:46pm

I find it quite interesting how easily people dismiss the beats studio / pro as being awful. I think it is snobbery and I'm guilty to a certain extent because I'd never buy a pair due to my opinion that they are fashion accessories - the amount of 11 to 16 year olds who want to buy £100+ headphones is ridiculous, I mean everyone is entitled to better sounding music but these kids don't want them just for that.

Also, there is the chance that these over marketed headphones could be a step in the right direction for youngsters becoming audiophiles, in the same way awful teen POP bands like Busted lead kids to Green Day, then Nirvana and the Clash and beyond.

The are pretty badly made and yes, they are over priced. They are selling by the bucket load for one simple reason, the branding. I have to argue though, that while they aren't the best out there for the money, they don't sound bad. They are good. Nothing incredible and nothing awful, for the purpose of the person who started this thread I offered an alternative which I believe is better, considering experience with customers that tells me somebody who wants Beats By Dre is going to want big, aggressive bass. They want the 'B' on their cans and the music they are listening to if suited to these headphones.

I'm not a fan of them, never will be but I can see, very clearly why people do want them. Which is why I'm being helpful rather than wading in and going to the usual, don't buy these get this... route.

SMILE

beats is one of those headphones that will always be talk about.  That's how you know monster did something right for marketing purpose.

Edited by soundeffect - 12/13/10 at 2:06am

I just think they sound bad. Muffled, distorted, bloated. Bad is bad. Branding and marketing means nothing to me really. If they were good headphones I would buy them and use them. I would have no shame in that, besides...I only use my headphones at home so on those that I told would even know so if I were a bit embarrasses all I would have to do is not tell anyone. I am far from a snob as far as home audio and my meager equipment reflects that. Its just that IMO the Beats sound like listening to low head phones with mud packed into my ears.

 

Have you heard them outside of Best Buy and such? They really don't sound bad. Overpriced, of course, but really, almost everything in this side of audio north of $200 is. How much are magnets, plastic, and wire? (Let's just forget about R&D and such for a bit.) Of course, they sound bloated, colored, and have recessed...everything north of 200hz, but they do it in a way that makes them fun to listen to, and I know what sounds technically good, but for some genres, the last thing I need is a headphone that resolves every single detail and flaw in the music. And really, look at the target audience. Dr. Dre is associated with rap/pop music. So obviously, Monster would tune the Beats to the music he's known for, and these days, BASS is all that most people that would buy these are after. So, you think you could do better for $10? Find me a headphone that sounds more fun (I know I can find headphones that can technically be better. Hell, I can make SFI clones for less than $50 and they could spank M50s and such in certain songs.) for under $50. The PortaPros are close, but lack most the the funness in the Beats. The Maxells sound somewhat promising though.

I just don't think a headphone that sounds like garbage is fun. It is a displeasure to listen to which it the opposite reason why I spend money on this hobby. If I want bass and fun I'll listen to my Beyers. They are 1000x better and cost less. Win win.

 

If Beats really do well with rap and hip hop for which they are made for...perhaps that says alot for the genre and is a huge reason why I don't listen to that...ehmmm...music.

Edited by ArmAndHammer - 12/13/10 at 5:28am

 

Yup, I agree here.  I don't think people who enjoy beats are after that refine and clean sound.  They just want raw and aggressive sound/bass because it can be fun. That's why sometime you see people here occasionally choose musical vs. analytical because sometime it can be boring.  Exaggerated sound is what they are after, really the exaggerated bass. I'm not trying to recruit people to like them, but I'm trying to look at it in a different perspective.  I guess it's kind of like eating healthy food.  It just makes sense to eat food that is good for the body, but sometime the fatty dessert are eaten for a purpose.  If you ask some why they listen to rap, they not going to say because rap people can hit their notes right when singing. (really I don't even consider rapping singing).  They will tell you it's because it fun.  Same thing with techno music, they not going to tell you it's because of the instrument they used, which I don't even think there is one. Through them classical and they will tell you it's boring.  Sure you can judge them for it, but they can judge you for it too.  We can say man that is a waste of money for you to spend 3 to 4 hundred dollars for that type of sound and they can tell you "man, you spend $200+ dollars on a headphone that require an amp which cost another $300 or more just to achieve the sound you like? when I can spend $300-$400 dollars and be satisfied".  That's why there isn't a huge market for headphones because the general mass only want good enough sound for their enjoyment. Again, as we all know, what sound good to a person ears is subjective include genre. In general,  They aren't looking for the best.  This is just my intake, I'm sure there will be a lot who will disagree with me here because after all, this is a hifi forums.

Edited by soundeffect - 12/13/10 at 6:34am

The beats Solo HD are a massive improvement on the old Solo and Studios, they are far better balanced , i have several 'audiophile' cans, HD600, Shure SRH440 and portable cans such as the ES7 , AKG K430 and soon to have T50P and the Solo HD are my daily companions.

They are fantastic at Diana Krall, on a par with the HD600 , minus the soundstage. 

They are also good at several genres, jazz, classical and folk , anything with acoustic guitars really or female voices sound lush.

They seem to have 2 drivers, a large titanium driver (40mm i think) and a smaller HF driver that sits above the centre, really clever design as the crossover is smooooth.

Wen u dont compare headphones with their ideal genre, you may as well not compare.


As for the ES7, i liked it alot more after the headband mod.