I think Beats Studio actually sound ok, just not for the price you pay for them. If they were like $150 instead of $400, then they might be ok. I would give them an honest consideration. The Beats solo's on the other hand, SUCK. Sound is big bass and everything else is honestly terrible. The build quality is even be worse. I've broken two beats solo's at my local Best Buy just by trying to expand the headband. Aside from that, they just feel cheap and fragile. The looks aren't great imo either so that eliminates the last incentive to buy them for me.
 
And I'd rather donate $150 to the KKK than buy those JustBeats and wear them. Adding a Justin Bieber flavor on them puts the looks in the same level as the build quality.
 
As for this whole hip-hop debate, I've been a big hip-hop listener for the past 4 years and the Beats don't appeal to me at all except for the bass. Now I have also been in high-level concert bands and symphony orchestras throughout my life so maybe that's why I want good SQ along with that bass, but hip-hop without all that boomy bass certainly isn't bad. There are hip-hop songs that intentionally throw out tons of bass. I can think of a few Lil Wayne songs like that. But many great hip-hop songs don't have that and headphones that create all that non-existent bass destroys the accuracy of the song and is disrespectful to the developer and the artist who's song is getting destroyed. There are great headphones out there that can sound just as boomy as the Beats when needed, and yet give you good sounding mids and highs that the hip-hop artist intended for you to hear.

The amount of logic fail in this thread is astounding.
Not just by this person I'm directly quoting below, but everyone else that felt the need to put in their 2 cents. 
 
1. I didn't say mad thumping bass is a prerequisite to enjoy hip hop.  
I did say that it's absolutely wrong to think that liking thumping bass means that somehow you're aurally unaware. 
Public Enemy starts off a track with "Bass in your face not an eight track..." 
How stupid would it be for Chuck D to say "A moderate, but neutral and enjoyable amount of bass in your face not an eight track..."
So, no.  You don't have to have booming cans on your ears or giant woofers in your car. 
But if you don't understand why some other hip hop heads might really like bass, then you're nothing but a fake tourist.
 
2. It's quite clear that head-fi has a lot bass haters.  Look at how many of you just had to put in your trolling 2 cents worth?
If the thread wanted to ask about the Boston Red Sox and said "Yankees fans stay out," and a bunch of Yanks came in saying:
"but how are you going to expect honest opinions?"
You know what that is?  It's called trolling aka looking for trouble aka breach of forum etiquette. 
Maybe OP wanted an opinion from other bass lovers, so that he could get an actual recommendation that might be relevant.
Why would I ask someone who listens primarily to jazz about what country album to buy?  OH YEAH, I WOULDN'T.
 
3. Seriously, stop acting like pre-pubescent, irrational, knee-jerk reactionaries. 
 

 
Quote:

projectdenz said:

IF you don't want beats haters to comment, how do you expect honest opinions?

@sugarkang

I'm so sick of people thinking that people who listen to hip-hop must love big bass and nothing else. I listen to quite a bit of hip-hop and hate big bad quality thumping bass. Way to insult people who like hip-hop and don't like hip-hop. Way to sterotypify Europeans.

Furthermore, Dr Dre is a world class producer. Are you honestly that ignorant to not think that Dr Dre would actually use these while producing and that the Beats are merely a marketing job (and a good one at that).

Click to expand...

You misunderstand the point.

Bad bass is bad bass. Bad bass from headphones means adding bass that isn't present on the recording. Further, bad bass is sloppy, imprecise bass that does not sound like the recording intended. Moreover, bad bass drowns out the mids and highs. Bass is not the only thing to a recording. If you don't get what the producer intended, you are listening to a bad piece of gear.

There is lots of gear on the market that makes bass noise that isn't present on the recording. Some people enjoy this. A lot of people here hate it. Also, disagreement does not equal trolling.

I do like bass. When it is done right, of course. A theater a town over has an old pipe organ that hits something like 12Hz. It's awesome. But also accurate and when played correctly, doesn't detract from the rest of the music. I feel the same about kettle drums and I have a particular love for low brass - I spent years playing the tuba.

That might be why I don't like the bass noisemakers. They don't sound anything like the real deal. If you want to listen to gear that makes its own noise not present on the recording, fine.

But don't even think about calling it accurate.

Well, I for one don't think the bass on the Beats is "uncontrolled" at all...in fact, it's over-controlled to the point of taking everything from 5hz-200hz, boosting it by 20dB, processing it so that it sounds like a boom without any rumble, and charging approximately $200 more for it than it's worth.  Quite a feat of engineering actually.  And also, let's not discount the aesthetics...Beats are distinctive, shiny, and blingy enough to stand out from the crowd, allowing other deluded discerning proponents to instantly recognize each other in a crowded mall, perhaps outside of Hot Topic. 
 
And who better to ask but Dre himself, who is so passionate about quality that he loaned his name and likeness to Monster with no compensation whatsoever: "People aren’t hearing all the music. Artists and producers work hard in the studio, perfecting their sound. But people can’t really hear it with normal headphones. Most headphones can’t handle the bass, the detail, the dynamics. Bottom line: the music doesn’t move you. With Beats, people are going to hear what the artists hear and listen to the music the way they should: the way I do."  Well, he should know...he's the expert.  So you see, it isn't US that is telling people how to listen to music, or that WE are judging people's tastes...it's Dre himself.  We've been so wrong all this time.  Thank you Dre for setting us straight.
 
For the record, I don't hate Dre, hip hop, bass, conformity, or delusion...I hate marketing and gullibility.

Quote:

shorty920 said:

I think Beats Studio actually sound OK, just not for the price you pay for them. If they were like $150 instead of $400, then they might be OK. I would give them an honest consideration. The Beats solo's on the other hand, SUCK. Sound is big bass and everything else is honestly terrible. The build quality is even be worse. I've broken two beats solo's at my local Best Buy just by trying to expand the headband. Aside from that, they just feel cheap and fragile. The looks aren't great IMO either so that eliminates the last incentive to buy them for me.

Click to expand...

 
The Solo are garbage.  I've yet to see one display Solo that doesn't have a broken headband.  As far as the Studio's go, I couldn't agree with you more.  I wouldn't say it's a class A/top-10-type headphone, but if it were $150 for a pair, it'd make me view them in a whole different light. 
 
I don't think it's even the fact that they're made by monster that cause some people here to bash them.  I mean, look at how many people here love the Turbines.  It has more to do with a few other factors:
 
1) they're popular so a whiny douchey media guy will mention them here and there.  In the media's eyes, it's a premium skullcandy headphone of some sort.  (that's enough to drive any audiophile here nuts).
 
2) they're endorsed by a rapper  ... you make you're own deductions on why that doesn't work here, I won't spell it out.  And for the record, hip hop isn't all about being a bass head.  What you might see (or hear) on your porch is not representative of all rap music.  In fact, most of the stuff I listen to from the 90s was rarely bassy at all.  The annoying bassy music is from pop rap and southern hip hop, which I'm not a fan in the least bit.
 
3) I know some people here like the Turbines.  Why was a blind eye turned away from the gullibility and marketing of that hype train?  I'm not saying the Beats are the best headphones out there.  But if they were in the sub 100 range, I think they'd suit a certain demographic well.  
 
I would also like to mention that I found the bass in my Denon headphones a bit exaggerated, but you don't see anyone throwing their arms in the air about it being a crap headphone.

Quote:

sugarkang said:

The amount of logic fail in this thread is astounding.
Not just by this person I'm directly quoting below, but everyone else that felt the need to put in their 2 cents. 
 
2. It's quite clear that head-fi has a lot bass haters. You know what that is?  It's called trolling aka looking for trouble aka breach of forum etiquette.  Maybe OP wanted an opinion from other bass lovers, so that he could get an actual recommendation that might be relevant.

Click to expand...

The amount how much you can fail is astounding to me.
 
Okay, by saying that head-fi has a lot of bass haters, you´re saying quite much. I haven´t noticed anyone here hating bass so far.
 
And, is a bass lover now an opposite of Beats hater? I sorta got that impression from your post... I suppose I should then buy Beats and sell my Audio-Technica ATH-W1000X which has a really sweet bass to my ears though. Heck, while listening to a track that really has a strong bass, I´d get a headache after few repeats.
 
I´d also like to thank you for all the extremely childish examples and reasonings and your total ignorance towards everything written in this thread. While you call everyone else a pre-pubescent and irrational.
 
 
Seriously, it´s out of my capabilities in english language to even describe your behavior. Sorry to disappoint.

 
Quote:

theotus said:

Seriously, it´s out of my capabilities in english language to even describe your behavior. Sorry to disappoint.

Click to expand...

I assume from your location you speak finnish? Cool!
 
Dont worry, most native-English speakers fail at describing his fail too. Its too deep.
 
 
The irony of this specific thread is that a few REALLY nice alternatives - that both sound better on many levels, and cost less have been given and passed over... such is life. Since all that matters is that its one of the 2 the OP posted why even post? goto circuit-city, listen to them for 5 miniutes, and buy the one that sucks less.

What we really need here is a recommendation for the Darth Beyers!!!

Entertainment value aside, why is this trainwreck in the amps sub-forum?  Oh, and what others said about quality bass - it's enjoyable to hear the distinct notes of a kick-drum or 808.

Quote:

nikongod said:

goto circuit-city

Click to expand...

 
Except he can't because they went out of business 2 years ago.
 
I should know, I lost my job there back then.
 

Beats are pretty close to wearing the sound of a dance club on your head.  If I wanted to recreate the club experience on my head, I'd consider them if price were no object.  
 
Going to the clubs are fun, and hearing the music there creates an environment using throbbing bass to bring out the lustful savage in every human being.  If that is what one were into, why wouldn't they want to recreate that  experience via headphones?  It is much more respectful to the public to use headphones than to turn one's car into a miniature club scene from a pounding bass perspective.
 
My suggestion:  Try something like a DT770 or a D2000 (Beyerdynamic and Denon, respectively).  If, when compared to the Beats, they don't meet your expectations, return them, and buy a pair of Beats.  Buy what makes you happy - who cares what others think?

You seem to be fully converse with trolling.....wonder why
 
Quote:

sugarkang said:

You know what that is?  It's called trolling aka looking for trouble aka breach of forum etiquette. 

 

Click to expand...

Quote:

sugarkang said:

The amount of logic fail in this thread is astounding.
Not just by this person I'm directly quoting below, but everyone else that felt the need to put in their 2 cents. 
 
1. I didn't say mad thumping bass is a prerequisite to enjoy hip hop.  
I did say that it's absolutely wrong to think that liking thumping bass means that somehow you're aurally unaware. 
Public Enemy starts off a track with "Bass in your face not an eight track..." 
How stupid would it be for Chuck D to say "A moderate, but neutral and enjoyable amount of bass in your face not an eight track..."
So, no.  You don't have to have booming cans on your ears or giant woofers in your car. 
But if you don't understand why some other hip hop heads might really like bass, then you're nothing but a fake tourist.
 
2. It's quite clear that head-fi has a lot bass haters.  Look at how many of you just had to put in your trolling 2 cents worth?
If the thread wanted to ask about the Boston Red Sox and said "Yankees fans stay out," and a bunch of Yanks came in saying:
"but how are you going to expect honest opinions?"
You know what that is?  It's called trolling aka looking for trouble aka breach of forum etiquette. 
Maybe OP wanted an opinion from other bass lovers, so that he could get an actual recommendation that might be relevant.
Why would I ask someone who listens primarily to jazz about what country album to buy?  OH YEAH, I WOULDN'T.
 
3. Seriously, stop acting like pre-pubescent, irrational, knee-jerk reactionaries. 
 
 

Click to expand...

Fake Tourist?  What do you mean by that?

Sugarkang, like Uncle Erik said, you are missing the point completely. I'll use myself as an example. I love bass. Especially the ones that shake my head. However there's more to rap songs than bass. The Beats throw as much bass at you as possible; realistic or nonrealistic it doesn't matter. And it doesn't even bother to get the mids and the highs right. Headphones like the DT770 pro, XB500s or the D1100s will give you bass like the Beats, but they don't destroy the overall sound either. The SQ on those are still detailed and clear and bass doesn't overwhelm the song. Bassheads who want to feel and hear it will still be happy because they are not neutral or flat at all. But they will give you more accurate bass and give you the other sounds too.
 
And it's funny how you call us trolls when you are the one sounding pissed off and labeling everyone as "Euros" "Yanks" or a bunch of "bass-haters." We are here to recommend to people the best choices for their respective taste in music and Beats is not one of them. I'm sorry if Monster paid you to come on here to ride it's ****, but there are basshead cans out there that sound better and cost much less, so why should we recommend the Beats?

Quote:

mythless said:

Quote:

sugarkang said:

The amount of logic fail in this thread is astounding.
Not just by this person I'm directly quoting below, but everyone else that felt the need to put in their 2 cents. 
 
1. I didn't say mad thumping bass is a prerequisite to enjoy hip hop.  
I did say that it's absolutely wrong to think that liking thumping bass means that somehow you're aurally unaware. 
Public Enemy starts off a track with "Bass in your face not an eight track..." 
How stupid would it be for Chuck D to say "A moderate, but neutral and enjoyable amount of bass in your face not an eight track..."
So, no.  You don't have to have booming cans on your ears or giant woofers in your car. 
But if you don't understand why some other hip hop heads might really like bass, then you're nothing but a fake tourist.
 
2. It's quite clear that head-fi has a lot bass haters.  Look at how many of you just had to put in your trolling 2 cents worth?
If the thread wanted to ask about the Boston Red Sox and said "Yankees fans stay out," and a bunch of Yanks came in saying:
"but how are you going to expect honest opinions?"
You know what that is?  It's called trolling aka looking for trouble aka breach of forum etiquette. 
Maybe OP wanted an opinion from other bass lovers, so that he could get an actual recommendation that might be relevant.
Why would I ask someone who listens primarily to jazz about what country album to buy?  OH YEAH, I WOULDN'T.
 
3. Seriously, stop acting like pre-pubescent, irrational, knee-jerk reactionaries. 
 
 

Click to expand...

Fake Tourist?  What do you mean by that?

Click to expand...

A quick googling got that its pretty literal, although has an underlying implication...
 
It means someone who acts like a tourist as a shill for a company. As an example, an excited (fake) tourist who just found about some new local technology in an effort to get real tourists to flock to buy it.
 
I'm pretty sure he used it wrong unless he thinks we are all shills. I dont think anyone had the bar too high on this one, but he still didnt clear it.