As a previous owner of beats (before the knowledge of head-fi and innerfidelity was bestowed upon me) I can speak to how much better these sound then Dr. Dre's less than impressive Solo HDs.  But not only did they crush them, they also surprised me how well they actually do sound...  Every thing is very clear and crisp in the highs, and the bass was well defined; not too boomy or overwhelming, just right for my taste.  I feel like there is a slight emphasis on the treble and the bass, resulting in a slightly recessed mid section, but its the type of sound I like (I listen to a lot of jazz, rock, and electronic music).  All in all I really LOVE these headphones, and would recommend if you are looking for style and sound quality!