Beats Pro High-Performance Headphones

Overview:
   The Beats Pro is the Beats' top-of-the-line model, with a lofty price tag of $400. However, its price, along with Beats' reputation with being a hated-on brand, hides the fact that it actually sounds great. That hate reaches out far across the Internet, where trolls and hate fill every Beats-related thread. I'm almost certain that at least three-quarters of Beats trolls haven't listened to them once in their life (even if they say that they did). Even at Head-Fi, the Beats are a hated brand, but not as much as anywhere else. I've found a handful of other people across the Internet that actually appreciate the Beats, but since the trolling is so prevalent, finding them is harder than hard.

 
   Many people, including me, acknowledge that the Beats line is really overpriced. But do they really sound that bad? In the Studio's and Solo's cases, yes. But what about the Pros? Let's find out.
 
In the Box:
   The box, aside from being large, is unremarkable. Its contents include:

1. The headphones, of course
2. A traveling pouch
3. A thick, 6-foot-long cable with a telephone-like coil at the end which extends its length to about 7 ft.
4. A cleaning cloth with so-called "Microbe Shield Technology"
5. Literature

 
Design:
  The Beats line has been notorious for being mostly a fashion accessory than anything else. Many of their endorsers are pure crap (Lady Gaga, Lil' Wayne, and...I just won't say it). Even then, their style and design can be easily called the best. The size, along with its two-tone gray/black color scheme, accented by the Beats 'b', easily makes this a head-turning, eye-catching pair. The pair also has swivel-up earcups that can be handy for DJs, as well as two jacks. You can't have multiple inputs with these, but the jack that isn't used as input becomes an output jack, so you could form a daisy chain.

   These headphones have pretty plush pleather cushions, though they will get warm (or possibly sweaty) in the summer while you wear them. The pair is also made almost entirely out of aluminum - solid aluminum, actually, which makes them a great heavy-duty pair. There's a catch to its almighty strength, however - since the frame, earcups, hinges, and headband are all made of solid aluminum inside-out, the pair is remarkably heavy (about 14 ounces). If you plan to buy this for long listening sessions, prepare your neck.
 
 
Audio Quality:
   Now, for the main event. Before I begin, please note that I don't have any other pair for comparison. Call me a poor guy, I don't mind; I really don't have any other pair, so if you think that a comparison is missing, blame this on my poor self. However, I do have a wide variety of audio sources, four of which I'll use and list below:

1. Audio: MP3 @ 320 kbps (Electronic, Hip-Hop, Rap, Dubstep, Acoustic Rock, Pop, Acoustic Jazz, Solo Piano)
2.           Game Soundtrack
3.           Digital Piano - Aux-Out and 1/4" headphone jack
4. Source: iPod Touch 4G, with stock music app set at "Flat" EQ
5.             PSP-3000, games only

1.             Stock laptop audio card
2.             Yamaha P-105
3. Amp: N/A

 
   I'll be listening in to the genres that I listen to (listed above), starting with Electronica. In Daft Punk's "Get Lucky," the bass is remarkably powerful, as with all of the Beats models preceding it, but it doesn't muddy up the performance. It stays on its own, without muddying up everything else. The mids are clear and sound great with the bass. Vocals resonate well and have a good echo. The high range is quite detailed for a pair of Beats, but rolls off at higher levels. For a pair of Beats, this has a stellar sound signature; but for a pair of headphones in general, not so much.
   Rap and Hip-Hop songs have a powerful kick drum, and that is well augmented with the Beats. Dubstep, whose bass lines get muddied up in crappy headphones like the Solos, are well-reproduced through the Pros. In the electronic side of the music spectrum, the Beats Pros shine in nearly every genre on this side.
 
   However, this shine easily fades on the other side of the spectrum, where acoustic instruments reside. Acoustic songs require a large soundstage, but the Beats Pro's closed-back design makes it unsuitable for this. Also, it doesn't have that much detail when compared to other headphones in its price range. However, I really like the headphones' performance in the Solo Piano, Acoustic Rock, and Acoustic Jazz areas. The pair has enough detail to reveal much of the nuances of the piano, which also shows in the Acoustic Rock and Jazz areas, where the vocal range is refined and sounds great, and the background instruments can be heard with little effort. However, as far as soundstage is concerned, its soundstage is rather small and resembles a studio, which fits in with the genres I listen to, but for orchestral pieces, I would suggest steering clear of these.
 
   Even in games, the Beats asserts its powerful bass. Audio effects are accurately reproduced, albeit with more emphasis on the low end. Voices are clear and sound as if you're right there. The orchestral sound found in games like Dissidia 012 sound quite wide, considering my previous trifle with its small soundstage. The piano's sound also doesn't disappoint, with commanding bass and accurate highs that accentuate the already stunning detail that I've experienced while listening through this pair.
 
Conclusion:
    The Beats Pro was the first step in my quest for great audio. They're a sturdy, heavy pair of cans that have been weathered with constant hate over the reputation and price of this pair. However, this pair shines - and shines well - in its ability to reproduce great (though colored) sound in the electronic side of the spectrum; also, it doesn't disappoint in select areas of the acoustic side, either.
   There are some things to consider debating before buying it, however:

1. Its lack of a wide soundstage makes it unsuitable for orchestral pieces; for this I would recommend the Yamaha PRO 500.
2. Weighing in at nearly a pound, its weight can break necks, until you get used to it. It may have heavy clamping force at first, but hanging it on a sofa can help to loosen it up while burning in. To address the weight issue, I would recommend the Beats Mixrs, whose soundstage and signature is almost identical to the Pros, albeit in a smaller, lighter package.
3. Its price is phenomenal and sky-high. However, if you know where to look, you can find the Beats Pros for half price (or even lower) online. As an example, I got my pair online for about $125.

   
   For me and my love of electronic-based music, plus an unbeatable discount price, the Beats Pro was a steal. For those who share my love for electronica, don't be fooled by its high price; you can always turn to the Internet for great prices - and you may just get yourself a deal.

Well first off, these headphones are bashed on way to much just for being 'Beats'. The studio's straight up suck and the solo's are beyond bad. These suckers take on quite a beating because of the 'sins of their forefathers'. Personally, the price wasn't as big of a deal with me since I got these for 300 new, but price is the main downfall of these guys. They are far from worth 400 dollars for their sound quality. You could find the same if not better sound quality in 250$ headphones.
 
However, these headphones make up for this quality in their build. I found this strange coming from Monster. I have dropped these puppies from 6ft+ several times, slammed the chord in between a car door several times, etc. Not even a scratch (which is strange since aluminum tends to scratch pretty easily from my experience). They also have a removable cable (quite common in higher end headphones) that can plug into either side. This is the most amazing headphone cable out there. It is long and built to last and doesn't tangle at all. The swivel cups are also pretty fun and cool but really don't add all that much overall.
 
Sound quality wise these are lacking for their price. They would be worth it at 250, maybe 300, however they lack the outstanding highs. They have great bass (it could be a little more punchy) and pretty good mids, but the highs aren't close to anything special. These headphones also don't differentiate instruments as much as IEMs but they do give songs a solid feel. Despite not having the best sound quality, these headphones really bring rap, hip-hop, electronic, dubstep, and even hard rock to life. (if you like classical or softer more detail oriented music I would go with sennheiser or Westone).
 
Overall these are good headphones, don't listen to the hype saying 'beats are terrible', they really aren't all that bad.

.

My first foray into "high end" audio. Without these I never would have got on the right track. How are they? Not bad, just with skull crushing bass. (I never bought Skullcrushers) And terrible value. You can't forget that. 

Okay, I get it, Head-Fi.org userbase just hate these headphones, and as a user, I'd like to offer my point of view to the majority and just show Monster some love.
 
First Off, Build:
 
They are simply Tanks, I have dropped them, threw them, and slammed them a couple times, and man they hold well. The Aluminum Body really gives it the Build Quality. A little Con here is the Extenders and the Rigid Build. The Extenders aren't equal on both sides and tend to slip compared to the Studios and Solos. I mean, they do stick when you pull it at a certain angle, but usually they just slip around. Second Con is that they tend to make this Cracking sound every once in a while (maybe it's just the way I handle it) but they just sound like they're about to break. I'd say they could've made the earcuffs that little better. When you put around your neck, the ear cuffs are too large, and they don't fit your ear well making it uncomfortable over time. The padding is quite nice though. People sometimes complain about the weight and the clampi-ness of the Pro's, but I'm not going to, since I love the weight and clamp on it. (Subjective)
 
A little thing on the cable. My cables actually broke soon after I bought it, but I think it could be my iPod since it broke altogether.
 
Style:
 
So, the style. I'm not really sure on how to grade this. I'm not wearing them outside often these days because they are just too heavy and bulky to bring around as a street-wear headphone. I mean, if you're going to bring it to a club as a DJ, then to the next club, then to the next, that's acceptable, but to walk down the street with this on your head? Nay, they don't look bad, just too bulky.
 
Audio Quality:
 
Not Bad, just not worth it here. You can get the same quality with a quarter priced head-phone. The bass (me being an EXTREMELY bassy person, I love the sound) is simply clear and impressive, just over powers if you listen to metals/rock/ or anything bass heavy music. The mid-tones are pretty clean and clear, you can hear everything as long as the bass doesn't overpower. Lastly, the high's. The high's aren't all that audible. You can hear them, but aren't as clear as the mids and lows. They are clean though.
 
Value:
 
The are worth the value IF: 
You don't handle stuff with too much care
Love Style and Branded Stuff
A DJ who needs something stylish but not poor in audio quality.
 
They aren't worth it though IF:
You are the BEST OWNER in the whole wide world and your devices has never dropped ever.
Don't really mind the style and dislike/don't need branded stuff.
An audiophile or just someone who REQUIRES the $400 Audio Quality.
 
Personal Conclusion:
I would say if you own one, sell it to a friend for 200 ~ 300 Dollars, then just get a cheaper headphone with similar/better audio quality. They really aren't worth it unless you technically attempt to destroy things. If you aren't careful, just get something of Build Quality and it's pretty much enough. THOUGH I would get it if you manage to obtain them for a much lower price,$100 ~ $200 would be a pretty good price.

Well... these aren't exactly bad. They're just... well, boring. 
 
The bass is actually good if you take these for what they are (a bass heavy DJ-can). The bass pressure is MASSIVE. I have not heard (or felt) this kind of monster bass in a headphone before. It's well controlled (probably because of the extremely rigid chassis). It goes fairly deep and hits with massive power. Almost feels like the bass is shattering your bones.... If you're a basshead you won't find better. 
 
Not saying the bass is really high-quality, it's absolutely not as clear as you'll get with other headphones at this price range and it's accentuated "boom" bass after all. But it's accentuated "boom" bass done right  
 
The midrange kinda ruins it. I tried to like these for a fun headphone, but they're just not fun. The midrange is thin, withdrawn and lacking in energy and warmth. It just sounds completely passive. Like the bass carries the song and the mids (and highs) just go along. Blaah, music at a funeral is more enjoyable than what comes of of these. 
 
The highs don't sound piercing, screechy or distorted but again lacks energy. No sparkle! The mids and treble together just makes for a very passive and "dead" sound. There's just no punch, no emotion. 
 
They're built extremely well and look very nice, but they clamp alot and the pads don't cover your ears. They're almost on-ear headphones in fact. They feel hard and heavy on the head. 
 
I would like to recommend these for lovers of bass-heavy tunes, but I just can't. They cost way too much for what you get and party music/dubstep should sound fun, fast and energetic. These do not. 
 
 
 
 

Ive had these headphones for 3 months now and from what i've seen they are pretty great. They have great audio quality, though not the best. But are very expensive for what you get. The build is all aluminum with very soft padding, so the build quality is great. But they are a bit heavy. A lot of people say they are uncomfortable because they are on-ear not over-ear like the studios. But I must disagree. Because I have very small ears, they fit over my ears and become a over-ear headphone for me, which makes them very comfortable, but a bit heavy. The design is sexy and is mostly the reason why these are so hyped up. Over all, though they sound pretty good and look nice, they are expensive for the price and I recommend you look else where. But if you have money to kill, deffinetly buy them.

mids are distorted
 
very good solid instrument separation
 
deep bass
 
laid back highs and not much detailed
 
 
synergizes very well on a neutral dac and EQed to bass reducer

Don't Bother 

Yes everyone i know what you will say. After all the hate these got i listened at best buy and i thought they sounded pretty good. I hesitated to hand over my money but in the end i did to go with a review and perhaps keep them if i was satisfied enough. Well to my ears i am satisfied.
 
Durability/Design
These are the most durable pair of headphones i have ever used. Full metal construction and huge thick cords, The design is also eye catching and they look sleek. To most people looks matter and i am no different. I do like my tech to look good but sound comes before looks every time.
 
Comfort
The common consensus on comfort is that these are uncomfortable. I am inclined to agree. But it's no more uncomfortable then my grado's or my sennheisers. The durability makes up for the comfort.
 
Sound Quality/Value
In my opinion this is where these shine. Are they accurate and neutral? By deity no. These are colored bassy headphones. Although the bass is boomy i still find them Very fun for any genre. Metal shines on these and i find them more enjoyable then my other headphones. Dynamically my shure srh840 is better at $130 but they sound boring by comparison. These are primarily good for listening to music which is poorly recorded. It can make anything fun. These have a relatively v shaped sound signature. The bass is over emphasized while the mids are subdued. The highs are shiny and add fun to any song. Sound stage is nothing spectacular and instrument separation could be better but in all honesty it does it's job.
 
Now it's value is hard to pinpoint. For us audiophiles the $400 price point is not worth it. But even so if they were $300 i feel the average music listener would be over satisfied with these. Being $100 over priced is a problem but most people would buy these and not do any upgrading. In the long run this saves them money.
 
In the end i actually recommend these to anyone who wants a fun headphone that is really easy to drive and can be found at a local retailer. Hats off to monster for their marketing and leading some of them our way. We may act like these are evil by an evil corporation but many people including me have entered the hobby because of the likes of monster. I hope you enjoyed this review which was unbiased.

I've tried the Beats by Dre Studio and I found them to have a terrible sound. Poor performance everywhere, bloated and excessive bass, as well as useless built-in active amplification/noise cancellation.

I got an opportunity to audition my coworker's Beats Pro and I have to say that these headphones are much better than the Studio. They have a fun sound that I actually enjoyed and they don't come with built-in active amp.

The isolation is average, but still decent. I didn't seem to bother my coworkers while trying them out at moderate-high volumes.

I listened with them through the following setup:

Winamp ASIO -> Pico USB DAC -> Graham Slee Voyager (flat)

I listened to EDM such as tech-trance and progressive trance and both performed well. The tech-trance was more enjoyable, these headphones gave the rapid cuts a really nice and pleasant kick, something that I've been missing for a long time now.

Unfortunately their highs are sibilant and this makes it hard to listen to them for a extended periods of time at high volumes. This means that to get a good kick after the drop, I have to increase the volume during the breakdown. It's worth the effort though.

The comfort is not that great and this showed after I had them on for about two hours. My right ear got really hot and sore. It's to be expected from closed portable headphones like these though.

They feel like they're well built and they have a soft headband, which is a nice touch.

Overall, I enjoyed listening to them, but I don't think that they're worth $400. Even if I saw them at 50% off, I wouldn't get them.

However, If I could get them for $90 like my coworker did, I'd buy them without thinking twice about it. They would be great headphones to just put on and enjoy powerful and punchy sound from some tech-trance, something I missing with my Edition 8's.

Thanks for reading!

I know the Beats get a hell of a lot of bashing on here, and to be honest I swore I would never buy a pair as they are so pricey and plastic. (I paid £350 not $) 
 
However spending a bit of time in a store listening to some Senns, Audio Tech, Denon and the new Skullcandy then the Beats Pro I was amazed. For a start the build quality is second to none! I find Sennheisers made of 90% plastic and feel featherlight but its the feeling that if I just bend them a little wrong they are going to snap in two, and in my opinion it goes for others too; not the Beat Pros. All aluminium, leather and a little plastic to connect the ear cuffs, as soon as you put them on you feel the weight and solidity.
 
The comfort is something. Put them on and you feel the super soft leather cuffs and band, but wearing them for 20 mins or so and they start to push on your ears. My ears are pretty small (have been compared to many others) and I get the feeling of some discomfort, but with a bit of perseverance I found a position that minimises it and they feel better. I'm sure with a bit more fiddling with position they could be near perfect (not quite but close enough).
 
Everyone bashes the Beats for its heavy handed bass, and yea they are heavy at times. With a tweak on the amp I'm mostly going to be using them with they sound pretty good to me, reduced bass and a bit more punctuation to the mids and highs. With a dedicated headphone amp they would be even better.
Its been said so many times before and its so true that everyone likes things to sound different, and it all depends on what type of music you listen to. I can understand if you listen to classical and orchestral pieces for the majority then they aren't going to be for you, duh. But for a more bass heavy genre like hip hop or Dub then they are perfect. Or even for metal or rock fans like myself they seem to do the job so much better than others.
Whilst writing this I've been trying to listen to a range of music that I have on CD and they work on so many levels. 
Listening to Bat for Lashes, Metric, Crystal Castles, Daft Punk, Zero 7 and Portishead; the Beat Pros have the punch needed to really drive the songs but also the sensitivity and fidelity to really pull out the mids and highs. The only time I found something not as pronounced was 'Son of Flyn' track from the Daft Punk Tron Legacy album. When the strumming starts around 18 seconds in, my ATH ES7 really pick this up, but lack the lil extra bass kick of the Pros. Pros just seem seem to dial this down a little, the highs are still up there and clear. 
Listening to some Linkin Park, Deftones, The clash, The Raconteurs, Fort Minor and Limp Bizkit; with the bass tweak (down) on the amp they sound just right. Nice and strong guitar riffs, not blacked out by the bass. 'Consoler of the Lonely' has a great guitar strum leading in thats worth a listen.
Also the album 'Rising Tied' by Fort Minor really comes out with the Pros; the bass is strong and driven whist all the mids and highs are tight and just as punchy.
I've yet to listen to some dance and proper dubstep, but if the couple of tracks from Katy B's album are anything to go by then they should be top performers providing the experience the genre needs to really appreciate it.
 
Its got to all come down to taste. You like them or you don't. The Beat Pros are miles away from the Beats, so much tighter in the mids and highs and IMO a little more controlled in the bass. For me a good portion of the price is justified in the build quality and materials. I know theres always a percentage added on because there is Dr Dre written on the box but look past the affiliation (I couldn't care less if they had weird al written on the box, the headphones speak for them selves in quality). Would people look at them differently if they weren't Dr. Dre and made for Hip hop but still sound the same, I'd bet on it. 
A headphone that kicks up so much love and hate has got to have something interesting going and are well worth the experience with the right genre and EQ tweaks. 
 

Everyones seen and heard them... the kids with their car sterios turned all the way up, bass turned all the way up. You can't tell what the song is, but hey, at least you know it has some bass.
 
Yeah these are a crappy car sterio for a wanna be on a personal level. I tried to listen to these with other genres than rap, and you simply can't. It sound like your standing behind a wall at a live performance. The quality is there, but I'm always inclined to turn the volume up, since it never feels fully there.
 
Build quality is nothing compared to waht you paid for it. The cushions don't even make near a perfect circle. The top cushion's leather hides springs that sometimes can pop out.  And if your not paying attention, and swivel the can the wrong way, you will end up with only one working speaker.
 
Though these do provide a secure fit on your head, after 10 min, you'll start feeling these. And you can't bear to wear them after 30min. Make bets with your friends to see how long they can wear them.

Since these were my first big audio purchase I ended up spending allot of time researching on forums and reviews. Even though this website and a few others kept telling my that the beat pros were rubbish and that they were an overpriced set of cans that an artist endorsed. I decided that they all must be wrong and I bought them anyways. I was wrong. After a few days of listening to them I decided to buy a pair of ATH M50s off amazon and made sure I got one day shipping because I couldn't stand knowing that I could have much better sound quality from different headphones. I will admit these headphones are some of the best looking out there. Especially for my younger generation.
-The highs were very brash, though I will say my vivaldi didn't sound horrible, just very loud and plain.
-The mids is where I was the most disappointed. They were muddled and there was a very little instrument differentiation. My Bocelli was sad.
-The bass is what these headphones were made for. They sounded cleaner than the studios (not saying much), and fairly deep. But I found that in any music other than hip hop it ruined the song. The bass also overran the rest of the music almost all the time.
-Overall while listening to them I found it very fatiguing. My ears rang after and I felt as if I had a mild headache after. The music also felt very claustrophobic (if that's a way to describe it).
 
If you want to look fly all the time, then buy these headphones. They look absolutely awesome. If they sounded like my current M50s (not even broken in yet) then I would keep them in a heartbeat. Even at the very high price tag. But If you want great music and don't care as much about the looks, then the M50s are a much smarter purchase. Especially since they are a third of the price of the pros. But if you're bent on spending $350 on headphones, then I feel like the Denon D2000s are a good choice (my next buy). In all, if I were Dr. Dre I would be pretty embarrassed to have my name on these headphones while calling them my flagship set of cans. Moral of the story, buy the Denons.

 
I got my new Beats Pro the other day after waiting an insane amount time for my amazon pre-order to process. I know that the studios get a good flaming here, but I feel like the Pros are a far better set of cans (I've listened to both, and I like the studios, but damn, these are great).

As a preface to my equipment and music taste, I think its important to note that I'm a bass player (both classical double bass, jazz, and general music production) so I love bass! I love feeling my body shake in rooms with stereos and I love the sensation of my head vibrating, but aslong as its musical, because thats the most important aspect of music! Who cares about ridiculous bass for the sake of shaking things. Also, I'm only using my iPod and Mac Book Pro (but I'm using an M-audio USB soundcard witht the mac book). I tested these with the third movement of Shostakovich's 8th Symphony (played by the National Symphony Orchestra directed by Rostroprovich), Incubas' Sick Sad Little Word, Kanye West's The Good Life, John Coltrane's Giant Steps, and various Hiromi Uehera recordings. 

With the Shostakovich, the detail is ridiculous. Compared to my previous headphones (SK Pros from skullcandys, a waste of $100 compared to these headphones) the recording sounds like your at the front of a good orchestra, as opposed to listening in the very very back of the concert hall. This piece is a blast to blast. Everything is pretty even, all the parts are clearly heard. Basses and cellos boom, but do not loose pitch definition. The bass in these headphones doesn't muddy up the other parts, but is still powerful. Brass sound amazing. Mids are good. I can't say that I've heard GREAT mids, but I have no complaints here. Overall, they handel classical music with ease, it puts a smile on my face every time I listen.

WIth the Incubas recording, it seems the treble is a little much, but I think that is just the eq and setting of the guitar and cymbals done in the studio. The detail is ridiculous. I hear the stick head hitting the cymbals, the nuances of the players style, and little things the vocalist does that I've never noticed before. This has always been one of my favorite songs by then, and its still one of my favorites. The bass cuts through great, guitars are even and not over bearing, drums are there, and you can feel every single bass drum hit. The effect saturated guitar solo is just beyond cool.

Obviously, Kanye is hip hop, and this is where these things shine. The bass is insane. Kanye's voice is crystal clear. The little synth line during the chorus is super funky, and the bass end just adds to the punch. The recording is obviously highly processed, but hey, it still sounds good, and its fun to listen to.

Coltrane's Giant Steps isn't a great recording by today's standards, but its still enjoy it. The bass is driving, but once again, not muddy. You can hear the clicks of the string thwacking the fingerboard, The stick hitting the incredibly dry ride cymbal. Obviously, Coltrane is at the front of the mix, and is virtuoso trumpet style playing never gets lost. I noticed that sometimes the piano gets lost, but its not very high in the mix. The Hiromi recordings are great too. As if her playing didn't give me chills on my spine before, with these it's like listening to it for the first time again! However, I never realized how bad the bass players tone is sometimes...but maybe thats the sign they're good headphones (or bad, depending on if you like tony grey or not). 

Overall, I'm pretty damn happy with these! I thought about picking up an amp for my ipod, but it doesn't really need it. It's comfortably loud at 70 percent volume, and the battery lasts a decent amount time. My drummer borrowed them yesterday, and my Ipod lasted a few hours at full volume, and the car ride home, and they only had a half charge that day. I only paid 265 for these because of the pre order. I'd say they're def worth that, but the 400 they're asking now...thats pushing it. They're great though, and great build quality too. I'd never worry about these breaking, but still take care of them! They're 400 dollar headphones! Hope this helps anyone in speculation of these things.

I will write more later as I've explored them a little more. I will say don't let the monster label make you pre-judge these beauties. These straight eclipse the mediocre Studios. I believe it's shameful to even compare the two. I would give these a try.