[DemonicLemming]

I wouldn't be surprised to see a "bass boost" version to come out before too long.

 

[Golden Monkey]

Thanks for the write-up Jude. Think I'll pass on them. Of course, as soon as I heard a few key things about them:
* active noise cancelling
* Monster made
* "Bose-like"
I knew I'd take a pass, lol. The Dre endorsement doesn't bother me, as I like what he does and don't begrudge him putting his name on something for a buck, I just don't like celebrity marketing endorsements in general. They know nothing about it other than what they are being paid, but I know in Dre's case, he did have some initial input on the phones. It's funny - there's a Bose radio promo going on in my area, and I cringe every time I hear Steven Seaweed talking about his "amazing(!)" Bose headphones. I immediately lost a few milligrams of respect for his opinion on anything after that.

 

[Puppysmith]

Important thing to remember is Apple's not infatuated with sound quality. It's computer heaven, not audiophile heaven.

For example how long have people been buying high quality aftermarket line outs and amps, and how many is Apple selling at their stores.

Answer Zero!

So most of the people buying accessories at an Apple store would be interested 'Beats" as a purchase because it's sold in an Apple store and recommended by the Apple sales rep.

I forecast big sales for these phones.

However, if you don't need noise canceling headphones, and want quality sound, a pair of used Grados (which most people buying an iPod or iPhone have never heard of) is a much better deal, if I am reading Jude correctly

 

[bpm2000]

this headphone seems confused about who it is trying to appeal to really. Thx for the writeup Jude.

 

[aaron313]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bpm2000 /img/forum/go_quote.gif this headphone seems confused about who it is trying to appeal to really. Thx for the writeup Jude.

I agree. The people who buy this would prefer Darth Beyers.

 

[jjhatfield]

Thanks for your detailed review Jude.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jude /img/forum/go_quote.gif Will Head-Fi'ers be the typical Beats customer? Nope. I think, however, The Beats sound good enough to show the many who'll likely buy it that there's substantially better sound to be had than what they're generally used to--and some of these people will be curious to know if there's anything better still.

And this, to me, would be the best part about these headphones. I do hope they achieve some level of success, and that part of that success translates into at least some new hobbyists in our more "audiophile" realm of headphone audio.

 

[NoPants]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bpm2000 /img/forum/go_quote.gif this headphone seems confused about who it is trying to appeal to really. Thx for the writeup Jude.

pretty much nailed it

maybe this will usher some funding back towards full-size R&D if we're lucky...although the price point seems really awkward, considering most portable sources cost less.

 

[Drag0n]

People would only wear it outside because its a Monster/Dr Dre, sold at Apple pair of headphones, cuz this isnt the 80's anymore, and BIG headphones arent cool in public, home, or anywhere.
People think my Sony NC6 are huge!!!...lol

Theyre slightly smaller than Grado SR80's!

 

[richierich]

Thanks for the great review Jude.

I don't think these headphones will sell well outside of the Audiophile community. Remember, people still stick with their iBuds and are content with their sound. And $350 is an awful lot of money for headphones, no matter how great they sound.

 

[nickdawg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robojack /img/forum/go_quote.gif I would expect many hip-hop listeners who buy this to be dissatisfied with the bass, especially if they're used to brain-blasting thumping bass, like those in their pimped-out cars (or if they've been using muddy Bose products ).

I think you're right. If it is being marketed towards a younger, hip hop crowd they're probably expecting ridiculous, loud, thumping bass. This goes back to the whole opinion of "louder = better" that usually comes up when discussing non audiophiles. I'd be willing to bet many will buy these, crank them up to ear-shattering levels(even though they are closed and noise cancelling) and be pissed that the bass is weak(in other words not what would be called "muddy" here).


Quote:

Who knows, a few might even end up here.

We can only hope. Let's hope products like this will open the doors for people to discover that there is better out there. But since this is going to be sold a Big Box retailers(like Best Buy) I'd be willing to bet many will simply return the 'Beats' and buy Bose instead. The "unwashed masses" give Bose alot of praise, unfortunately.

 

[Matcha]

Having worked in retail consumer electronics for the past few years (college job!), I'm not expecting these to sell particularly well. Jude's points in favor of them are very divergent, I think:

Most of the people with Monster affinity are older. In my experience, younger customers typically recognize Monster as overpriced.

The design of the headphones is clearly targeted at a younger audience.

Younger people typically don't want to spend a lot on headphones, and, as has been mentioned, are interested in headphones which look good -- and full-sized headphones don't look good to most people. (Sure, I've worn HD280 on the bus, but that doesn't mean it's cool!)

And, as a lot of people have already said, $350 is a lot of money for headphones, compared to what people normally spend. In my store, we rarely sell even Bose headphones -- and most customers, even young ones, do like Bose -- due to the price. When we carried the CX300 in my store, I had a heck of a time talking customers into spending $60 on a pair of "earbuds." (Don't ever use terms like "canalphones" or "in-ear monitors" with people who couldn't even tell you what frequency response range means.)

All that said, the demo units will go a long way. As I point out to customers impressed by our Bose demo display, they're set up to downplay weaknesses of a given headphone -- so the Bose display plays music with bloated bass to match the headphone's "qualities." I'm sure the Beats display will similarly impress customers. (Thank God I'm at Circuit City, not Best Buy!)

 

[Usagi]

I wonder what Bose is going to do about another rooster entering the hen house. (Apple Store)

 

[Chickenman]

So.. Did you listen to any Dr. Dre on these Jude? Maybe its supposed to have great synergy with it hehe..

 

[b0ris84]

going to b in the city for work tomorrow i'll definitely stop by the apple store and listen to them if they are on display.

 

[coolchu001]

It's up on the Apple store!

Apple Store (U.S.) - Beats by Dr. Dre Headphones

Already got a review...