[LizardKing1]

Quote:

You are correct that other companies should focus more on mass marketing, but that doesn't mean they have to make junk. There IS such a thing as a good quality consumer product.  The two are not mutually exclusive. There are hundreds of better quality headphones out there that cost less and sound far better without extra amping or "every other gadget in the world".  Quality sells just as PR does. The only thing is, a reputation for quality takes longer to achieve and to produce the massive profits.  Monster chose to take the shortcut and buy a reputation. But, you can't buy a reputation for quality.  That's why they'll never have one. They'll forever be known only for fashion and trendiness.  It's a short-sighted strategy that pays off now but it's very hard to maintain long term.  But Monster doesn't care about long term.  It is concerned only with next quarter's earning statement, typical for modern corporations.  It's reflected in their products. They will treat their headphone line just like they did their cable line, as a cash cow.  Fifty years from now, Sennheiser and Sony will still be respected brands.  Monster will be a bad joke, as they should be.

Exhibit A: the iPod. It is the most used audio product today, I think, and yet it is decent for its price. Not a fantastic deal, of course, and I can think of a few better options (I can't stop mentioning the Sony A845), but still not as overpriced as many other things we see out there. Of course, like anything successful and mainstream, it creates an anti-establishment group devoted to bashing it simply because it's mainstream, regardless of its true merits in sound quality, design, interface.

 

[sailorman]

And Monster can only dream of becoming mainstream enough to attract criticism for being mainstream and it's success is more reminiscent of a Pet Rock than an iPod.  I can easily envision the next generation of teens (and adults, for that matter) using iPods and other Apple products, especially as  Job's "I know what you need" attitude diminishes.  Not so with Beats.  Most of today's teens will eventually grow up and most will realize what crap Beats truly are. When their kids want headphones, if they ever do, the majority of them won't be recommending (or willing to over-pay for) Beats. Beats is NOT a badge that is destined to inspire multi-generational brand loyalty.
 
In 20 years, no one will be laughed at for using an iPod. Not so with Beats.  Twenty years after they were popular, people get snickered at for buying Monster cables today.  Monster continually has to escape from the Frankenstein monsters it creates.
Quote:

Exhibit A: the iPod. It is the most used audio product today, I think, and yet it is decent for its price. Not a fantastic deal, of course, and I can think of a few better options (I can't stop mentioning the Sony A845), but still not as overpriced as many other things we see out there. Of course, like anything successful and mainstream, it creates an anti-establishment group devoted to bashing it simply because it's mainstream, regardless of its true merits in sound quality, design, interface.

 

 

[Redtoo]

dude its called post production, its why video games like Call of duty exist. Yes they make money, but if people don't like it they wouldn't buy it. I spent the last like 4 months studying design and contemporary products. Beats is marketed to different people with different tastes, i know a guy who tried out my m-50s before buying his beats solos. Just cause its trash to you doesn't mean its trash to someone else. The consumerist world is simple, market to the general public and not the minority. I too hate some audiophile headphones and think their trash but that is my personal opinion. When people ask me which headphones to buy, i tell them try them all out before making a decision, don't base it on what people tell you. The same people that told me to get certain headphones I did not like are the same people that hate the beats. I hope you understand what i''m trying to get at here.
 

 

[bcasey25raptor]

Quote:

 
You own the Beats now?
Oh Casey...

Implying that having listened to them extensively means i own them? I wouldn't buy them unless they were 50% off. I tried them at best buy with my ipod classic. They opened a package for me.

 

[Maukey]

Quote:

dude its called post production, its why video games like Call of duty exist. Yes they make money, but if people don't like it they wouldn't buy it. I spent the last like 4 months studying design and contemporary products. Beats is marketed to different people with different tastes, i know a guy who tried out my m-50s before buying his beats solos. Just cause its trash to you doesn't mean its trash to someone else. The consumerist world is simple, market to the general public and not the minority. I too hate some audiophile headphones and think their trash but that is my personal opinion. When people ask me which headphones to buy, i tell them try them all out before making a decision, don't base it on what people tell you. The same people that told me to get certain headphones I did not like are the same people that hate the beats. I hope you understand what i''m trying to get at here.
 

This is by far the most intelligent post I think I've read on these forums when it comes to the Beats and the consumer world in general.  It just amazes me how people take an opinion and treat it as fact.  I've seen people even say that people who purchase Beats are ignorant, and this is where I really take offense.
 
I own the Beats Studios, Senns HD555s, Samson SR-850s, and Panasonic HTF600s (The Budget King).  I've heard extensively the Senns HD-280s, Senns HD598s, AT M50s, Sony XB500s, and the Shure SRH840s.  I've also tested some high end Ultrasones and Grados, just not with my own equipment and setup to make a fair comparison.  I'll just say this, despite all of the headphones I've tried, I still own and enjoy my Beats Studios.  Does that make me ignorant or deaf?  Does that make people who don't like the Beats stupid because I do?  NO!
 
My Beats Studios are my go to headphones for use with my iphone/ipad on long trips and Gaming when used in conjunction with some sort of Dolby Headphone/3D Surround Sound Processor.  I live in a small home that's very active, which makes it pretty difficult for me to control my environment.  The Beats with it's noise canceling capabilities and Theater like sound are my favorites for single/multiplayer gaming where as my good friend MalVeaux would say, "Competitive footstep listening" isn't a necessity.  When I first purchased my Beats, I didn't even try them out with gaming because everyone said, "they are horrible for gaming", "they have too much bass", "they have a small sound stage".  Then I stumbled across this review where the guy uses the Beats Studios as his reference headphone for gaming; I guess he's deaf and ignorant too

.  Well, I tried them out and couldn't believe how immersive the experience was.  Gave me theater sound in my headphones better than any I've tried, and that's despite  the fact that these are marketed as music headphones.
 
Now to put things in perspective, I DON'T recommend any of the Beats as a do it all headphone.  They are colored headphones and aren't ideal for some genres of music.  Not saying they sound bad, the Studios at least, just not ideal.  They definitely can't be used for mixing or studio sessions, and yes, I do consider them overpriced.  In my opinion, you're paying $150 for the sound/noise canceling, $100 to Dr Dre, and $50 for marketing.  Luckily, I purchased mine for only $150 from a co-worker who received 2 pair for Christmas

.
 
In summary, my Beats Studios are the best $150 Home Theater/Gaming headphones I've heard despite not being marketed for that.  And despite what the mass opinion on this site is, I can still hear the mids and highs when listening to music.  Are they recessed some?  Absolutely just like most bassy headphones, I just don't think it's as bad as people say.  Last but not least, they are much better than most audiophile headphones for use on the go for multiple reasons.  If me liking the Beats makes me ignorant, then I suggest that those calling me that look in the mirror because how does me spending my money on something I like make me ignorant?  Your opinion is just that, your opinion.  Just like everything I said in this post is my opinion.  How about we all treat them as such.
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

[LizardKing1]

I think the idea that Beats buyers are ignorant came from the "Getting called-out for not wearing the Beats" thread. Some of the horror stories you see there really make you take sides. People trying the LCD-2 properly amped and saying they like the Beats more? Come on...
 
Redtoo while I agree, that doesn't invalidate my point. You basically defined "subjectivity". No one here argues that you're allowed to enjoy the Beats, and that it's a smart (not good, smart) idea to market them the way they do: endorsements + cheap production + big price + association of the product with a certain lifestyle = huge profit. That's all fine. But there's a point where subjectivity boils down into a paradigm, that is, the general consensus. And the general consensus is that they suck. And this is just as valid as someone thinking they're the greatest thing ever.
 
Now, no one is to be insulted, or intellectually downgraded, for liking his Beats. That is a personal, subjective, choice. It's when the extrapolation of their opinion creates a lie that we rant. Saying "they're the best headphones in the world", "they're used by professional audio engineers" and "they're audiophile quality" are ignorant statements, and very arrogant ones - after about 1 year on Head-Fi I still don't know what the best headphone in the world, I don't even know if such a concept exists (but I'm pretty sure it's not the Beats). And while I think some Beats owners are ignorant about headphones, like 99% of the world population is, that doesn't mean they're arrogant. The others who own them and actually know a bit/lot about headphones, like Maukey, are simply enjoying what they want. But if they say stuff like my quotes above, then yes I'd say they were being not only ignorant, but arrogant.

 

[Dubstep Girl]

great review, thanks! 
 
i know we kinda all know most of this through hearing, but glad someone decided to step up and actually formally review them, now we have concrete and solid evidence that they do suck.

 

[sailorman]

 
Quote:

dude its called post production, its why video games like Call of duty exist. Yes they make money, but if people don't like it they wouldn't buy it. I spent the last like 4 months studying design and contemporary products. Beats is marketed to different people with different tastes, i know a guy who tried out my m-50s before buying his beats solos. Just cause its trash to you doesn't mean its trash to someone else. The consumerist world is simple, market to the general public and not the minority. I too hate some audiophile headphones and think their trash but that is my personal opinion. When people ask me which headphones to buy, i tell them try them all out before making a decision, don't base it on what people tell you. The same people that told me to get certain headphones I did not like are the same people that hate the beats. I hope you understand what i''m trying to get at here.
 

You may have studied design and contemporary products (whatever that entails), but you obviously have not had much education in marketing and PR, or else you would easily recognize what is truly going on here.
 
Your statement would have been more accurate if it had read; "If people didn't like it better than stock iBuds, they wouldn't buy it". That's a pretty low bar.  Beats are not marketed to people with "different tastes", they're specifically designed and marketed to people who have no point of reference.  The only element of taste considered in the design of Beats is a preference for bass and bling.
 
I knew a guy who won the lottery.  So what? That's probably just about as common as people trying out other good headphones before buying beats solos. Your advice to try out headphones before making a decision and not to rely on others' opinions is good. It is also 100% diametrically opposed to Monster's marketing strategy, which depends on consumers who base their decisions on what people, specifically celebrities, tell them.  Beats are not marketed to the general public as opposed to the minority. They are not some "anti-elitist" hero providing a hungry market an everyman's headphone that other manufacturers have neglected to provide. The general public is not their demographic at all.  Their demographic is laser-focused on young people who have never tried any other cans, who value celebrity endorsements and who are susceptible to peer pressure and fashion trends.  The vast majority of people, if they followed your advice, would not buy Beats at all.  A few outliers doesn't change that. If you're one of them, congratulations. You certainly have that right. But if everyone else did the same thing, Beats would have a tiny fraction of the sales they do.
 
So don't pretend that Beats are somehow appealing to the general public while other brands are not.  And don't pretend that that is because Beats are designed to sound better to the general public than "audiophile" models.  That is not at all the case.  They are specifically designed to exploit people who never heard decent headphones and to whom anything sounds better than the stock IBuds that are the sum total of their experience with headphones.  If this was not true, they wouldn't dare use marketing lingo like "audiophile", "studio", "professional", "monitors", "the way music was intended to be heard".  Their marketing techniques would be, (and are), laughed at by anyone other than their primary target of naive teenagers.  In contrast, Bose is an overpriced consumerist product marketed to the general public and they generally refrain from kind of tactics Monster uses.  By doing so, they also avoid much of the hate reserved for Beats, even though they're generally no better value.
 
If even half of the people who ultimately buy Beats would have bought them without the celeb endorsements and after trying even two or three other genre suitable headphones in Beats' price range, you might have a point.  But they wouldn't have, so you don't.

 

[Redtoo]

Before the beats came out, no one saw value in expensive headphones. When it did come out people liked it because it had better sound than most people heard, even before the beats so called stole the audiophile hype, blame it on the poor marketing skills of current audiophile companies, i don't think a person knew what an audiophile was, but when people go around thinking the beats were best headphones in the world, now audiophiles hate on them, why because it isn't 100% about audio. Beats/ Bose gave people reason to buy expensive headphones. Most of these headphone companies have the power to endorse and put out their headphones to the public. I see that some are following the beats route now. Yes they are marketed to younger audience, because most adults wouldn't justify spend over 200 dollars on headphones unless they loved audio to the point that it was everything they did. I picked up the beats because I liked the sound when i first got them, and i think they are very well designed. One screw came off my beats, and monster gave me a new pair just cause one screw came off, only problem I ever had with them. Yes i found out what an audiophile was after, personally because i wanted to know more about sound and because i started to work with it more. You know what I SOLD them for the same price i bought them for 6 months later and i enjoyed having them. I've picked up several so called audiophile headphones and we all know how well they hold their value not holding that against them. Why im arguing is because people hate them because they are doing so well. Instead of hating on the beats, how about other companies do a much better job on getting their headphones out there, would be a much better argument, Other then sennheiser and sony, I don't see your point. No one cared about audiophile headphones till the beats came out and i don't see anywhere in the beats campaign do i see them calling out audiophile headphones and i don't see were they claim they got the best headphones in the world. People say they got the best headphone it the world because a company as spent the time and effort to getting their product out. If you told a non audiophile that for his headphones to sound good he had to get and amp, his music had to be a certain type, do you think they would care, people got better things to do with their lives and it was counter intuitive to what you would want in an headphone . I personally got into headphone because after i got the beats and feel in love with audio. If you want a better product for anything do you think someones going to go through extra trouble to get it, hell no. Its all about simplicity. Which brings me back to my argument, Yes everyone's made their point clear that the beats are not audiophile headphones, but they are marketed to a certain demography, which is a lot bigger than you think. If you hate consumerism so much go fight it see where that gets you. I'm trying to not sound like an *****, but hating on the beats because your an audiophile doesn't get you anywhere. The beats are another just another pair of headphones, just move on.

 

[crinacle]

 
Quote:

Before the beats came out, no one saw value in expensive headphones. 

I'm sorry, wut? My uncle went into speakers (and headphones as well) when he was in his thirties, at least 5 years BEFORE Beats actually came out. Same with my dad's friend, and even one of my teachers.
 
If anything, Beats DETERS its users from going into audiophilia. To paraphrase someone I know: "Anything cheaper than Beats or Bose isn't worth your money, anything more expensive is just plain crazy."

 

[bcasey25raptor]

Quote:

 
I'm sorry, wut? My uncle went into speakers (and headphones as well) when he was in his thirties, at least 5 years BEFORE Beats actually came out. Same with my dad's friend, and even one of my teachers.
 
If anything, Beats DETERS its users from going into audiophilia. To paraphrase someone I know: "Anything cheaper than Beats or Bose isn't worth your money, anything more expensive is just plain crazy."

I wouldn't have gotten into headphones without the idea of beats. Originally i was going to buy solos but got deterred by mediocre reviews. Before this site i thought bose was among the best headphones out there. In fact if you look at my earliest posts i was asking how good my shure srh750djs were compared to bose. I always had an idea beats were not the greatest but i remember a few years ago listening to beats studios at futureshop and i was blown away by the sound. I had skullcandy smokin buds at the time. Hating those things. They sounded alright to me but they were just plain terribly uncomfortable. Did i buy teh hype? Yes i did. BUT i still cared to research what was out there. Part of my reasons for buying shure over beats/bose was the fact they were cheaper and had great reviews. Lets see, $130 for shure or $350 for beats. I chose the shure due to lack of funds. ONly after i bought them did i realize how good they were compared to what i was originally eying.

 

[AlCapwn]

I tried on the solos and the big cans, the HDs I think, at the Apple store, using my setup: an iPod touch with a flat EQ. I didn't even get through 5 minutes of music because my neck hurt from the weight. I could learn to deal with the muddy overpowering bass and complete lack of clear highs. I found another problem with every pair I tried: if I did not put the ear cup on in a certain way at a certain angle, I would hear a crackle of a diaphragm being pushed on and no sound would come out of that side. They are also unnecessarily bulky and impractical. I could not find any attemp to create a practical headphone that reached the goal that they advertise. Monster brags about a large proprietary driver withought ever mentioning the actual driver size or explaining what their proprietary driver technology is. I got a pair of JVC HA-RX500 home theater cans off of newegg that have more balanced sound, can reach sounds lower than Beats can, are lightweight, and are less bulky. They work like advertised, if not better. I paid about a third of the price of beats: $33.00. The Skullcandy Aviators I tried in the same Apple store felt sturdier, weighed less, cost 1/2 as much as Beats, and sounded better. They had amazing treble and mids. The bass was not punchy or in-your-face, but it was there and made itself known. Inthinknthey look better, too.

 

[bowei006]

is it just me or did i see the Beats pro's be worth as much as the $140 Denon AHD 1100?

 

[autoteleology]

Quote:

Why im arguing is because people hate them because they are doing so well. No one cared about audiophile headphones till the beats came out and i don't see anywhere in the beats campaign do i see them calling out audiophile headphones and i don't see were they claim they got the best headphones in the world. People say they got the best headphone it the world because a company as spent the time and effort to getting their product out.

I am very late to the party, but I would like to completely disprove your point.

Let me quote the marketing lingo used on Amazon.com for the Beats Studios:

"Three years of thorough research and development resulted in the most incredible headphone speaker ever built. Beats features highly advanced materials and construction to deliver a new level of audio accuracy and clarity. Combining extra-large speaker drivers and a high-power digital amplifier, Beats delivers an unprecedented combination of super deep bass, smooth undistorted highs, and crystal clear vocals never heard before from headphones."
 
I don't know about you, but it looks to me that that is pretty much exactly what they are saying. People think they've got the best headphones in the world because that's exactly what they've been told.

 

[LizardKing1]

Quote:

I am very late to the party, but I would like to completely disprove your point.

Let me quote the marketing lingo used on Amazon.com for the Beats Studios:

"Three years of thorough research and development resulted in the most incredible headphone speaker ever built. Beats features highly advanced materials and construction to deliver a new level of audio accuracy and clarity. Combining extra-large speaker drivers and a high-power digital amplifier, Beats delivers an unprecedented combination of super deep bass, smooth undistorted highs, and crystal clear vocals never heard before from headphones."
 
So many lies here. QED.

 
Almost sounds like a description of the SR-009.
"Advanced materials and construction" means plastic right? There's a lot to go with there, but that one caught my attention.