[ssrock64]

Today, a few weeks after they first started appearing on shelves, I took a trip to the local Best Buy to try out the new Beats Mixr on the Monster Cable test stand. I waited a few weeks because I didn't want to rush in while they were being burnt in still on the test stand, and despite the wait there were still about ten people crowded around the headphones when I got there. With a few members saying that they sound about as good as or better than the M50 in their first tests, I wanted to give them a good try. Here's what I found:
 
Fit/Style/Build Quality: Personally, these seem to be the best-looking Beats model built yet. They have a sleek, polished design with a smudge-free matte finish, with most materials being of high standard. They also are the best yet in terms of build quality for Beats Electronics, with mostly metal parts that have the same quality standard as the Pro model. However, they seem not to suffer from the same practically magnetic repulsion that separates the Pro model from its earpads all the time.
 
They are on-ears with larger pads than the Solos, and the earpads are basically a scaled-down version of those on the Pro model. All in all, these seem to be an attempt to bring the feel and look of the Pro to more people. The swiveling system of the cups is a bit convoluted at first (especially when being visually and aurally assaulted by Best Buy demos all around you), but is easy once you get used to it. They're pretty comfortable, but could slide off easily on small heads.
 
Sound: Like the build and style, the Mixr's sound is an attempt to make a cheaper headphone that is very similar to the Pro: Less all-consuming bass than the Solo or Studio, more mids, and less harsh highs. However, it didn't bring the clarity of the Pro along to the party. Since the $400 Pros sound about equal clarity-wise than a $125 Ultrasone HFI-580, the $250 Mixr definitely don't live up to their price range.
 
They sound like an on-ear XB500 with more veil, or a Klipsch Image One with a bit less bass and more mud. Soundstage is near-nonexistent, the bass is an ill-defined mess (if a quieter ill-defined mess than other models), and while the mids are more forward they still lack any detail.
 
 
Overall, they're just another ripoff courtesy of Beats Electroincs.

 

[MalVeauX]

 
Very best,

 

[sinphase]

any pics?

 

[ssrock64]

Nah, I only head my cell on me in the store and didn't feel the need to snap any pics since the lighting isn't very good there anyways. Here's some of the press photos:
 

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EDIT: What's sad is that my 777th post is about Beats.

 

[CaveManta]

My impressions at Best Buy: I picked it up and was amazed at how thin and pliable the headband was. I was afraid it was going to break in my hands. I tried rotating the earpieces, and it just seemed like the cables were going to get pinched and damaged. To really finish things off, it has the earcups from the Beats Pros, which I cannot get a seal with whatsoever, because I have huge ears.

Might as well get the Beats Solos. They seem to be more resilient.  ....What a shame.
No Beats Mixr Mastrs for me!

 

[NotSoSerious]

I found the Mixr's to be unpleasantly painful and screechy. It was not an enjoyable experience at all. Never bothered to listen to the Pro's, but anything with harsher treble then the Mixr's already sounds like a nightmare. 
 
Also: Comfort was an enormous issue. Unbearable for more than seven minutes with my wombat ears. The clamping force was enormous and the ear pads did not feel soft, giving it a "rigid" ear pad feel, rather then a soft and more comfortable one.
 
I felt these were the worst of the entire Beats line. It may not be nearly as muddy as something like the Solo's, but the treble was nightmarish and painful in my experience.  
 

 

[DaBomb77766]

A shame, I heard a few initial impressions saying it was pretty good...but then, it was apparently developed in conjunction with David Guetta, so it figures.

 

[ssrock64]

I was a little forgiving in the original post (notice how I gave half the article to appearance), but most of the more harsh comments given above are true for me, true. However, I still stand by the fact that they're built relatively well.

 

[sid12345678910]

Quote:

 
Very best,

LOL!
 

 

[fountainpenman]

...Why doesnt monster actually try and develop a decent headphone?  They have more than the neccessary requirements and technology to.

 

[fabio-fi]

Quote:

...Why doesnt monster actually try and develop a decent headphone?  They have more than the neccessary requirements and technology to.

 
Because they only care about money. 

 

[DaBomb77766]

Quote:

...Why doesnt monster actually try and develop a decent headphone?  They have more than the neccessary requirements and technology to.

They do make some pretty decent IEMs.  They just haven't bothered making any good headphones yet.

 

[EPICFAILXD]

Quote:

 
Very best,

haha

 

[Cloudapro]

Keep in mind that monster and Beats separated in early 2012. Mixr is exclusively made by Beats now, not by Monster.

 

[a_recording]

I actually just got a pair of these to give them a longer demo for a supra-aural review thread / video I want to do. Call it being 'fair and balanced' but I actually want to see how these compare against other headphones in this price class like the Sennheiser Momentum and Audio Technica ES10.
 
Just want to give my first impressions though:
 
1. Build quality is very, very impressive. 
2. Clamping pressure is insanely tight. I know these are DJ headphones and are meant to stay on the head but I feel like I'm in one of those mechanical-claw lucky dip machines.
3. Sound quality actually on first listen is surprisingly decent. A crowd pleasing sound for sure but so is the ES10. Definitely a substantial bass response but they aren't super veiled or murky by any stretch of the imagination. There is some mid / lower treble forwardness that makes everything a bit glossy. Clarity is quite good but the soundstage lacks a little definition compared to the ES10 and Momentum.
 
These are definitely not awful sounding though and I wouldn't dismiss them out of hand.