[nixkid]

The most vitriol comes from rap haters, bass haters, and haters of anything popular (audio hipster types).  Of these, I can only really understand the bass haters because at least they are consistent (they'll hate on any can thats bass heavy no matter the brand) and it boils down to their personally preferences in music.
 
Yes, they are overpriced.  Yes, there are better headphones for the money.  But I don't get the outright hate.  They could end up being great gateway can.  Slowly, exposing people to the idea of buying better headphones priced at higher than $30.  Once people have accepted that headphones can be priced in the triple digits, its not a big leap for the truly interested to go to beyerdynamics, senns, akgs, etc.  Just as some iPhone users (who may initially buy their phones based on aesthetics) eventually turn into power users who see the light and switch to more viable platforms.   Beats is growing the > $150 headphone market which is a VERY GOOD THING.  Now its up to other manufacturers to step up and make cans that can start chipping away at Beats' market share and a lot of them are trying, they just haven't struck gold yet.

 

[streetdragon]

  Man I agree with you bra. Stop hatin' people, stop hatin'...

 
The pro's are not tooo bad. (just because they use metal.)
And if you like boomy overpowerful bass, but I guess that's your taste. Blast'em all away monotone bass.

But regardless the solo's are absolutely bad. In every way.

Their impact on the industry is mixed, tarnishing the image of high end headphones but at the same time expanding it.
But the products themselves are not good. Marketing is also manipulative and deceptive but that one is up the the general public to put the pieces together.

 

[nixkid]

   
The pro's are not tooo bad. (just because they use metal.)
And if you like boomy overpowerful bass, but I guess that's your taste. Blast'em all away monotone bass.

But regardless the solo's are absolutely bad. In every way.

Their impact on the industry is mixed, tarnishing the image of high end headphones but at the same time expanding it.
But the products themselves are not good. Marketing is also manipulative and deceptive but that one is up the the general public to put the pieces together.

 
They don't really tarnish the image of high end headphones because most people that have them actually like them.  All of their headphones are 4 star rated on Amazon except the in-ears and if you read the reviews...there are a bunch of 'audiophiles', that probably don't own a pair, bashing it.  The average rating is probably higher if you only count people that actually own them and disregard the trolls.  And these are typically people who prior to owning beats would freak out if you told them you spent over $100 on a pair of headphones.  Like all trends, the beats trend will likely come to an end and when it does, it could leave a massive market opportunity for a respected headphone company to step up and make a lot of money with a stylish, bass oriented can (which many of them are trying to do).  Its a win-win for the industry and for the hobby because when Hifiman blows up with the Flowz by P. Diddy, its going to have the money to finance the development of the super flat and balanced HE-1000 that everyone here will love and they'll have the economies of scale to do it cheaper as well.

 

[Dubstep Girl]

  The most vitriol comes from rap haters, bass haters, and haters of anything popular (audio hipster types).  Of these, I can only really understand the bass haters because at least they are consistent (they'll hate on any can thats bass heavy no matter the brand) and it boils down to their personally preferences in music.
 
Yes, they are overpriced.  Yes, there are better headphones for the money.  But I don't get the outright hate.  They could end up being great gateway can.  Slowly, exposing people to the idea of buying better headphones priced at higher than $30.  Once people have accepted that headphones can be priced in the triple digits, its not a big leap for the truly interested to go to beyerdynamics, senns, akgs, etc.  Just as some iPhone users (who may initially buy their phones based on aesthetics) eventually turn into power users who see the light and switch to more viable platforms.   Beats is growing the > $150 headphone market which is a VERY GOOD THING.  Now its up to other manufacturers to step up and make cans that can start chipping away at Beats' market share and a lot of them are trying, they just haven't struck gold yet.

 
i love rap and bass and mainstream, but i hate beats because any good headphone can do those things better. i love bass , but not the beats bass, its muddy and distorted. 

 

[foreign]

i love rap and bass and mainstream, but i hate beats because any good headphone can do those things better. i love bass , but not the beats bass, its muddy and distorted. 

+1