[sloomingbla]

Beats are only popular because they have a unique bassy sound signature, a good looking design, and they market themselves as the best. I remember being amazed when i first heard them. I remember saying "It sounds like i'm at a concert!". The sq for the price is substandard but they really hit the sound signature for wowing people. Imagine if they had a flat sound sig, lol. I don't respect the company that made beats, but i respect the amount of marketing genius that they put into them.

 

[p4s2p0]

Beats are only popular because they have a unique bassy sound signature, a good looking design, and they market themselves as the best. I remember being amazed when i first heard them. I remember saying "It sounds like i'm at a concert!". The sq for the price is substandard but they really hit the sound signature for wowing people. Imagine if they had a flat sound sig, lol. I don't respect the company that made beats, but i respect the amount of marketing genius that they put into them.

 
Bassy to one is natural to another, the sound is also cleaner than some other options within the sound signature.
 
Dre and Iovine do have and ear for sound even if not everyone is going to like it..other bass tuned earbuds I have had didn't sound as good.

 

[meringo]

  Not everyone some company's become worse.
 
I don't like v-moda as much as I used to

hahaha truth... and interesting. I recently purchased and QUICKLY returned both the new Zn and m100. Both disappointments, in different ways.
 
examples of brands that improved their designs over a very short time: Blue (with Lola), Aurisonics (Bravo series rocks), HiFiMan (they listen to their customers and act quickly), to name a few...

 

[meringo]

   
That while making the sound cleaner than other options in the sound signature..other bass tuned earbuds I have had didn't sound as good

 
get some Aurisonics then you will come back and delete the post lol

 

[Karias]

  I can understand some people having a different preference to sound signature. But I find beats bass level to be just right while having enough mids and highs and I have had or heard plenty of cheaper major brands.

I do agree about everyone having a preference to a certain sound signature, be it warm, neutral, bassy (like the beats), or even sharp brightness. Beats V shaped response is really attractive, I can vow to that, but in terms of many other areas like detail retrieval, sound staging and accurate reproduction of music (as it was recorded), Beats have a hard road to fight ahead of them.

There are also many brands with similar sound signatures to the beats, and just downright sound better for their price.

 

[inthere]

  Honestly while Beats did get me interested in headphones I don't really respect them at all because they're taking peoples money by selling them average headphones for such an expensive price.
I have a great analogy for this: Imagine Skullcandy selling there earbuds for $199.99

No different from high end headphone companies doing $1200 markups.

 

[p4s2p0]

  I do agree about everyone having a preference to a certain sound signature, be it warm, neutral, bassy (like the beats), or even sharp brightness. Beats V shaped response is really attractive, I can vow to that, but in terms of many other areas like detail retrieval, sound staging and accurate reproduction of music (as it was recorded), Beats have a hard road to fight ahead of them.

There are also many brands with similar sound signatures to the beats, and just downright sound better for their price.

True neither sound signature is perfect both can lack detail,etc in one way or another and why headphones are always fighting for better sound across all sound signatures.

 

[GL1TCH3D]

I go to 2 very popular forums, this is one of them. The other I will not name but they're all crazy about beats and I get flamed for even mentioning other headphones. All they do is talk about beats and at the mention of other headphones "of they must be **** because they're not beats" but obviously in lesser English.

Oh lmao dude you must be from HackForums?

I assume its you, you helped me out once when I was planning to purchase headphones, thanks a lot.

I love the ATH-M50

Always using the same username myself

 

[meringo]

 
No different from high end headphone companies doing $1200 markups.

You know, I agree with you. The HiFi market is inflated quite a bit. Once you breach the $300 market, you are paying for R&D or Brand recognition.
 
Great example: The HE-400i Black Friday sale. Yup! $300 is a great price for those... but they also could have been $300 from the start, with HiFiman still making money. It's all about what people are WILLING to pay.
 
Although I've heard many models with high price points, I will never buy anything over $500 based on principle. It's gains are never worth it, in my opinion.

 

[p4s2p0]

They are teaching teenagers that more bass is better -,-

Having more bass impact than some people prefer adds to the depth and detail and at 38 it's not just teenagers that enjoy it old timer JK.

 

[inthere]

 
You know, I agree with you. The HiFi market is inflated quite a bit. Once you breach the $300 market, you are paying for R&D or Brand recognition.
 
Great example: The HE-400i Black Friday sale. Yup! $300 is a great price for those... but they also could have been $300 from the start, with HiFiman still making money. It's all about what people are WILLING to pay.
 
Although I've heard many models with high price points, I will never buy anything over $500 based on principle. It's gains are never worth it, in my opinion.

 
 HiFiMan also has a $2999 headphone-The HE-1000 and i seriously doubt it has over $200 of materials. Sennheiser has a new headphone that costs $50,000, good luck with that! Audeze releasing the LCD 4 for $4000+ after releasing the EL-8 which had such critical design faults a recall was seriously discussed. *Research?* Yeah, right! I'm not going to worry about the price of headphones I don't want and won't buy.

 

[canali]

nothing wrong with what Beats is doing in my books:
they're introducing people into the world of audio.
 
while i haven't listened to any Beats cans, I do respect that the brand has helped
propel portable audio into the limelight, making many quality manufacturers take
note and come out with some great products....the growing world of iems and portable cans
(and non portable) is really something nowadays.
 
my first (recent) foray back into audio after a long hiatus was via the skull candy grinds
(great reviews, bang for buck)...then i p/u the sony 7520...also looking at senns next
 
my first iems were sony xba h1...now have the vsonic gr07 and am looking at various other options:
aurisonics kicker or harmony...or shire 846...or fls s8
 
in other words, what Beats (and skull candy) has done is introduce audio to a new generation of listeners.
sure you'll get those who'll keep what they have and not move on / experiment with different and
more $$$$ for better sound for a host of reasons...but for many others (moi)
it's a starting point to explore further.

 

[p4s2p0]

   
get some Aurisonics then you will come back and delete the post lol

I have thought about the bravo kickers but they aren't out yet and I don't know if they have a removable cable which I would require at their price. But they are quite big looking and I prefer small earbuds.
 
I'm pretty happy with urbeats for their price though

 

[p4s2p0]

  nothing wrong with what Beats is doing in my books:
they're introducing people into the world of audio.
 
while i haven't listened to any Beats cans, I do respect that the brand has helped
propel portable audio into the limelight, making many quality manufacturers take
note and come out with some great products....the growing world of iems and portable cans
(and non portable) is really something nowadays.
 
my first (recent) foray back into audio after a long hiatus was via the skull candy grinds
(great reviews, bang for buck)...then i p/u the sony 7520...also looking at senns next
 
my first iems were sony xba h1...now have the vsonic gr07 and am looking at various other options:
aurisonics kicker or harmony...or shire 846...or fls s8
 
in other words, what Beats (and skull candy) has done is introduce audio to a new generation of listeners.
sure you'll get those who'll stay there and not move on to better sound for a host of reasons...but for many others (moi)
it's a starting point, gets you wanting to taste more of the forbiddden fruit and thus climb up the ladder to better sonic experiences

I have been listening to music for over 20 years and have had or heard many major brands. So beats aren't just introducing new gens but satisfying old ones as well.
 
Though I know you can' t make everyone happy when people prefer different sound signatures

 

[meringo]

  I have thought about the bravo kickers but they aren't out yet and I don't know if they have a removable cable which I would require at their price. But they are quite big looking and I prefer small earbuds.
 
I'm pretty happy with urbeats for their price though

 
They are out, and have a removable cable. Let me know if you are having trouble finding vendors... my google search reveals several places that have them ready to ship.