[money4me247]

Quote:

 
Generally, watches would not be a good parallel example for this kind of argument.  There are quite a few people that could make the argument that a $20 dollar digital timex keeps more accurate time than a $25k Rolex due to the way a mechanical watch functions compared to digital.  The arguments that seem to be made against Beats is that they underperform for their cost, maybe 3-5x depending who you ask, you're basically paying a premium for the name and the looks.  So, "technically", most of the cost of the Rolex is the name and looks/materials as well.
 
But honestly, as a watch lover, I understand the heart of the argument you're trying to make, and would NEVER honestly try to argue that a Timex is a better watch than a Rolex.  Watches, while functional, are primarily a form of jewelry, which the aesthetic quality is the main indication of value.
 
Heh, my 100th post is me being kind of a punk...  sorry about that.

hahah no worries. i wasn't really arguing anything. just pointing out how what the average joe views as "premium products" in other markets segments like watches&cars are still considered "premium" even by the watch&car enthusiast/experts.
 
Off the top of my head, I can't think of other product segment outside of headphones where what the general public thinks is a "premium product" is so universally despised by enthusiasts/experts. It is like opposite day lol.

 

[Parall3l]

Quote:

Seriously???  Numbers dont lie.  As shown earlier......look at which cans sell the most.  So I guess even though Beats outsell all other headphones the public believes they are the 5th or 6th best headphones available?

Price is also a deciding factor. Hence the reason for the Solos being more popular, while the Pros sit at the bottom.

 

[obobskivich]

I think the general theme (of this thread, at least) that admonishing people for buying (and being satisfied with) Beats is "bad" is a fair assessment - just because someone is uneducated/ignorant doesn't mean it's my fault that they make bad choices as a result. I'm completely unrelated to that equation, unless I've done something (maliciously) to prevent them from being educated. Now sure, we can scream that Monster/Beats is lying to customers and not telling them the whole truth, but they also aren't nailing anyone down to a chair and force-feeding them their marketing material. I look at it like McDonald's - it isn't great for you, but they don't force you to eat it either. Personal responsibility is massively under-rated these days.

 

[EF88]

I admit that I like my Grados, Sennheisers, Klipschs and AKGs more than any Beats or Bose headsets I have tried. I would even say that most Beats headsets are not only bad, but they are terrible! I know what I'm talking about because I can do a rapid A/B with the same tracks and settings. 
 
I work with a lot of people in marketing and I can tell that headphones adding lost data to audio files is pure science fiction and I resent the fact that it is being touted as the truth.  Believe me, the market is not homogenous, Beats has a target market that will take everything they say hook line and sinker and then there's us.  That being said, I tried the Beats Tours -- and it sounds good on my HTC phone with a Fiio amp, they are pretty comfy too.  Don't get me wrong, I don't like way it looks. Would I pay $ 150 for it? Hell no! Maybe $ 50 tops.  I don't like it that much and no one can force me to buy it -- except to resell for a profit
 
On a side note I have exposed fake Beats Tours bought by unwitting victims and the sound of these fakes were indeed inferior to the genuine article.  As for the other Beats headsets, I got people to admit an SR60i or even a Sennheiser HD 25 SP II was better than most of their top of the line cans but they aren't about to get a pair real soon -- they'll keep there Beats and forget about hearing that better sound from cheaper headphones.  Maybe I converted one out of ten...that's how the market is.
 
Ohh BTW Monster Guitar cables are great! I use them myself.

 

[s1rrah]

I don't bash the beats ... I don't use them but I don't bash them (I see a lot of guys using them at the gym, though and in some ways, I can understand why that might be) ...
 
My mom got a free pair with her laptop purchase and I borrowed them for a week. The sound wasn't terrible ... quite listenable, actually ... bass emphasized, mid recessed a bit ... certainly not what I'd consider "critical" listening cans (think HD800/GS1000/PS1000/Beyer T1) ... but not horrible sounding.
 
And for what it's worth, the active noise cancellation circuit was actually very impressive. I was sort of freaked out by how it sucked all the ambient room noise (AC vents, computer fans, etc.) out of the  mix ...
 
And in a gym setting? Hell, passable sound and super freaky noise cancellation could be something actually worth spending money on.
 
But no ... they aren't critical listening, "audiophile" cans ... but certainly not worth bashing.
 

 

[Sound Quest]

People don't bash the beats.
 
The beats bash people's ear drums with over exaggerated bass.
 

 

[autoteleology]

And for what it's worth, the active noise cancellation circuit was actually very impressive... super freaky noise cancellation could be something actually worth spending money on.

 
Except other noise cancelling cans do a far better job at the same price... at some points, more than four times better than the Beats

 

[streetdragon]

Noise cancellation on the beats studios are rubbish. They gave me an instant headache with its super high pitched hiss and didn't even isolate any better than the HD202 which i owned. 

 

[money4me247]

Quote:

People don't bash the beats.
 
The beats bash people's ear drums with over exaggerated bass.
 

lol

 

[money4me247]

Quote:

Noise cancellation on the beats studios are rubbish. They gave me an instant headache with its super high pitched hiss and didn't even isolate any better than the HD202 which i owned. 

 
hii, can you explain what the squiggle lines mean? please. okay, thanks.

 

[Hutnicks]

Quote:

 
Generally, watches would not be a good parallel example for this kind of argument.  There are quite a few people that could make the argument that a $20 dollar digital timex keeps more accurate time than a $25k Rolex due to the way a mechanical watch functions compared to digital.  The arguments that seem to be made against Beats is that they underperform for their cost, maybe 3-5x depending who you ask, you're basically paying a premium for the name and the looks.  So, "technically", most of the cost of the Rolex is the name and looks/materials as well.
 
But honestly, as a watch lover, I understand the heart of the argument you're trying to make, and would NEVER honestly try to argue that a Timex is a better watch than a Rolex.  Watches, while functional, are primarily a form of jewelry, which the aesthetic quality is the main indication of value.
 
Heh, my 100th post is me being kind of a punk...  sorry about that.

 
Nails and heads right on  (Tudor and Seamaster(the other other Swiss Watch) fan here). If you look at the suit Beats have against Yamaho, a large part of the contention is Beats as a fashion accessory and statement. I believe that is the market share they are trying to protect from encroachment. As that seems to be focus of the brand (Dre sold off a huge chunk last year to make him 1 of the top 10 highest paid entertainers of the year). the sound quality is not paramount and you are actually paying the premium for the style statement (B for bling) it makes. I think that sort of Tommy Hilfigerism is what has beats earning the scorn of the rest of the audio community.
I have both the tours and the sport hooks and can honestly say compared to the rest of the inventory they give a pretty mediocre sound for the dollar. Then again I don't generally listen to hip hop or rap so it may very much be a case of horses for courses.
 
Beats has gone down the style road and quite frankly before generation I happened, that market did not exist. They developed it and welcome to it.
 
Who knows, whoever is now manufacturing and designing them might just say "Hey we have the style market sewn up now, and all the revenue we need, lets design a kick butt performing flagship to rival the HD 800, just because we can"

 

[soundeffect]

Quote:

 
Except other noise cancelling cans do a far better job at the same price... at some points, more than four times better than the Beats

Agreed. The beats noise cancelling is not that good.

 

[streetdragon]

Quote:

 
hii, can you explain what the squiggle lines mean? please. okay, thanks.

the lower the line, the better it is at blocking out sound at specific frequencies

 

 

[devhen]

I'm pretty sure the Headroom/Innerfidelity graphs only show passive isolation.

 

[TMRaven]

Beats by dre can't be played at all unless their noise canceling is on.  So it is active for the Beats at least.