Soul by Ludacris

[maverickronin]

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Aw come on, give them a chance. I understand the doubt for it all, but there's no reviews or impressions of them and people start to bash them up because they're "celebriphones". Frankly, if I was a high-profile rapper trying to make headphones, I'd still put a "By <insert generic tryhard gansta name here>" next to the name. It's business.
 
Who knows? I'm hoping this turns out to be an audiophile-consumer mixmash of sorts, then people will truly start to appreciate audio more. Unless of course, you guys are too hipster for mainstream audiophillia (REAL audiophillia, not Beats audiophillia), then you better start praying.
 
*P.S. take this as small gossip, but some say the SL100 is on par with the HD25.

Well obviously I'm not going to say they suck without hearing them first but anything like that automatically comes with a truckload of skepticism, suspicion, and mistrust.  If they actually made something decent then good for them, but I'm not rushing out to be the first test subject.  Even if it is good, its probably overpriced from all the "branding" piled on cow manure.
 
I'll remain open to giving them the shot if the chance presents itself though...

 

[Pwn3r4Life]

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Musicians can endorse stuff without making money off them, and perhaps not even free samples. Think Shannon Elizabeth with HiFiMan, or Jay Leno with the McLaren-Mercedes. At best (or worst) we can assume they might be getting more attention for after sales support.

 
Wait just one minute, who is Shannon Elizabeth? And what's a McLaren?
 
The reason that Beats are popular and infamous can be summed up pretty simply. They are popular because they are endorsed by a rapper and producer, what everyone would consider a musician. Therefore he has worked with music and has to know what he doing when he makes a high-end headphone. Couple that with some good advertising (or just advertising) and you've got fans. Straight up fact, Beats by Dre studios are they best headphones sold at Best Buy. What most people don't realize, and refuse to accept without listening, is that there are FAR superior headphones available for purchase online and at specialty stores. Everyone here on Head-Fi hates Beats because of the bad sound quality. Beats have VERY GOOD sound quality on the low end, the bass is boomy and that is all that general public looks for in headphones and speakers these days. As secondary proof a friend of mine just dropped $10,000 on one subwoofer for his car, and he has stock speakers. Beats perform at the same level as a Smokin' Bud on highs and mids. When you combine more than instrument in music (harmony), Beats blob the sounds together and it is AWFUL.
SOUL by Luda
Beats by Dre
Such a similar name but I think you have to give the SOUL line a shot. Most audiophiles are shooting them down because they WILL suck, don't judge too soon. I agree with crinacle give them a fighting chance, otherwise new brands will never come out.

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

I don't have a problem with some1's name backing up a product AS LONG as it doesn't result in price premiums and dodgy marketing exploiting style. That's what people have a problem about with Beats and assumes this might be the same thing but it doesn't necessarily ALWAYS have to be the case why I would wait for reviews before making any rushed assumptions.

 

[Pwn3r4Life]

I agree with you now too.

 

[murdock]

I found a review comparing them against some Beats Solo HDs.
 
http://blog.headphones.com/headphone-reviews/soul-by-ludacris-sl150-headphone-review/
 
a helpful when relating them to a comparable pair; but I don't think anyone would consider either 'audiophile' cans

 

[ProtegeManiac]

I didn't make that clear enough. Point is if musicians or celebrities want to promote something they use they don't need to be making money out of it. An actress can use a non-iPod/Android/Blackberry music player or Jay Leno can voice his opinion why some cars are in hi garage and others aren't (which is better than just a random bunch of guys in a forum who are discussing it theoretically because they can't afford the ones they're talking about.) In any case, even if people get freebies, it's not in the same league all the time as very aggressive marketing in terms of being "in" or "cool." In a way, some of these get away with similar strategies because they're anti-pop. Think of how some a guy killing innocent people and that same guy getting killed is on a different level by people's standards; essentially the same crime by (blind) legal definition, but not by certain biases.
 
 
http://www.google.com.ph/search?q=McLaren+Mercedes+SLR&hl=tl&client=firefox-a&hs=cV1&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&prmd=ivns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=UxogTpLoHMH1mAXO1ay3Aw&ved=0CC8QsAQ&biw=1280&bih=678
http://www.maxbimmer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40449 (In his Popular Mechanics column a few years ago he also mentioned that the Enzo needs a special oil from Shell, but the SLR McLaren can use off-the shelf fully synthetic Mobil 1)
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/545820/hifiman-hm-601-music-player-re0-iem-and-grammy-award-winners
 
 
Also, consider how rappers nowadays are perceived. People won't get why they put 20" spinners on Lamborghinis when the factory sport suspension is tuned to a lightweight aluminum wheel without a free-spinning mass in the hub. Even Hummer guys who actually drive in the dessert will prefer The Governator over any rapper, or any oil Sheikh who can't decide what to do with his money going out and aping the 30" spinners on MTV Cribs. All that said I did want to have the 50cent by Sleek, but mainly because it's perfect for intercontinental flights (NC, around the ear, etc) but doesn't scream, "I LOVE KOBE/JUSTIN BIEBER!" (plus I'm a sucker for dark or dull colours and carbon fibre over anything that can blind me)

 
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Wait just one minute, who is Shannon Elizabeth? And what's a McLaren?
 

 

[ProtegeManiac]

And before anyhone thinks I hate rap, I listen to Bone Thugs n Harmony, 2PAC and a few others on Grados because their voices comethrough clearly. In other words, I don't much to music written about clubbing and meant to be played to shake the club walls off. I do however enjoy that music in a modified car in an empty parking garage. Club systems usually have too much "thwack" sounds due to overexcursion of the drivers; apparently a couple of 12v DC amps can do a lot better when you specifically design the sub enclosure to rock pants off.

 

[yomomma1]

In the UK we have a TV show called 'Top Gear'. On said show, they have something called "the cool wall". The premise is, they judge cars on the coolness, now, there is a rule where as if one of the presenters has a car then that car in instantly put on the "extremely uncool"  section. There are other reasons why certain cars are instantly initiated onto the uncool parts of the wall. My point is this. Headphones "made" by celebrities are never going to be well accepted by enthusiasts simply due to the fact that the companies that produce them are basically using a celebs status to sell their product and the enthusiast will 10 times out of 10 want to see a product sell because of it's own merits. I completely agree with the people who say give them a try before you knock them down BUT there is something in me that hates the idea of the marketing machine and system used by these companies that produce these items. There is also the issue of the price to quality ratio of these items but that is another story.
 
To sum up. I am willing to try these cans like I tried the beats (which I found to be ok for about £100 but a rip off for the actual rrp of £280 and trounced by it's competition) but I do not hold any expectations as they after all are just part of the "machine"
 
And breathe..........
 
 

 

[JBAndradeIV]

Quote:

Straight up fact, Beats by Dre studios are they best headphones sold at Best Buy. What most people don't realize, and refuse to accept without listening, is that there are FAR superior headphones available for purchase online and at specialty stores. Everyone here on Head-Fi hates Beats because of the bad sound quality. Beats have VERY GOOD sound quality on the low end, the bass is boomy and that is all that general public looks for in headphones and speakers these days. As secondary proof a friend of mine just dropped $10,000 on one subwoofer for his car, and he has stock speakers. Beats perform at the same level as a Smokin' Bud on highs and mids. When you combine more than instrument in music (harmony), Beats blob the sounds together and it is AWFUL.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Headphones/Studio-Headphones/pcmcat219300050003.c?id=pcmcat219300050003#storeInventoryLink
 
From this list (as well as the rest of the headphone inventory on this site, I can tell you the following headphones available at Best Buy are, IMO, much better than the Beats:
Q701, Shure 840, Sennheiser HD25, Shure 440, ATH-M35, ATH-M50, Pioneed HDJ 2000, an the list goes on and on and on.
 
I understand that many of these must be requested to ship to the store, but even at that I know for a fact that there are several pairs of superior Sony and Sennheiser cans kept in stock at Best Buy that blow away the Beats.  And we're still in circumaural/supra-aural territory.  There are also many IEMs at best buy that are, IMO, better than the Beats.  

So your "straight up fact" is really anything but.  You can have your opinion, and that's more than cool with me, but don't tout it like it's fact and pretend your opinions are better than mine.  You can love the Beats Studios all you want, but I think Koss KSC75s sound better for like $15 retail (and, if you look around, you can find them in stores).  Just my opinions mind you.  I've listened to the Beats.  I'm not just bashing them without any experience.  They sound lousy for any headphone over $80.  
 
And they DO NOT (again in my opinion, but this is a very strong opinion) have good quality on the low end.  Bass quantity does not equal bass quality.  You can have overly bassy headphones while still keeping the bass tight and defined.  Even in retail stores.  The Klipsch Image Ones are available at any Apple Store, which is about as mainstream consumer as you can get, and, although I'd say they're still not worth their $150 price tag or whatever, are a much better deal than the Beats.  There is a ton of bass (too much for me!), but they don't sound like a monotonous rumbling like the Beats (Klipsch= BOOM BOOM BOOM, Beats=BOOOOMBOOOMBOOOM).  They're just much tighter.  

In my opinion, for any style of music or any price range, there is a far superior headphone available in consumer retail stores than the Beats.
 
If you like them, I don't mean to say you're wrong or that that I feel bad for you.  Everyone's ears are different, and if they fit your ideal sonic signature, then I'm happy for you.  But I just feel it's wrong to tout that they're the best headphones available at Best Buy or that they have good bass as a straight up fact.
 
Also, Smokin' buds are pretty lousy IEMs IMO...was the comparison supposed to be a compliment?  I'm confused I guess.
 

 

[JBAndradeIV]

I'd like to note that, in my second paragraph, when I said "I know for a fact that there are several pairs of superior Sony and Sennheiser cans kept in stock at Best Buy that blow away the Beats", I didn't mean that it is a fact that they blow away the beats (indeed, that would negate my entire argument that sound quality is an opinion).  Rather, I meant that I know for a fact they are stocked in-store.  Just thought I'd clear up any misunderstandings there.  

 

[bud212002]

Isn"t the "best" and "best sounding" headphone, IEM, etc., the one you have on hand when you decide to listen to your tunes??

 

[ytisawfulnow]

I had a listen to the SL100's today and to me they were a very subpar and not very exciting sounding headphone, Beautiful design and comfort is decent but to me the sound was really muddy and everything sounded a distance away, vocals and instruments failed to have any impact and they just don't sound that good.

 

[gogators]

From the name andgenre the headphones stand and probably tuned to, I can imagine what the headphones should sound like. They should sound like the Beats! boomy bass and nothing else,  Am I right?