Why the Beats Hate?

[MICHAELSD]

 It's just like owning multiple headphones, they just cost more!

Fair enough lol. I'd probably do the same if I had the budget.

What are your top 3 headphones you use most often?

 

[SHAMuuu]

  My issue ( OPINION )  is that Beats on a whole are at best Mid Fi earphones. They are made and marketed towards people who dont know any better. Mass marketed to the misinformed masses as it were. But IF there is someone out there whom enjoys their sound then really who cares. Im not being forced to buy them or listen to them so in the end its really about what you as an individual like.

 
These misinformed masses usually know of high end setups when they go to the club or movie theaters, and live concerts. To say the masses don't know about good sound is ridiculous, and most people do know about good music and how it should sound (on million $ systems). They sometimes spend on home or car audio, and listen to music there, so then headphones wouldn't matter as much. I think if i could listen to speakers and subwoofer all the time, i wouldn't use headphones except on the go. Its because i can't have the subwoofer rattle the house and speakers full blast i rely on headphones. The experience of speakers + sub vs headphones is not a fair fight. And ofc the more you rely on headphones, and start reading about them, the more curious you get. Some people dont chase imaging and soundstage and attacks and decays and just want to enjoy a few songs. Doesn't mean they don't care about music or how its played per se.

 

[pofdstudios]

   
These misinformed masses usually know of high end setups when they go to the club or movie theaters, and live concerts. To say the masses don't know about good sound is ridiculous, and most people do know about good music and how it should sound (on million $ systems). They sometimes spend on home or car audio, and listen to music there, so then headphones wouldn't matter as much. I think if i could listen to speakers and subwoofer all the time, i wouldn't use headphones except on the go. Its because i can't have the subwoofer rattle the house and speakers full blast i rely on headphones. The experience of speakers + sub vs headphones is not a fair fight. And ofc the more you rely on headphones, and start reading about them, the more curious you get. Some people dont chase imaging and soundstage and attacks and decays and just want to enjoy a few songs. Doesn't mean they don't care about music or how its played per se.

My only bitch with Beats is they market them as HiFi when they are not. Cant tell you enough how many people ive met who think BEATS are the top of the line earphones and they are astounding in sound. Then I pull out my B+W Wireless P&7s and they get slack jawed and a glazed look in their eye at how good they sound compared to the BEATs and the P7s are good but not great earphones! I could care less what type of earphones anyone buys or uses. As I get older my hearing is decaying like everything else is and it would surprise me that eventually **** through a tin horn will sound high fidelity to me! lol

 

[SHAMuuu]

  My only bitch with Beats is they market them as HiFi when they are not. Cant tell you enough how many people ive met who think BEATS are the top of the line earphones and they are astounding in sound. Then I pull out my B+W Wireless P&7s and they get slack jawed and a glazed look in their eye at how good they sound compared to the BEATs and the P7s are good but not great earphones! I could care less what type of earphones anyone buys or uses. As I get older my hearing is decaying like everything else is and it would surprise me that eventually **** through a tin horn will sound high fidelity to me! lol

They must do somethings right, because they play modern music without and amp. They look good (i don't own beats, never have, but i will admit they have some nice models). Also a lot of athletes train with them on so their fit is good. The basshead cans I have require amp/dacs and i mean who really wants to stack on the go? Those rubberbands over phones and trying to fit them in pocket.
 
Not to argue with your point b/c obv i know there is better fidelity with higher end / better quality cans, but for modern music, if they are satisfied, really nothing to argue about. I watch beats reviews all the time, and many of the reviewers have good cans, but they like beats for what it offers. And it does offer some things other cans don't.
 
I think I will buy beats one day. As a decorative item. They opened this hobby up to the masses. You would think headphone heads would be happy b/c then more people get sucked in to the hobby. If their starting point is a Beats Pro, vs like a Shure 440, that starting point in sound quality anyway isn't that far off. I might even have swapped my 440s for an all red Beats Pro to start with.

 

[pofdstudios]

To each his own

 

[god-bluff]

The headphone world was a great place before Beats and many of the great headphones sold in that unfashionable times are still going strong.

 

[SHAMuuu]

The headphone world was a great place before Beats and many of the great headphones sold in that unfashionable times are still going strong.

The more people that get into the hobby, the better isn't it? Just b/c they start with beats doesn't mean they will end their journey with beats. Im not sure everyone starts with a Sennheiser or Beyer.
 
I started with a Sennheiser, but i didn't know what an open back was, and was like wth is this? LoL I do remember the sound quality was good, but i didn't like lack of bass. Music tastes change over time, or i should say they expand. Later on, i got a shure 440, and i paid attention to the details more as my music tastes were wider.
 
I'm sure if someone starts with beats, they would still be open to better sound. But the point is its nice to bump into people who like headphones outside of the internet as well. And with youtube reviews you can see the reviewers who review beats also review better headphones, and many people watch those and learn as well that there are very expensive headphones out there, which would make them curious.
 
If beats caused tens of millions to get into the hobby, then its a good thing.

 

[god-bluff]

I don't know

Before Beats headphones were not so commonly available. People had to look for them go to electrical or hifi shops and make a considered choice after researching rather than just grabbing a pair of fashion phones at the local supermarket

After using my dad's old Koss for many years, my first purchase of 'real' headphones were Beyers (DT231)

The choice was Beyer or Sennheiser. If you were feeling a bit adventurous Audio Technica or Grado or Sony if you wanted something a bit more affordable. Less choice arguably a greater chance of getting a quality pair of headphones you might be happy with for years.

As already said each to their own.

 

[youngarthur]

I have the HD800, HEK,and among others, Beats in ear. I have quite a few other in ears,on ears, over ear phones. Beats are handy for outside/working on car OR as my grandchildren say, Whatever!. This does not mean I am a beats hater or lover, just that they suit me on certain occasions.

 

[god-bluff]

I have the HD800, HEK,and among others, Beats in ear. I have quite a few other in ears,on ears, over ear phones. Beats are handy for outside/working on car OR as my grandchildren say, Whatever!. This does not mean I am a beats hater or lover, just that they suit me on certain occasions.

The question is do you even need headphones where you live?? You could get some nice speakers.

Unlikely to upset the neighbours!

 

[god-bluff]

The question is do you even need headphones where you live?? You could get some nice speakers. EDIT You probably already hsve

Unlikely to upset the neighbours!

 

[inthere]

 It's just like owning multiple headphones, they just cost more!

Fair enough lol. I'd probably do the same if I had the budget.

What are your top 3 headphones you use most often?

At the moment:

1. Audioquest Nighthawk
2. AKG K872
3. Noble Kaiser 10

 

[inthere]

The headphone world was a great place before Beats and many of the great headphones sold in that unfashionable times are still going strong.

Sennheiser and Grado are still here, although I think Grado are not nearly as popular as they were before the Beats era. I think Headroom has completely shut down, they made very nice headphone amps and I still have my Maxed Out Home. Also my Earmax Pro Still sounds as good today as the day I bought it.

 

[youngarthur]

The question is do you even need headphones where you live?? You could get some nice speakers.

Unlikely to upset the neighbours!

Ive got floor standards/centre/ceiling/side/rear speakers, pre amp/two amps, four subs/ JVC projector blah blah blah, but still use phones a lot.( Sorry off topic!)

 

[GearMe]

Taking it further off topic...

At the moment:

1. Audioquest Nighthawk
2. AKG K872
3. Noble Kaiser 10

So...what intrigues me about your response is the lack of the Focal Utopia in your top three given the high praise by all the pundits. What gives? More pointedly, do you enjoy the K872's more than the Utopia's?

Just curious more than anything else as my line the sand is ~$1000 for a set of cans; though all the good reviews on the Ether Flow is making that hard on me.