Beats by Dr Dre headphones or alternative models/brands?

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disets

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#1
I'm asking in terms of overall quality and features or aspects. I'm looking to invest in a high quality pair of headphones. If I were to get Beats by Dr Dre then I would go for the Pro model due to a really favorable design, cord quality, daisy-chaining feature, and noise cancellation feature without batteries. I'm also considering the Sony MDR-V55 and Sony MDR-1R models as my alternatives.
 
#3
Well, the demo pair I saw in a store already had bits falling off, so, the build quality may be an illusion. I've never seen an actual DJ using them. They have a reputation for being grossly overpriced bling.

If you're considering Sony, have a listen to the MDR-7506; you may have to go to a music store since they're mainly marketed to professional users.

You're not going to get great noise isolation from any over the ear phones without resorting to very tight seals like an aircraft headset or industrial hearing protectors, or good active noise cancellation (like Bose).

Anyway, check out the reviews and forums at Head-Fi.org - Headphone forums and reviews for audiophiles
 
#4
dangus said:
Well, the demo pair I saw in a store already had bits falling off, so, the build quality may be an illusion. I've never seen an actual DJ using them. They have a reputation for being grossly overpriced bling.

If you're considering Sony, have a listen to the MDR-7506; you may have to go to a music store since they're mainly marketed to professional users.

You're not going to get great noise isolation from any over the ear phones without resorting to very tight seals like an aircraft headset or industrial hearing protectors, or good active noise cancellation (like Bose).

Anyway, check out the reviews and forums at Head-Fi.org - Headphone forums and reviews for audiophiles
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I don't really understand why people still go on about the 7506. Though they are nice in their own quirky way, it's not hard to find better alternatives nowadays.
Disets, if you like the look of of the R1, I'd go for them. Not the ultimate in sound reproduction, but still very good, and both build quality, comfort and sound isolation are on a very high level.
 
#11
dangus said:
Well, the demo pair I saw in a store already had bits falling off, so, the build quality may be an illusion. I've never seen an actual DJ using them. They have a reputation for being grossly overpriced bling.

If you're considering Sony, have a listen to the MDR-7506; you may have to go to a music store since they're mainly marketed to professional users.

You're not going to get great noise isolation from any over the ear phones without resorting to very tight seals like an aircraft headset or industrial hearing protectors, or good active noise cancellation (like Bose).

Anyway, check out the reviews and forums at Head-Fi.org - Headphone forums and reviews for audiophiles
Click to expand...
I saw a website, the price is very cheap, do not know how the quality,Casque Beats by Dr Dre Pas Cher: Audio Beats Studio,Solo HD,ProThere Sony headphones, the forum very highly of her, but Beats by Dr.Dre...
 
#14
disets said:
I'm asking in terms of overall quality and features or aspects. I'm looking to invest in a high quality pair of headphones. If I were to get Beats by Dr Dre then I would go for the Pro model due to a really favorable design, cord quality, daisy-chaining feature, and noise cancellation feature without batteries. I'm also considering the Sony MDR-V55 and Sony MDR-1R models as my alternatives.
Click to expand...

The inexpensive (250-300RMB) Beats knockoffs available all over China are comparable to the Real Thing. On a recent trip to Zhuhai, bought several pairs complete with packaging for Christmas gifts. At home compared them to real Beats at Best Buy. I could not hear a difference.

For high quality, I highly recommend what I listen to at home: Audeze LCD-3.
 
#15
I went to a lunch and learn talk one time with a marketing guy who was talking about building brands. I forget the guy's name now...

Anyway, he was one of the "marketing gurus" who worked on the early Dr.Dre Beat campaigns (this was just before they launched, actually). He was talking about the marketing strategy they were using, including getting Lady Gaga to stump for them.

The thing I found interesting, as an audio person, was that all the Beats stuff is intentionally tuned to be bass-heavy, to give the impression of fuller sound. This is true in their headphones and in the DSP-based stuff they market into laptops and such. The drive was never for sound quality, but for perceived quality via heavy bass.

I have avoided them, without having heard them, ever since.
 
#17
If you want bang-for-the-buck headphones, check out the popular Monoprice 8323 headphones. For about $20, they certainly compete with $100 headphones, and quite possibly the Beats. Some headphone site had a current discount code for Monoprice which knocked a bit more off the price, so I ordered a pair yesterday. The detachable cord is a nice feature: I'll be clipping my Sansa Clip directly to the 'phones, since it seems a bit ridiculous to have a headphone cord that takes up more space and weighs more than the music player itself.

There's an amusing article at Gizmodo about how Monster Cable is to blame for the Beats phenomenon:
http://gizmodo.com/5981823/beat-by-dre-the-inside-story-of-how-monster-lost-the-world

If anyone is looking for headphones with really good isolation, there's the DT770M from Beyerdynamic that provides isolation comparable to industrial hearing protectors.
 
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#18
BrianDonegan said:
The thing I found interesting, as an audio person, was that all the Beats stuff is intentionally tuned to be bass-heavy, to give the impression of fuller sound. This is true in their headphones and in the DSP-based stuff they market into laptops and such. The drive was never for sound quality, but for perceived quality via heavy bass.

I have avoided them, without having heard them, ever since.
Click to expand...

There are people who appreciate the exaggerated bass. That doesn't make it hi-fi by any stretch, but it's a market segment, and they obviously buy headphones.
 
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