Pleasantly Surprised By Beats Studio Headphones

[kconnor]

I was walking around the electronics department and saw a display for Beats Headphones. There are several different types and the descriptions basically tell you what to expect. I tried the beats Studio versions which were described as having flat and accurate response suitable for mixing etc. I wasn’t expecting much considering the general bashing Beats get on AudioKarma. I was surprised; these phones sounded fantastic; well balanced, clean, clear and crisp. My headphone is AKG 240. I think the Beats Studio sound better to me.

 

[rpmpv1]

I had a chance to listen to the Beats Studio headphones during a layover at the Detroit airport and I didn't think they sounded too terrible either. The Pro4AAAT's I just sent back sounded worse than the Beats Studio. There are, however, many headphones out there that sound as good as the Studio but cost much, much less. I'm just not sure I could justify spending $300 on a set of headphones when I could get the same sound for ~$100 (or less) with another brand. If you are style-conscious when it comes to headphones, the look of the Beats would probably be a dealbreaker. Me, I could care less what they look like as long as they sound good!

 

[Tom Brennan]

I think Beats has the resources to make any kind and quality of phones they please. If would be interesting if they went after the audiophile market, and no doubt it would be frightening to those now in that market.

 

[zenith2134]

A lot depends on which K240 you're using. Variations in model and year make it hard to decide whether they're better or worse than other headsets. Very amplifier and source dependent.

 

[RamblinE]

The new generation has made a huge leap in sound and build quality. The Studio are much closer to being worth the asking price. The Solo have seen an increase in sound and build quality and a decrease in price. I would consider owning them at this point actually....

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[trhee]

I agree. Some of the newer Beats phones sound noticeably improved over earlier models.

Unlike RamblinE though, I still wouldn't consider a pair since they don't sound better than my home phones (HiFiMAN HE-500) nor my portable phones (Sony MDR-1RBT).

I am however considering a pair of Shure SE535LTD IEMs for those times I want utmost portability.

The new generation has made a huge leap in sound and build quality. The Studio are much closer to being worth the asking price. The Solo have seen an increase in sound and build quality and a decrease in price. I would consider owning them at this point actually....

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[RamblinE]

I agree. Some of the newer Beats phones sound noticeably improved over earlier models.

Unlike RamblinE though, I still wouldn't consider a pair since they don't sound better than my home phones (HiFiMAN HE-500) nor my portable phones (Sony MDR-1RBT).

I am however considering a pair of Shure SE535LTD IEMs for those times I want utmost portability.

See, I'm kind of a collector. Those who share your sense of practicality are still probably very justified to stay away.

I have the entry level Shure SE215k. I can't speak for how the higher end products in the line sound but there is this. The SE215k killed it on the airline trip that I bought them for. The stock foam buds create enough of a seal that passive noise canceling was all I needed to listen to music or news in the air without also blowing my ears out. Shouldn't need active noise canceling headphones on a plane if you own something from the Shure SE line.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[trhee]

I recently demo'd the SE535 and SE535LTD and was blown away by how musical they were, especially in the mids.

See, I'm kind of a collector. Those who share your sense of practicality are still probably very justified to stay away.

I have the entry level Shure SE215k. I can't speak for how the higher end products in the line sound but there is this. The SE215k killed it on the airline trip that I bought them for. The stock foam buds create enough of a seal that passive noise canceling was all I needed to listen to music or news in the air without also blowing my ears out. Shouldn't need active noise canceling headphones on a plane if you own something from the Shure SE line.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[HiFiGuy528]

the new Solo2 are even better. I've been telling people about the new Beats. Tyll finally took my advice to review them. My good friend Michael Mercer is now a fan of the new Beats Solo2.