Review on Beats by Dr. Dre Solo HD Headphones as seen on Sooyoung, Sunny and Yuri
The product of hip-hop artist Dr. Dre’s collaboration Interscope(SNSD’s US distributor)-Geffen-A&M chairman Jimmy Iovine, Beats by Dr. Dre headphones have been featured in a variety of music videos and advertisements since their launch in 2008, and have proven to be tremendously popular not only amongst hip-hop aficionados, but the general public, and even the members of SNSD, with Sooyoung, Yuri and Sunny both owning a pair.
The headphones themselves were created for style, as well as function, and it shows. Clad in a glossy red, and with the distinctive Beats logo gracing each ear cup, it’s not hard to stand out in a crowd with these mounted atop your head. Though they do not feature the same ear cushioning as in the Pro or Studio models, the headphones are remarkably comfortable, and suitable for extended periods of wear and usage. The audio jack for the headphones can also be removed and replaced as deemed fit by the wearer, which is a nice and cost efficient touch.
Of course, as these are headphones, the sound is the most integral part of the design, and as it stands, Beats are adequate in providing good sound. The bass quality provided by the headphone is the most impressive aspect, sounding like a bona fide subwoofer, and sending reverberations that can not only be heard, but felt. Vocals and instrumental melodies flow smoothly as well, and you may catch yourself hearing little nuances you weren’t able to hear before thanks to the clarity.
The cons are simple, and may be a deal breaker for some. The price of a pair, as of this writing, is just over $200, which is a bit steep for some(though nothing compared to some higher-end headphones), and certainly not something you can actively replace if you are prone to breaking or blowing out your headphones. Second, while these do sound good, models by Sennheiser, Bose and Shure at a similar price point have these beat(pun intended) in terms of sound quality, and also offer features like noise-canceling and better padding.
If you are looking for style rather than substance, or you just want to have a pair like Sooyoung, Yuri or Sunny, I think these are worth a purchase. But if you have the money, and you are looking quality(or you are an audiophile thinking about buying these) rather than style, there are better options available.
Beats by Dr. Dre are available at beatsbydre.com
Rating: 3.5/5
Any recommendation for a good headphone that is better on quality rather than style??
I am an audiophile but I am also a sunshiner so I want to get the same headphone as Sunny, but I realized soon afterward that it is not worth it because the sound is really weak for something in that price range. If u are going for style u might as well getting the beat studio which sound really good for 100 more, but back to ur question. Below $100, I will definitely go for the Grado SR 60i, it is around 70-80. It has better sound qualities (at all ranges) compared to the beat Solo. You can read reviews on it by experts online, it is not just my opinion. If you can afford to spend more, then i will go for the Sennheiser HD518 which sale for around $130. It basically on the same or better level compare to the Beat Studio, and looks really nice too. That is my opinion after using all those headphones. My favorite is the Grado SR60i because it delivers good, powerful and clear sound + comfortable for a very good price. Good luck 🙂
oh yeah, just to add to the headphones list above, if anyone is looking for a cheap, affordable and good sounding headphone. I suggested you take a look at the Sennheiser HD201, and the Meeelectronic Ht21, they are both amazing headphones that you can get for less than $30. These headphones are comfortable, deliver good, rich sound, and most importantly they are very cheap relatively compared to the Beat Solo. I am not bashing on Monster headphone btw (company that produce Beat), I had several products of there, and loved most of them, I just think that the beat Solo is not worth it.
Just a last bit of information for anyone who is thinking about getting the Beat Solo or any other beat headphones. READ THIS. Beat headphones are the most counterfeited in the history of headphone. Almost 90% of beat headphone that you find on Ebay and Amazon will be fake. This percentage is from the Monster Website itself, so please be careful when you buy these headphones. Go to Best Buy, Target, Radio Shack… or credible websites to buy these. Don’t be tempted by good deals on Amazon or Ebay. You can find out about Beat Authorize dealer at the Monster Website. If the deal is too good to be true, then it probably is fake.
Try the $100 Bang & Olufsen Form 2. I’ve always been a Bang & Olufsen lover. And yeah, there are A LOTS of Beats replica. Buy from the Monster Cable site or Apple store.
Thanks for the great review Dave, I was strongly considering purchasing these earphones because I had heard a lot of talk about their sound quality but finding out I can get the same quality at lower prices with other brands has made me rethink about spending a lot of money when I can save money on the same earphones under different brands.
I’m also curious as to what other good headphones you would recommend?
All of the varsity basketball players at my college (UNC) have a pair of Beats headphones, but other than one kid in one of my classes who wears his ALL THE TIME (when he’s not listening to them he wears them around his neck), nobody has them. Frankly, I’m always losing mine or breaking them, so I just stick to the $10 Sony earbuds, and they work fine for me.
thanks for the review Dave! i really want to buy these headphones but it is really expensive, but as you said and what i heard from other people it has a great sound quality.
it makes my $39.00 sony earpieces look like crap…but i can’t afford anything that costs over $200 but my sony earpieces work well as the head phones
This came just at the right time! lol I’m considering buying a pair of headphones but I know nothing about it… thanks for the review! I see a lot of ppl having these so it made me curious but the price is a no no.
Thanks for the recommendations everyone (:
first of all, if you want solo hd, i’d say go for the white. the red beats solo hd is a special edition headset and comes with a greater price. the white one is like the classic beats hd and it’s cheaper in value. i’m from the philippines, and the white one costs 11k while the red one costs 16k. if converted, the red is almost a 100 dollars more expensive.
they sound incredible, but actually, there are other headphones/headsets that can offer the same sound experience for a lesser cost. i’d say go for sennheiser or audio technica. both are as great but of lesser value.
but if you’re after the “woah s/he’s wearing a beats solo!” then go for beats :))
A good alternative for the audiophile who wants something with good looks are the Skull candy Aviators. They are suprisingly neutral ^^