Beats by Dr. Dre Studio High-Definition Headphones from Monster

 

 

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Pros: Very nice sound, very comfortable, very good sound insulation/noise canceling. And stylish!

Cons: Shoddy construction (read on).

I remember first trying these headphones at the Apple store when they first came out. I was dismayed that I finally found a pair of phones that sounded better than my Senheisers. Oh well. I did my research and, at the time, there weren't too many complaints. So I saved up for what I thought would be my ultimate pair.

First, the sound: these phones sound amazing. The bass is tight and present and the sound staging is impressive. The sound is definitely 'colored'- the bass is over-emphasized - but to me it was the right color, since I tend to prefer a bass-heavy sound and the bass is very detailed, not a big muff of sound, like on cheaper models. I listen to a wide variety of music, electronic, jazz, classical, rock, etc and the only one that sounds 'not right' are the piano sonatas, where it sounds kinda thin.

The noise canceling is very good. I sometimes use them to DJ and even in a very loud club environment I don't have to blast them to cue. Works well on the subway too. And they are very comfortable for extended use.(I have them on 5-7 hours a day)

So, I thought, this is the pair for the next 10 years. I took really good care of them, folding them up in their case when not in use, never dropped them, not a scratch on the (fragile) finish. Well, unfortunately after 8 months they CRACKED between the hinge and the Monster logo on the headband.

I called up Monster to explain what happened and they offered to replace them since they were still on the warantee. However, I couldn't see how this wouldn't happen again, since I handled them so delicately. I asked if I could upgraded to the DJ model which are more sturdy, paying up the difference, they refused but assured me that they upgraded the design. OK. When I got my replacement, I saw that was just total bs to get rid of me. All is the same. The plastic headband is so thin (1/16") at the hinge that it's a miracle they lasted so long. And ABS plastic, while not as sexy, would have been a much better choice for the headband.

Also the headphone wire is bound to break as there is no strain relief on the jack: stylish but dumb. The plastic sheeting becomes very brittle in the cold (this is Canada).
And to top it all off, don't try to disassemble the cups to wash them, the teeth holding them are so thin, they loose their hold after just a couple of assemblies.

One more gripe I have with the phones is that they amplify the incoming sound. Loud is not bad right? But in doing so they also amplify the noise-floor (the noise made by your gear when no sound is playing), so whatever snap,crackle & pop made by your audio equipment not usually loud enough to hear will be more audible. Ipods have a hum, m-audio soundcards crackle & xone mixers have a click that's in time with the lfo. That's annoying.

Bottom line, they sound amazing but are of a shoddy construction. I thought I was getting a high quality product, but these were not built to last. Wanna fork out for another pair in 8 months?

Stay away.

I just got my headphones today and I am in love with them. The sound quality is really remarkable, there is a bit of humming between songs, either connected to my iPhone, iPod or laptop; personally, I don't mind. I have read some reviews about the material becoming brittle and prone for cracks, due to the Canadian weather. I will find out how much of a problem it is in about one month or two. So far I can tell it is the best headset I have ever owned and yes, it's true, "People aren't hearing all the music".

These headphones sound great, bottom line. I've heard some complaints that the high end gets drowned out by mid range and that they are too bass emphasized, etc. I found that they react very well with all sorts of different genres and mixing styles and that music sounds great in them.

There are a few things that I would like to point out about them. The first thing I noticed was that they don't work without batteries (AAA). This is an inconvenience of sorts, as they could die on a road trip or on a plane where you don't have any handy, so no more music. That being said, the battery life is magnificent. I use my headphones for hours almost every day and have taken them on a road trip, and after a month they are still going strong on the first pair of batteries. The second thing I would like to talk about is static. Every single time I use my headphones I get a very noticeable static in my right ear. If the musicis loud it I can't hear it at all, but in the softer parts it is very annoying and intrusive. I suspect that it is some sort of radio interference, but whatever it is, it's bad. I'm also not sure if it is a common problem or not.

So in summary, they sound great, feel great, have long battery life, and are at risk of radio interference. I do recommend them. Hopefully you won't have the same problems as me.

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2.0 out of 5 stars shotty construction
the ipod cable is crap. these are not worth the money. STAY AWAY.

I am using them because I dropped alot on them but not happy at all.

Published 3 months ago by Damon

1.0 out of 5 stars Broken
HI,
I have a problem with this product and don't know what to do. I purchsed these for my son for Christmas and he has informed me that one earphone never worked. Read more

Published 4 months ago by Deb

5.0 out of 5 stars beats
the sound is amazing..my ipod is too so it does not interact with it..will update ipod..should not put lower limit on words don't have anything else to say

Published 4 months ago by sherritalks

5.0 out of 5 stars Best headphones ever!
This product has exceeded my expectations. It is worth every penny. Sound quality is amazing! The mute function is an unexpected bonus, useful so you don't have to take them off... Read more

Published 5 months ago by Mimi99

5.0 out of 5 stars great earphones
Bought the earphones for my 16 year old son and they made it here for Christmas! He was happy and so was I.!!!!

Published 5 months ago by Betty

1.0 out of 5 stars The headphone I brought from this seller is fake!
I compared the headphones (Beats by Dr. Dre Studio High-Definition Headphones from Monster) I got from this seller with what they have in local Monster store, and I found several... Read more

Published 5 months ago by Liberio

1.0 out of 5 stars Product Disappointment
I have ordered the dr dre beats once, paid $300.00, they were defective upon using them, re-ordered them a second time, used them for about two weeks, the left headphone would no... Read more

Published 5 months ago by Darrell F

1.0 out of 5 stars Distortion sets
These headphones are an ode to marketing and ignorance. The bass esp. is both boosted and distorted.
For the love of music avoid these headphones! Read more

Published 5 months ago by Brownie

4.0 out of 5 stars These headphones are a dream.
I love these headphones and totally lucked out on the cost. Should have bought 3 more. The sound is amazing. Cant complain much bout them. Read more

Published 14 months ago by lsuomo75

5.0 out of 5 stars Beats
Totally awesome, pretty much the only way to describe these bad boys. I was at futureshop testing headphones, and I tested there beside a bunch of bose quiet comfort headphones... Read more

Published 14 months ago by Sebastian Moes

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