I am sure there'll be lots of the usual "oh, they're all style not substance" or "too much base/treble/midrange/whatever" type posts soon enough.
So let me say something I've said a couple of times before, here on AI: the Beats Wireless Studio is the best pair of headphones I've ever owned. And I've owned a fair number in the past 45 years.
I have to say, with all due respect, that just because you say bull**** with pride, it doesn't make it any legit. Beats headphones with extra base may fit your taste, but they're objectively far from the best headphones. To call a pair of headphones "the best," you'd have to consider sound quality, price, design and more. Beats headphones look pretty nice so you could say Beats wins in terms of design, but when it comes to sound quality and price, there are many other better options including AKG, Audio Technica, Bose, Sennheiser, Shure and more.
Oh calm down. Chill. No one claimed an objective view. Mine is just one data point. Just as all the rest of your bullshit blah blah is.
The lack of Lightning support on the Beats products is puzzling at first glance. Why wouldn't Apple want to leverage its own company-wide standard in a product they produce? But when you consider these are NOT branded as "Apple Headphones" (perhaps "HeadPods?") despite the fact that Apple owns Beats, the lack of Lightning becomes justifiable. Apple also wants to sell Beats globally and not have them positioned as a captive brand, something the Lightning connector may be construed as if that connector was used and if Apple was not including a charger in the package. As nice as Lightning is technically it is somewhat misaligned with the desire to reduce variability in charging systems that is a goal of some countries and regions. I greatly prefer Lightning - but my opinion by no means speaks for many others, much less everyone.
Beats-X use Lightning. Beats Pill+ use Lightning. iPhones (and iPhone chargers) are everywhere. Lots of iPhone users also buy Beats, as these customers tend to have more disposable income and Beats are not inexpensive. But mostly micro-USB is a horrible port: small, finicky, non-reversible in 2017. I hate it like a hate an ugly car.
I'll go further—if someone gave me a present of a wearable tech product with a micro-USB port (for free). I'd resell before I'd use. I dislike this port that much. I never liked USB-A, but I hate micro-USB.
The lack of Lightning support on the Beats products is puzzling at first glance. Why wouldn't Apple want to leverage its own company-wide standard in a product they produce? But when you consider these are NOT branded as "Apple Headphones" (perhaps "HeadPods?") despite the fact that Apple owns Beats, the lack of Lightning becomes justifiable. Apple also wants to sell Beats globally and not have them positioned as a captive brand, something the Lightning connector may be construed as if that connector was used and if Apple was not including a charger in the package. As nice as Lightning is technically it is somewhat misaligned with the desire to reduce variability in charging systems that is a goal of some countries and regions. I greatly prefer Lightning - but my opinion by no means speaks for many others, much less everyone.
Beats-X use Lightning. Beats Pill+ use Lightning. iPhones (and iPhone chargers) are everywhere. Lots of iPhone users also buy Beats, as these customers tend to have more disposable income and Beats are not inexpensive. But mostly micro-USB is a horrible port: small, finicky, non-reversible in 2017. I hate it like a hate an ugly car.
I'll go further—if someone gave me a present of a wearable tech product with a micro-USB port (for free). I'd resell before I'd use. I dislike this port that much. I never liked USB-A, but I hate micro-USB.
If it's not for you, that's cool. But surely, lots of people must feel otherwise, since Apple apparently sells many truckloads of these headphones.
The lack of Lightning support on the Beats products is puzzling at first glance. Why wouldn't Apple want to leverage its own company-wide standard in a product they produce? But when you consider these are NOT branded as "Apple Headphones" (perhaps "HeadPods?") despite the fact that Apple owns Beats, the lack of Lightning becomes justifiable. Apple also wants to sell Beats globally and not have them positioned as a captive brand, something the Lightning connector may be construed as if that connector was used and if Apple was not including a charger in the package. As nice as Lightning is technically it is somewhat misaligned with the desire to reduce variability in charging systems that is a goal of some countries and regions. I greatly prefer Lightning - but my opinion by no means speaks for many others, much less everyone.
Beats-X use Lightning. Beats Pill+ use Lightning. iPhones (and iPhone chargers) are everywhere. Lots of iPhone users also buy Beats, as these customers tend to have more disposable income and Beats are not inexpensive. But mostly micro-USB is a horrible port: small, finicky, non-reversible in 2017. I hate it like a hate an ugly car.
I'll go further—if someone gave me a present of a wearable tech product with a micro-USB port (for free). I'd resell before I'd use. I dislike this port that much. I never liked USB-A, but I hate micro-USB.
If it's not for you, that's cool. But surely, lots of people must feel otherwise, since Apple apparently sells many truckloads of these headphones.
I suspect it's a case of many of the iPhone customers who are given presents of Beats or buy them themselves, keep them but are annoyed by the charging connector. Apple isn't my company, but I know what I'd do if I was in charge of this decision.
Beats and quality of audiophile sound. Right. Do they compare to any Sennheisers? So far Beats even cannot respond to inquiry to give sound related specs (I tried that). They just say how great they are and throw some technology buzz words in Specs section. Not a very professional marketting to sound quality demanding user. Boomboxes in '90 were speced more properly than Beats products.
I think Bose need some good competition in the noise cancelling market so this is good.
It might sound trivial but I actually have more of a problem with the Beats brand. I was surprised apple invested in it. I'm in my 30's and feel too old to wear these - I always see teenagers or very young kids with the colourful ones with them in airports - I'd feel embarrassed to have some.
You made the mistake of not realizing that Apple didn't become the most valuable company in the world, and set records for most revenue ever, by happenstance. When pundits criticized Apple for "overpaying" for Beats, they focused solely on the streaming business, when the secret was the headphone and wireless business. The markups are huge for Beats and Apple is now the largest producer of wireless headphones in the world, and owns over 60% of the entire worldwide market for premium headphones >$200. Because Apple had vision that wireless would soon dominate the world's markets and the value of the Beats brand, Apple's move was a financial stroke of genius. The cash just keeps pouring in when you make good business decisions.
I think apple could have made better products and been even more successful without the baggage that beats came with. It would have cost more, taken longer - but am sure it would have been worth it. Apple was in a position to create a market disrupting product from scratch but instead just chose the lazy option and bought beats.
And I agree their streaming service was certaintly not worth anything.
So what you are saying is Apple execs and Board chose the MBA path to fame and fortune, not the Steve Jobs path.😜
And yes, Beats' streaming service was certainly not worth anything.
From what I’ve read Beats acquisition was all Eddy Cue. Obviously he got Cook and the board to sign off on it but it was 100% his idea.
Well that nails it for me.
Nothing says 'incontrovertible fact' like someone saying they read it somewhere.
I'm a big Apple fan but I don't get Beats products. For whatever reasons the user experience of the studio wireless is far below its Bose's competition. I've the studio wireless and the Bose qc35 and I found myself picking up the Bose pretty much 100% of the time when I travel. Oh and the mini USB is for the android crowd.
I don't really understand all the comments about Beats being for kids and someone saying that they are for Android users. I'm in my mid 40's and I have several pairs of Beats, as do most of my friends and co-workers who are my age. We all use iPhones as well. I travel a lot, and always come across the same thing, so I'm not sure why there is a stereotype on here for kids headphones. My Father and his friends all use Bose or B&O but they are in their 70's and can't handle a drop of bass on anything, along with sticking to a long term brand they believe in. If there is a perception that Beats are for kids, I think that is only a that.
Anyone that wears those Beats headphones simply for looks and status. The sound is way over bassy and lacks depth of any kind. I can't believe it sounds worse than a $15 Koss Titanium headphones with certain music. As for bass it doesn't even pack good bass, not even close to AKG.
As for the Earpods, only an Apple sheep wears those even regular iPhone users don't care about them. Quite possibly the worst looking design Jony came up with.
Comments
Oh calm down. Chill. No one claimed an objective view. Mine is just one data point. Just as all the rest of your bullshit blah blah is.
I'll go further—if someone gave me a present of a wearable tech product with a micro-USB port (for free). I'd resell before I'd use. I dislike this port that much. I never liked USB-A, but I hate micro-USB.
Nothing says 'incontrovertible fact' like someone saying they read it somewhere.
I'm in my mid 40's and I have several pairs of Beats, as do most of my friends and co-workers who are my age. We all use iPhones as well. I travel a lot, and always come across the same thing, so I'm not sure why there is a stereotype on here for kids headphones. My Father and his friends all use Bose or B&O but they are in their 70's and can't handle a drop of bass on anything, along with sticking to a long term brand they believe in.
If there is a perception that Beats are for kids, I think that is only a that.
As for the Earpods, only an Apple sheep wears those even regular iPhone users don't care about them. Quite possibly the worst looking design Jony came up with.