Beats headphones have taken the world by storm. Earbuds are slowly becoming a thing of the past and high quality over-the-ear headphones are increasing in market share; and it’s not just the music enthusiasts. When considering a pair of Beats headphones, it is important to understand that not all Beats are created equal. Just like the co-existence of the Double Cheeseburger and the McDouble, that extra piece of cheese makes all the different. We’re going to break it down for you so that you can make an educated decision; i.e. buy the extra slice of cheese if that’s your thing.
Beats Studio
Price: $299.95
The Beat’s Studio are the premium pair of the bunch. These headphones go completely over the ear that works in tandem with the noise cancelling technology. These headphones have a rechargeable battery that lasts 20+ hours and a switch that automatically turns the headphones on and off with sound input. Additionally, there is a slick little fuel gauge to let you know how much juice you have left. In my opinion, the Studio beats have the best sound profile compared to the others, excluding Beats Pro edition. At high volumes the bass is more crisp and has less distortion compared to the cheaper options.
One drawback to Studio Beats is the size. These headphones are not compact in size. While they do fold up, you’re going to have to do some strategic space planning when lugging these cans around. At the end of the day, if you want some of the best sound, and don’t plan on lugging them around frequently; these are the headphones for you.
Beats Studio Wireless
Price: $379.95
Beats Studio Wireless headphones have all the benefits of Beats Studio headphones except you can take a chainsaw and cut that wire out of the equation. This is achieved using Bluetooth technology. Bluetooth tends to have a bit of a bad reputation in the music world from a sound quality standpoint. However, quality has come a long way and most critics agree that Beats Wireless are amongst the top sounding bluetooth headphones on the market; boasting minimal compression/distortion. The question is, do you have 79 trips to the dollar store this next week that you can sacrifice in exchange for the wireless edition of the Studio headphones.
Lastly, It is also worth noting that the headphones do come with a cord so that you can plug directly into your audio devices if the bluetooth quality just isn’t cutting it for you. Just watch out for those door handles that constantly yank off your headphones, shock resistance was not a mentioned feature by Beats.
Beats Solo²
Price: $199.95
The Solo² was both a redesign and a sound upgrade from the previous Solo HD edition. This included a complete re-work of the sound profile touting “a more dynamic, wider range of sound, with a clarity that will bring you closer to what the artist intended you to hear.” At least according to Dre himself. (Or likely the marketing team behind the website.)
While not wireless nor active noise cancelling(destructive interference), these headphones still provide premium quality sound. Not quite as good as Studio beats, but better than most other headphones on the market. They also fold up making them far more compact and portable that the Studio Beats.
Additionally, these headphones are on-ear and not over-ear headphones, meaning the pads do not fully envelope your ears, but sit on top. Some people do find this to be less comfortable. Additionally, the on-ear headphones typically provide less noise cancellation from less padding. However, the price is right on these cans. You could feed a lot of children in Africa with the $179 you save compared to Studio Wireless. (think of the children)
Beats Mixr
Price: $249.95
These headphones were created for the hearing impaired and/or DJs of the group. They were developed with high volume in mind allowing you to still enjoy the rich crisp bass, the roaring vocals of your mid-tones, and those high pitched twangs of the treble. Also, the headphones were designed around the needs of a DJ. You can swivel the earpiece behind your ear to take in crowd requests before putting on the next big Miley Cyrus song. Then you can swivel it back into place to block out the Boos from your Miley choices.
These headphones are not wireless and do not sport active noise cancellation, but they are compact and a bit more lifeproof than the other models so that you can join in with the bouncers of the club when necessary without worying about stopping the music. Nothing like a full-on brawl with a little Beats improved Mozart in the background.
Beats Pro
Price: $399.95
On sale on Amazon for $363.48
Beats pros are the best headphones of the bunch for the audiophiles of the group. While it does boast wireless nor sound cancellation technology, these headphones were designed to deliver the most premium sound experience that Beats has to offer. If you’re a musician, music enthusiast, producer, or Buffy the Vampire Slayer; these are the headphones that you need!
As a bonus, these headphones do not require batteries and they are compact so that you can take them with you on your next slay-fest! They do come with a hefty price tag, however.
Beats has a number of models to choose from, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Pick your poison and forever hold your peace.
What headphones do you think are best? Are you an audiosnob (the good kind) requiring the best of the best that Beats Pro has to offer? Or do you have siblings that you need to tune out using the noise cancellation of the Studio Beats? Let us know in the comments below!