Beats By Dr. Dre Studio Headphones Review

I’ve been spending quite a lot of time with the Beats By Dr. Dre Studio headphones. Ever since I first laid eyes on them, I had been in a state of lust and awe. So when I finally got my hands on a pair I was ready to either be blown away or once again disappointed by the hype machine. I’m happy to report that my experience with the headphones have been the former and not the latter.

Alright, lets start with the look. I have the white Studios, which is awesome because they match my winter coat. I can not tell you how many people have stopped me on the street or subway to ask me about the headphones. They are definite conversation starters — I even got some cutie’s number because of these babies. Score! That said the cans fit comfortably over my ears and are cushioned by baby soft leather which also helps keep out unwanted noise. I have yet to experience sweaty ear and that might be because it’s winter, but regardless, I can wear them for hours and near feel the slightest bit of discomfort.

Now my favorite part, the sound. These headphones vibrate on my skull and it,s a good thing. I’ve listened to Hip-Hop, R&B, Soul, Funk, Rock, Alternative, Jazz, and even some Classical and the results have always been the same. I can hear every little nuance from every song. Thanks to the painstaking work put in on the speaker design, noise cancellation, and amplifiers I can literally feel the music, especially when I put something seriously bass-heavy on my Zune. That tinny sound you hear with most headphones as they try to do the bass justice is non-existent. The best part is that when I’m done trying to deafen myself, there’s hardly ever any after effect — namely that ringing in your ears that lets you know that maybe next time you want to turn it down a little. I don’t need to blow my hearing to try to hear everything, no matter how soft or loud you will hear everything in crystal clear clarity.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the pause feature on the cans, more specifically on the left can. Press the Beats logo on the exterior of the left can and the sound will drop off, letting you communicate with the outside world. There is something incredibly cool about pressing that panel, holding a quick conversation, and then releasing, going back into your private world of sound.

The only real cons I can come up with are the batteries and the price. The Studios require two AAA batteries to get the party started, but it’s to be expected with all the tech hidden in those relatively small cans. The other downer is the price. With a $349.99 price tag, a lot of people will be put off. The majority of the population is fine with the pre-packaged headphones that come with their iPods, so it will take a little convincing to get them to make the investment. And the Studios truly are an investment if you want to hear your music at its absolute best.

I’ve let a family, friends, and a few strangers try out my Beats so they could understand the difference. The good news is they’re converts to the high-end headphone movement. The bad news is they keep trying to hit me up for mine.