Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Beats Executive Over-Ear Headphones
- Thread starter aixporter
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
This is a common question. If you think they make you look cool and you like the color and you have the money, then buy them. Many people use them as a fashion accessory or status symbol.
You can buy better headphones for $100 but they are not so trendy and make you look like some kind of audio engineer. I like my "AKG K240 Studio". The sound is very flat and accurate. A lot of details but they are "semi-open" and sound leaks in both directs. If you need "closed" headphones you have to spend a bit more for the same quality. I got mine here:
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/K240S?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=PPC&utm_campaign=recording&device=c&network=g&matchtype=&gclid=CMGgsOviybgCFeU5Qgod3DYAEA
Beats is consumer crap. They belong to the same classification of overpriced junk as Monster does.
ChrisA knows what he's talking about. You can buy a better set of cans just by going into a reasonable music store (Long and Mcquade, Tom Lee's Music, etc) and asking them what they recommend.
-SC
ChrisA knows what he's talking about. You can buy a better set of cans just by going into a reasonable music store (Long and Mcquade, Tom Lee's Music, etc) and asking them what they recommend.
-SC
It's predictable and unfortunate that every headphones thread on the internet always derails into this.
My own census is that yes, Beats are looks over sound quality, but at the same time I can't fault people for wanting to look stylish when wearing muffins around their ears.
Some people will then say, that everyone looks goofy, even with phones like Beats, and others will disagree to that as well.
In any case, I have yet to see solid suggestions for something that; sounds great, looks great and is priced great. The three greats of headphones. You always seems to be able to get two of these greats, but never three.
You can easily get something that looks and sounds great, but at the cost of a fighterjet. You can easily get something that sounds great and is priced great, but with the looks of a rotten donkey butt.
My own census is that yes, Beats are looks over sound quality, but at the same time I can't fault people for wanting to look stylish when wearing muffins around their ears.
Some people will then say, that everyone looks goofy, even with phones like Beats, and others will disagree to that as well.
In any case, I have yet to see solid suggestions for something that; sounds great, looks great and is priced great. The three greats of headphones. You always seems to be able to get two of these greats, but never three.
You can easily get something that looks and sounds great, but at the cost of a fighterjet. You can easily get something that sounds great and is priced great, but with the looks of a rotten donkey butt.
V Moda M80, and M100 depending on how you define "priced great". Both are fantastic sounding pairs with great price
erformance ratios and a distinctive aesthetic compared to the generic design celebrity headphones have been content with flogging for the last few years.My NVXAudio XPT 100s are awesome and perhaps the most comfortable headphones to wear for long periods of time - unless you need fashion statements, of course.
That is just about what I wrote above. There are better headphones at a lower price but they make you look like you just walked out of a recording studio and forgot to remove the headphones.
But, there is hope. AKG has a line of WHITE headphones. You can buy the same ones they've always had but now in white
http://us.akg.com/akg-product-detail_uk/q-701.html
They have all kinds of other colors too. I didn't know until today, I just found them. LOTS better than Beats and just a colorful.
The above at $300 and near the top of the line studio headphones but they have so $60 headphones in color too.
Mine are "Made In Austria" not China. They are good quality
Those AKG's are open headphones and they require an amp to make them work well. Not really comparable to a Beats headphones. Those AKG are not known for great bass which you probably like if you are thinking about Beats headphones. ( AKG got weak bass in general, even their top of the line headphones ).
He's probably looking for mobile headphones and thus it needs to be a closed / isolating headphone. In the $300 range, the B&W P5 or Sennheiser Momentus are the best candidates.
I think the B&W P5 would be the best buy for you. It's got a very firm and solid strong bass and it's got a great sound quality. Yet it looks amazing too in public, it looks much more beautiful than a Beats headphone on your head. ( I don't think the Sennheiser Momentus is that good looking and it's also less compact and thus less mobile ). The top end is weaker than most headphones, but that's actually a good thing as it offers a better listening experience ( less ear fatigue ).
But if looks and portability is not a factor, then perhaps the Sennheiser Momentus is a better buy.
He's probably looking for mobile headphones and thus it needs to be a closed / isolating headphone. In the $300 range, the B&W P5 or Sennheiser Momentus are the best candidates.
I think the B&W P5 would be the best buy for you. It's got a very firm and solid strong bass and it's got a great sound quality. Yet it looks amazing too in public, it looks much more beautiful than a Beats headphone on your head. ( I don't think the Sennheiser Momentus is that good looking and it's also less compact and thus less mobile ). The top end is weaker than most headphones, but that's actually a good thing as it offers a better listening experience ( less ear fatigue ).
But if looks and portability is not a factor, then perhaps the Sennheiser Momentus is a better buy.
Last edited:
They have "accurate bass" not "weak bass". Have you measured a pair lately? It is not hard, a $100 measurement microphone and a software signal generator is good enough.
The K240 can work just fine when plugged directly into an iPod or a consumer grade camcorder or a Yamaha electric piano. Yes they work with a headphone amp too, if you like. I was using them in the camcorder just yesterday to evaluate some microphones.
That said, it may be that many people like the exaggerated "thump thump" type bass sound like you get from some car audio systems. That is fine. The best use of an AKG is in the studio for mixing sound where you need to hear exactly what is in the recording.
Also as I wrote, the AKG headphones make you look like you just worked out of a recording studio, maybe not the same fashion statement as the Beats.
And you are right about the semi open nature of the K240 model. THey spill sound in both directions, They are not the headphones to use while recording near an open mic and they work best in a quiet environment. You need to spend more money for a closed headphone with equivalent audio quality.
My ears clearly tells the difference. With a pair of genelec 8050 reference monitors ( in a treated room ), I feel like I'm listening to a live performance as if the band was playing right in front of me with excellent bass, bass I was missing from my old AKG headphones.
If he's looking for headphones with bass ( as he wants Beats ), those AKG 240s is not the way to go imo.
edit: I'm not saying that they are bad headphones. AKG makes excellent reference headphones for professional usage in the studio with a neutral sound. But people who buy Beats are looking a headphone with a stronger bass imo.
If he's looking for headphones with bass ( as he wants Beats ), those AKG 240s is not the way to go imo.
edit: I'm not saying that they are bad headphones. AKG makes excellent reference headphones for professional usage in the studio with a neutral sound. But people who buy Beats are looking a headphone with a stronger bass imo.
Last edited:
Like others have said, they look nice but there are much better sounding cans for the same or less.
If all you want them for is listening to music when you're out and about then they'll do the job, If you're making music then go for something else.
Personally I think they are over priced junk and wouldn't touch them with a ten foot barge pole.
If all you want them for is listening to music when you're out and about then they'll do the job, If you're making music then go for something else.
Personally I think they are over priced junk and wouldn't touch them with a ten foot barge pole.
You have to compare headphones to headphones, not headphones to speakers. Much of the low bass is felt not heard. So while the k240 are spec'd to go as low as 18Hz there is no way you can hear 18Hz with your ears but a powerful speaker can push you back into your seat with an 18Hz bass drum "thud".
I think most people like to switch between headphones and speakers. The headphones have detail but if you want to know what a recording will sound like in a room you need to listen on speakers. The two sonds are different.
At any rate the OP asks about "Beats" and he may like them.
It's funny how different industries use different references. In music recording about 1/2 the people use the K240 and the rest various assorted other types but in the film/video business "everyone" uses the same Sony mdr7506 headphones for monitoring
I owned the Executives temporarily, and I was annoyed by the constant hiss from the noise canceling. The sound is also muffled with weak highs and mids... I returned them.
I did have the chance to try out the Studio Beats at Best Buy today...must say they're really improved over the last iteration which sounded terrible for everything besides hip hop/rap. The highs are more pronounced and the bass doesn't muddy everything else. When comparing the same song with the Executives and the new Studios, the Studios sounded much better.
Last edited: