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Beats by Dr. Dre vs Bose Quiet Comfort 3

Bose.

http://www.bose.com/controller?url=.../audio_headphones/in_ear_headphones/index.jsp
I've had these heaphones for over 2 weeks now. Their great. They sound like a surround sound system in your ear. For christmas i got the Dr. Dre headphones and they came broken. Plusss they had horrible sound! the earplugs sounded like any other 15 dollar marshmellow, (sorry i forgot how to spell that) i think thats the company name, headphones. The headphones just had a bunch of bass. Personally, I didnt like them. They were just to bulky and seem like they could have broken easily. I have a pair of urbanears from urban outfitters that i believe are wayyy better then the dr. dre ones. They only cost about 60 bucks.
http://www.urbanears.com/
They look wayyy more in style if you care for that plus they come in alot more colors.
Back to the bose, they feel like nothing is even in your ears. Their awesome. My dad, old grumpy doesn't think anything these days are worth buying, thought the headphones were wonderful. He said Bose has been making speakers headphones and whatnot for years, wayy longer than these new brands. And they were simply great. they also have great sound, They have base if you turn the sound up on your ipod or w.e but it you want a normal sound you'll get clear music.
I would buy either one of those products. Both are great.
 
The Beats are a product of marketing, not a product of sound engineering.

The Bose headphones are not terrible, but I can't say I've found them to be all that great sonically. Thumbs up if you like them, that's all good, but I personally don't get it. They're very comfortable though, and the noise cancelling can be a lifesaver on long flights.

This is aimed generally at everybody in the thread, nobody in particular, so please don't get offended by what I say!

Bose's products generally sound quite terrible to my ears. I've got some old Bose studiocraft speakers which are really really really really rubbish. Cone tweeters? No thanks. Wooden cabinets which are as thin as a cereal pack, much like their 'subwoofers' from the current product lineup.

All this nonsense about EQing is rubbish. The tracks are already EQd when they get onto your iPod, this is what the mastering stage is for. If a professional sound engineer has already tweaked the sound of your tracks by +/- 0.5dB at certain frequencies through their £4000 Pultec vintage EQ on a sound system which costs as much as a small flat, don't you think you might be doing some damage by using the iPod/iTunes built in (really, really crappy) EQ?

As a sound engineer myself, it'd offend me to think that people are listening to my work on junky headphones connected to an iPod with the 'acoustic' EQ on (which distorts due to bad gain-staging, lack of headroom etc).


There is no good reason to go for many of the products mentioned in this thread when there are MUCH better sounding headphones out there for considerably less than the cost of the Beats. The same goes for the Bowers & Wilkins P5s.

Yes yes, I know about personal taste bla bla bla. You couldn't possibly claim to prefer a McDonald's burger over a beautifully sourced, cooked gourmet burger.



Here are some links to companies who make proper headphones which you WOULD find in use in most studios.

Beyerdynamic Europe
The DT770 is an excellent headphone. Steer clear of the DT100.

AKG Personal Audio
Sennheiser UK
Audio Technica
Grado
Shure
 
Killyp:

Very good point, but keep in mind that most people dont care about accurate reproduction of the track. Its kinda like with TVs. People buy TVs based on how bright and over-saturated they look in the store without considering how accurate the panel will be once calibrated. Like with Sharp's Quattron screens that have artificially bright yellows. People buy it because they yellows look more vivid and they dont care that its inaccurate.
 
NoSmokingBandit said:
Killyp:

Very good point, but keep in mind that most people dont care about accurate reproduction of the track. Its kinda like with TVs. People buy TVs based on how bright and over-saturated they look in the store without considering how accurate the panel will be once calibrated. Like with Sharp's Quattron screens that have artificially bright yellows. People buy it because they yellows look more vivid and they dont care that its inaccurate.
Click to expand...

Of course, but what happens when you feed the TV a yellow-heavy signal? It gets even worse.

The quality of reproduction from a lot of modern headphones (and iPod speakers) is shockingly poor. What were considered average systems back in the 70s will still blow most iPod docks and headphones out of the water, even the best ones.

Consumers have become naive and ignorant. "As long as it's got Bose, B&W or some music-related brand on the side, it must sound good." Wrong. Back in the 70s, you could buy decent HiFi in mainstream stores such as Comet. Things have changed quite a bit. I'm only twenty, and I can see how different things are today in comparison to when I bought my first stereo seven years ago.

That's my rant for the day over. I just get annoyed with slipping standards, and they really have slipped overall.
 
Killyp said:
The Beats are a product of marketing, not a product of sound engineering.

The Bose headphones are not terrible, but I can't say I've found them to be all that great sonically. Thumbs up if you like them, that's all good, but I personally don't get it. They're very comfortable though, and the noise cancelling can be a lifesaver on long flights.

This is aimed generally at everybody in the thread, nobody in particular, so please don't get offended by what I say!

Bose's products generally sound quite terrible to my ears. I've got some old Bose studiocraft speakers which are really really really really rubbish. Cone tweeters? No thanks. Wooden cabinets which are as thin as a cereal pack, much like their 'subwoofers' from the current product lineup.

All this nonsense about EQing is rubbish. The tracks are already EQd when they get onto your iPod, this is what the mastering stage is for. If a professional sound engineer has already tweaked the sound of your tracks by +/- 0.5dB at certain frequencies through their £4000 Pultec vintage EQ on a sound system which costs as much as a small flat, don't you think you might be doing some damage by using the iPod/iTunes built in (really, really crappy) EQ?

As a sound engineer myself, it'd offend me to think that people are listening to my work on junky headphones connected to an iPod with the 'acoustic' EQ on (which distorts due to bad gain-staging, lack of headroom etc).


There is no good reason to go for many of the products mentioned in this thread when there are MUCH better sounding headphones out there for considerably less than the cost of the Beats. The same goes for the Bowers & Wilkins P5s.

Yes yes, I know about personal taste bla bla bla. You couldn't possibly claim to prefer a McDonald's burger over a beautifully sourced, cooked gourmet burger.



Here are some links to companies who make proper headphones which you WOULD find in use in most studios.

Beyerdynamic Europe
The DT770 is an excellent headphone. Steer clear of the DT100.

AKG Personal Audio
Sennheiser UK
Audio Technica
Grado
Shure
Click to expand...

You can also add Denon to that list with their D2000/D5000/D7000 series headphones.
 
Well, I've read through this entire thread, so instead of starting a new one I guess I'll post here since it does relate: I've been using the iPhone headphones only because they come with, and for the mic/sound control. Now they're starting to go and I'm looking for a pair of similar earphones with mic/control to replace, as I didn't see the point in spending $40 on a pair of bad earbuds.

The thing is, I have trouble keeping them in my ears, so I was trying to find something that goes around it. The first choice was Powerbeats by Dre as they have the style I need with a control&mic pod, but I understand the marketing hype. Also, reading reviews from various places, another issue with them were DOA's and poor assembly (parts breaking, control coming loose, and whatnot).

I'm not sound engineer, or audiophile, nor is my budget too big, but I was looking for a pair of similar earbuds thats sound at least decent since there is no need for me to purchase studio quality earphones (if.. those exist?).

In a nutshell:
A pair of earphones with this style -
38c3b5.jpg


with a control / mic thats compatible with the iPhone 4. Quality at LEAST better than the Apple ones that are now crapping out on me (the balance of the music is shifting to the left side).
 
I have a pair of Bang & Olufsen A8s:

2588_BandO_A8-headphones-blue.jpg


Once you get used to the optimal mounting position, they sound absolutely fantastic. A little more isolation would be nice, but I find them very listenable even walking past a busy road on my iPhone without pushing the volume right to the top. Huuuuuuge, massive open midrange and quite a bright top-end, which I really like. Everything sounds very 'airy'. There is low end there, but they're not as bass-heavy as some other in-ears I've heard.

They also work brilliantly for listening at home. Come with a leather pouch as well...
 
Killyp said:
I have a pair of Bang & Olufsen A8s:

2588_BandO_A8-headphones-blue.jpg


Once you get used to the optimal mounting position, they sound absolutely fantastic. A little more isolation would be nice, but I find them very listenable even walking past a busy road on my iPhone without pushing the volume right to the top. Huuuuuuge, massive open midrange and quite a bright top-end, which I really like. Everything sounds very 'airy'. There is low end there, but they're not as bass-heavy as some other in-ears I've heard.

They also work brilliantly for listening at home. Come with a leather pouch as well...
Click to expand...
Thanks but they don't seem to have a mic/control pod that I also was looking for.
 
Krafty said:
Thanks but they don't seem to have a mic/control pod that I also was looking for.
Click to expand...

The version with microphone and control is called the Earset 3. I'll admit I haven't used the version with mic and control, but the headphones are exactly the same...
 
Killyp said:
The version with microphone and control is called the Earset 3. I'll admit I haven't used the version with mic and control, but the headphones are exactly the same...
Click to expand...
Knowing B&O I knew the headphones would be expensive, but $160 is around what the PB would have post, thanks for the post. I expected something like $1,400 from them.

EDIT: the Earset 3 is $200, and the reviews are kinda, "meh"
 
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Unless you are buying Beats by Dre online, there is a 90% chance they are china copies... Being said. 100% of those people can not tell a difference in quality and the only way to physically tell the difference is by a few color differences on the box. For anyone who wants some of these headphones, I order and sell as CHINESE copies and NOT REAL Beats by Dre headphones. I will guarantee your satisfaction and would refund all your money if you were not satisfied. I can sell the Studio's for 185 shipped, Solo's w/ control talk for 150 shipped, the Tour's w/ control talk for 80 shipped and the regular tours for 70 shipped. PM ME
 
Well I have read through this entire thread, I have some further questions.

I see a recurring theme of people saying that Bose and Beats headphones are too much money for what you get. My roommate has Bose QC15 headphones and I have tried them out comparing to my skullcandy noise canceling earbuds ink'd I believe(cheap and crappy, hence why I am trying to get a legitimate pair of headphones) and the skullcandy sound quality wasn't awful compared to the Bose except Bose has better noise canceling capability. I see the point about branding and high prices.

So that being said I am looking at Denon, beyerdynamic, sennheiser, etc...

With the beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO, I would want to get 80 Ohms correct? With 80 Ohms my iPod would be able to power the headphones well? I would be using them with my iPod during plane flights but mostly with my macbook at school. (so connected to a computer mostly) From what I could gather with the 250 Ohms version I would need an amp to achieve the full potential of the headphones? Please correct me if I am wrong. Also, I'm not sure about the difference between the PRO and regular version.

I also want to know the Noise canceling capability of these headphones. I would be getting them to help drown out my 3 other roommates, we live in a small room. The Bose QC 15's really didn't satisfy me, even if the beyers can't noise cancel as well as long as they have some capability for that I would be satisfied.

Will the beyerdynamics leak the music I am listening to? I tried my friends beats and you keep the volume relatively low and still anyone sitting near you can hear your music clearly. I understand that at a high volume a certain amount of leaking occurs. I just am wondering if this is a problem.

Lastly, Beats are touted for having a great Bass sound, I do want full bass sound not overpowering like Beats, I have read that the 80 Ohm version of the beyers has good bass, I listen to all types of music but I still like to have a good bass sound.

If you can answer any of these questions that would be great. I am not extremely picky when it comes to sound quality and talks about highs and mids, bass is good and an overall durable and good headphone for the money is what I want. I do really want noise canceling so if you have any other suggestions please don't hesitate.
 
Last edited:
djg093 said:
Well I have read through this entire thread, I have some further questions.

I see a recurring theme of people saying that Bose and Beats headphones are too much money for what you get. My roommate has Bose QC15 headphones and I have tried them out comparing to my skullcandy noise canceling earbuds ink'd I believe(cheap and crappy, hence why I am trying to get a legitimate pair of headphones) and the skullcandy sound quality wasn't awful compared to the Bose except Bose has better noise canceling capability. I see the point about branding and high prices.

So that being said I am looking at Denon, beyerdynamic, sennheiser, etc...

With the beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO, I would want to get 80 Ohms correct? With 80 Ohms my iPod would be able to power the headphones well? I would be using them with my iPod during plane flights but mostly with my macbook at school. (so connected to a computer mostly) From what I could gather with the 250 Ohms version I would need an amp to achieve the full potential of the headphones? Please correct me if I am wrong. Also, I'm not sure about the difference between the PRO and regular version.
Click to expand...

http://europe.beyerdynamic.com/service/faqs/kopfhoerer.html#fo1928

Read this, it highlights the difference between the two different professional versions. There are versions with more isolation/leakage, but lesser sound. If you want the best sounding version, then go for the 'vented' versions.

This then highlights the differences between the PRO versions and the 'home' (edition) versions:

http://europe.beyerdynamic.com/service/faqs/kopfhoerer.html#fo546

Sonically, the EDITION (home) version is the best, but doesn't offer as much isolation as the PRO versions.


djg093 said:
I also want to know the Noise canceling capability of these headphones. I would be getting them to help drown out my 3 other roommates, we live in a small room. The Bose QC 15's really didn't satisfy me, even if the beyers can't noise cancel as well as long as they have some capability for that I would be satisfied.

Will the beyerdynamics leak the music I am listening to? I tried my friends beats and you keep the volume relatively low and still anyone sitting near you can hear your music clearly. I understand that at a high volume a certain amount of leaking occurs. I just am wondering if this is a problem.
Click to expand...

Leakage on the PRO (non-vented) version will be the lowest. All headphones will leak, it's just a case of how much. The studio version of the DT770 has very low leakage because it's designed to be used as a monitoring headphone in the studio - the last thing you want is a click track or backing track to leak into the microphones!

djg093 said:
Lastly, Beats are touted for having a great Bass sound, I do want full bass sound not overpowering like Beats, I have read that the 80 Ohm version of the beyers has good bass, I listen to all types of music but I still like to have a good bass sound.
Click to expand...

The DT770s will blow the Beats out of the water when it comes to bass. The Beats don't go very deep, but what bass they do have is very loud. The DT770s have LESS bass overall, but it goes deeper, and seems more powerful. Much more impressive when it's there!

djg093 said:
If you can answer any of these questions that would be great. I am not extremely picky when it comes to sound quality and talks about highs and mids, bass is good and an overall durable and good headphone for the money is what I want. I do really want noise canceling so if you have any other suggestions please don't hesitate.
Click to expand...

To be honest, I've always found Noise Cancelling headphones quite difficult to listen to music on. The noise cancelling in itself is cool, but it really tires my ears out. The DT770s give you considerable levels of isolation due to their design, but they have no active noise cancelling circuits.

As far as impedance goes, 80Ω or 32Ω will do the trick with an iPod. 80Ω is the safest bet.


Hope this helps!
 
[/QUOTE]Sonically, the EDITION (home) version is the best, but doesn't offer as much isolation as the PRO versions.

To be honest, I've always found Noise Cancelling headphones quite difficult to listen to music on. The noise cancelling in itself is cool, but it really tires my ears out. The DT770s give you considerable levels of isolation due to their design, but they have no active noise cancelling circuits.[/QUOTE]

I see your point about wearing out the ears, I have never worn noise canceling headphones for an extended period of time so I wouldn't know although I am making the switch from earbuds to headphones for the exact purpose of easing up on my ears.

So if I want headphones with the best isolation I should go for the DT 770 M?

I understand that maybe the sound might be sacrificed a little but I don't think I will notice, plus these headphones are going blow anything out of the water that I have had before.

Thanks a lot, your suggestions are a big help.
 
Sonically, the EDITION (home) version is the best, but doesn't offer as much isolation as the PRO versions.

To be honest, I've always found Noise Cancelling headphones quite difficult to listen to music on. The noise cancelling in itself is cool, but it really tires my ears out. The DT770s give you considerable levels of isolation due to their design, but they have no active noise cancelling circuits.[/QUOTE]

I see your point about wearing out the ears, I have never worn noise canceling headphones for an extended period of time so I wouldn't know although I am making the switch from earbuds to headphones for the exact purpose of easing up on my ears.

So if I want headphones with the best isolation I should go for the DT 770 M?

I understand that maybe the sound might be sacrificed a little but I don't think I will notice, plus these headphones are going blow anything out of the water that I have had before.

Thanks a lot, your suggestions are a big help.[/QUOTE]

No problem.

They should all isolate pretty well, regardless of which one you go for. But the DT 770 M will give you the most...
 
They are a lot of money either way so the decision is killing me.

I guess the PROs would have some isolation capability but with better bass sound?

I hope I'm not being annoying, but I like to make sure and double sure of things before spending that kind of money.
 
Beyerdynamic!

Beyerdynamic DT880 pro's or DT990

Semi & open backed, very comfortable and arguably the best neutral mixing headphones for a reasonable price on the market.... IMHO
I've mixed projects on these for years and the mix translates well in the studio and other consumer speaker types. Obviously as others have said you get used to types of headphones and brands, but if you are after accurate mixing on headphones these are a very good start.
Monster & Bose will have biased eq driver set-ups to make anything sound lush, but NOT neutral!
 
The last thing I'd ever do would be calling beyerdynamic cans neutral, haha! They're well known for having u-curved responses and extremely bright treble/powerful bass. After hearing a properly amped dt990 600ohm, I really, really, really want one, but I'll have to save up for it eventually with proper amp. They are far from neutral, but they are some of the best sounding "fun" cans I've ever heard.
 
NoSmokingBandit said:
My dad gave me an old set of Pickering OA-3's and they are just amazing. He had them when he was in high school, so they are at least 50 years old. They have the best sound i have ever heard. Very flat and even. If you see a set of vintage Pickerings anywhere stop and check them out. The set i have is uncomfortable as hell after about 90 minutes, but its totally worth it.
Click to expand...

Wow, and I thought my AR 3a speakers were old.
 
No Grado fans here?

Best price-performance ratio of any headphones for listening. I would not recommend them for studio purposes, but I doubt that's your aim.

Check out the Grado ones; you won't regret it.
 
I wouldn't say bar-none best. Superlux, Audio Technica and Shure have something to say!
 
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