Beats Co-Founders Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine Expected to Take on Senior Roles at Apple Following Acquisition

[Trapezoid]

You dared to mention the words "Technology" in tandem with beats?

Perhaps best summed up by this article..

http://sandrarose.com/2011/11/audiophile-calls-beats-by-dre-headphones-extraordinarily-bad/

http://lifehacker.com/are-beats-by-dre-headphones-any-good-1509805994

Youre just posting subjective articles to disprove what I said?

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2013/05/are-beats-by-dr-dre-headphones-worth-the-money/index.htm

There's an objective review. Regardless of reviews would you like to tell me what "technology" in other headphones makes them superior?

 

[Rogifan]

This site went from hating Samsung to hating Beats overnight. Impressive!

When did people here like Beats?

 

[roadbloc]

Youre just posting subjective articles to disprove what I said?

Bottom line. You're probably paying more for the Beats name, especially for models without active noise cancellation. In almost almost every category there are lower-priced models that offer the same, and sometimes better, sound quality. So if sound quality is your only consideration, choose one of those models rather than a Beats set.

The very article you posted sums it up for you. If you're buying Beats, you're spending a lot of money on a fashion accessory more than headphones. I must say, I have used a pair of Beats myself and honestly, the fake ones had better sound quality.

 

[techweenie]

I think a lot of the 'white and nerdy' denizens of MacRumor aren't aware of the size and composition of the Hip Hop market.

Whatever his public persona, people I know who've dealt with Dre are impressed with his business acumen. I know nothing of Iovine, but I've learned to stop second-guessing Apple after dumping an embarrassing number of shares on the iTunes announcement.

 

[mojolicious]

Doesn't Bose have kind of the same reputation as Monster? Overpriced marketing for junk.

I only chucked Bose in the mix because it seemed be quite well supported within this thread. Here in the UK at least, many people have always been quite sniffy about both Bose's products and Bose's contrived 'anti marketing' campaigns.

Do Sennheiser advertise to any great extent? Does having a Germanic name give an undeserved aura of quality? I've always known of them, but they used to be famously unaffordable. Can't help thinking they're diluting their brand by releasing sub $20 earphones.

As for me: I just buy whatever looks pretty at time of purchase, which last time round was...

Not a great fan of headphones/earphones generally. I only wear the above seated at a computer, for maybe 2-3 hours a week, and I don't believe I've *ever* worn anything on/in my ears whilst on the street. Spending more than $50 on earphones for mobile/outdoors use seems ridiculous to me; those wires are just so very breakable.

 

[bluboi917]

As a Black man in America, it's fairly easy to identify who is commenting about what.

You need to stop with weak attempts to try and turn this into a racist issue.

If a person from ANY Country/Race/Colour made this video I'm sure people would feel the same.

http://youtu.be/s2e5ZibypDk

If a White Man Born and Bred in the UK made the exact same video, I'm sure virtually everyone would be equally horrified.

It's nothing about race/skin colour, it's about how the person is/acts as an individual.

 

[AppleScruff1]

When did people here like Beats?

They will soon, as soon as Apple takes over.

 

[StrongArmmed]

Utterly disturbed by the both the racism and classism on display here. I don't know why I thought differently of the audience here at MacRumors, but apparently my faith was totally misplaced.

First, who gives a **** that Dre posted a video celebrating his (soon-to-be) new-found wealth? And further, who gives any ****s that it's bombastic and full of drunken braggadocio? Clearly you haven't been around or observed some of these new dot-com millionaires and their antics, let alone other pop-culture/music/TV icons and what they do in front of a camera...

I can fairly promise you, if it was Justin Bieber or Eminem, the faux-anger would be a tad more...muted.

Second, the references to "urban youth" and the like to describe Beats customers smacks of the code-words of the Republican Party, c. 1980-1993, wherein everything negative was associated with "urban" Americans.

Next, get over your...exclusivity complex. This is business. Apple will sell to whomever can buy their products. And I don't know about you, but I use Apple products because they are the BEST DESIGNED, BEST ENGINEERED, and MOST FUNCTIONAL PRODUCTS for ME. If you are an Apple customer solely because of who you THINK being an Apple user shows the world you are, kill yourself because your life is miserable.

Clearly, Cook, the Board and the other senior people at Apple see Iovine - and to a lesser extent, Dre - as holding the keys to the music kingdom and providing cred in an area that Apple has had to fight to be accepted in, despite what they've done to help the music industry.

Many of you need to check yourselves because you're showing you're more like the people you claim to despise, than you might care to admit.
As a shareholder, I'm happy with the spend. I see the vision and I believe in the move.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11D7p8X6UgY

 

[LastQuadrant]

They are headphones designed for the sort of people who like listening to "urban" music. I don't like Beats, but there are people who like that sound. What Beats have done isn't new. If you look back at Reggae fans from 30-35 years ago, many would spend a lot of money to get what sounded to me like an odd bass sound, but which they liked. It's not hi fi per in the traditional sense, but it was trying to get a particular sound, and people would pay a lot of money for it.

Sure Beats are to some extent a fashion item, but so are iPhones.

It's not that much different from most hi fi snobbery. There are an awful lot of people with very expensive stereos who don't listen to the sort of music those systems are designed to reproduce, which is actually pretty funny when you think about it.

----------



Look at some of the earlier posts in the thread. I saw the word "Ghetto" used pejoratively.



When I was a kid, the Sex Pistols were public enemy number one. John Lydon is now a national treasure in the UK. Things change. Dre is an extremely successful businessman. I guess it just sticks in some people's craw that a "gangsta rapper" can be a billionaire.

When Johnny Cash sings about shooting people, no-one bats an eyelid, but if Ice Cube sings about it, all hell breaks loose.

Jacked up bass is something that a certain portion of society THINKS is good sound or just simply wants bass that's jacked up in the mix. People that do a lot of disco or modern dancing like that physical aspects of bass which gets them to FEEL the low end. I can understand that. But when it gets to the point where it's annoying to listen to, then that's completely different.

Yeah, there are extremes in terms of any industry/hobby. I've seen car mechanics drive crappy cars that didn't look like they were well maintained. With anything expensive. There are always going to be some that just have the money, spend the money and are more interested in impressing people rather than being into the products they buy because they are serious about their hobby. There are audiophiles that take that hobby VERY seriously and go into different extremes about it where they will actually have a dedicated listening room built and they'll spend $100K on just getting a good sounding room and then they'll spend tons of money on equipment. Just like you'll see some rich person buy an expensive stereo and it'll just sit there and not even be used I think the difference in the Johnny Cash vs Ice T is because one actually knows how to play a musical instrument, write material where they are writing the music and lyric without resorting to using swear words, vulgarity, etc. When a Rapper does it, they are swearing and yelling and screaming, which really isn't music. When Johnny Cash does it, it's being done in a story with actual musicians playing, which is indicative of country/western music, which actually has roots based from blues, which came from Africa. The rap music that is being done over the past 25 years or so is just vulgar crap that's more annoying and being created just to piss people off, because that's how they want to get attention. The reason why no one says anything when Johnny Cash talks about killing people, is it's not done to SHOCK people, it's done to tell a story, but when ice T does it, they are doing it to SHOCK people, because they want the attention good or bad and if you talk @&#( about them, then that gives them a reason to pull the race card or some other excuse to get even MORE attention. Personally, its because of these new generation record execs that don't really care about anything other than MONEY is why these big record labels started putting out more rap music and they hand out Grammys to losers that produce that crap. Personally, it should NOT have gotten as much industry acceptance. Because all it's doing is fueling a lot of negative music and behavior amongst the kids growing up. Just look at Justin Bieber and how he's growing up. For every Justin Bieber, there's millions of kids just like him turning into A$$holes as they get older. It's unfortunate the the record industry promotes that sort of music/behavior, but many of these record execs seem to like the money more than being more responsible adults. Iovine is just another LOSER record exec that makes a lot of money and doesn't really care about the quality of what's on the market. Because if he did, he'd have NOTHING to do with Dr. Dre and the rap music culture.

 

[RebornProphet]

Utterly disturbed by the both the racism and classism on display here. I don't know why I thought differently of the audience here at MacRumors, but apparently my faith was totally misplaced.

First, who gives a **** that Dre posted a video celebrating his (soon-to-be) new-found wealth? And further, who gives any ****s that it's bombastic and full of drunken braggadocio? Clearly you haven't been around or observed some of these new dot-com millionaires and their antics, let alone other pop-culture/music/TV icons and what they do in front of a camera...

I can fairly promise you, if it was Justin Bieber or Eminem, the faux-anger would be a tad more...muted.

Second, the references to "urban youth" and the like to describe Beats customers smacks of the code-words of the Republican Party, c. 1980-1993, wherein everything negative was associated with "urban" Americans.

Next, get over your...exclusivity complex. This is business. Apple will sell to whomever can buy their products. And I don't know about you, but I use Apple products because they are the BEST DESIGNED, BEST ENGINEERED, and MOST FUNCTIONAL PRODUCTS for ME. If you are an Apple customer solely because of who you THINK being an Apple user shows the world you are, kill yourself because your life is miserable.

Clearly, Cook, the Board and the other senior people at Apple see Iovine - and to a lesser extent, Dre - as holding the keys to the music kingdom and providing cred in an area that Apple has had to fight to be accepted in, despite what they've done to help the music industry.

Many of you need to check yourselves because you're showing you're more like the people you claim to despise, than you might care to admit.
As a shareholder, I'm happy with the spend. I see the vision and I believe in the move.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11D7p8X6UgY

If it were Bieber I'd burn my iPhone ... odious little prick.

 

[StrongArmmed]

I think a lot of the 'white and nerdy' denizens of MacRumor aren't aware of the size and composition of the Hip Hop market.

Whatever his public persona, people I know who've dealt with Dre are impressed with his business acumen. I know nothing of Iovine, but I've learned to stop second-guessing Apple after dumping an embarrassing number of shares on the iTunes announcement.

As Dre said on Straight Outta Compton, "you're about to witness the strength of street knowledge..."

He parlayed his hip-hop stardom into his own label, birthed the careers of Eminem and 50 Cent (among others), and a VERY successful venture with Jimmy Iovine, a music-industry hustler, himself a legend...

And now, his shrewdness is on display again, as his personal brand is helping to drive a $3.2B acquisition by the most-respected consumer high-tech entity in the history of mankind. I think Dre has little - check that, nothing - to prove to anyone here. He is most definitely #winning.

----------

If it were Bieber I'd burn my iPhone ... odious little prick.

That he is. We agree on that.

 

[cdmoore74]

You have made an interesting point there.

Can you imagine. I think we all can..... What comments on these forums would be if the news was "Samsung buys Dr Beats"

It's not Dr. Beats; it's Dr. Dre. Just to prove it I have attached a 25 year old pic (with name) and a picture of the hospital staff. And no; N.W.A does not stand for Nurses With Attitudes

 

[Rogifan]

They will soon, as soon as Apple takes over.

Who is they? It's certainly not me.

 

[alex0002]

The very article you posted sums it up for you. If you're buying Beats, you're spending a lot of money on a fashion accessory more than headphones. I must say, I have used a pair of Beats myself and honestly, the fake ones had better sound quality.

Which is what many people would say about apple.

This discussion does nothing to change that perception - it's just that now it seems that some people are concerned that the fashion value of their apple products, might be degraded by the association with Beats and Dr. Dre.

 

[Rogifan]

5 Reasons Why Apple Shouldn't Buy Beats Electronics

 

[mojolicious]

It's not Dr. Beats; it's Dr. Dre.

So who the hell were Miami Sound Machine singing about, then?

 

[krravi]

Youre just posting subjective articles to disprove what I said?

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/...y-dr-dre-headphones-worth-the-money/index.htm

There's an objective review. Regardless of reviews would you like to tell me what "technology" in other headphones makes them superior?

Consumer reports? I bet if they had an article for "Pet Rock" their review would be something like "Though not functional or emotional most of the customers have reported being happy with their new pet", when that thing was a craze!

 

[Trapezoid]

The very article you posted sums it up for you. If you're buying Beats, you're spending a lot of money on a fashion accessory more than headphones. I must say, I have used a pair of Beats myself and honestly, the fake ones had better sound quality.

The op was talking about technology not price. I agree they may not be worth what they cost

 

[cmChimera]

When a Rapper does it, they are swearing and yelling and screaming, which really isn't music. When Johnny Cash does it, it's being done in a story with actual musicians playing, which is indicative of country/western music, which actually has roots based from blues, which came from Africa. The rap music that is being done over the past 25 years or so is just vulgar crap that's more annoying and being created just to piss people off, because that's how they want to get attention. The reason why no one says anything when Johnny Cash talks about killing people, is it's not done to SHOCK people, it's done to tell a story, but when ice T does it, they are doing it to SHOCK people, because they want the attention good or bad and if you talk @&#( about them, then that gives them a reason to pull the race card or some other excuse to get even MORE attention. Personally, its because of these new generation record execs that don't really care about anything other than MONEY is why these big record labels started putting out more rap music and they hand out Grammys to losers that produce that crap. Personally, it should NOT have gotten as much industry acceptance. Because all it's doing is fueling a lot of negative music and behavior amongst the kids growing up. Just look at Justin Bieber and how he's growing up. For every Justin Bieber, there's millions of kids just like him turning into A$$holes as they get older. It's unfortunate the the record industry promotes that sort of music/behavior, but many of these record execs seem to like the money more than being more responsible adults. Iovine is just another LOSER record exec that makes a lot of money and doesn't really care about the quality of what's on the market. Because if he did, he'd have NOTHING to do with Dr. Dre and the rap music culture.

Oh shut up. You clearly have never listened to good rap music. Is there bad rap music? Of course there is. Is bad rap music sometimes popular? Of course. Can you really say anything different about other gneres of music? Is there bad pop, country, alternative, electronic music? YES. Just because you have a narrow minded view of what constitutes music, don't belittle entire genres or fans of that genre. You just sound pretentious.

 

[RebornProphet]

What's funny is that I guarantee some of the folk posting anti Beats comments listen to their music with EarPods ... the irony.

 

[Trapezoid]

Consumer reports? I bet if they had an article for "Pet Rock" their review would be something like "Though not functional or emotional most of the customers have reported being happy with their new pet", when that thing was a craze!

Attack the source instead of the content? What does that prove? You can Google and find other objective reviews from other companies too...

 

[JPLC]

I wonder if Tim Cook might be rethinking that after the release of this video, it's not very Apple-like i'd say. It's hard imaging Dr. Dre representing Apple. Not that I'm against it.
Image

Thats how Hiphop go's. It's all act and image. These guys understand their business. Made the biggest cash hit in music history. Get over it.

 

[dec.]

You have made an interesting point there.

Can you imagine. I think we all can..... What comments on these forums would be if the news was "Samsung buys Dr Beats"

yay, a hypothetical circle jerk, I'll join in:

...and "we also can all imagine" how people like you would respond.

 

[AlabamaSlammer]

I don't know if this question has been asked already and if it has I apologize...

But how much are Beats headphones going to cost now $$???

With the Beats by Dre premium now tied in with the Apple premium pricing, these headphones could push $700 starting price...

 

[krravi]

Which is what many people would say about apple.

This discussion does nothing to change that perception - it's just that now it seems that some people are concerned that the fashion value of their apple products, might be degraded by the association with Beats and Dr. Dre.

Why wouldn't it? Shoddy headphones whose only redeeming factor is the name "beats" on it.

And Dr... is seriously an affront to people who worked hard to earn that!

As someone said here earlier... Google buys Nest and Apple buys beats. Who would have thought Google would make the classy choice in choosing an acquisition thats both innovative and functional?

I hate to say this and have refrained from saying this before but now Its hard to resist.."Steve Jobs would never have touched that brand with a stick"!

You say its about the music subscription service? Then Pandora or Spotify would have been a better or yet the best choice!