Beats Studio Headphones in black
This review is geared towards music lovers and an important idea; silence is golden. The latter is especially true during midterms and finals week. With finals week three weeks away, I thought, “What better time than now to discuss one of my favorite study tools,” which is the Beats by Dre Studio Headphones.
Price Range & Availability
At the official website beatsbydre.com, the Studio Headphones are listed at $299.95 each, with the wireless version at $379.95. I compared the price at some popular stores, including Best Buy, Fry’s Electronics, and Target, which all had prices consistent with the prices listed above. I also contacted one of my colleagues at AT&T Mobility because I was curious as to what type of discount an employee would get and found out that an employee discount cannot be applied to Beats merchandise. What does this all mean? As a consumer, buy with confidence in knowing that price is relatively the same.
Review
The Beats Studio Headphones come in a hard shell zipping container that stores the headset, which folds inward to fit into the container. One of the major differences between the latest release and the original Beats Studio Headphones is how power is supplied. The prior released relied on batteries, which was a hassle. Now the headphones can be charged via usb cable with the ability to run for 20 hours (according to the official website specifications).
Another feature is it comes in 8 different colors, which include black, white, red, blue, orange, matte black, grey (titanium), and pink. This makes the purchase more personal and it gives the consumer a chance to show their personality through their listening device.
What’s also useful is that you can answer a phone call with the Studio Headphones. It works similarly to the headphones supplied with most smartphones, which is a microphone located on the wire. This feature is handy when expecting an important phone call.
Now to what makes or breaks any headphones: sound. In my own home entertainment system, I have only used one cable manufacturer, Monster. So when Monster teamed with Dr. Dre to create what is now Beats by Dre, the result is a reputable sound expert collaborating with a reputable sound equipment manufacturer to create excellent sound devices. This result shows in the sound delivered by the Studio Headphones. The bass is deep and powerful, while the treble is crisp and enjoyable. Whether it be used while watching a blu-ray on a laptop or listening to music on your favorite device, the sound is amazing. Another sound feature which I find critical is the noise cancelling. I tested this at the loudest part of the Cal Poly Pomona library, which is the 3rd floor. I purposely sat nearby a group that was fairly loud in their discussion of whatever they were working on, put on my headphones with no music playing and it was quieter, but I recommend using music to completely cancel the noise. Trust me, when finals come around this fact will be a key to success.
Pros
– Crisp, clear sound with deep bass
– Noise-cancelling
– Answer phone calls
Cons
– Hefty price for college students
Rating
4 out of 5