As part of our back to school series of reviews, Brookstone was nice enough to send us a few goodies that are absolute must-haves for the upcoming school season. In that box was a pair of Beats by Dre headphones. We requested these specific headphones for a few reasons.
First off, they are made by Dr. Dre. That might seem like a little thing to you, but as people that grew up listening to his music we thought it would be good to try out headphones created by someone in the music business. I mean, if a musician (who is said to be a perfectionist) cannot get a pair of headphones right then their might not be any hope. Next, they are incredibly expensive. Don’t get me wrong. We don’t review things on the basis of how much they cost. We do like to find out if expensive items are worth the money though and we like to offer you, our readers, this information, as well.
First impressions were quite impressive. Beats by Dre arrives in a hard red box with a black slip cover that announces the Beats by Dre label. When the slipcover comes off you see the white logo on the red box. The box opens and on one side there is a black case that includes the actual headphones. The other side opens up to include instructions and manuals, two soft cables with additional adapters, batteries, and a micro-fiber cloth.
The headphones come in a case where they fold up for easier and more complete transport. You can use Beats by Dre with any smart-phone, your computer or laptop, or any stereo that has headphone support. The cord of your choice just hooks in under the right earpiece and once you put in your batteries you’re ready to start listening to music.
The batteries are placed in through the right earpiece. You just turn the side and it opens up. Place in your batteries and snap it back shut. The opposite side has a small on/off switch that you will need to toggle before use (otherwise you won’t be hearing anything). The color on the on/off switch will alert you of when you need to change your batteries.
If you are using Beats by Dre with your phone you will notice that a small switch box is a part of the cord. When you get a call, just click the button and your music will pause while you take your call. When the call is over the music will resume! Also, a great feature of these headphones is the mute feature. Just press the plate on the right ear and it will mute your music (Note: this does not pause it, only mutes it). This comes in handy when someone is trying to talk to you when your music is on.
All of this having been said, one of the most important things – actually the most important thing is always going to be the sound. If the sound isn’t good on a pair of headphones then none of the other stuff really matters. The fact is that Beats by Dre offers the most incredibly sounding headphones that I’ve found, to date. I’ve reviewed headphones that I’ve loved, but these take the cake. The sound is the most authentic stereo sound that I have experienced.
One of the best things about the sound on the Beats by Dre headphones is that you do not have to turn these up loud to experience impressive audio. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. They don’t recommend turning them up too high as it can cause damage to your ear. Still, I normally have mine up (on other models) from 70-100% volume. This ensures that all sounds are blocked out and it’s just me and my music.
With Beats by Dre I had the volume no louder than 30 ever and usually kept it at a comfortable 24. When people spoke to me, I had to hit the mute button, otherwise I would not be able to hear them. Despite the low sound, the padding of the headphones keeps the sound in and allows it to sound excellent. Even at the low level the music was highly detailed. I didn’t go past the 30 mark because I found if I did that it would be too loud, but I suspect that the sound would be equally as impressive. Normally you have no choice but to turn it up, so I love that with these, you can get that amazing, fine-tuned sound at a level that doesn’t damage your ear in the process.
The bass is by far the most ear-popping element to be heard here, but all aspects of music are represented well. Each instrument and sound, no matter how seemingly small, appears as a full, distinct sound. So many headphones will represent one element of music better than the others, but Beats by Dre hits all of the right notes in every, single song.
I honestly would be shocked to find a pair of headphones with a better sound. Beats by Dre makes me want to listen to music all day long. The crisp, clear sound is so impressive that it’s hard to want to be without these for long. Music lovers need a pair of headphones like this.
The final compliment I have, and it’s a little, but important one, is that these headphones are nothing short of sexy. I don’t think of headphones in terms of sex appeal normally, but these are quite fashionable. Black, silver, and red are the main colors here with black playing the predominant role, red handling the lining, and silver playing the star of the center of the earpiece.
You can purchase Beats by Dre in a number of high-end electronic stores online and in traditional stores. Brookstone.com sells them for $299.95 and they are worth every penny. If you’re in the market for a stellar pair of headphones with mind-blowing sound then pop on over to Brookstone and pick up a pair of Beats by Dre. I couldn’t recommend these highly enough if I tried.
Technorati Tags: Headphones, Music, Beats by Dre, Monster, Dr. Dre, Stereo, Bass, High Quality, Luxury, Sexy, Fashion, Back to School Review, Product Review
Written by Dom & Ash Evans – Visit Website
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Dominick and Ashtyn have been together since 2002. Together, they live in Michigan, work together as pro bloggers, and homeschool and raise their 15 year old son, CT. Their interests are diverse. Ashtyn loves to write, listen to music, shop and enjoy the finer things in life. Dominick enjoys playing wheelchair sports, watching sports, acting, singing, playing video games and making movies.
