Why Nobody Likes Beats Headphones 

I seem to remember reading that Beats added small internal weights to their headphones to make them seem more substantial and therefore better than a lightweight pair of headphones. Maybe other companies do so as well.

As a nerdy audiophile, let me clarify a few things. Beats headphones are indeed poorly constructed, too bassy, and don't even attempt to be properly resolving at certain frequencies ; and they are more fashion statements than good audio equipment, all of this is true. But to give credit where it's due, Beats did make something incredible, their recommendation and discovery algorithm for Beats Music. And this is the real reason Apple bought them, killing Beats Music shortly after the acquisition to launch Apple Music. Beats headphones have mostly been relagated to the active and sportsgear side of the audio market as Apple has its own audio products to sell. Also, and arguably more importantly for me, I take issue with your recommendations for alternatives to Beats headphones. No audiophile in their right mind would recommend Bose, with their lackluster quality for the price, and long history of deceitful/manipulative marketing and patent abuse. Your other (sponsored) recommendation rubs me especially the wrong way since AIAIAI, while looking sharper and more consumer-friendly than Beats, employs alot of the same marketing tactics, using online creators and sustainabilty claims instead of music celebrities and athletes. Especially when sound-wise, their headphones have a bassy, very coloured sound signature, and only their latest S05 driver is close to worth its asking price. And while the modular aspect sounds consumer friendly, only they sell the parts, and no company is eternal. Frankly, I'd rather recommend something like the Sennheiser HD25 if you want something compartively cheap, that sounds significantly better and is as close to indestrcutible as it gets. Because while it's not modular or made from recycled plastics, DJs have been abusing those since the 80s and keep coming back for more.

I worked in the Apple Genius Bar when Apple bought Beats. The headphones were of notoriously poor quality. The band that goes over the head would break, or the cushioning part of the headphones would separate from the casing. Eventually the quality did improve, but then (as you mentioned) they were no longer cool, and sales declined.

For those with an audiophile bent, or who want a lot of comparisons. Crinacle is your guy, definitely knowledgeable about this topic.

I think the true impact beats and later apple had on the headphone industry was just how normalized it got to spend more than 50 dollars on headphones, Yes many people will still be perfectly happy with their budget no name brand bluetooth headphones but far more people now will be rocking 150 - 350 dollar headphones like airpods of all flavors sony wh-1000xm4's etc than you ever would have seen 8 years ago.

To be honest, the audiophiles i know would just as well frown at Bose, they are also far from the best sound quality with their headphones, but have a similar fashion appeal to white collars as Beats had to the pop/hiphop community.

My Beats deteriorated very quickly within 12 months of owning them - I replaced them with Bang and Olufsen 12 months ago and they are significantly superior in sound quality and durability. The Beats were $AUD399 and the B&O were $AUD599 on sale. Worth it in my opinion.

Bose headphones also have easily replaceable parts. I've had a pair for well over 10 years. I've replaced the cable and the ear pads a couple of times and they're good as new!

I did record once at a fairly well known studio that specialized in a niche genre and the producer used beats as the vocal reference headphones. The reason, they said, was because the added bass made the vocalist feel like they sounded a little better than they actually are so they weren't as shy about singing. idk how true or useful that is, but at least there's someone using them for something professional.

During my college years of 2010-2013 Beats were massively popular. But I work at best Buy and got an amazing employee discount, so it helped to get me a couple of different models. I really enjoyed my Beats Detox. I listen to hip hop/techno/house/rap, so the headphones perfectly matched my listening style. The only issue I had was weight - they were heavy! And over time, I didn't want to use them due to neck and head fatigue. I still have them, but due to a wireless world, I have no use for them but to collect dust, until I go on an airplane to plug in and watch a movie.

I remember in 2014 when I wanted a pair so badly and finally gave them a listen, only to find that they sounded like my razer headphones. If you and more bang for buck, just wait for any of the senheiser 600s family to go on sale (which is quite often).

the way he says Jimmy’s last name is not even remotely close LMAO

Buying stuff is getting tiring.

I seem to remember that beats put weights in their early models so they didn't feel cheap

I run Sennheiser x Massdrop 58x. Simple, wired, openback headphones that sound great imo. Something understated is the ability to clean and maintain the padding. Headband and earpads are all removable which makes them easy to clean and replace in the future when they get squished down

Reminds me of the brief moment I'm the mid 00s when iPods were a fashion accessory.

I had a pair of beats when I was younger and at the time thought expensive meant good sound quality. Crazy now to think how wrong I was about that. I recently invested in a pair of nicer B&O headphones and have not looked back since

As a note, those buds were cheap thrown ins but they instantly communicated that the person was listening to an iPod or iPhone. So when Apple released the Airpods, they retained a lot of the visuals that were iconic with iPhones so they stayed instantly recognisable. Between these two visually distinct brands, Apple have a nearly 50% market share of headphones in Australia (I haven’t done the research for anywhere else). Contagious by Jonah Berger goes into more detail on this and lines up well with what you’ve put into your video. Definitely well researched.

I recently got some Samson SR850C (thanks to Dankpods!) over-ear, open-back headphones for $35 from B&H Photo in New York. I’m no audiophile but… they sound A-MAZING! They are the most lightweight, comfortable and best sounding cans I’ve owned. Sure they’re wired but I plan on getting a portable DAC to add Bluetooth support later and, since I still listen to most of my music on my 5th gen. iPod or my Android phone with headphone jack, I’m good. When I first got them, I had been using the iPod’s EQ settings with my cheap earbuds but I discovered that, with the Samsons, turning off the EQ made the music sound better! This is easily one of the best price-for-performance purchases I’ve ever made.

I think it was Marques Brownlee who made a video about Beats, and his point was that Apple bought out beats and then intentionally killed them off to make space in the market for AirPods

I have a bunch of studio-and-otherwise headphones but I keep going back to my 20-year-old Sony MDR-CD780s. I've had to repair them several times because I don't like any of the current production headphones I could get as replacements as much. Being worth repairing is a pretty great longevity feature.

LOL, to use Bose as an example of "good sounding headphones" is funny. Mostly because Bose is notorious for being overly bass heavy, with some heights and almost no mids. Sony would have been a better comparision.

I got a free pair in 2017 & they’re still working, though I did replace the ear cushions myself. They are now my designated “cleaning headphones” since they’re Bluetooth & I don’t care if they get damaged while I clean the shower or mow the lawn.

Really good video! I remember people wearing beats at school and I wanted to be part of that so bad but they were so expensive. I had to buy a second hand pair from one of the popular kids at school and that was still $200. I shot a Music video with my cousin, he had a small following for his music and I wore my beats to the video shoot. Making it part of my whole identity as I recorded my scenes with the gorgeous lady I was paired with for our scenes. I eventually sold them off for like $150 or something and I found headphones for $20-$50 that are way better quality than Beats. If you buy them now, it’s because you like the wireless and easy use but airpods are also in the same boat where they’re expensive because of brand.

I wanted some Beats just to look cool and they were on sale during the holiday season but when I went to the Apple Store to try them on they kept pulling my hair. It turned to a hard no for me :/

When the beats were popular I remember getting the Koss PortaPros. Still my favorite headphones till this day

Loveee the content! Always happy to see new videos

I have a pair of studio 3s and I love them, BUT I only use them in gym. Any other place I just a different set of headphones or earbuds. I like having the loud and bassy music when I lift. Plus they stay on my head pretty well and haven’t broken from flying off while ripping deadlifts.

Every few years, for decades now, there has been some sort of portable electronic device / status symbol that comes out that is easily lost, stolen, or broken. I never paid much attention to Beats because I just figured that was the latest iteration of that particular consumer trap.

i will say, i have a pair of studio 3s i got for the gym, used but in amazing shape for $150. being i have them for the gym, i don’t mind the heavy bass. and with apple having bought them and me using and iphone, it makes the user exit that much better than some other products. plus, they are comfy and the noises cancelling is solid. i know they aren’t amazing sound quality but for me they work really well. they serve a specific purpose and do it well, well enough to where if they broke today i would go buy another pair right now

Another great video. Congrats on hitting 300K subs!

Thanks for posting that AIAIAI link. I'm in the market for new headphones since my seinhisers are starting to wear out. I'm also really into being able to replace parts that wear out. I wish I could do that with my seinhisers, but I can't....bummer. Do you have a code, so you'll get something back from them?

Honestly the one “Beats” product I own is my Powerbeats Pro as they would stay on my ears as I exercised and were the most comfortable compared to other alternatives I tried. If I were to aim for pure listening, I’d aim for something better.

I remember working at frys when the first beats came out, seeing how much they were marked up, laughing, and then buying my first pair of audiotechnicas. Good times. I should have bought a bunch and sold them on Craigslist, but alas, I am as dumb as rocks.

Dude I just came across your channel and I’m impressed! Subscribed!

I think the thing that helps on the go listening is wireless headphones now have apps with EQs, so if there’s too much bass, just mix that down in the app. I was resisting going wireless until I went through 2 pairs of lightning connector headphones in 4 months becacuse why is the cable on bottom of the connector? It get’s pinched in my pocket and eventually something breaks, and it’s not like old school headphones where you can go to Radio Shack, buy a new plug and solder it back on. How hard is it to have the cable come out of the side, with proper strain relief as well. (This was Symphonized brand of wooden shell earbuds, they sounded amazing, but bad connectors, and of course that kind of failure is excluded from the warranty.)

its Jimmy eye-veen. That's how its properly said.

Who this Jimmy YooVeenAy?

I bring my dt770 everywhere I go. It's my favorite. My backup is a Sony xb900n that I got when I wasn't an audiophile yet but they introduced me to the beyerdynamics.

I just use my good old Audio-Technica ATH-M20X, they are cheap sound pretty good and are reliable. Served me great for around 10 years. On my PC I use them with Sonarworks Sound ID headphone edition, a cool software to change the sound profile and make them sound super flat like studio monitor speakers.

The comparison between in-ear and over-ear audio is less straightforward than your statement that full-size headphones are obviously better. IEMs and headphones are subject to different constraints and opportunities. They offer two different approaches to producing good sound.

I'm not a complete audiophile but I wholeheartedly believe in good sound. Tinnitus scares the crap out of me so I'm kind of paranoid these days about turning my music up. I just want crisp, clear and clean everything. Bass. Treble. All of it. Sennheiser has always done that for me. To me those sound amazing and they dont break the bank because you're not going all hype beast.

I remember back around like 2012-2014 beats were popular at my school, but I never owned a pair due to the build and sound quality.

You should have been around for the MDRV 700's in the 90's. Wearing those out with a Minidisc walkman gave me instant street cred lol. I still have them, they still work, they're solid as a rock and you can throw a ton of power at them which is why they were the headphone of choice for DJ's at the time. When I wore them out again recently I got stares that I never see anyone with Beats getting; it's probably a familiarity breeds contempt situation and nearly no-one under 30 is familiar with the 700's nowadays.

For instance I like the Sennheiser HD-25 for this. Yes you know them, you saw them for sure, they're on the market since 1988 and probably every sound tech guys used them. You can still buy parts if you broke it. I like that mentality. Proof that if you make a good, solid and well price, it will sell by itself.

Had a sad little chuckle that being able to replace parts in and repair something has become a selling point/something that makes a product stand out from the crowd now. I've been running the same set of Sennheiser HD595s since 2005. Have replaced plenty of earpads, the cable twice, and one set of drivers, but it all came apart and went back together easily because... that's just kinda how they were built.

How are the products from the latest few years under Apple? Have they improved the quality and sound profile?

I finally got myself an over the ear style headphones but I'm very happy with my samsons sr280s. Granted they're wired so it's not quite the same but I have iems for going out and around.

I will say in Beats favor, their Powerbeat pro design has been a life saver for me. As someone who has really small ears, they are the only pair of earbuds I've ever found that fit me and are great for sports, especially climbing.

You guys should dig a little more into the history. The first beats headphones were actually developed by monster and their music tech in collaboration with dr.dre and Iovine. Dre and Iovine got the beats brand by drawing up sneaky music industry contracts that the guys running monster wasn't familiar with. If you look back at monster headphones they've had some amazing sets before their ultimate demise. The monster turbine copper pros for one.

Cheeky little DankPods feature made this video a lot better for me 😂

Love this vid! Literally wearing beats solo pro to listen to this vid lol.

I'm on my second pair of Bose noise cancelling headphones in probably 20 years. I'm a big fan because they work for my needs, but I'm also probably older than your average viewer so my needs/wants are different.

Beats still deserve the respect. They came and blew up, made it cool and gave the industry a boost. People who were not audiophiles became interested and some became audiophiles. For most people they are more than adequate in quality. Now too many people think they are an expert and call them selves audiophiles. I bought Beats when a company here in Australia went bust and I bought them for a fraction of the retails. A cousin of mine saw me rocking them and gave me grief about owning them. That was the day I started defending Beats. I don't claim to be an audiophile but I am an enthusiast and have many MANY brands and styles of audio gear and a huge shout out to @FlossyCarter for always dropping the truth. I just bought StudioIII and Solo Pro. They were massively discounted over Christmas and well worth the price I paid for them. So for all you haters and wannabee audiophiles keep hatin' and keep wanting cause it don't really matter to me.

I used to want the Beats Studio3 headphones, but when I compared them to my Sony MDR-XB950N Extra Bass Noise Cancelling headphones, they don’t stand a chance in terms of sound quality

@Future Proof I think you guys forgot to put the affiliate link for aiaiai in your description!

I used apple earbuds as my daily listening/ gaming device for my PC because I hate wearing a headset. You can't beat how simple and affordable these are.

Personally I like the Audio Technica ATH-M50x with a headphone amp myself. It's not portable but they sound really good just using them at home. Every Bose item I've ever had broke or fell apart. Not a Bose fan.

The pendulum always swings, over the ear headphones we’re big in Japan and then transitioned to America as the trend died down it seems there has been a resurgence again with the apple headphones max it’s pretty cool too see

I like my 2 pairs of Beats Flex, but I don’t like that it doesn’t have a 10 second rewind on a button press and how the big notification shows almost everytime I connect to them

I'm not an audiophile, but I like getting real value for my buck, I use the kzn zsn-pro with the az09 pro wirless adapter, and I have a way better sounding headphones than any airpod for around 60 bucks and If anything breaks only one part needs ro be replaced

Back in 2013, I tried my friend's Beats headphone. At that time, I realized bass is their main focus... And sometimes it's bloated and burry the detail of the music if the music already have too much bass. And, since I love experimenting, I started using EQ, knows the basic and eventually makes my 15$ chinese headphone sounds decent and more balanced than his Beats. Slowly, I realized Beats was overpriced. Now, I'm using handmade, DIY 100$ headphone, which is very simple, all metal frame, and have insane flexibility at EQing so I can theoretically shape my headphone sounds to mimic any other headphones. Except for detail and soundstage but it's virtually have no competitor (at least for my taste) untill I reach 300$ bracket (I mean Hifiman or Sennheiser standard). Same goes for my DIY IEM. For today's taste. I see people would prefer minimalistic with functionality. And with IEM technologies, people would prefer IEM: small, compact, and do their jobs. And with more audiophile contenys on RU-vid, more people nowadays have more awareness about sound quality. With this, Beats headphone becomes another overpriced-hypebeast headphone. For those who interested in audiophile worls, Crinacle channel and website is a good start. Also my personal favourites is Gizaudio for Timmies's casual and humble persona and Dankpods for good laugh. But remember the moral story from Beats: trust your own ear and on what you needs, don't push yourself to get hyped things and do your research and comparison before buying.

I’ve never really liked beats headphones. At some point I heard that the Beats Studio buds were pretty good, so I bought a pair. Honestly I was surprised to see just how nice they were. They were surprisingly bass accurate. A year later and I’m still rocking them.

What song do you have playing in the background of the video?

If a product is promoted ad nauseam by celebrities, more was probably spent on marketing than the actual product. I am no audiophile and can't justify spending thousands on enthusiast grade equipment. I have found Sony products often a good balance between quality and price. Bose are okay but I don't see them as any better than Sony. So much of audio equipment is subjective though depending on what sort of sound balance you like

Beats made me want cans for sure, I was okay with my $10 panasonic earbuds. But at $300+, I started investigating competitors' brands. In the end and after literal years, I first got the Sony CH-700 on sale and finally got XM4s a couple years ago. So thank you, Beats, for peaking my interest in the high fidelity audio game. Music sounds so good on the XM4s

Not sure if I'm just missing it but that clip you featured is from dankpods! A great creator!

When I went to show production/audio school, even all my teachers talked shit on Beats by Dre.

Apple did not invent in ear monitors. The version shown in the video is also not the one that came with the iPod but a much later version. Apple did create a great advertising campaign with the black silhouet wearing those white in ear headphones. Also Beats was originally made by Monster the terrible company that sells 200$ HDMI cables. So it's no wonder they sold terrible overpriced headphones.

Oh no! You poked the audiophile hornets nest! Some one is gonna lay out the old "no highs, no lows, must be Bose", lol. I have never even tried on a pair of Beats, I am not their target demo, 50, NOT a hip-hop fan, and have no interest in fashion trends. I do have a Sony Bluetooth noise canceling headset that I wear while traveling, and around the house, they are a life saver. I have had them for almost 4 years, they look like new, they sound great (not an audiophile, decades of working around turbine engines has cost me a few frequencies, lol) and when the kids are screaming on the airplane, I am drifting off to sleep listening to Pink Floyd, or the Odyssey.

I had bought a pair back in high school because I saw someone else wearing them. They looked so much better than most headphones did back then, and in high school that mattered to me (yes I know, it’s dumb). I bought a pair when in 2009, they lasted me about 2 years before one side went out and the headband rubber started falling off. I super glued it back. But despite all of that, I loved them. The bass was amazing (loved heavy bass music) and even if it was muddy I didn’t care because bass!! I know beats are looked down still but out of all the other headphones at the time, these were actually cool to wear. I still use Beats to this day, I’ve used other headphones since and something about their sport earbuds is great for the gym, they still have that punchy bass (not as heavy or muddy) and they actually stay on my ears. Overall I’ll only buy beats if they are heavily discounted, because I’m not paying full MSRP for that quality again.

My favorite headphones are still Realistic Pro 60 and LV10 from the 1980's. They were actually rebranded KOSS products.

I REALLY like my $$$ Bose wireless noice-cancelling headphones. I’m a college student living next to a very inconsiderate piano teacher along with all the crazy noice I have to deal with… I am able to focus and do my work. I still use my old-school corded Apple ear pods when out and about, but my Bose I use at home. I can cook and clean and do what I need to while still listening to lecture… and it cancels the horrific piano practice noise. BTW my Fiat 500x has a Beats stereo system. It rocks. Lol

It's pronounced "EYE VEEN," Not "Owe Vin Aye"

yeah even in fashion beats have really just disappeared because if people want headphones for audio and fashion now they mainly go for the sony xm4’s or the airpod pro max so idk what the point in getting beats are now even more than before

I remember when bears became popular and got them once before. Got them again cuz liked them so much and also I just use them cuz I like the sound quality and works just for what I need. Also cuz I like the light blue I have mine in. Also been using wireless headphones for years so will always use wireless.

Sennheiser gang 💪🎧

I don't want to defend him AT ALL; but pronouncing Jimmy Iovine (pronounced EYE-VEEN) like that @1:27 is insane, and could have been fixed after watching a single solitary video with him in it.

Me watching this with my beats rn

I love my beats fit pro for every day use, they sound great and are convenint. The rest of the time i use my amazing AiAiAi that i configured 6 years ago

I’m a casual and I love beats ear buds. Their Power Beats Pro and studio buds work awesome and sound good to me. I think they look cool too. I’m probably the furthest from an audiophile so they don’t really bug me at all.

I don’t know if future proof knew just how polarizing the online audio community can be. Its kind of hilarious watching all the arguments break out over who’s channel to check out or what “actually good” headphones are. Not that I can weight in as my favourite pair (shout out to GradoLabs) are just as polarizing.

I have sennheiser HD 600s and sometimes I perfer my $20 in ear monitors just due to the fact of simplicity and I don’t feel like I need to baby it as much as the 600s.

Sennheiser PXC 550-II all day, every day! Good all-around sound, fantastic quality, and fair price. I’m not an audiophile, but I do like the sound of great Jazz, R&B, and Classic Rock coming through my headphones.

Woahhh Dankpods!!!!

now he totally has to do those shitty raycons lol

I still have my Sony M4s. My mom got them for me from Rent-a-Center cause I was looking for something wireless. I love them. I borrowed someone's Beats in 2014 or so, and with my Nokia Windows phone, the sound was soft, and I didn't like them. I put them up all the way, and they were still soft. With the M4s, I have no issue besides battery life as I tend to use them a lot. I will not be upgrading to the M5s anytime soon as they are worse in the portability and foldability case.

Have HD800, LCD-MX4 and RS1E's amongst others. Should I get Beats?

If y'all want honest opinions about headphones and anything related to audiophiles go check out Dank pods. Not only does he have years of experience in the world of music but he's videos are very entertaining. I remember back when I was in college Beasts started to take off. I did need a new pair of headphones but when I checked out how much they werr selling I was more than happy to stick with my ear pods. Currently I use a paid of Samson 850s when I am at home to listen to my music and couldn't be happier with the quality at the price.

A buddy of mine owed me about $300 and he had enough credit at the Apple store, he talked me in to taking a brand new pair of Beats for the debt he owed. I thought, $350 headphones, what could go wrong? They had to be good, right? Well, they sucked. Sound quality of $25 headphones. I ended up selling them on eBay for about $150. Also, I ended up buying a pair of $380 Sennheiser headphones that I still use today and sound incredible.

I've always thought Bose is hype based as well starting with their heavily marketed and poor performing tiny home theater speakers. Perhaps they've improved or just not my preference. Maybe you could do a video on them?

Had a pair of beats , felt like my head was in a vice, e.q. Toward bass . But I missed them when the cable failed

LMAO WTF did you call Jimmy Iovine? It's pronounced "Eye-veen" not "Oh-V-Nay" 😂😂😂

I think Jimmy's last name is pronounced "i-veen"

I had PowerBeats 3 open box condition for $50. It was ok. A couple years later I bought PowerBeats Pro refurbished full price and returned it a week or 2 later.

IEM's can be tiny but still sound great, so the size isn't really the main problem

The main reason Beats are not cool now is because Apple bought them and now they are the “cheep” AirPods if you can’t afford or don’t like the Apple style. Beats do not usually compete in the high end anymore just active wear for a few products but most are cheeper alternatives to Airpods and other wireless headphones. Apple basically used Beats to develop their own headphones and now does not want Beats competing with their cash cow.

DankPods gag!

I was just thinking the other day how it's strange that these all disappeared without anyone taking any notice

I've had my same pair of Skullcandy Crusher Wireless headphones (?$100?) for 7+ years. I know for a fact how long I've had them because I bought them just as I was starting my current job. No hyperbole, I use them 1-3 hours a day (5 or 6 days a week), sometimes more, and with that usage x 7+ years, they are still kicking.