[fado]

Can anyone comment on the HP "Beats Audio" feature for computer based 2 channel systems - Sound Quality etc?  Does it move PC audio up to the much lauded Apple sound quality?

[wushuliu]

I think it's safe to say 'no'. Sound quality is dependent on software as much as hardware. There is nothing about Beats Audio that suggests it is designed for audiophiles. It is designed for young people with disposable income who like phat bass and treble sizzle. You will have to mess with EQ/DSP which is a big no-no. We want the audio signal to be as pure as possible - which is the opposite goal of Beats Audio.

[fado]

Thank you

[cujobob]

It's a gimmick

[wushuliu]

It's a gimmick

Brilliant move by Dr. Dre though - I have to give him credit, because these 'Beats' products are going to end up as a gateway to hi-fi for the younger generation. His headphones are EVERYWHERE, and now phones are licensing 'Beats' audio.

[Noseyears]

You can run RMAA on your laptop or any laptop with Beats audio, and see the results.

[Stu Pitt]

Brilliant move by Dr. Dre though - I have to give him credit, because these 'Beats' products are going to end up as a gateway to hi-fi for the younger generation. His headphones are EVERYWHERE, and now phones are licensing 'Beats' audio.

I'm quite sure Dr Dre isn't the creative force behind anything Beats, and nor are the few others who now have a Beats model.  It's Monster's marketing genius that got Dr Dre and others to sell a ton of super over-priced and under-performing products.

Same as their cables and everything else they make.  Better than no-name stuff, but not nearly as good as anything that's comparably priced.

I work in college athletics, and have a ton of athletes who have various Beats models.  The $300 version (Studio?) sounds the best of the bunch to my ears, yet sucks compared to my Etymotic ER6i that cost me about $80.

I do agree that hopefully they'll get the next generation to start thinking about sound quality again.  But honestly, 99% of Beats users are listening to very low bitrate mp3 through iPods.  Not that the iPod is awful, but we all know (hopefully) what mp3 does to music.  For a lot of Beats users, it's also a fashion statement.

If you're uncertain of how Beats stack up against audiophile cans like AKG, Grado, Sennheiser, etc., check out headfi.org. 

[wushuliu]

I'm quite sure Dr Dre isn't the creative force behind anything Beats, and nor are the few others who now have a Beats model.  It's Monster's marketing genius that got Dr Dre and others to sell a ton of super over-priced and under-performing products.

Same as their cables and everything else they make.  Better than no-name stuff, but not nearly as good as anything that's comparably priced.

I work in college athletics, and have a ton of athletes who have various Beats models.  The $300 version (Studio?) sounds the best of the bunch to my ears, yet sucks compared to my Etymotic ER6i that cost me about $80.

I do agree that hopefully they'll get the next generation to start thinking about sound quality again.  But honestly, 99% of Beats users are listening to very low bitrate mp3 through iPods.  Not that the iPod is awful, but we all know (hopefully) what mp3 does to music.  For a lot of Beats users, it's also a fashion statement.

If you're uncertain of how Beats stack up against audiophile cans like AKG, Grado, Sennheiser, etc., check out headfi.org.

He is the creative force. Good or bad, they are his design, Monster just makes them. Marketing genius also probably goes to Dre and his partners (including Jimmy Iovine). I didn't even know Monster made them.


http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/20/business/beats-headphones-expand-dr-dres-business-world.html?_r=1&pagewanted=1&partner=rss

[Stu Pitt]

Seems more to me like he had the idea and went to someone who he thought/knew could develop and market it.

I figured he was solely a pitch man, kind of like George Foreman with 'his' grill.  What I figure is Dr. Dre made a pitch to Monster (and probably many others), they made a prototype (probably many), and he had some degree of final control - visually and sonically.  It's not like he or Iovine are electrical engineers.

I'm pretty sure we're both thinking the same thing here.  Now back to the thread...

[wushuliu]

Seems more to me like he had the idea and went to someone who he thought/knew could develop and market it.

I figured he was solely a pitch man, kind of like George Foreman with 'his' grill.  What I figure is Dr. Dre made a pitch to Monster (and probably many others), they made a prototype (probably many), and he had some degree of final control - visually and sonically.  It's not like he or Iovine are electrical engineers.

I'm pretty sure we're both thinking the same thing here.  Now back to the thread...

We're on the same page. No worries.

[Stu Pitt]

One final note...

It's great to see Monster hasn't changed their practice of threatening litigation to any competitor.  I'm surprised Bose and Monster haven't crossed paths, as they both love a good lawsuit.  Maybe they've got an understanding - 'we agree to sue everyone and anyone else but each other.'  Kind of like back in the day, everyone in my fraternity was allowed 1 off limits girl.  Everyone else was fair game.

[sts9fan]

Beats = Monster