Beats
Mashable Choice highlights the products and services we’ve tested and would recommend to others. Consider it Liked, Favorited, +1′ed and Pinned.
It’s a big week for Beats. Not only is Apple buying the company for $3 billion, but Beats just announced the successor to its best-selling Solo headphones, the Solo2.
Beats says it sold four pairs of Solos every minute in 2013 — making it one of the most successful headphone models ever. With the Solo2, Beats is focused on making the iconic smaller on-ear headphones even better.
Like 2013′s Beats Studio and Beats Studio Wireless headphones, the Solo2 have been redesigned from the inside-out to have a wider range of sound, better clarity and a more streamlined design.
The Solo2 headphones look right at home next to the 2013 Beats Studio and Studio Wireless models. The Solo2 are available in black, white, red, blue, gray and pink. They’ll cost $199.99, available for pre-order at www.beatsbydre.com today and will be widely available at retailers and online on June 1.
You gotta hand it to Beats, the company knows how to make beautiful headphones. The Solo2 are some of the most attractive smaller-cup earphones I’ve seen.
The overall design is very similar to the original Solo and Solo HD headphones, but the curves and lines are more streamlined to match the changes to the Beats Studio line. That means there are no visible screws — which makes these look more like a premium design.
Beats has done a great job with the color and paint finish on the Solo2. We received a sample in gray — which really looks more like a slate blue — that are just stunning. The paint is glossy, but at least in this color, they are not fingerprint magnets.
One of my favorite touches is that the headphone cable matches the headphones exactly. If you buy the Solo2 in black, you get the standard red Beats cable, but every other pair feature a matching 3.5mm jack.
The headband is curved at the center — which is supposed to allow for a more custom fit. The headband itself is metal and can extend as needed. I’ve had more than one pair of Monster-era Beats snap in half at the headband — in one case without ever even leaving my office. I haven’t had time to fully stress-test the Solo2, but it feels much less likely to snap in half.
Image: Mashable, Christina Ascani
Like most Beats, the Solo2 can fold up to be quite compact. The folding hinge feels secure. The only thing to be aware of is the snapping noise that emits every time you fold up the phones. The noise, coupled with how light the headphones feel might make you think you broke something. You didn’t. The hinge is just a little loud.
Although I would feel totally comfortable tossing the Solo2 while folded into a purse or into a compartment or pocket in a messenger bag, it comes with a neoprene headphone case. This is nice if you want a little more protection, particularly if your bag doesn’t have sections or pockets.
The Solo2 earcups are now made from the same material as the Studio and Studio Wireless headphones. It’s plush and soft, and the material is designed to let heat out but keep sound in. For the most part, it achieves both of those goals. If you’re pumping music at a high volume, some sound might leak through, but this is minimal.
As for heat, the pads are breathable, but I still noticed that my ears were warmer while wearing the Solo2 than other headphones of this size.
I attribute that heat with the smaller size of the cups. Because the Solo2 cups are smaller than what you find on the Studio line, the fit can be pretty tight. I have a small head, but still found my ears hurting after wearing the phones for a few hours.
Adjusting the band at the top helps a bit — but it’s still a bit too snug for comfort. After I’ve had more time to break them in that will probably improve, but the phones are tight.
I did find that adjusting the position of the band — and where the cups sit — can make a big difference on the overall comfort and tightness. The only problem is, at least for my head, that takes a bit more fiddling than what I normally do for on-ear headphones.
Although I hasten to call myself an audiophile, I must confess to being one of those annoying audio snobs who claims to be able to hear things she probably actually can’t. I’ve also managed to amass lots of headphones and even more inner-ear monitors over the years.
I’m taking those experiences — and in some cases, straight-up comparisons — to evaluate the sound of the Solo2.
Amongst audiophiles and audio snobs like me, Beats don’t have the best reputation — especially in its price range. The Monster-era Beats were famous for being far too heavy on the bass and offering distorted, muddled sound for other types of music.
That quality, coupled with the premium price and the iffy build quality made it hard to love Beats. Fortunately, Beats was listening. At the end of 2012, Beats ended its partnership with Monster and started transitioning to building its headphones in-house.
Image: Mashable, Christina Ascani
Last fall, Beats introduced redesigned versions of the Beats Studio and Studio Wireless over-ear headphones, engineered for better sound. I got a review pair of the Studio Wireless Bluetooth headphones earlier this year and I must say, I was blown away by the difference in quality compared to the Monster-era Beats Studio model.
In fact, if I’m being honest, the Studio Wireless are my current favorite Bluetooth over-ear headphones. The noise cancellation isn’t quite as good as the Bose QuietComforts, but I like them better overall.
Because I was so impressed by the turnaround with the Studio line, I went into reviewing the Solo2 with high hopes.
The good news: the sound quality is much better than the Solo or Solo HD. Yes, Beats are still tuned to be more bass-heavy, but that no longer means other types of music are hard to listen to. The overall range is much better and there is a lot more clarity, especially for string instruments.
The reality check: Even though the sound is much improved, you can still get better-sounding headphones for $200.
While checking out the Solo2, I listened to a variety of music genres on my Mac, my home audio receiver and on my iPhone 5S. I also listen to both lossless high-fidelity recordings at 24-bit/96kHz, lossy MP3s and AAC files and streaming music from Spotify.
The Solo2 sound best, unsurprisingly, when listening to hip-hop, dubstep and electronica. That said, I was pleasantly surprised by how well the headphones managed to sound when listening to some Cat Stevens.
Where the Solo2 didn’t hold up at least compared to the Sony MDR-1R headphones I have at home and the Klipsch Image One headphones, it did great with certain types of rock — particularly with more of a punk twist. The high-tinged guitars and vocals didn’t flow as well as on other less bass-heavy headphones.
For non-musical listening, podcasts, computer sounds, TV — the Solo2 sound just fine.
If you primarily listen to hip-hop, electronica or dubstep — the way the Solo2 are tuned might be perfect.
The Solo2 also has a built-in microphone and playback controls on the cord. It worked well on iOS and on OS X. I made a few phone calls with the microphone and had no complaints about my sound quality. A test recording I did came out comparable to the microphone quality on the Klipsch Image One.
My only real problem with the Solo2 is its price. At $99, these would be an instant-recommendation. For $150, it wouldn’t be out of line against similar size headphones from other vendors.
Beats is in an interesting position because brand awareness and aspirational levels are through the roof, but the company still has to fight back against the sins of its past manufacturing partner. For that reason, I wish the price was $150, if only to help dispel the notion that Beats are overpriced and sound bad.
The truth is, you can get some very nice headphones for $200. To be sure, they won’t be as attractive or fashionable, but they will sound better — especially if you prefer a flat experience.
So the question becomes, how much are you willing to pay for fashion? I for one, am not averse to paying for fashion, provided you understand that that’s what you’re buying going in. For $200, the Sony MDR-1R have superior sound. They’re also larger, don’t fold up as nicely and can’t coordinate with your kicks or your dress.
If your ultimate goal with buying a pair of headphones is to get the best quality for you money, the Solo2 are not for you. However, if you want something that will sound good — especially for hip-hop and dubstep — and look fashionable, the Solo2 fit the bill. Just be aware that a lot of what you’re paying for is the logo and the aesthetic.
Great design • Audio quality is improved from the old models • Sound great for EDM and HipHop
Fit is a little tight • Has some problems with treble • Better sounding headphones are available for $200
Beats Solo2 are a big upgrade from the last generation, but the biggest appeal is still fashion.
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.
Source: http://mashable.com/2014/05/29/beats-solo-2-review/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=rss
