Why You Can Trust CNET Beats by Dre Studio (Black) review: Beats by Dre Studio (Black)
Beats by Dre Studio (Black)
Beats by Dre Studio (Black)
The Good
The Bad
The Bottom Line
It's not always easy to get excited about a pair of headphones at first glance. Generally, the listening experience, which is gathered only after putting a set on and sitting down with some favorite music, is what draws people in. Not so with the Monster Beats by Dr. Dre Studio headphones, a sweet-looking set that will relieve you of $350 (or closer to $300 if you shop around). Though their sound quality is nothing to scoff at, their appeal as eye-candy is undeniable. For audio enthusiasts who are tired of the same old look, the Beats Studio headphones are a must.
The Monster Beats may not be all about style, but you wouldn't know that just by looking at them. If you wear these headphones in public, you will turn heads. The thick and padded glossy black headband descends seemingly seamlessly into the circles that hold each earcup, which are oblong and padded in a leatherette material that is obscenely cushy. (They also swivel slightly in their supports in order to provide a comfortable fit.)
Closer inspection of the headband discloses a seam on each side where it expands, revealing the metal support band within. This same metal accents the inside of the headband and rings thinly around each earpiece, which also features deep red accents. The outside of the earcups also have a metallic disc containing a red "b" (the one on the right will mute your music when pressed). The overall effect is a sleek and stylish design that is not ostentatious. However, the padding on the band is a bit stiff and may take some breaking in to be truly comfy.
In addition to the Beats Studio by Dr. Dre headphones, Monster includes a variety of accessories in the slick, red packaging. There are two ultrathick 3.5mm audio cables--one red for standard MP3 players and one black with a built-in mic and ControlTalk remote for iPhones and iPods--each measuring 4 feet long. You also get a dual-pronged airplane adapter and a quarter-inch adapter for use with your home audio system, as well as a hard-shell carrying case with a carabiner attached. In addition, the Beats Studio come with a cleaning cloth, and you'll need it: these headphones are highly smudge-prone. Also necessary are the included AAA batteries; the headphones are noise-canceling (activated via a switch on the right earcup) and need power to work.
Of course, a pair of headphones may be the most gorgeous thing you've ever seen, but if they don't hold water when it comes to audio quality, the shine is quickly diminished. Luckily, this is not an issue with the Beats Studio, which offered an exceptionally--one might say shockingly--crisp response. Maybe we're pigeonholing here, but we expected Dr. Dre's headphones to be excessively heavy on the low-end. That's not to say there's no bass--it does thump--but these 'phones are nicely warm and balanced in the mids and truly impressive in their delivery of high-end detail. At no point did we suffer through the muddiness that can ail bass-heavy headphones.
The genres that really shine are electronic, dance, pop, hard rock, and hip-hop, although other genres are also very good for the most part. No matter what the music, be forewarned that these headphones have a fair amount of sound leakage, so your listening experience won't be entirely private. We are happy to report, however, that the Beats Studio headphones don't suffer from the noise cancelation module rattle of their predecessors. Overall, these provide a fantastically comfortable and enjoyable listening experience.