Beats by Dre is a young company that's become a major force, producing some of the most fashionable headphones, earphones and speakers now available. Added to that is a sound quality with a bass-heavy feel that some users prefer over all others. Using the name of the rapper Dr Dre, one of the company's founders, and a range of colour choices, Beats by Dre has rapidly grown from small beginnings into a worldwide company, now owned by Apple.
The popularity of Beats by Dre and the wide range of bright colours available has led some to dismiss the company's products as merely a celebrity-endorsed brand name with little to recommend it on the audio front. This doesn't do justice to the audio research work the company has put in – firstly with the widely-respected Monster Cable company and now with Apple – to produce a genuinely competitive range of products. From a bit-part player, Beats by Dr Dre is now well-established in the premium headphone market as a major competitor to everyone from Bose to Pioneer and, in the studio world, AKG.
Nothing in Dr Dre's background suggested his name would become best known as a headphone brand. He was a major figure in taking rap and hip hop from the streets to the charts, both as an artist and co-founder and owner of Death Row Records. The move to headphones came in partnership with record label boss Jimmy Iovine. The pair approached California-based Monster Cable, premium players in the speaker cable market, to source manufacture of their first headphones. The result was that Beats by Dre was born with the first Studio headphones produced in 2008.
Heavy promotion rapidly resulted in Beats by Dre becoming a fashion pick among headphones as the digital revolution took hold. Inside the Beats company headquarters all wasn't going so smoothly as the partnership with Monster Cable faltered. There wasn't a shortage of suitors and a controlling interest in Beats by Dre was eventually bought by the Taiwanese phone company HTC.
The relationship with HTC was, like the Monster Cable partnership, not without its problems. A different future beckoned as sales continued to climb. Apple had long been looking for a company that would add extra fashion lustre to its own small range of earphone offerings. In 2014, Apple bought the entire company.
Beats by Dre might have started out with just one product, but today the company has grown into a formidable force in the burgeoning market for mobile audio accessories, driven by the music streaming revolution. Here we'll focus on the brand's three primary product areas:
Headphones
Earphones
Speakers
Some top-of-the-range Beats by Dre headphones feature a noise-cancelling facility, which the company calls Adaptive Noise Cancelling. This works by using a microphone to sample the ambient sound around you and compensating by adjusting the sound played into your headphones. It's also possible to use Adaptive Noise Cancelling without music, simply to provide you with a quieter noise environment. If you require this facility do make sure that the product you're considering does include it.
Since the takeover of the company by Apple, wireless Beats by Dre products have been optimised for the iOS platform. Beats by Dre says most features are also available for Android users, and a useful help section on the company's website guides users through the various set-up procedures that might be needed.
The Beats by Dre headphones range comprises both headphones for those on a budget and high-end headphones designed for studio use. The company has occasional collaborations with designers in special editions like Alexander Wang. These are essentially different colourways on the same headphone range which currently includes:
Beats EP – These are the entry level Beats by Dre ear headphones, but if you're on a budget don't dismiss them. The sound clarity, with emphasis on bass, is unlikely to disappoint and the build, with stainless steel reinforcing, speaks of premium quality, too. There's no noise-cancelling at this price point however, and note that these are cabled not wireless headphones. Beats EP headphones are available in a range of four colours, with prominent branding. In keeping with the brand's premium image, a carrying pouch is included.
Beats Solo2 – Sound reproduction takes a major step upwards with the Solo2 headphones, available in six colours. These are wired, foldable headphones with the added feature of what Beats by Dre calls a RemoteTalk cable. Essentially this convenient button allows the user to adjust the volume, change songs or take calls without having to reach for the device the headphones are attached to. There's no noise-cancelling but for those preferring a cabled set of headphones, these are the premium Beats by Dre choice.
Beats Solo3 Wireless – The first of Beats by Dre's wireless range, which uses Bluetooth to link to your mobile device. Beats by Dre market these headphones as "Everyday", but potential buyers should note that they still carry a premium price tag. Buttons on each ear cup can be used to control volume, select the next or previous track, as well as to take calls if your Solo3 headphones are connected to your phone. The headphones are available in eight colours and there's a claimed 40 hours of battery life, with a fast-five-minute charge giving a claimed three-hour playback time. There's no active noise cancellation, but the company says the high-quality ear cups used are designed to buffer all outside sound for maximum sound enjoyment.
Beats Studio3 Wireless – The 3rd edition of the original Beats by Dr Dre headphones are now a top-drawer choice with premium pricing to match. Available in six colours – a more muted selection to reflect the up-market position the company wants these headphones to occupy – and more importantly featuring the company's patented Adaptive Noise Cancelling. A simple switch brings the noise cancelling into action, whether you're playing music or not. These headphones take the Beats by Dre sound a step upwards with what the company calls its Acoustic Engine aiming to provide a near-studio quality sound. Battery life is claimed to be 22 hours, with an LED gauge telling users how much battery life is left. They're also completely wireless, so you can seamlessly switch between listening on different devices via Bluetooth.
Beats Pro –Cabled, and only available in black, these are the headphones from the Beats by Dre range that are aimed at life in the recording studio. With an over ear design that effectively blocks most outside sound, the headphones are fitted with leather ear cups which, the company says, are designed for all-day use. There's a remote talk cable included, which can be fitted if users choose, to take calls and adjust the volume on the headphones themselves. A choice for serious listening.
Earphones – Beats by Dre began with headphones and have now expanded into the premium earphone market. There's nothing cheap or flimsy about any of these products. Despite the image associated with the name, these earphones are way more than fashion items and benefit from Beats by Dre's deepening experience with sound reproduction, bolstered by the relationship with Apple. While compatible with Android, Beats by Dre's earphones are, once again, optimised for use with iOS devices.
urBeats – The cheapest model in the Beats by Dre earphones range offers the build and sound quality that regular users have come to expect, especially given a relatively high price point. There's a solid metal housing and an in-ear fitting for prime sound quality. Beats by Dre includes a handy button on every pair of urBeats to switch between music and calls. Six colours are available, in keeping with the fashion-oriented image of Beats by Dre.
BeatsX – An innovative Bluetooth-Equipped pair of headphones with a design that includes a cable that goes around the wearer's neck, with magnets on each earphone to keep them secure when you're not using them. There's a switch for handsfree calls and Beats by Dre claims that five minutes of charging will give users two full hours of music playback. A full charge takes longer and can last for eight hours of use. BeatsX earphones are available in a choice of black or white.
PowerBeats3 Wireless – Aimed primarily at the sports and outdoor activity market, these earphones have a claimed 12 hours of playback on a full charge and have limited water resistance built in. The earphones are designed to hook behind each ear and are connected by a cable that goes around the neck, with a button to take calls. Pairing with mobile devices is by Bluetooth. Five colours are available. The sound is again bass heavy, in keeping with what's become the Beats by Dre audio signature.
Powerbeats Pro – For those who find the wire included on the Powerbeats 3 Wireless a little annoying to work out with, there's the Powerbeats Pro earphones. These clip around the back of your ear, with sweat and water resistance keeping them securely in place while you get your burn on. They have up to 9 hours of listening time, with the Apple H1 Chip delivering a stable connection to whatever Bluetooth device you're listening to music off of.
Like other premium sound companies such as Bose, Beats by Dre intends its portable speakers to provide an on-the-go or outdoor sound that approximates the quality of its headphones and earphones. Inevitably that means pricing that's above some of its competitors.
Beats Pill+ – Equipped with Bluetooth to pair with your audio device, this is a powerful speaker that justifies its high price with a performance that shames its rivals at the cheaper end of the market. Available in black, white or bright red, the company claims a full 12-hour battery life when the Beats Pill+ is fully charged, which takes three hours. A handy feature is that users can add charge to their phone or other device by plugging into the Pill+. The heart of the Pill+ is its unusual speaker system with a separation of tweeter and woofer providing, the company says, full spectrum sound. There's a Pill+ app available which allows for further adjustment of sound, to listeners' individual tastes.
The Pros:
One of the hippest brands you can wear on your ears.
Has all the big-muscle backing of the Apple empire.
Excellent interface with iOS for iPhone and iPad. Good customer service.
Bass-heavy sound, ideal for those who listen to, for example, hip-hop, dance, or even heavy metal.
The Cons:
Still relatively new to this market when compared to long-established competitors such as Bose.
The bass-leaning sound reproduction isn't to everyone's taste.
Premium pricing is partially due to the brand name, rather than to the product's quality alone.
Some features may be limited when used with non-Apple devices.
Beats by Dre products are often wrongly dismissed as mere fashion items. That's not least because of the prominent Beats logo featured prominently on each pair of headphones and the striking colours that are available. There is no doubt that some buyers are making a fashion rather than audio-based choice, but this is radically to underestimate these high-quality headphones, earphones and speakers. The distinctive bass heavy sound reproduction and, in higher end products, the Bose-rivalling noise cancelling are, without doubt, of very high quality. Some buyers might be reassured by a test listen to make sure this sound is for them before committing to a purchase, particularly of the more expensive items in the Beats by Dre range. Apple Stores are the ideal choice for such a test listen, with the full range often available. All of that said, and chosen in a low-key colour, Beats by Dre products easily transcend their fashion image and are an increasingly credible choice for their audio quality alone.
All of the latest Beats by Dre headphones and other products are available direct from the brand's own comprehensive website at www.beatsbydre.com, which is always worth visiting on Black Friday for special deals and in January when there is frequently a Beats sale
Beats by Dre products are also sold at every physical Apple Store as well as on the Apple website at www.apple.com. While Apple's official stance is to avoid discounting, their online site and their high-street stores are always worth checking around the Black Friday period and in the January Sales when some items, including those from the Beats by Dre range, are discounted. Among the high-street retailers, Currys, Argos, Selfridges, Richer Sounds and HMV all stock Beats by Dre and the stores' websites frequently include Beats by Dre products in annual Black Friday promotions as well as in their January Sales. Online-only retailer Very is an also authorised stockist of Beats by Dre, with offers around Black Friday and in their January sale period too.
HotUKDeals has a dedicated page which will always keep you up to date on all the latest and best deals on Beats by Dre products.
