A few new products from Beats by Dre have been made available to customers today, beginning with the launch of the new Beats Pill+ Speaker for $229.95. The Bluetooth speaker was announced earlier in the month with an expected launch date in November, but has made its way to online availability a few days early. The Pill+ Speaker introduces a new design into the line-up of Beats portable speakers and includes an extended 12-hour battery life along with a new iOS companion app.
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Also introduced today by Beats are new "Luxe Edition" colors for the Solo2 On-Ear Headphones, including Blue, Silver, Black, and Red. The $199.95 headphones offer the same features as the other editions of the Solo2, but with "a refined glossy finish and polished accents." The Solo2 Headphones in the new "Luxe Edition" colors and the Beats Pill+ Speaker -- available in white and black -- can both be purchased right now from Apple's online store.
Top Rated Comments
(View all)How about making them sound good instead of releasing new colors all the time?
They do sound good. Have you heard the latest stuff from Beats? Especially the new Solo 2? Comments like these are getting old and are just regurgitated nonsense that people think they're clever in saying. Times have changed, Beats actually makes solid audio gear now.Tyll from InnerFidelity has a very favorable review on the new Solo 2s, for anyone curious for more info about how good they really are.
How about making them sound good instead of releasing new colors all the time?
The new ones sounds quite nice, and way better than the older Beats that are way too bass heavy for me.Lot's of reviews of the Solo 2, including data on the sound. One of the prominent ones by InnerFidelity:
With almost a quarter million views, a lot of people have experienced my opinion regarding the original Beats Solo in this video ('//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipZY0qGrA9Y&list=UUs5A6Gg74iPHyTFJh69w-RA'). I've been quoted in the New York Times ('http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/20/business/beats-headphones-expand-dr-dres-business-world.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&'), Huffington Post ('http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/09/beats-headphones-reviews_n_5294628.html'), and numerous places elsewhere ('http://www.ketknbc.com/news/what-beats-by-apple-would-mean-for-music-and-you') expressing my distaste for their products. I now find myself with the unenviable task of reversing my opinion, at least in part, with the introduction of their new Beats by Dre Solo2—a very fine headphone indeed.
Video:Review article: http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/time-rethink-beats-solo2-excellent#BrWrjvHUko7qIlJ3.97
And measurements of sound output: http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/time-rethink-beats-solo2-excellent-measurements-page-2#qJ6zoD1hf6hfQTzK.97
I'd like to know what you don't like about them? Anything specific? Did you try them?
That said, they should sound a little better for the money they cost. They can't hold a candle to my Sennheiser Momentum over-ears in the clarity stakes, but they're still a very good pair of headphones if you listen to rap/electro. I felt they make guitars and drums sound muddy across too many tracks for me to buy a set if my Senn's died.
I know the article you're referring to and that only applies to the old pre-Apple Solos as far as I know. The new 2s are pretty great in both build quality at choice of materials used. I've felt them in hand at my local Apple Store and it certainly felt like a quality product, especially in terms of the plastic used. Not even accounting for the really nice, polished metal bits.
Maybe I'll have to check them out again. But I still don't like the idea of being a giant walking billboard for a company. The white earbuds were more subtle back in the day. My phone has a little Apple logo that is usually covered up by a case or in my pocket. I typically don't buy logo'd clothing unless it's sports.These new 2s are pretty excellent and completely destroys everything bad about the previous Monster influenced generation of Beats. I remember memes on headfi.org making jokes about "why can't we just give beats good sound quality" etc. and it finally happened. Good stuff.
If I mostly listened to pop(ular)/radio type or other bass friendly music I'd definitely consider them.
Yeah I listen to a really wide range as well—and have expanded quite a bit over the last few years with all of the music discovery stuff built into streaming services. I'm starting to develop an ear for comparing audio equipment with different types of music, but I've got much to learn as I'm a person who is usually tuned to critiquing visual imagery, calibrating displays, editing photos, etc.But my taste is wide ranging so I too prefer the more nuanced brands.