Beats By Dre Studio Review | 93 Data compared

The original Monster Beats by Dr. Dre Studio headphones (Black) deliver a sleek, eye-catching design paired with surprisingly balanced, top-notch audio performance. While the reviewer initially expected an excessively bass-heavy sound profile, these headphones instead showcase a warm midrange and crisp, detailed high-end clarity alongside a tight, thumping low-end. They excel at playing electronic, dance, pop, rock, and hip-hop tracks. Architecturally, the glossy black headband integrates smoothly with cushy leatherette earcups that swivel for comfort, accented by distinctive metallic discs and red "b" logos. The packaging also bundles useful accessories, including a hard-shell carrying case, a standard red 3.5mm audio cable, and a black cable equipped with a built-in mic and ControlTalk remote for Apple devices. However, the headphones come with several notable drawbacks, including a premium retail price of $350 and a glossy finish that is highly prone to finger smudges. Comfort-wise, the padding on the headband is initially stiff and requires a break-in period to feel fully comfortable. On a functional level, they require AAA batteries to power the noise-canceling feature and completely fail to play music if...

The PCMag review highlights the redesigned Beats by Dr. Dre Studio for their improved comfort, built-in rechargeable battery, and a powerful audio profile offering deep bass and crisp highs suitable for modern music. While praised for design and accessories, including a functional inline remote, the headphones are criticized for being overpriced and featuring a heavily sculpted sound signature that ignores flat, accurate audio reproduction. Significant drawbacks include active noise cancellation that introduces a noticeable hiss, inferior isolation compared to competitors, and a complete lack of passive playback if the battery dies.

The Monster Beats by Dr. Dre headphones stand out as a highly stylish, fashion-forward audio option with an eye-catching, sleek design. Visually, they feature a glossy headband that expands to reveal a metal support band, plush leatherette-padded oblong earcups that swivel for comfort, and a prominent red "b" logo on the metallic earcup discs. Performance-wise, the headphones deliver a shockingly crisp audio response with warm, balanced mids and a powerful, thumping bass that avoids being muddy. They are particularly well-suited for electronic, hard rock, and midtempo hip-hop genres. The unit also includes a generous assortment of accessories inside its slick packaging, such as two thick 4-foot 3.5mm cables (one red standard cable and one black cable with an integrated microphone), an airplane adapter, a quarter-inch home audio adapter, and a durable hardshell carrying case. However, the headphones come with several noticeable drawbacks. On the design front, the glossy finish is highly prone to smudging, requiring frequent cleaning with the included cloth. Functionally, the active noise-cancelling feature requires continuous power from AAA batteries, meaning the headphones cannot play music at all...

The Beats by Dre Studio Wireless (2014) headphones feature a complete aesthetic and internal redesign, trading the brand's traditionally flashier look for a more subtle, plastic-heavy appearance. On the positive side, they excel in comfort due to redesigned ear cups that prevent pinching or aching during long listening stretches, and they offer a durable build despite the plastic materials. Additionally, they introduce built-in rechargeable batteries via micro-USB, providing a solid 9 to 12 hours of constant playback. Sound quality is highly responsive to volume, delivering a more balanced audio profile with boosted mid-ranges and noticeably reduced bass compared to previous models. However, the review highlights several distinct drawbacks, including a steep retail price of £330 for an almost exclusively plastic construction. A major downside is the active noise-cancelling system, which produces a loud, prominent background hiss that becomes highly noticeable and distracting during quiet music sections or at lower volumes. Furthermore, the balanced tuning compromises audio clarity, causing high-resolution tracks to lose their intricate punch. Finally, the included inline remote on the audio cables feels cheap and highly susceptible to...

In his review on PaulStamatiou.com, Paul Stamatiou praises the Monster Beats by Dr. Dre Studio headphones for their high-quality presentation, including a durable carrying case and a cable with an integrated microphone. The audio performance is highlighted for its deep bass, powerful digital amplifiers, and comfortable over-ear design suitable for long-term use, particularly with modern music genres. Conversely, the review notes significant drawbacks, including a flimsy, plastic construction that causes excessive noise, alongside a high price point. Functional issues are also prominent: the active noise cancellation requires AAA batteries, with no option for passive playback, and the system often produces a faint background hiss and picks up cellular interference.

The Beats By Dr. Dre StudioGo headphones deliver a powerful, engineered audio profile that features a tight, responsive, and prominent bass response. According to the Expert Reviews review, the key pros of these headphones include an exceptionally comfortable and secure fit that remains pleasant even after hours of extended wear, a sturdy adjustable headband, and a highly portable design that folds down small into an included hard shell case. Additionally, they offer a lightweight build perfect for travel, a 20-hour rechargeable battery life, and a standard 3.5mm cable with a built-in microphone and mute button compatible with most smartphones. Performance-wise, they excel at genres like dance, hip-hop, industrial, psy-trance, and hardstyle, keeping mid-range vocals and treble surprisingly clear and rich alongside the heavy low-end tones.

The Beats by Dr. Dre Studio (2014) headphones receive a 3.5 out of 5 (Good) rating, catering heavily to bass lovers rather than audio purists. On the positive side, they offer a highly comfortable circumaural (over-ear) design with large, plush earpads and a well-padded headband suitable for long listening sessions. They deliver a powerful audio experience characterized by deep bass and very crisp highs. A notable design upgrade includes the transition from AAA batteries to an internal rechargeable lithium-ion battery that provides an estimated 20-hour battery life. Additionally, they are highly functional for mobile users, packing a useful left-earcup mute button, an LED battery life display, and shipping with a zip-up hard case and two detachable cables (one featuring an inline remote control and microphone). However, the review outlines several notable drawbacks, leading to the conclusion that the headphones are overpriced at $299.95. A primary complaint is that they cannot be used in passive mode, meaning the battery-draining active noise cancellation circuitry must always be turned on to play music. This issue is compounded by the lack of an auto-off...

The Monster Beats by Dr. Dre Studio headphones offer great long-term comfort due to ample padding, despite their heavier circumaural design. They feature useful active noise-cancelling (ANC) functionality, an on/off switch, a convenient mute button, and a collapsible, travel-friendly structure with a detachable cable. Additionally, these headphones are highly efficient, providing a solid dynamic range that makes music enjoyable even at safer, lower volumes. The reviewer also notes that they succeeded in introducing an entire generation of consumers to the idea of investing more heavily in portable audio equipment. Conversely, the headphones suffer from significant audio and build flaws relative to their high price point. The construction relies heavily on glossy plastic that tends to rattle at the hinges, and the recessed 3.5mm jack limits third-party replacement cable choices. Sound-wise, the audio profile is marred by a congested presentation and bloated, aggressive bass that overpowers details and causes midrange bleed. A constant veil hangs over the midrange and treble, which is further exacerbated by a persistent hiss and radio frequency interference from the ANC circuit. Ultimately, the headphones struggle to...

The Beats by Dr. Dre Studio 2.0 headphones offer a refined, lighter, and foldable design compared to their bulky predecessors, featuring plush leather earpads that minimize clamping force. They deliver an exciting, upfront, and full-bodied sonic performance that excels with lively genres like pop, hip-hop, and rock. The audio character has been redesigned to offer a more balanced frequency range where the rich, deep bass no longer heavily overwhelms the clear midrange and crisp treble. However, the active noise cancellation (ANC) remains less effective than key market rivals, failing to silence background noise completely on delicate tracks and leaving a noticeable background hiss during quiet, classical musical passages. Pros and Cons At a Glance Pros: Dynamically confident and powerful sound profile. Pros: Re-engineered, balanced bass that provides depth without destroying midrange clarity. Pros: Sleeker, comfortable, foldable design including a microUSB rechargeable battery providing roughly 20 hours of ANC. Cons: Lack of a passive playback mode, rendering them useless once the battery dies. Cons: Audible background hiss during silent or highly analytical listening tracks. Cons: Reduced vocal depth and structural insight...