Beats by Dre, as I am sure you probably know, is an extremely popular manufacturer of “high-end” headphones, earbuds, and wireless speakers. The company produces a wide range of audio devices and they typically have a large price tag on them. The company got started when the teamed up with rapper Dr. Dre, where they wanted to produce a headphone better than the “substandard Apple plastic earphones”. Ironically now, they are owned by Apple and their products are now sold in Apple stores. Most of their headphones are large, over-ear “studio” headphones however they also produce some earbuds as well, like the Powerbeats 2.
The Powerbeats 2 are the follow up to the original Powerbeats earbuds and they are marketed as wireless “performance” earbuds. The earbuds are intended to be used by athletes and people working out as the convenience of wireless earphones is perfect for those types of activities. The earbuds are lightweight and are sweat and water resistant, so you don’t have to worry about damaging them when you work out. According to Beat’s website, they were “inspired by LeBron James” so they are definitely athletic earbuds. These wireless earbuds work through Bluetooth technology and are able to work over 30 feet away from the paired device. Combine that with a nice six hour battery life and you have a decent headphone, however somewhat expensive at $199.95.
While Beats are some of the best selling headphones in the world, they are not regarded as the best sounding headphones. Audio technicians, record producers, and audiophiles alike will tell you that you can spend your money on much better sounding headphones, for a lot less. Just do a quick Google search about their sound quality and you will quickly find this to be the truth. In my opinion, my $160 dollar Audio-Technicas blew my friends $399 Beats Pro’s out of the water in terms of sound quality. However my headphones are not “cool” and are not a fashion statement as Beats have become. Regardless, my personal experience with earbuds is that they all break at some point no matter what company you buy. So I have a nice pair of studio headphones for home, and a cheap $5 dollar pair of earbuds for the gym (which have outlasted other earbuds that I have spent $100+ dollars for). However, the Powerbeats 2 are definitely attractive wireless earbuds perfect for your active lifestyle and I would definitely like some wireless headphones.
Photo from beastbydre.com
