Apple to buy Beats for $3.2 billion.

[cartman]

Dr. Dre is about to get PAID

Apple may be buying Beats Electronics for $3.2 billion*-*Los Angeles Times

[Butter]

That seems like a lot... more than it should go for, unless their streaming service is doing much better than most think.

[CU Tiger]

Hmmm...trendy popular hardware that is technically lacking in almost every way to almost every major competitor but is a marketing God....

yep makes sense.

maybe they will buy Bose next...

[Groundhog]

It's all about the design IMO. They'll replace the parts with semi-decent parts, then, $$$.

[Tekneek]

People I know in the recording industry universally pan these products. I've been told that once they find out somebody has these, they know they've got an easy mark that will pay more for everything. That might be what Apple likes about it, actually.

[Desnudo]

Every audiophile hates them yet they somehow made $1.2B last year. I agree it seems like an odd brand pairing, but it's not that hard to get to a $3B valuation if they're making $1.2B a year. That analyst in the article has no idea what he's talking about.

[stevew]

I read some article about how Beats treated Monster like a bunch of chumps and I had a new found respect for them. Apple will probably OEM in beats ear buds on a few phones and be able to garner even more of a profit.

[Lonnie]

I have the original Beats Studios that I bought because my son worked at Best Buy and I got them over half off. They are not that great and I would never pay retail for them.

However, my niece and nephew put beats at the top of their want list. I tell them they are not that good and even let them listed to them versus my Audio Technica ATH-M50 to hear for themselves. They agree that the AT sound better, but still want the Beats. It's all in the image.

[Fidatelo]

I don't own Beats or any kind of high-end headphones, but I can see why they sell so well. Here's the thing: to most people (re: non-audiophiles) a decent pair of headphones is all we need. I would rather have an awesome looking/feeling pair of headphones than a pair that is technically superior sounding but is otherwise lacking.

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by Lonnie

I have the original Beats Studios that I bought because my son worked at Best Buy and I got them over half off. They are not that great and I would never pay retail for them.

However, my niece and nephew put beats at the top of their want list. I tell them they are not that good and even let them listed to them versus my Audio Technica ATH-M50 to hear for themselves. They agree that the AT sound better, but still want the Beats. It's all in the image.

I see them all the time on kids at the gym and at the airport. I tutor a disadvantaged kid in the 3rd grade and guess what he got for his birthday?

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

I don't own Beats or any kind of high-end headphones, but I can see why they sell so well. Here's the thing: to most people (re: non-audiophiles) a decent pair of headphones is all we need. I would rather have an awesome looking/feeling pair of headphones than a pair that is technically superior sounding but is otherwise lacking.

This

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

I don't own Beats or any kind of high-end headphones, but I can see why they sell so well. Here's the thing: to most people (re: non-audiophiles) a decent pair of headphones is all we need. I would rather have an awesome looking/feeling pair of headphones than a pair that is technically superior sounding but is otherwise lacking.

Exactly.

Most people aren't audiophiles, so they're buying headphones for decent reasons. Beats has capitalized and monetized one of those reasons.

[Butter]

Originally Posted by Desnudo

I see them all the time on kids at the gym and at the airport. I tutor a disadvantaged kid in the 3rd grade and guess what he got for his birthday?

Books.

[Toddzilla]

This was Apple trying to curb the Beats music-streaming service and keeping it from getting traction and taking customers away from iTunes as much as it was the hardware

[Julio Riddols]

God, and those headphones suck.

Edit: I phrased that funny. I'm not saying god sucks, he might be pretty cool if he is out there somewhere.

[thesloppy]

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

I don't own Beats or any kind of high-end headphones, but I can see why they sell so well. Here's the thing: to most people (re: non-audiophiles) a decent pair of headphones is all we need. I would rather have an awesome looking/feeling pair of headphones than a pair that is technically superior sounding but is otherwise lacking.

That concept makes sense to me. But that's still a bit euphamistic, considering the price gap between designer headphones....even if your standards for headphones are strictly comfort and aesthetics there's still a nearly unlimited pool of options that are under $100 (which also might happen to sound better). It's the logo folks are paying for.

I think it kind of speaks of the times that folks will pay thousands of dollars for equipment to stream shitty compressed mp3s into mediocre headphones over some kind of wonky wireless connection. PROGRESS!

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by thesloppy

I think it kind of speaks of the times that folks will pay thousands of dollars for equipment to stream shitty compressed mp3s into mediocre headphones over some kind of wonky wireless connection. PROGRESS!

An excellent point!

[molson]

Originally Posted by cartman

Dr. Dre is about to get PAID

First hip-hop billionaire!

Dr. Dre: 'I'm the first billionaire in hip hop' - May. 9, 2014

I'd love to be the second hip-hop billionaire, but i don't even really know where to start.

[JonInMiddleGA]

I picked up a pair during a recent visit to my local AT&T phone store -- nope, no clue what model or anything, was totally just idly killing time while waiting for some help -- and was actually very surprised by the quality of the sound. Or more specifically, how well they blocked outside noise, waaaay above average in that aspect. Very similar to some of the better stuff I used during my broadcasting days.

{shrug}

I guess I'm just not audiophile enough.

[Butter]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

I guess I'm just not street enough.

Fix'd.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Ooh, just realized a clarification might be in order.

When I said "picked up a pair" I only meant "tried them on & listened for a minute or so in the store" NOT crazy enough to drop that kinda cash on something I don't really need.

[DanGarion]

I'm so glad that a person that has promoted violence against police has become a billionaire. Oh not to mention when he beat a woman just for interviewing Ice Cube and many other altercations.

[Scarecrow]

Wonder if Dre is planning on buying the Clippers with his new found stash?

[Marc Vaughan]

I actually DO own a pair of beats headphones, they were around $70 for in-ear sports headphones and frankly they're the best I've ever owned.

No the 'sound' probably isn't great but what would I know, I'm tone deaf ... what I LOVE is that after 3 months of intensive gym use and sweating on them every day they still work perfectly - I've had far more expensive pairs give up the ghost within the first month so personally speaking I'd purchase another pair from the company on that basis.

[Buccaneer]

You guys do realize that for a little more ($99), you could get an in-ear (with extensions that keep it in the ear) made by Bose. You don't need to accept sound that isn't great. I'm nearly deaf and I hear really good sounds with Bose, more than any other headphones I've tried.

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

You guys do realize that for a little more ($99), you could get an in-ear (with extensions that keep it in the ear) made by Bose. You don't need to accept sound that isn't great. I'm nearly deaf and I hear really good sounds with Bose, more than any other headphones I've tried.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH Bose used in the same sentence as great.

You have been hit with their marketing bug.

[Logan]

This thread is making me realize I missed out on a critical category in my personal "worst snob" rankings.

[Buccaneer]

Just real life experience after trying and testing over a dozen different brands of ear phones.

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

Just real life experience after trying and testing over a dozen different brands of ear phones.

I know, I'm just busting your chops. Bose stands "Buy Our Shitty Equipment." They have done a great job with their marketing but from what I have heard they are in the same boat as Beats.

[Ronnie Dobbs3]

Not an audiophile so this is news to me. Surprised to hear it because Bose was something of a celebrity at MIT.

[jeff061]

I think Bose noise-cancelling is decent, both in and out of ear models. Other than that, garbage.

Beats just looks like something you wear when you want someone to mug you. I've had my Sennheiser HD600s for around 10 years now. Love them.

[Buccaneer]

I was shocked to see headphones trending again. Gave me flashbacks to the 1970s of big padded headphones with a boom box on one's shoulder. Didn't look cool then either.

I did look up a couple audiophile sites to see what's recommended for earphones and some of them seems amazing (like the Sennheiser IE 800) but I wasn't considering anything expensive.

[Lonnie]

headfi.org is a good site for that.

[stevew]

Headphones make my ears hurt and I can't use earbuds at all. The only pair that I have that sorta works is some cheapy behind neck Bluetooth things I got for like $20.

[Butter]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

(like the Sennheiser IE 800)

I'm sorry, did I read right that those cost $1,000?

[Buccaneer]

Yes, other brands or models can run $2000 retail. Truly for audiophiles which doesn't apply to my ears.

[Butter]

Truly for the person who can afford an $1100 HOA.

[jeff061]

Not only that, I'd imagine you'd need to pair them with a $1k+ amp to take advantage of them.

Some people have a lot of money.

[Marmel]

A sucker is born every minute.

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by Butter_of_69

Books.

If they were buying books instead of Beats I wouldn't be tutoring him

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by Ronnie Dobbs3

Not an audiophile so this is news to me. Surprised to hear it because Bose was something of a celebrity at MIT.

Bose is fine. People love to hate on them and Beats while drinking a glass of port and listening to old Dylan records on their phonograph.

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by Eminem

Now-a-days everybody wanna talk like they got somethin' to say
But nothin' comes out when they move their lips
Just a bunch'a gibberish
And motherfuckers act like they forgot about Dre.

Thread closed.

[Young Drachma]

Plus this deal would blow 50 Cent's little deal when Vitaminwater's parent company got bought because his stake was lower than what Dre's is in Beats.

[cartman]

I guess Dre can finally be secure in buying his mom a new car

/runs to hide

[nol]

Originally Posted by Toddzilla

This was Apple trying to curb the Beats music-streaming service and keeping it from getting traction and taking customers away from iTunes as much as it was the hardware

That's what I thought when I saw the news. Speaking of iTunes, am I alone in thinking it's become a nearly-unusable piece of crap with recent updates over the last year or so?

[terpkristin]

Yeah, what Todd said. I think they wanted beats radio stuff. Whatever beats radio is. I still use Pandora and Soundcloud, when I can stream (which is rare, stupid no wifi at work and bad cell signal).

Also, on headphones...I like the advice here unless you want exercise headphones (which I always try to use a separate pair for exercise), which I suggest here instead.

/tk

[molson]

Originally Posted by nol

That's what I thought when I saw the news. Speaking of iTunes, am I alone in thinking it's become a nearly-unusable piece of crap with recent updates over the last year or so?

I don't know if it's my setup on my older PC or what but iTunes has become almost unuseable for me. It's just SLOW. Sometimes a reboot helps a little, but ya, it used to be kind of fun to go through my subscribed podcasts and manage everything, delete stuff, download others, but now, it's a nightmare and I spend a lot of time just staring at the screen, and its become easier to get that same content directly from the sources.

[CU Tiger]

Originally Posted by Ronnie Dobbs3

Not an audiophile so this is news to me. Surprised to hear it because Bose was something of a celebrity at MIT.

Bose: Better sound through marketing.
No highs no lows, must be Bose!

Bose has long been blasted in the audio world.
They are decent at creating a sound stage but their equipment is laggy as hell and muted on both ends.

But my God at the marketing genius. Getting people to pay 3-400 for those wave radios....HAHAHA

[Subby]

Why am I not surprised Bucc doesn't understand the appeal of Beats?

If they were priced at $99 at twice the technical quality no one would want them or care.

The cool people wear them. A rap god invented them. They are a luxury item (like Js or iPhones). They aren't Bose. Your mom has a Bose wave radio with a cd player under the microwave in the kitchen. Your uncle RAVES about his Bose IN EAR NOISE CANCELLING headphones. GOD THE TECHNICAL SUPERIORITY.

[cuervo72]

*shurg*

I'll stick to my $30 Sony headphones. Nobody's going to see me wearing them in my cube hole anyway. Also, screw technical superiority. They're cheap and they're good enough.

The guy who is in the cube across from me, I think he has Beats, probably got them as a gift. If they can keep out the sound of my whistling, good for him.