3 Disadvantages Of Using Beats Headphones

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In the early 2010s, audiophiles had a well-known beef with Beats by Dre headphones, and it mostly stemmed from the fact that the company was more of a lifestyle brand than one that prioritized sound quality. For the time, they were also quite expensive, which didn't do much to appease audio connoisseurs. Fast-forward a decade and Beats no longer produces the most fashionable of cans. Rather, Apple, which bought Beats in 2014, gets all the street cred with its popular AirPods Max line.

Whether Apple sucked the thunder out of the brand on purpose is up for debate, but it's also quite ironic that users believe Beats headphones are now more reliable than they were in their heyday. The marginal improvement may not be enough, though, as it will take some hefty upgrades to restore the brand's popularity. Sure, models like the Beats Studio Pro are solid, but they still fall short in many areas that matter: build quality, design, and the sound itself.

Unfortunately, these three notable disadvantages make Beats a puzzling player in the modern era. Think of it this way: The prestige simply isn't there anymore, and the whole package undoubtedly lacks the punch that most of its competitors deliver at the same (or lower) prices. The AirPods Max may be more expensive, but they blow most Beats offerings out of the water — and these days, they're more effective as a fashion accessory, too.

Take the aforementioned Beats Studio Pro. Some people prefer these Beats headphones to AirPods Max, but for many users and reviewers, they're just "meh." The good news is that they do offer a few bells and whistles. The audio quality is much more transparent, meaning that they're not as bass-heavy as Beats headphones from 10 years ago. However, while it's praise-worthy that they work well with both Android and iOS devices, ironically, they now lack the bass (so much so that many users dislike them for this reason), and reviewers say they're uncomfortable and cheaply made.

Stack them against Apple AirPods, and the differences are even more apparent. Credit where it's due, both have spatial audio and the nifty head tracking feature. Yet, the Beats ANC isn't as effective and the audio quality is underwhelming. Add the plastic materials and the design that doesn't exactly scream premium, and the $349 price is hard to justify (although you can routinely purchase them at a sizable discount from places like Best Buy).

Now, you may think it's not really fair to compare them to the $549 AirPods Max 2, and that's a solid point. Nonetheless, other headphones at similar price points will provide a better audio experience. The well-reviewed Sony XM5 headphones retail at $399 but unlock more value, and even Sennheiser Momentum 4, with their weaker ANC, still provide superior sound at $299. The disadvantage of using Beats headphones is clear: They're no longer the fashionable accessory they were in the past, and they still lack the presence in the audio and technological department. Since they're not exactly affordable either, you can say that Beats is a brand that's stuck between a rock and a hard place.