The Beats by Dr. Dre product line was co-founded by rapper/produced Dr. Dre and Interscope Geffen A&M Chairman Jimmy Iovin back in 2008 to “reproduce the full spectrum of sound that musical artists and producers hear in professional recording studios.” The brand has branched in two directions: headphones and HP laptops (Envy models). The original crop of headphones included the over-the-ear Studio Beats ($349) and Solo Beats ($199) and the in-ear Tour Beats ($189). In time two new versions of the Solo Beats hit the market–Solo HD ($229) and Solo HD Product RED special edition ($229). Also, a new category called Artist Series Headphones introduced two new in-ear ‘phones–Heartbeats (Lady Gaga, $149) and Diddy Beats (Diddy, $179).
On Friday Dr. Dre & Monster unveiled five new Beats branded products, four headphones and a portable iPod dock. The Beatbox ($399) is a digital sound system built to dock iPods and iPhones and features “proprietary dual 5.25-inch long throw bass drivers for superior bass reproduction and two optimized 2-inch concave high frequency drivers for precise soundstaging.” Beats Pro ($449) relinquishes the Studio Beats as the top-of-the-line Beats headphones. These over-the-ear cans feature an all-metal body construction and are “ideal for in-studio production and ultimate quality music listening.” iBeats ($119) “feature a new sealed in-ear design that literally reduces external noise for a better music experience” and three custom-fit eartip sizes. They are “ideal for exercising and active lifestyles.” The latest edition to the Artist Series Headphones collection is the Power Beats (LeBron James, $179). The new in-ear “performance sports headphone” features a new dual driver design with a built-in subwoofer and midrange tweeter, an adjustable/bendable ear hook with a flexible arm, and a non-noise occluding headphone eartip which allows external noise to be audible during music playback. There are black, red, and white color options for these. And finally there’s the JustBeats, Justin Bieber branded headphones. They will come in two varients, over-the-ear ($199) and in-ear ($119). They are “specifically aimed at “opening the ears” of young music listeners.” The “eye-catching matte purple finish” happens to be Bieber’s favorite color, as you all should well know.
According to the press release, all the new Beats by Dre products (excluding the JustBeats) will be made available in the US, UK, France and Germany in the “coming weeks.” The purple Bieber cans will sell exclusively at Best Buy this holiday season. Look in the gallery below to see what they all look like. Dre says, “What you’re seeing today is what me and Jimmy set out to do with Beats. It’s not just about headphones it’s about changing the whole game in terms of the listening experience. And it’s still just the beginning…” The new ‘phones are simplistically elegant and I’m sure they produce sound nothing short of crystal-clear magnificence. Here’s what I’m worried about, though. Dre, you brand the Beats product line with the tag “people aren’t hearing all the music.” You’re going to have a hard time selling your passion for pristine sound reproduction to all the people at these exuberant price points.
[Via Engadget; BeatsbyDre]
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