Beats Noise-Canceling Headphones: History, Innovations
The Beats story has taken several twists and turns since its creation less than a decade ago, culminating in a large payout for co-founders Jimmy Iovine, a recording mogul, and hip-hop legend Dr. Dre. We all know Beats Noise-Canceling Headphones as one of the most desirable, but how did it happen? This is the history and everything you have to know about Beats.
Beats Noise-Canceling Headphones: History
To cover the basics, in 2006, Iovine and Dre formed a partnership to launch an electronics business. And, in 2007, the two formed a collaboration with Monster Inc. to produce a line of headphones. Beats by Dre Studio, the company’s first headphone edition, was released in 2008. But, let’s take a closer look at the colorful and humble beginnings of Beats.
| HTC bought Beats (2011) | Let’s fast forward to 2011. Beats was a household name that made a lot of money due to a strong promotions department that invested a lot of money on product placement and advertising, for instance, Lil’ Wayne’s diamond-encrusted headphones. HTC purchased a controlling 50.1 percent stake in the company for $309 million at this period. Beats has decided not to extend its relationship with Monster in 2012, now that it is funded by HTC. In October 2012, Beats announced the first items without Monster, the Beats Executive headphones, and the Beats Pill speaker. |
| Beats Bought Back HTC’s Stake (2012-2014) | Beats paid $150 million in July 2012 to reclaim half of the interest it sold to HTC. HTC sold its remaining interest in the firm for $265 million in September 2013. Beats buys MOG Inc., a music-streaming website, in a transaction allegedly valued less than $10 million in the summer of 2012.MOG serves as the foundation for Beats Music, Iovine, and Dre’s music-streaming service that debuted in January 2014. Beats Music is thought to have a subscription base of about 200,000 individuals. |
| Apple Bought Beats (2014) | Apple acquired the corporation in 2014 for a whopping $3.2 billion. Not only did this make Dr. Dre a billionaire, but they have purchased the streaming service, which was later renamed Apple Music after some tweaking. As Beats1 Music debuted in June 2015, the brand became the name of the flagship radio station. Now let’s go to the controversy! |
| Monster Sued Beats (2015) | In this period, Monster claims to have developed the Beats brand from the bottom up. In return for the advertising that Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine could provide, they prototyped, designed, and sold the headphones. However, there was a clause in the contract that claimed Beats could cancel the license arrangement with Monster at any time. They were able to cancel their license deal with Monster Cables until Jimmy and Dre repurchased 25% of the company, ultimately regaining control. Monster argues that the whole time frame was a ruse to get them out of the picture and that they wanted to sue based on it. They later lost the lawsuit when a court ruled that Beats have done nothing wrong legally. |
Video Review: How Beats By Dre Became A Multibillion-Dollar Brand
Beats on Present Day
On stage alongside Tim Cook, Apple continues to unveil new Beats devices, including the Beats Powerbeats Pro, Beats Solo Pro, and Beats Powerbeats, all of which are portable headsets. Apple’s H1 chip is used in both of these newer devices, making for simple Bluetooth linking, longer battery life, and voice-activated Siri. The H1 chip is only good for iOS users and does not support Android users.
Beats remains to be among the most famous audio companies in the world, with several other companies imitating Beats’ design and sound trademark. And, thanks to Beats1 Radio, the Beats brand has spread beyond products, but who knows what else Apple has planned for Beats.
Beats Noise-Canceling Headphones: The Innovation
Beats launched their first series of headphones in 2008 with the goal of allowing you to “hear what the artists hear,” promising to deliver the experience that artists intended rather than what pompous audiophiles described as “fair quality.” While some early reviews panned the headphones for being unbalanced and bass-heavy, Beats countered by praising their “thumpy” reputation.
Beats’ Popularity  |
P. Diddy and will.i.am were among the first to praise Beats headphones when they were launched. Part of the brand’s popularity can be attributed to the fact that few artists are as well-known as Dre, and few business experts are as knowledgeable as Iovine. Yet, perhaps most notably, Beats are present at and a part of one of the most dramatic historical changes in recent music culture. |
Beats’ Fashion Sense  |
It was Beats’ fashion sense — its swag, its elegance — that set them apart from the competition. Prior to Beats, Iovine had found that most headphones resembled surgical devices. Beats aimed to fill a void by designing headphones as a lifestyle accessory, since they are, first and foremost, wearable brands. Beats began to feature in tons of Interscope music videos, including those by Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, and Nicki Minaj, as a result of Iovine’s role at the company’s fashion sense. Beats would later work with musicians such as Lady Gaga, David Guetta, and Diddy to create trendy capsule releases: Heartbeats in 2009 and Diddybeats in 2010. |
Beats and Apple  |
Beats’ success, on the other hand, was not easy to achieve. Beats took a gamble as an independent company by becoming the first audio brand to introduce partnerships with the model that they would become popular for. They also invented new form factors, such as the Beats Solo, which was unlike anyone else on the market at the time. But it wasn’t just rip-off rappers who were keeping watch on Beats’ every move, Apple (official website) noticed the brand. Dre is one of the wealthiest hip-hop musicians, producers, and entrepreneurs in history as a result of this acquisition. From targeting the plastic white earbuds to officially merging with their creators, the brand had come full circle. |
Beats’ Continuous Innovation  |
Beats was able to extend its cultural territories and technical creativity to greater heights thanks to Apple’s financial and technological support. The realms of design and couture are the first to attract Beats’ attention. Beats unveiled its first fashion partnership since Apple at Milan Fashion Week 2015: Fendi (official website). |
Beats on Luxury Market  |
Beats had made it into the high-end and luxury market. People needed more after seeing the Fendi collaboration, which was the most expensive headphone yet. Beats Studio Wireless, a collaboration between Beats and Alexander Wang, was released in 2016. The dove gray headphones came with a matching pocket and leather embossed with a crocodile motif. Beats also commissioned Olivier Rousteing of Balmain to design a limited-edition run of the new Studio Wireless headphones and Powerbeats3 Wireless earphones in Balmain’s trademark (official website) army green and gold highlights. |
Beats in Sport Industry  |
Beats maintained its long-standing partnership with professional athletes such as Serena Williams and Alex Zverev, as well as football club Bayern Munich, in addition to the fashion industry. Beats signed an official collaboration with the NBA (official website) in 2018. |
Beats Noise-Canceling Headphones
With the Solo Pro, Apple-owned Beats joins the on-ear noise-canceling market, using the same chips that power the PowerBeats Pro and AirPods. Let’s look at the ancestor of new Noise Cancelling Solo Pros.
1. The Powerbeats Pro
The Powerbeats Pro (official website) is more comfortable to wear and has a longer battery life than the AirPods. They have all of the same core features as the 2019 AirPods, such as fast pairing, dependable wireless networking, and always-on Siri voice recognition for iOS users. The consistency of the phone calls is outstanding. Android users can appreciate physical controls for music playback.
2. Beats Solo Pros
The Beats Solo Pro (official website) is one of the best Beats headphones out there when it comes to sound and design. These are Beats’ first noise-canceling on-ears, and they’re great and for one thing, Beats is known for comfort.
The Solo Pros have pretty balanced audio, a 22-hour battery life, and excellent noise cancellation, so Bose should be concerned with this. These headphones also provide smooth pairing and synchronization with iOS devices thanks to Apple’s H1 chip, all in a stylish take on Beats’ brightly colored aesthetic.
It resembles matte textures and polished metal that replaced the greasy, shiny plastics used on the Solo 3 and earlier headphones. While these headphones are still mainly made of plastic, they sound more sturdy and durable than the Solo 3s. The surface area of the earcup cushions has expanded by 70% from the Solo 3s, resulting in more covering allowing contact with your ears for improved support and seal.
Since these headphones have been so common at the gym and on walks, Beats has introduced some internal changes to enhance their sweat resistance. The end result is headphones that sound fantastic but look like they’re worth more than $300.
What are the Beats Solo Pros for?
Because of the H1 chip, iPhone users can get the best out of the Beats Solo Pro. When compared to Android devices, this makes for hands-free access to Siri, instant pairing, and better power usage. These headphones can also attract the attention of fashion-connoisseur listeners. The physical design of the headset is elegant and appealing, regardless of whether you select a subdued or bright color palette.
Does the Beats Solo Pro have good noise-canceling?
Beats struck the nail on the head with the on-ear ANC technology with the Beats Solo Pro, which is a deviation from their early noise-canceling versions. It adjusts the noise-canceling level automatically using real-time audio calibration (read more about why we need less noise on silencewiki.com). The tendency of on-ears to passively separate listeners from their environment is a significant weakness. Nonetheless, it’s a good product for a first-time ANC technology of Beats.
3. Beats Studio 3 Wireless
The Beats Studio3 Wireless (official website) is suitable for a variety of purposes. They have a stylish, easy-to-use interface with a nice control scheme and a convenient fit. The noise cancellation is greatly enhanced over the original Beats Studio Wireless. Nonetheless, their battery life is adequate to get you through a long flight.
The Beats Studio3 Wireless also improves on its predecessor’s sound quality, noise cancellation, and battery life while maintaining the same sturdy build. The W1 chip from Apple makes matching with Apple devices a breeze. When it comes to sound, it works admirably as a phone headset and compares favorably to rival ones.
How’s Beats Studio3’s noise-canceling performance?
These are active noise-canceling headphones, which is the entire point of purchasing them. The ANC can be turned on or off in two ways: by pressing the power button twice, or by going through the Bluetooth configuration program on iOS. You don’t have this option on Android, but you can toggle ANC if you download the Beats version. The ANC is still on by default on the headphones, and it adjusts to the volume of noise around you.
FAQ
Are Beats worth the money?
If you want the polarizing social status that goes with them, which is high on identity messaging compared to most headphones, it’s worth it. They’re worth it if you think they look amazing and you like the thought of how other people would see you as someone who buys and uses Beats headphones. However, they are not the best headset for the money in terms of audio quality. Beats have a boosted low-end with a steep roll-off, as well as a larger dip in the higher frequencies.
How do I turn on noise-canceling on Beats?
Click and hold the power button on the right ear cup for 1 second to switch the headphones on or off. The LEDs in the Fuel Gauge will glow white while your headphones are on. Then, push the power button to see how much charge your headphones have.
When you turn on your Beats Studio3 Wireless or any other ANC-supported Beats Device, Pure ANC kicks in, reducing external noise during playback. When your headphones are attached to your device, double-press the power button to turn Pure ANC on or off.
Which is better noise-canceling or noise-isolating?
Noise-isolating headphones reduce background noise by using the physical characteristics of headphones and earphones.
The fit on the consumer (with as little leakage as possible) and the material used will decide how effective it is at minimizing ambient noise.
In-ear devices (IEMS) or earbud-style earphones, for instance, are often better at noise reduction than over-ear or in-ear earphones. When you push the tips down into the ear canal, they make a tighter barrier.
Are noise-cancelling headphones better than earplugs?
When used in noise-canceling mode even when playing a noise application, these headphones can practically remove sound triggers. They do that without playing the song so intensely that the ears are harmed. They have little effect on visual triggers, however.
The earplugs protect the ears from the noisy noise, and the mix filters out all background noise. This provides the brain sensory feedback thereby suppressing all triggers. Earbuds and earmuff-style hearing protectors may also be used to have the same effect.
Why does noise-canceling hurt my ears?
Anti-noise headphones operate by transmitting an anti-noise signal through the ears. The contrast between the air pressure in your inner ears and the air pressure in your surroundings causes the sensation of hurt or “pressure.” The air in your ears needs to escape while you’re at a high altitude. Your inner ears need more oxygen to prevent falling while you’re at a low altitude and under a lot of pressure.
