Time To Throw Away Your Beats By Dre. Here’s How To Shop For Quality Headphones

We’ve seen them everywhere since they dropped, and those of us who spent the $300 on the Beats By Dre headphones have had lots to say.

The good? They look cool—they come in a variety of colours and all your friends are jealous. The bad? They cost an arm and a leg and another arm to own, even though they reportedly only cost $17 in parts. The ugly? The sound just ok and it bleeds when the volume is put over 50 per cent, not to mention the battery life is short lived.

We decided to ask the geniuses over at Moog Audio, Canada’s # 1 Audio retailer for some advice on what to look for in a good pair of headphones.

 

Forget About Brand:

People need to forget about brands. Every brand makes some really good models, and they also make some crappy, lower priced models. It’s not about the brand, it’s about the model. It’s about trying them on and finding something that suits your needs.

Time and Place:

Really good studio headphones might be horrible to jog with. Good quality headphones might be super clear and sound amazing but might be terrible to ride the TTC because they bleed and everyone around can hear what your listening to. Or they might be too fragile to pack in a bag.

Look for Metal:

With over the ear headphones, first you want to look at the bracing and make sure its not plastic that will break or crack. You want metal.

Spare Parts:

Another thing you want to look for—and it’s something many manufacturers are doing now—is whether or not the cables are detachable and replaceable. That’s a must when buying quality headphones. Just make sure you check how much the replacement cable is, as some cables cost almost as much as brand new headphones. Same with the in-ear headphones, manufacturers are making them with replacement cables, especially with ear buds. Those cables always die, so you want to make sure that the replacement cable is fairly priced.

Shop In-Store, Not Online

We know, it’s a big ask, to get off your ass and out into the real world, but trying on different styles for look, comfort and sound can’t be done digitally.

 

So, if you want to make a fashion statement and don’t mind the shitty sound, by all means, go online and buy the latest Beats By Dre. Just don’t say we didn’t warn you.