Beats by Dr. Dre Wireless On-Ear Headphones Review

It was only a matter of time before Beats by Dr. Dre rolled out a pair of Beats Wireless On-Ear Headphones. After all, it was the next logical step after introducing the Beats Pro, Beats Solo, and the artist inspired In-Ear headphones along the way. But can the new Beats Wireless live up to the expectations of its brethren, as well as improve upon them?

When Beats by Dr. Dre first announced their Wireless On-Ear Headphones last year, we were eager to get our hands on them for a review. Until recently, they were only available at the Beats pop-up shop in NYC and now, they have made their way to the Apple Store – exclusively, of course.

In the Box

*Beats Wireless On-Ear Headphones
*Soft shell touring case with zipper
*Micro USB charging cable
*Monster Clean Cloth

With the introduction of the Beats Wireless, this means that the insanely popular headphones can now enter into a whole new realm of the audio headphone industry by going up against the likes of JayBird, Sennheiser, Jabra, and numerous others that specialize in bringing wireless audio to the masses. JayBird in particular has been one of the only Bluetooth headset companies to actually add a bit of style to their line of headphones. Because until now, Ggenerally wireless headphones have all shared the same blah design aesthetic and have felt like bluetooth headsets first, and headphones second. But this isn’t the case with the Beats Wireless, which look and sound more like regular headphones that just happen to be wireless.

Keeping in line with the style of their diverse line-up, the Beats Wireless are only slightly bigger than the Beats Solo, but they are much smaller than the Studio and Pro. The ear cups still pivot to conform to your ears and are extremely soft and comfortable for long hours of use. They do tend to collect dirt, so you will want to clean them off after long periods of wearing them. The exterior of the right ear cup features the power/pairing button, track control and volume control all utilizing Monster’s engineering (and most certainly this was probably one of their last collaborations publicly). The ear cup also has a built-in mic.

Like with all wireless headphones, trying to remember the controls on the ear cup takes some time  to get used too, but once you get the hang of it, it was easy to use and operated without a hitch. The Beats Wireless is also collapsible for easy transport, but sadly the construction of the headphones is probably its weakest part. It feels a bit flimsy and weak at the hinges and if stressed too much it might break. So we definitely suggest using the included touring case and not throwing them around too hard.

Sound

Let’s get into the meat shall we, and of course why you are reading this review, for the audio experience of course. The Beats Wireless is the best sounding pair of wireless headphones we have ever donned. In fact the rest of the Beats by Dr. Dre line of headphones should actually take a cue from these.

The headphones were also a cinch to pair with my iPhone, Windows Phone, iPad, Macbook Air, and iMac. Within moments any device I attempted to pair with it worked. All I had to do was hold down the power button on the ear cup to begin pairing. Once the pairing was completed, music started pouring into the headphones and it glistened with warmth and balance. In fact you can’t even tell that these weren’t wired headphones by how good they sound. Some songs sound a bit muddy but only when listening to a lower bit rate.  On the other hand, while bass is certainly prevalent in the Beats Wireless, it isn’t nearly as strong as it is in the other Beats headphones. With the Beats wireless, the bass doesn’t drown out the highs or mids, but instead leaves you feeling cozy all over. As a matter of fact, the sound experience with the Beats Wireless is by far one of the best I have had with any of the Beats over-ear headphones. This is probably in part due to the fact I’m not a super fan of my music being drowned out with intense bass. However, those who love their bass will also love these headphones too because it’s an entirely new listening experience. All genres sounded impressive from Calvin Harris to Dionne Warwick.

Besides sounding rich when your mobile device is in reach, the sound quality stays on par if you decide to wander around with your Beats Wireless as well. I walked around my apartment (which is about 700 sqft) and the sound never gave out. I put my smartphone in the corner of my kitchen and walked to the bathroom, living room, bedroom and the Beats Wireless kept on going. When I pushed my luck and decided to go three flights down in my building, that is when the Beats Wireless gave up and just cut out. No static, no weakness, it just stopped playing the music.

The Beats Wireless exhibits minimal sound leakage and lacks any type of dedicated noise cancellation, so listening in noisier surroundings like an airplane or subway does seep into your listening experience, but not too badly.

Conclusion

Are you ready to cut the cord? Well if you are, then set yourself free with Beats Wireless. They sound great – especially for headphones operating over Bluetooth, they last long on their rechargeable battery, are very comfortable to wear, and they will let you roam aimlessly without being literally connected to your device. I wasn’t sure what to expect with the Beats Wireless, but what I got was a wonderful surprise. Certainly the durability of the headphones are still up for discussion, but overall, these are the complete package if you’re looking for a comfortable pair of wireless headphones with great sound. The Beats Wireless headphones are available exclusively at the Apple Store for $279.99.

The Good The Bad
Sounds great; comfortable to wear; portable; easy to use and works well with all mobile devices. Construction is a bit flimsy; pricey; collects dirt and fingerprints easily.

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