Not all headphones are created equal

Beats Studio Colors by Dr. Dre from Monster
$299, bestbuy.com

If you’re looking to make a statement with your headphones, Beats by Dr. Dre is the way to go. We tested these headphones in the office, on the train, at the TV studio and with a bunch of teenage boys. Virtually everywhere we pulled them out, people stopped what they were doing and begged to give them a listen. Let’s face it: These cans ooze cool. The sleek, shiny design and unmistakable Beats logo on each ear can be spotted from a block away—especially now that the line comes in bright orange, purple, hot pink, blue and silver, in addition to the original black, white and red.They’re so flashy, in fact, that I was too nervous to wear them walking downtown and the thought of having my teen cart a $300 pair of slick headphones all over town is a bit unsettling, too. There are also many reports of the hard frame cracking easily. The headphones come with a limited warranty, but keep their fragile structure in mind when considering who will use them and how much of a beating they are likely to get. For added protection, Beats ’phones do come with a sturdy, albeit somewhat bulky, carrying case.

It’d be easy to chalk the Beats up as an unnecessary accessory if they didn’t sound so ridiculously awesome. The Studio Colors line offers better sound quality than some of the older, less expensive (though still $200!) Beats. The headphones are engineered for today’s music and designed to give users the same listening experience artists and producers get in the studio. All of the modern music I tried sounded great—though hip-hop came through with a richer, fuller sound than rock—but older music suffers, sounding distant, almost tinny. The Beats come equipped with noise cancelling technology, too. I couldn’t hear a thing going on around me while wearing them, but be forewarned: Crank these babies up and everyone around you will hear you!