We’ve done a couple of headphone reviews here at Lazygamer.net but they have always been gaming headset reviews and while we all love gaming it doesn’t mean we don’t enjoy listening to music normally or that we don’t need normal headphones.
So I was quite happy when two sets of headphones landed on my desk this week to try out.
The first set are the incredibly cool looking Beats Executive by Dr Dre which come with a nice hard cover carry case and a range of cable accessories to ensure you can plug into any device that you have lying around, the one cable also has a handy controller on them for your Android or iOS device which I found to be incredibly useful.
The ear cups were luxuriously soft and were very comfortable for long period of use and the handy mute option on the headset was actually way more useful than I thought.
Basically you simply push in the beats signal on the right cup and the music is instantly muted, great for when someone walks over and starts mouthing at you.
It’s obvious that these headphones are designed for travel as they fold flat and pack away easily in their small case, I would love to have a set of these on my next long flight.
Unfortunately though these headphones also require batteries and I can imagine people often forgetting to switch them off as I did around 5 times. But that isn’t the biggest problem.
The biggest problem is that the switch used to turn the headphones on and off again feels flimsy and after 5 days it started to become erratic for me. The headphones just kept turning off while I was working and you only need that to happen 3 times before you’re done with them.
Beats Executive have a RRP R3 999 and I’m sorry but I can’t recommend them at that price even if the switch didn’t break.
The second set of headphones were the girly blue Monster DNA ones, but don’t worry they do come in a variety of better colours.
The very first thing I noticed about these headphones is that the ear cups are tiny, I don’t have particularly big ears but there was no way these cups would cover my ears properly and as expected they ended up pushing my ears flat after a while.
What did surprise me however is that due to the incredibly comfort of the cups it didn’t start becoming a problem until well after 2 hours of use.
The sound quality of these headphones was excellent and it was on many an occasion that people had to wave their hands at me so I would realise someone was trying to talk to me while I was watching the latest episodes of Prime Evil on Hulu.
My daughter also managed to confiscate these headsets for a few days and is deeply disturbed that they are going back as she says they are easily the most comfortable headphones she has ever experienced. I promised her I would buy her a set for Christmas until I realised they were going for a RRP of R2500, which is a bit steep for a 9 year olds Christmas present. But at the same time I can’t say it’s a total waste for people on the move.
I wouldn’t recommend them if you have a big head but if you’re not the largest person and want to look stylish while still hearing the music perfectly you could do a hell of a lot worse than these Monster DNA headphones.
The nicest addition to these is that you can daisy chain them making multi person listening a comfortable experience again.
Last Updated: December 11, 2013
Admiral Chief of pixels
December 11, 2013 at 13:39
Crazy price, very cruy cruy
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 11, 2013 at 13:53
cray cray – this is cruy cruy…
Admiral Chief of pixels
December 11, 2013 at 14:01
Yes the level of price as as high as Cruy Cruy’s awesomeness
Unavengedavo(aka. MadeYouLook)
December 11, 2013 at 14:31
O, I thought you were saying that the price was about the same as what he paid for the plastic surgery…
Johan du Preez
December 11, 2013 at 15:32
Yeh and they are crap compared to your average R1000 headphones.
TiMsTeR1033
December 11, 2013 at 13:41
Rather buy other Headphones stuff those prices!
That Tall Twit Norm
December 11, 2013 at 13:47
2 Headphones for the price of a PS4.
UltimateNinjaPandaDudeGuy
December 11, 2013 at 13:57
They aren’t even that special. If you are taking out that amount of money rather go for Bose or Sennheiser for sound quality… For gaming I am still a very big Logitech fan for peripherals in general.
Although next keyboard will be a Das Keyboard. Looking at the Logitech g930 set next… It looks so niiiice!
Admiral Chief of pixels
December 11, 2013 at 14:03
I recently got Turtle Beach on special, R350 for lekker headphones
http://www.audioandvideouniverse.com/media/5/a20791f1406b43fdd1af6_m.jpg
UltimateNinjaPandaDudeGuy
December 11, 2013 at 14:08
I think the main reason I am going for Logitech G930 is the cordless part and the charger that it comes with.
ToshZA
December 11, 2013 at 14:04
I personally always buy Sennheiser for music or audio quality in general. For gaming I’m not brand loyal, but for music, it’s always Sennheisers.
UltimateNinjaPandaDudeGuy
December 11, 2013 at 14:06
If I went the way of audio headphones (which is a dark expensive path 😛 ) I would be more inclined towards Bose… No REAL reason really. Would probably end up reading millions of reviews before.
I just use my phone headphones really… I honestly don’t think any music we listen to will ever REALLY need the kind of quality one of those headsets put out. The gadget part of it is very appealing though… Must… Have… Best… Headset…
ToshZA
December 11, 2013 at 14:09
Trust me, there’s a huge difference between gaming headphones and audio headphones when listening to music, even through 160kbps mp3’s. It’s quite staggering.
But Bose is also an excellent choice, they are more expensive than Sennheisers, but worth the money nonetheless.
Shift-Tab John (JJ)
December 11, 2013 at 14:10
Sennheiser is by far superior for the price for music headphones. For gaming a bought a set of genius gaming headphones for R200 (needed the mic) and they sound nearly just as good.
ToshZA
December 11, 2013 at 14:12
I’m thinking of just buying great audio headphones and a desk mic tbh. The mic’s on headsets are mostly rubbish compared to desk ones, and the same goes for audio on the headsets.
Shift-Tab John (JJ)
December 11, 2013 at 14:19
I have a friend with a snap-on mic for his headphones and he’s always struggling with it’s sensitivity (though I have no idea how cheapie it might be). I’ve had no problems with mine as of yet and when gaming online with friends I’ve found many of the guys with the complex 1.5k headphones have more issues with finding the right balance of volume.
George
December 11, 2013 at 15:20
Don’t do it. In theory it’s a good idea, but that is a road filled with frustration! I am super happy I switched to a proper headset. Corsair Vengeance 1500 to be exact. Excellent sound quality
ToshZA
December 11, 2013 at 15:31
Let me put this into perspective, I’m currently using my R450 Sennheiser Sports in-ear headset for audio, and the R1300 Sirius Headset as a mic, purely for audio quality.
geelslang
December 11, 2013 at 17:36
What model Sennheiser do you use for your sport in-ears? Is it the type that needs a seal, and if so do they keep a good seal when running, excercising?
ToshZA
December 11, 2013 at 17:40
http://en-de.sennheiser.com/sport-neckband-headset-in-ear-earphones-running-jogging-workouts-pmx-685i
But they look like this: http://images.bidorbuy.co.za/user_images/723/1271723_110608203905_adidas-sennheiser-headphone-collection-5.jpg
geelslang
December 11, 2013 at 18:29
Ah, I see, I had the cx 685 and they need a seal, but they never stayed sealed when excercising so they sounded terrible and I threw them away in the end.
Macethy
December 11, 2013 at 13:58
That is an INSANE price to pay for headphones simply because they have a celebrities name attached to it. I should start selling bottled tap water with a Kardashians name on it at R85 a pop.
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 11, 2013 at 14:04
I think you mean to say, premium decanted water, not tap water. 😉
Shift-Tab John (JJ)
December 11, 2013 at 14:08
Haha. Beats by Dre. 350 bucks for a product, the rest to show off a name to other people
Devourer of Small Bunnies
December 11, 2013 at 14:08
See the problem I have with so called “Audiophile” equipment is that as soon as what ever fancy badge they stick on the side counts for fuckall. Dre/Beats and Monster are essentially the same company as it stands, but just going over reviews (including this one) it doesnt seem like their ideals have anything to do with audio fidelity.
Being in music production as a hobby I have learnt that if you are looking for better than average equipment, rather go to studio equipment sites, like orange music and marshall music direct. You can easily pickup a pair of AKG or Senheiser headphones for roughly the same price (Entry levels start at about 1.5k, with the gooduns making it way past the 7k mark) but your sine arcs are either flat or have a minor curve. This is where music headphones shine, uncoloured audio, excellent ergonomics, albeit it lacking the “style” and “pizazz” of the two previously mentioned headsets.
I get finicky about headphones because “gaming headsets (at least a decent pair) will be about 1k, but why if you are nearly paying premium are you expected to deal with shitty sound quality and even worse ergonomics, for the kicker of having some lime green goodness laying on your desk.
Probably comes down to getting the right tools for the job. IMO input+output for gaming should be your biggest concern and you biggest spend, these are the peripherals that allow you to enjoy what it is you are doing, rather splash money on (decent) equipment than for the flashy colourful bullshit the marketing people would love you to buy.
ToshZA
December 11, 2013 at 14:11
Thank you. I much prefer the plain style of Sennheisers, but with the great audio quality they provide. Those fancy looking headphones are 95% of the time just rubbish.
Devourer of Small Bunnies
December 11, 2013 at 14:13
They also dont last, they colour sound and these stupid things with their prebuillt EQ’s in fucking kill me. I’ve managed to handle a lot of headsets in my time and the only ones even remotely do ok (being gaming headsets) are Turtle Beach, Steelseries (more expensive Siberias etc etc) and Corsair. The rest are all horrible.
ToshZA
December 11, 2013 at 14:16
I bought a set of CM Storm Sirius headphones last year (Still using them because they work and I don’t have endless money to buy a new set), and the quality is lower than the Sennheiser/Adidas sporty in-ear headphones I have which cost less than half the price. Go figure…
Shift-Tab John (JJ)
December 11, 2013 at 14:17
I agree with you there. I have a qualification in sound engineering and the best headphones for the price are always studio headphones. People who say: “oh but mine has a response of up to 22khz” are idiots. Most men can only hear up to 19khz and women to about 20khz. And that’s just the young ones with absolute perfect hearing. I’m lucky if I can catch 18khz at my age and with my history of being around loudness.
Devourer of Small Bunnies
December 11, 2013 at 14:33
Its a question of “knowing what you are buying”. To most it is just flash for the desk. But let one mofo complain to me, and Ill lose my shit. “It hurts my ears” “The song doesnt sound the same like it does on my hifi” “How do I add more bass” are all reasons to stab some one in the face with a 1/4 jack.
Shift-Tab John (JJ)
December 11, 2013 at 14:42
Shit man, I agree with you so much on this. Add more bass? I mean really?? The songs were recorded and mastered to sound a certain way, to want to change it is a bit like wanting to paint the Eiffel Tower a different colour.
ToshZA
December 11, 2013 at 14:50
Interestingly enough, adding bass helps make shitty headphones sound a little less shitty. Good headsets don’t need that adjustment.
Devourer of Small Bunnies
December 11, 2013 at 15:09
known as “Colouring” audio. Its the same thing as putting “Organic” onto dog food. Not really fixing anything.
Devourer of Small Bunnies
December 11, 2013 at 15:08
Colouring audio is the bane of my life. I cant explain how much music I have had to “re-listen” to after each and every purchase. Its amazing how quality improves with just applying a dash of research.
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 11, 2013 at 14:37
Heh, it’s like gold plated HDMI cables. I’m always amazed when people fall for gimmick labeling like “premium” over “regular.” Half the time there is no noticeable difference, yet people will say they can spot it because they’ve heard one is better than the other. It’s like believing that because something costs more it’s automatically better than something cheaper – can be true, but fairly often not.
Shift-Tab John (JJ)
December 11, 2013 at 14:43
Gimmick is the operative word there.
Devourer of Small Bunnies
December 11, 2013 at 15:11
Dont get me wrong, at times, specially with older type tech, plating made massive differences, but then again the tech in use was hardly together as is, so any little bit helps. Now though? You have gold capacitors and machined input jacks, the chance of losing connection is > 0.002% so gold plating anything is retarded. Solid gold/silver, different story entirely.
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 11, 2013 at 15:21
I just mentioned HDMI cables because a helpful salesman tried to sell me a R300 gold-plated one “because you get better picture quality.” Er.. no you don’t. lol.
Devourer of Small Bunnies
December 11, 2013 at 15:59
HAHAHAHA. You need to carry knives with you these days #stabstabstab
geelslang
December 11, 2013 at 16:06
What this man said. I have tried a whole range of beats and they were all shit, bass heavy boomy sound with a small soundscape, terrible considering the premium price. My wife bought me a pair of sennheiser momentum over-ear headphones for my birthday, they are about the same price as the beats and I would recommend trying them. Then again each person have their own sound taste, some people just love bass, but there are much cheaper headphones thats also bass heavy.
HvR
December 11, 2013 at 14:25
Bought a pair of Zalman as a gaming headset more than a year ago because that was the only budget (less than R300) over ear gaming headphones in stock.
Has been pleasantly surprised so far, good quality for gaming. High quality clip on mix, never had sensitivity issues you typical get with clip on mic.
Best part I found is that the cups are vented, this helps a lot keeping my ears cool and I can have a conversation when I turn down the level.
Maxiviper117
December 11, 2013 at 14:31
You want cheap beats head phones, skip over to Thailand, there wasnt a single place I went to that didnt have them for cheap 😉
Emma Lewis
December 11, 2013 at 15:02
John C. Reilly – Gordon Ramsay
The bit.ly/Unbelieveable doppelganger? Do you people believe so
Devourer of Small Bunnies
December 11, 2013 at 15:11
Odd place to post but I lold
Emma Lewis
December 11, 2013 at 15:16
lol i know, but it looked so funny so couldn’t stop myself from posting. 😀
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 11, 2013 at 15:22
I can spot the difference – the one of the left isn’t drunk. 😉
Emma Lewis
December 11, 2013 at 15:23
Lol, but still they look alike.
HorseOfPangor
June 13, 2014 at 22:27
John C Reilly should play Gordon Ramsay in a comedy. Hat SLAM DUNK written all over it.
geelslang
December 11, 2013 at 15:45
For a review about headphones almost nothing was said about the sound quallity. Dissapointing considering sound quality its the main concern when buying headphones.
Rags
December 11, 2013 at 16:17
Haha, I read through it twice thinking I missed the most important section first time round. OMW. I guess they “accidentally forgot to paste that part”.
Rags
December 11, 2013 at 16:13
Uhm, so what do they sound like? ROFL!
Shift-Tab John (JJ)
December 11, 2013 at 16:20
Well, if you’re listening to Justin Bieber there’s a 100% chance they’ll sound absolutely terrible.
Rags
December 13, 2013 at 09:00
Any updates?!?!?!?!!?
Zubayr Bhyat
December 13, 2013 at 09:52
No word on quality of various frequencies? Distortion at high volumes? 😛
Random Guy
March 7, 2014 at 19:10
I have a pair of Samsung ear buds and they have better sound quality then than any other shit in the market
Sainesan Naiker
June 3, 2015 at 11:53
I’m got the DNAs for 999 on takealot it’s awesome and at that price totally worth it .