INTRODUCTION:
I consider myself to be a headphone/audio enthusiast. I spend a good bit of time trying different headphones. So it was a surprise to me when the audiophile community started to talk about how the Beats Solo 2 sounded good—especially compared to the previous generation Solo HD. As a result, when I saw the Solo 2's go on sale at Best Buy, I decided to pick them up and make my own assessment.
UNBOXING (5/5):
The unboxing experience of the Solo 2's is very pleasant compared to many other headphones. I'd rather have them spend more R&D in the product itself, rather than being flashy and mass marketing. But the unboxing experience is simple and pleasant. The Solo 2's come in a soft case. Don't expect the case to protect the headphones too much, but it's nice that they've included it.
BUILD (3/5):
The Solo 2's are primarily made up of plastic—a very glossy plastic. As a result, they attract fingerprints and smudges very easily. They fold in, which certainly helps make them more portable. It is obvious that the Beats designers constructed these headphones to be portable so that you can show them off in public. The style is simple, understated—which is what I like in terms of a visual aesthetic.
COMFORT (3/5):
The Solo 2's leave a good bit to be desired in terms of comfort. They are on-ear headphones, so they have to have enough clamping force on your ears to stay on your head. That being said, these have too much clamping force for me to enjoy them for long periods of time. After a while, your ears might get sweaty. They might need more breaking in, but with the hard plastic build, there's not a lot of bending I can do to reduce the clamping force—at least not without breaking the headband. The ear pads are very soft and comfortable, but the clamping force seems to negate that cushion. As for the headband, it's not bad. There's minimal padding, even though it looks like there's a good amount (maybe 1/4 inch of actual padding).
SOUND (4/5):
In terms of sound, these Beats have a pleasant sound signature. They're nothing to gush over, by any means—but if you like bass, then these Beats definitely deliver that. And with decent sub-bass so you can 'feel' the sound. I'd describe the sound signature as being fairly detailed with recessed highs to prevent fatigue, and accentuation in bass for those who like to feel their music. But if you've got a pair of Beats, you're probably listening to electronic, pop, rap, or hip-hop—as that's the type of music that these headphones are tuned for. They're called Beats for a reason, after all!
CONVENIENCE (4/5):
These headphones have an inline remote for Apple devices. You're able to play/pause, skip tracks (forward and back), and adjust the volume. On Android devices, I found that the volume controls don't work, but everything else did. As mentioned earlier, the headphones do collapse/fold in, which is great for portability. They have a small form factor, so it's pretty easy to fold them up, put them in the included carrying case, zip it up, and throw it in your bag.
OVERALL (4/5):
The Beats Solo 2 deliver good sound quality and portability, but they need to improve their construction materials and comfort.
