Why Are Beats Headphones So Expensive? (Top 10 Reasons)
Headphones have gained popularity over time, with brands regularly introducing the latest models.
Different brands set various quality standards that influence the price of the products.
Beats is another brand among many known for its expensive pricing.
Let’s discuss why they are much more costly than others.
Why Are Beats Headphones So Expensive? (Top 10 Reasons)
Beats headphones are expensive mainly because of the advanced technologies and the product quality.
The brand uses highly advanced principles that focus on using a broad spectrum of several high-quality raw materials.
They add an ultimate listening experience when you are listening to the music.
Also, the features included in these headphones are the reason for such high pricing.
That said, the expensive pricing of Beats headphones is not only because of the advanced technologies and raw materials.
Several other factors make these headphones expensive.
Let’s discuss all the major aspects in detail.
1. Manufacturing
There’s a requirement for optimization in product manufacturing resulting in millions of units.
Engineers use screws rather than glue and snaps for assembling, which involves expertise and accuracy.
The manufacturing process is carried out at a mass scale.
Some high-end engineers design architecture and circuits.
Beats use four tiny metal parts to increase the product’s weight, which covers 30% of the weight in these headphones.
To make the headphones sustainable, the company doesn’t use cheap components.
The two primary raw materials used for manufacturing are cast zinc and injection molded parts.
The tooling cost of cast zinc is marginally more expensive.
However, Beats always prefers cast zinc over others because of the quality it brings.
Cams, slides, and sequenced ejector pin marks are also included in some Beats headphones.
These are the most expensive components among all that require massive production costs.
2. Features
Advanced features are another major factor contributing to Beats headphones’ high pricing.
Beats make their headphones feature-rich to meet the demands of their customers.
Take a look at some of the primary features Beats headphones offer.
A. Noise Cancellation
This feature reduces ambient sound digitally.
Extra ear cup padding on headphones and adjustable-fit ear tips on earbuds minimize unwanted external noise.
An internal circuitry generates sound at a frequency that cancels it out.
Beats claims that this is one factor that sets the bar so high for their headphones.
B. Battery Life
Beats battery lasts 40 hours, which is great for wireless headphones.
Despite being wireless, these headphones allow you to attach a 3.5mm wire to your phone that can also be used for charging.
C. Frequency Response
Beats headphones use the frequency response feature, which is a term used to stipulate the range of sound frequencies a headphone can produce.
They carry a stated frequency of around 20 to 20,000 Hz, corresponding to the human hearing frequency.
It is one of the most critical factors that lead to high pricing and plays a vital role in different types of music.
D. Impedance
These headphones operate on electromagnetism.
It affects the power of headphones resulting in higher resistance which leads to more power for the headphones.
Higher impedance (around 300 ohms) is generated by high-end premium headphones, which cancel out vibrations caused to generate heavy sound.
E. Sensitivity
One of the richest features of Beats headphones is their sensitivity detection.
It detects sounds even at the lowest volumes.
This built-in feature significantly deals with the slightest sensitivity to catch an electrical signal and convert it to a sound wave.
All the advanced features embedded in these headsets increase prices and make them expensive compared to other products available in the market.
3. Marketing
Beats spend a significant amount of its overall cost on marketing its products.
In May 2021, they spent under $100 million on national TV and digital media advertising.
Beats was advertised on more than 100 different media properties during the entire calendar year.
They also invested in premium ads across multiple media formats.
Dr. Dre, the Beats founder, changed the view of people listening to music with his marketing approach.
He is a renowned artist and a rapper who advertised Beats at his concerts in the same fashion as sports footwear endorsed by basketball players.
The basic idea was to promote Beats headphones as a product that would provide the best value to the users when listening to music.
We’ve already seen several famous people starring in commercials, collaborations, and campaigns.
They are just too many to remember.
From Lebron James to Lady Gaga, Beats spent a good amount of money on influencer marketing.
All these marketing spends add to the overall pricing of Beats headphones.
4. Research & Development
The next significant contribution to the overall pricing is the budget spent on the research and development teams.
Beats utilizes the services of some high-end engineers and design architects to monitor the performance of the previously launched products.
The research team observes the stats closely and carries out a hypothesis to look for advanced technologies that are further utilized to innovate production.
Beats spends a good amount of money gathering research and development experts.
They ensure advanced features in every other product they launch.
Beats headphones are hand-assembled, and the development team ensures everything fits well.
The brand got awarded multiple times because of its unique designed headphones.
This proves the ability of their R&D team and the budget spent by the brand.
5. Human Resource
Beats headphones are hand-assembled carefully under the supervision of high-end engineers.
The extensive workforce is another major reason for the high prices of Beats headphones.
The company hires a more significant force of engineers, sales professionals, marketers, and technologists to ensure all the products developed are of great quality.
The marketing teams utilize the latest and traditional sales channels to get better sales numbers.
This requires a better and larger team that costs extra to the company.
Also, the company has production partnerships with AV equipment manufacturing companies and pays for the human resource for manufacturing Beats products.
6. Downfall
Beats were the most in-demand headphones on the market, with a reputation for being the classiest headsets brand.
They accomplished this with their unique designs, quality features, and long-running lives.
Numerous celebrities and athletes considered their products over every other headset.
However, due to unknown reasons, the demand for Beats headphones decreased with time.
Fast forward to 2021, Beats now launches one or two products in an entire year.
This means they have no mass production units and no major demand either.
Lesser production units mean massive production costs, increasing selling price.
Different private companies have set up multiple production units to meet the growing demand.
On the other hand, Beats reduced its production units since the brand had decreasing sales.
The total units of Beats sold as of last year were less than 10 million per year, which was 15 times less than the sales of other Apple products, as per reports.
7. Expansions
Beats didn’t put a full stop to their market with only headphones.
They started integrating Beats audio devices into laptops and phones.
These further expansions of their audio products ended up reducing the brand value, and soon, the costs of their best-selling products went up as well.
The other SKUs never performed well, and the company had to manage the profits from their headphones.
This resulted in significant losses, and they ended up losing some of the major products.
Also, Beats set up additional production units to manufacture other products that cost them additional investments.
The company also went to the subscription model with Beats Music.
This is a subscription launched just like Spotify and Apple Music to make music available for people worldwide.
They spent a handsome amount of money to target this segment as well.
This launching of new missions and strategies made the company unstable.
Hence, they asked for higher prices.
8. Durability
People mainly use headphones outside when traveling by train, running, and walking down the street.
This makes it necessary for the company to ensure the longevity and durability of the product.
The company spends a significant amount to improve the quality of the headphones.
Good quality raw materials, solid plastic bodies, and compatible components all play an essential role in increased durability.
However, you must still take special care of Beats headphones.
Although they are made from quality external materials, you should protect them from major collisions.
A slight hit to the internal components of the headphones might harm the performance of the unit.
Also, you should take care of the cleanliness of Beats headphones.
Beats headphones use faux leather in-ear pads, which can start to flake when not cleaned regularly.
They offer a good case for your headphones to prevent your headsets from being damaged, which means you still have to pay for the case after spending money on them.
9. Sound Quality
Beats headphones improve the frequencies, altering them in a way that’s supposed to sound good to your ears.
It pulls out music to emphasize the vocals and bass while decreasing the middle frequencies.
Dr. Dre claims that the technology is set up in a way that it produces music the way the user likes.
The headphones have a crisp sound that is truly impressive in delivering quality sound output without the muddiness, which is sometimes found in the bass-heavy headphones.
The sound profile of Beats headphones brings a bit of extra thump and rumble to mixes, having a fairly neutral sound profile that’s well-suited for most audio genres.
They offer a marginally better noise isolation performance than their competitors.
10. Brand Value
Brands charge more even if the product is similar to any other product.
Since the launch of Beats, the company saw great growth in a short time, mainly because of its solid branding.
The company spent heavily on converting its product into a sustainable brand and charged more than other ordinary brands.
If you purchase a set of Beats headphones, a major portion of your overall purchasing cost is due to a solid brand identity.
Are Beats Headphones Overpriced?
Yes, they are incredibly overpriced.
One of the main reasons for the expensive pricing of Beats is that they sell their headphones at a higher profit margin.
Beats headphones are mainly famous for their aesthetic design.
The sound quality is very similar to other brands that are available at more affordable rates.
Beats headphones can be of great value for you if you are just passionate about design, but if you want better sound quality, check out some other brands that offer the best deal at affordable prices.
1. AKG Noise Canceling Headphones
Its swiveling ear cups and compact design makes it great for noise cancellation.
These headphones offer features similar to Beats and are available at affordable prices.
Take a look at some of the features.
- Lightweight and comfortable to carry.
- Excellent audio quality over Bluetooth.
- Comes with active noise cancelation.
The only downside to these headphones is the reduced playback downtime.
This can be a major issue if you purchase headphones for professional purposes.
However, this is not a significant problem if you want to enjoy games or music.
2. Jabra Elite 45h Wireless Headphones
These headphones are comprised of the Jabra technology, which automatically adjusts your headphone settings to give you a perfectly tailored listening experience.
- Provides 50 hours of battery life.
- Comes in a foldable design.
- It is compatible with Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant.
3. Anker Life Q20 Wireless Over-The-Ear Headphones
These headphones come with all the bells and whistles a headphone enthusiast looks for.
The headphone contains dynamic drivers that produce hi-resolution audio.
- Comes with a 3.5 mm AUX cable if the battery fails.
- Has Active Noise Canceling (ANC).
- Up to 60 hours of listening time.
The only drawback is the active noise cancelation on these headphones doesn’t wholly set apart background noises.
Are Beats Headphones Worth Purchasing?
Yes, they are worth purchasing if you are a fashion freak since they provide more fashionable headphones with a cool and trendy look.
However, if you prefer sound quality over fashion, Beats headphones might not be an excellent fit.
The brand offers headphones and headsets in various vibrant and attractive colors.
This brings a wide range of design options for fashion freaks who want an aesthetic look while playing music or attending an event.
Why Are Beats Headphones So Popular?
Beats branding and celebrity endorsements helped them reach high popularity among other brands.
These headphones are probably the best on the market for their bass.
The quality and eye-catching designs are also reasons these headphones have gained so much fame.
Beats headphones provide a dynamic and immersive listening experience despite heavy bass.
As far as technology is concerned, Apple’s chip makes these headphones exceptional.
Which Is The Most Expensive Set Of Beats Headphones?
The Monster MH BTS-P OE Beats Pro is the most expensive Beats headphone.
These headphones offer the most immersive experience with a decent quality sound.
Also, this headset has some of the most advanced audio features, making it the most high-priced headphone from Beats.
Take a look at some of the other high-priced Beats headphones.
- Beats by Dr. Dre Pro Wired Headphones
- Beats by Dr. Dre Monster Beats Pro On-the-ear Headset
- Beats by Dr. Dre Studio3 ACW
- Beats by Dr. Dre Mixr Wired Headphones
- Beats Studio 3 Wireless Headphones
The above-listed products from Beats are the most expensive in the headphones category.
Types Of Beats Headphones
Beats headphones are one of the most advanced audio devices available, enabling users to have a realistic listening experience.
There are some attractive and distinctive Beats headphones available in the market.
Take a look at some of them.
1. Beats Solo Pro
The headphone comes with a Pure Adaptive Noise Cancellation (ANC) feature that digitally reduces ambient sounds.
Take a look at some of the pros and cons of Beats Solo Pro.
Pros
- Full-bodied and clear sound
- Excellent noise-canceling
- Premium feel
Cons
- Bettered for timing and dynamics
- Tight fit
2. Beats Solo 3 Wireless
These headphones provide comfort-cushioned ear cups with an adjustable fit for everyday use.
These durable and foldable headsets come with a sleek and streamlined design that costs you more than an average headphone price.
Pros
- Full-bodied, bold sound
- Clear, clean midrange
- Excellent battery life and range
Cons
- Lack of subtlety and detail
- Fit is too tight
- No Lightning connector
3. Beats Flex
This headphone offers a wide range of features for people who love listening to music.
The most advanced feature that separates this headphone from others is magnetic technology.
This feature pauses your music with the help of magnetic properties even when you take the earphones out.
Auto-Play starts as soon as you put them back in.
Pros
- Punchy lows
- Durable build
- Extra features for iOS users
Cons
- Treble is rounded off
- Fit may be an issue
4. Beats Powerboats Pro
These earphones come with multiple ear tip options that are adjustable and secure fit to your ear.
The water-resistance and reinforced design for sweat separate them apart from other types.
This headphone uses the Apple H1 chip that helps independent earbud connection.
Take a look at some of the pros and cons of this headphone.
Pros
- Superb playback consistency
- Flawless comfort and fit
- Great battery life
Cons
- Dynamic range limited
- Bass lacks punch
- Audio lacks excitement
Conclusion
Beats headphones have an average selling price of above a hundred dollars.
This can be very high priced for the kind of products they produce.
Also, some competitors offer even better quality products at affordable prices.
Beats headphones can be a good choice if you are passionate about designs or love the brand.
On the other hand, if sound quality is your preference, it is better to look out for other products.