Monster Beats

The X-Fi headphones are far more versatile than the Beats. They come with an extension cord to facilitate both portability and in-home use, have better isolation, and can opt to play back music without noise cancellation or batteries. The X-Fis also have the distinct advantage of costing $50 less and offering fun audio filters as well. The Beats do look a lot cooler, however, and have a much more solid frequency response. We tend to think the X-Fis are a better deal.

This match-up is the closest one for the Beats. The NC300D headphones also have poor overall audio quality, although they isolate and prevent leakage better than the Beats. They are about as comfortable and have similar durability issues. Like the Beats, they’re battery dependent. They also let users select their own noise-cancellation curve, although this is more of a novelty than added functionality. The Beats, on the other hand, look better and are cheaper overall. We tend to think the Beats are a better deal, because they provide about the same quality (but better looks) for less money. Score one for the West Coast.

The Bose QuietComfort 3 bests the Beats in terms of audio quality, but not by much. They have a far worse frequency response, but far less distortion. They also isolate better and leak slightly less. Since the QC3s are also the same price as the Beats, this one is a toss-up. We’d highly recommend listening to both before making your choice; this one really comes down to personal preference.

In your home, the HD 555s beat the Beats hands down. They have a longer cord, far better audio quality, and cost a lot less. In terms of portability, the Beats have the upper hand. The lack of isolation and leakage mean the outside world will often drown out your music. Also, the cord is a lot to lug around in your pocket. The Beats also have the option of connecting to your home theater setup assuming you can provide a long enough cable. Depending on how you plan on using your headphones, either pair could win this match-up.