Apple Reportedly Buying Beats Electronics For $3.2 Billion

An anonymous reader writes "Multiple publications report that Apple is undertaking its biggest acquisition ever, buying Beats Electronics for $3.2 billion. The deal would give Apple control over the popular 'Beats by Dre' headphones as well as a new music streaming service. Analysts suggest the headphones will open up a new series of product lines for Apple, while the streaming service will jumpstart its efforts to compete with Pandora and Spotify, as iTunes' growth slows. 'If Apple wanted to, it could certainly have built a streaming subscription service itself; the company had been floating the notion of one with label executives in recent months. But it's possible that Apple's most recent attempts to extend its music business beyond the iTunes store helped convince Cook that he was better off getting outside help.' The deal hasn't been completed yet, but a candid video of Dr. Dre was posted to Facebook in which he appeared to confirm it."

Comments

Re:Overpriced snake oil salesmen

[Mr D from 63]

The can buy Monster cables next.

3.2 B

[silas_moeckel]

For overpriced technically inferior headphones to listen to compressed to hell music.

Wake me when apple gets a quality pair of headphones and at least cd quality loss-less without DRM.

Re:3.2 B

[Sockatume]

If you think that 256 kbps AAC is "compressed to hell" you probably have a place at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters as some sort of bat-themed superhero.

Re:3.2 B

[carou]

Different meaning. In audio circles, compression is a technique used during mastering to make the sound louder without inducing clipping artifacts by selectively amplifying the quieter portions of the audio.

You're right about the ambiguity of the phrase "compressed to hell", but since the GGP then stated talking about "at least cd quality loss-less" I think he really was talking about the lossy file-size compression.

To the GGP: Try testing yourself at mp3ornot.com if you think you can hear the difference.

Beats sound like garbage

[PeeAitchPee]

Artificially-inflated bass crap. Do yourself a favor a get yourself a pair of real studio reference headphones like the venerable Sony MDR-7509s (for a lot less money too) if you want to hear what your music really sounds like. There's a reason that studios around the globe use these and not fuckin' Beats. Beats are a fashion accessory, not a critical listening device.

Re:Beats sound like garbage

[fuzzyfuzzyfungus]

In fairness to 'Beats Audio', and the good 'Dr.' Dre, the 'Beats' brand is so shamelessly pimped that it even makes it onto products that aren't capable of artificially inflated bass. HP put out a 7 inch tablet allegedly with the sonic goodness of Beats, and something that size wouldn't know what 'bass' is, much less produce any, unless its battery exploded.

Re:Beats sound like garbage

[Anonymous Coward]

First: studio headphones are optimized for different environments than consumer headphones. This often includes sensitivity and impedance designed for professional audio levels and drivers, something that standard consumer electronics commonly will not drive properly. Try driving a 600 ohm headphone with 90dB/mW sensitivity on a common smartphone.

Second: studio headphones aren't designed to listen to _music_, they are designed for listening to _sound_. It may be a surprise to many so called "audiophiles" and other elitists that that isn't the same thing - a sound engineer have to be able to hear things clearly in order to adjust mixing and levels for the desired result. Real people listening to real music doesn't need this level of analytic detail and often don't want it. That's the reason one can buy headphones optimized for different listeners and genres - some want a balanced sound, some want voices to be somewhat clearer and many want bass to enhanced. This also includes the "audiophile" gear BTW, not that the fanatics would ever admit to that.

Third: studio headphones are most of the time overpriced for consumer uses. This is partly because the manufacturers can price them higher given the target market and partly because they are designed to tolerate abuse. Also they often are looking quite shitty.

That said Beats are at least generally overpriced shit. There are many better alternatives for much less, just go to "non-audiophile" forums and learn.

Long way from Compton

[wiredog]

Dre's gonna be the first hip-hop billionaire.

Thing Thugs Will Beat You For

[drainbramage]

"Thing Thugs Will Beat You For" for $200 Alex.
---
1> Apple products are the what the thugs want around here, most only threaten or beat you, some use hand guns.
2> Those beats headphones got popular and are now being targeted by thugs.
3> Apple see's another market for repeat (re-beat?) customers.
4> Profit!

Re:Overpriced snake oil salesmen

[fuzzyfuzzyfungus]

Haven't you ever watched Frankenstein? Nothing good ever comes of mixing lighting and monsters...