Music videos in the late-aughts were defined by the product placement of Beats headphones.
Dr. Dre founded, this initiated the over-ears into the zeitgeist - but a slew of collaborations have kept them culturally relevant. As such, the brand remains as relevant today as ever beyond simply audio aficionados.
Fresh from coffee-coloured cans created with Kim Kardashian, Beats has forged ahead into the fashion arena by teaming up with Sandy Liang. The New York City womenswear designer has embellished the wireless over-ear Beats Solo 4 with her signature childlike playfulness for a limited edition but highly covetable set of cans.
“I wanted it to feel like more than just headphones, but an accessory that brings joy,” explained Liang about her motivation behind their creation.
No longer simply functional, this partnership elevates the gadget to a style statement, but will it transform the audio experience? We put them to the test to find out.
Key Specs
Design
Reporting on the news of the collaboration, Hypebeast asked "What can’t Sandy Liang make cute and coquette?”. The designer is known for her trademarked bows and that is exactly what you’ll find with the Beats by Dre x Sandy Liang Solo 4 Headphones.
The headband has been adored with a hand-drawn pink ribbon in a pastel pink hue, the latter of which also fills the ‘b’ logos on the ears. They come in a metallic silver hue and the instantly recognisable Beats design.
Set-up
While you don’t need to connect the Beats to the companion app to begin streaming your playlist of choice, it allows you to customise some of the functions. Those with limited storage space or app ennui can simply turn the headphones on. This prompts any nearby device with their Bluetooth on to get a pop-up encouraging connection and with one tap of the button, you are reading to the immersive listening that the over-ears provide.
Should you be looking to take a more personalised approach to your Beats, you can toggle between Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and Transparency mode, switch up the buttons and update the firmware as needed.
You have the option to stream wirelessly or there is a cable included in the carry case for ease.
Functionality
When it comes to the headphones themselves, the Beats Solo 4 are renowned for their compact and lightweight nature. Yet despite this, these high-performance on-ear gadgets come packing soft upholstered UltraPlush earpads that stay firmly in place for comfortable long-term use. These are truly some of the softest headphones we’ve tried.
Right out of the box, you have 50 per cent charge but just 10 minutes via the USB-C cable provided will offer five hours of playback. For full power, it takes around two hours - and this will give you an epic 50 hours of listening - a godsend for long-haul jetsetters.
The controls follow suit with the rest of the collection - one tap for pause/play, double to skip and triple to go back to the previous song. You can also make or take calls and long hold to pull up voice assistant.
The audio is rich, crystal clear and distortion-free, while connectivity is easy and immediate. In ANC mode, you are completely removed from your surroundings, allowing you to appreciate every note with a surround sound-like experience that transports you into the studio with your favourite artist. There is some audio leakage at the loudest volume but even the most tired commuters will struggle to listen at this elevated volume.
Verdict
Beats by Dre x Sandy Liang Solo 4 Headphones
In the late Naughties, no music video was complete without a pair of Beats headphones, as Dr Dre’s brand turned over-the-ear headphones into a fashion statement. The brand has stayed relevant with a string of limited-edition collaborations - and the latest of these is very fashionable indeed.
New York City designer Sandy Liang is on board this time, embellishing the Beats Solo 4 with her signature childlike playfulness. There’s a hand-drawn ribbon in pastel pink on the headband, while the “b” logos come in the same shade.
But what about the headphones themselves? The Beats Solo 4 is compact and lightweight and comes with soft upholstered UltraPlush earpads for comfort. The personalised spatial audio technology uses gyroscopes and accelerometers to create immersive sound, while custom-build transducers help produce audio that’s rich, clear and distortion-free.
You have 50 per cent charge right out of the box, but 10 minutes via the USB-C cable will supply five hours of playback. The controls are straightforward: one tap for pause/play, double tap to skip and triple to go back to the previous song. Functional and pretty? Take a bow, Beats.
Buy now £199.95, Apple
