So amongst the numerous crazy expensive techno-crap gadgets my daughter wants for Christmas are some $400 Dr. Dre White Monster Beat Headphones. She has informed us they are "definitely worth the money" because they have the ultimate "noise cancelling" abilities, which I believe is her way of saying there will be no possible way she will ever again be able to hear us calling up to her room. Unless these headphones come with a large screen TV, new tires for my truck, and tickets to the Super Bowl, they ain't gonna happen. I've noticed that my $15 Walgreens earbuds pretty much cancel out all outside noise when I turn my MP3 player all the way up. Not sure why this isn't also sufficient for her. Anyways, since I am to technologically cutting-edge what Rosie O'Donnell is to hot, I wanted to see if any technogeeks (no offense intended) could answer the following for me:

 

1) Is there any earthly reason to spend $400 on these headphones?

 

2) Surely "noise cancelling" abilities of headphones has to be some sort of marketing scam?

 

3) Can someone suggest a reasonably-priced pair of "hip" headphones for an 18-year old girl? (I would like to say "reasonably-priced" means under $25, but I'm told by my wife if we don't spend at least $150 on these things she'll just toss them under her bed).

 

Also, $500 for an iPad, which apparently is more important to her than oxygen, is a ripoff. Not that I really have a clue what all it does, other than help keep my checking account at a pitiful level.....

Easy, Grandpa. Don't get your blood pressure up. Gunsmoke will be on right after the Ed Sullivan Show. Hopefully, Mr Sullivan will not show that dastardly sinner Elvis gyrating his hips.

Easy, Grandpa. Don't get your blood pressure up. Gunsmoke will be on right after the Ed Sullivan Show. Hopefully, Mr Sullivan will not show that dastardly sinner Elvis gyrating his hips.

 

What exactly was wrong with the 8-track player systems that they needed to be upgraded?

There are Dre Solo Beats headphones that do basically the same thing for about half the cost. Apple Store has them for $199. As far as the iPad, I'm using one right now. My computer is now used for word processing only and that's because I want my data stored there.

So amongst the numerous crazy expensive techno-crap gadgets my daughter wants for Christmas are some $400 Dr. Dre White Monster Beat Headphones. She has informed us they are "definitely worth the money" because they have the ultimate "noise cancelling" abilities, which I believe is her way of saying there will be no possible way she will ever again be able to hear us calling up to her room. Unless these headphones come with a large screen TV, new tires for my truck, and tickets to the Super Bowl, they ain't gonna happen. I've noticed that my $15 Walgreens earbuds pretty much cancel out all outside noise when I turn my MP3 player all the way up. Not sure why this isn't also sufficient for her. Anyways, since I am to technologically cutting-edge what Rosie O'Donnell is to hot, I wanted to see if any technogeeks (no offense intended) could answer the following for me:

 

1) Is there any earthly reason to spend $400 on these headphones?

 

2) Surely "noise cancelling" abilities of headphones has to be some sort of marketing scam?

 

3) Can someone suggest a reasonably-priced pair of "hip" headphones for an 18-year old girl? (I would like to say "reasonably-priced" means under $25, but I'm told by my wife if we don't spend at least $150 on these things she'll just toss them under her bed).

 

Also, $500 for an iPad, which apparently is more important to her than oxygen, is a ripoff. Not that I really have a clue what all they do, other than help keep my checking account at a pitiful level.....

Noice cancelling is not a market scam. But Beats are very overpriced and definitely NOT worth the money. Young people buy them because that's what famous athletes use and they use them because they are by Dr. DRe.

 

I have an excellent set of Seinnheiser's that are WAY cheaper but I don't know if they would qualify under the "hip" category. I know a lot of younger people have Skullcandy's which can be had for anywhere from $50 - $200 and have several customization options. But I personally don't know much about their actual sound quality.

Skull Candy (Skull Crusher) Headphones. $69.00 they have external subwoofers attached..

Beats are massively overpriced, but they have the hip image. If your daughter wants that image then you can't go elsewhere. If it's sound quality you can get that for a much more reasonable price. I have a pair of noise canceling in-ear headphones. They are basically earplugs that play music. But the sound is incredible and will blow away anyone who has only used the stock iPhone ear plugs. Mine ran about $80-90 and it was well worth it.

Skull Candy (Skull Crusher) Headphones. $69.00 they have external subwoofers attached..

 

 

These?

 

 

These?

 

 

 

 

Yep

Beats are massively overpriced, but they have the hip image. If your daughter wants that image then you can't go elsewhere. If it's sound quality you can get that for a much more reasonable price. I have a pair of noise canceling in-ear headphones. They are basically earplugs that play music. But the sound is incredible and will blow away anyone who has only used the stock iPhone ear plugs. Mine ran about $80-90 and it was well worth it.

 

What is brand?

 

I'm told that the "cool" headphones these days are the big fat ones that look like they came out of the mid-80's? (Which makes me like them, though I'm thinking they ran about $7 back then).

Yep

 

Your personal guarantee that they are "cool"?

I've read that skullcandies are overpriced, but they could fit the hip category. Mine are Klipsch s4.

Your personal guarantee that they are "cool"?

 

Just going by what I have been told..A salesman at Best Buy the other day told me they were just as good as Beats..

I've read that skullcandies are overpriced, but they could fit the hip category. Mine are Klipsch s4.

 

Looked them up at Best Buy site - they are $79. Just so you know - they are "noise isolating" and not "noise cancelling." Hate to see you embarrassed in front of your friends......

Buy her a pair of $10 headphones and promise not to talk as much.