Beats Studio Heaphones: Not for Studios, but Still Good

Audio snobbery aside, the equalizer on the Spotify app shows exactly why the new Beats Studio headphones are so popular, and actually not half bad.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GphNpU1V-zU#t=223

To the right is an image that attempts to show the sound profile of these headphones. Understand that this is playing an actual song, so the sound signature isn't exactly like this, but it gives a pretty good idea. Note that this test is performed with the headphones on a microphone, so take that for what it's worth.

As you can see, the latest Studio's bump the bass, and raise the highs, leaving the mids to look a bit saggy. Audiophiles generally hate this kind of non-flat, studio, pure sound.

Source: http://cdn.array.se/
files/2014/07/spotify_eq_ios_dump.jpg

Let's take a quick look at the Spotify equalizer on the left, though. On the rock setting, we see this same type of sound altering, with an increase in bass and treble causing a "scooping" in the mids. Obviously, in the EQ settings, the curve is much more fluid, but it is still extremely similar to the curve we see in the headphone test. This "scooped" curve is also similar to what we see in other EQ settings like R&B, Hip-Hop, Electronic, and even Jazz and Classical to an extent.


Yes, you wouldn't want to use these to record and mix the music in a studio because they have nowhere close to flat sound, but that's not what consumer audio should do. Leonard from Kosmic Sound explains this point in the video below describing studio monitors. Watch from 0:50 to 0:58.

To sum up his point, consumer audio is about taking recorded tracks and making them sound better.

That's what Beats does with their new studios. And they also do it in style and comfort. Are they for everyone and every purpose? No. Are they expensive? Yes. But they are really good for most people and most uses.

Is the Google Now Launcher Actually Android Silver in Disguise?

In case you hadn't already heard, the Google Now Launcher is now available to all Android devices running 4.1 and newer. Details are included in Google's official video below.



My question is: could this be the Android Silver program that everyone was talking about?

For those of you that don't know, for a couple of months before Google I/O, there were lots of rumors surfacing about the end of the Nexus program, and the start of launching flagship devices from OEM's with stock Android.

I haven't been putting much stock in the rumors, because I don't feel that's an approach that Google would take. The Nexus program has been growing and shows strong sense of life, and I think it would be stupid for Google to kill that. Likewise, OEM's would not be happy with Google, I would think, releasing Google versions of their devices sold mainstream, not just through Google Play. Android skins are how OEM's feel like they differentiate themselves from the competition. Not to mention the fact that they would sell a lot fewer devices that weren't running stock software.

My thought is, though, that the release of this launcher to the Play Store is actually what Google was doing, and that this is the rumored "Android Silver." It fits with Google's assertion that they aren't killing the Nexus program any time soon. It also gives non-stock devices a more Googley feel.

I think this is one of the best things to happen to Android since project butter, by the way. But I'm interested to know what you think. Do you think this is "Android Silver?" Do you believe the Nexus line is dying? Let me know in the comments.