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On the Symfony blog there's a new post following up on the previous article about the FireSymfony debugging plugin. Previously, they introduced the tool - this time they look at the actual installation and configuration.
In the previous post we went through the features provided by FireSymfony. In this post we are going to see how to install the Firefox Add On and the symfony plugin.
Installing the Symfony plugin is simple - a standard plugin:install command and a bit of tweaking on the factories.yml file to add it to the logging settings. The FireFox extension installs like normal - grab it from here and install like any other extension.


text: As a symbol of luck, charm and good fortune, a gift of bamboo will extend your warmest best wishes to someone special. This magnificent variegated bamboo stalk is trained into a spiral twist, reaching upwards with a beautiful crown of leaves. Resting on a bed of pebbles inside a contemporary ebony ceramic planter, it's a gift of calm, serenity and grace.

subset: commoncrawl


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Last week Instagram surprised the world with their new update, Instagram Stories. The new feature that looked almost exactly like the Snapchat feature of the same name. As soon as it was made available, people were posting their first stories. From 'this is cooool' to 'This is a rip off' 'Follow me on Snap" and "Snapchat is dead'.
I'm still trying to figure out what team I'm on. What side are you on, #TeamSnapchat or #TeamInstagram?


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Illustration by Edward Sorel
NOTES from the UNDERGROUND # 206 | January 21, 2010
First Encounters:
HERMAN MELVILLE and NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE
by Nancy Caldwell Sorel
THE time was midsummer, midcentury, and the place—the Berkshires—was a magnet for the literati. Mr. D. D. Field, a mere lawyer, had conceived of a social climb up Monument Mountain and collected a few illustrious residents of the area for that purpose. Among them were poet-raconteur-physician-on-occasion Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, and Mr. James T. Fields, publisher to Mr. Nathaniel Hawthorne, novelist, also present. Then there was young Mr. Herman Melville—known as "the man who had lived among the cannibals"—author of books with strange titles like Omoo and Typee, and current¬ly at work on a tale of his whaling voyage. Two young women were in attendance, as was—in spirit only—William Cullen Bryant, poetical elegist of an Indian maiden thwarted in love who, legend said, had thrown herself off a precipice of this same mountain.
After ascending as far as they could by carriage and wagon, the party set off on foot. It was a jolly venture. A thunder shower was not allowed to dampen spirits: sheltered under an overhang, the climbers sipped iced champagne from a silver mug and heard a recitation of Bryant's poem, made more dramatic by thunder and flashes of lightning. When the rain stopped, they trekked on. At the summit an exuberant Melville stood boldly on a projecting ledge as on a ship's deck and demonstrated hauling in sail, while the usually reserved Hawthorne playacted at scanning the horizon for a whale's hump.
A three-hour dinner laced with wines and fine conversation followed, and by day's end the very private Hawthorne, age forty-six, had invited Melville, thirty-one, to spend a few days with him. As it turned out, the man whose life had been defined by Salem's insularity, but whose just-published novel, The Scarlet Letter, explored the depths of the human psyche, had a lot to offer the man whose formulating experience was "the sky above, the sea around, and nothing else." Under the spell of Hawthorne's bent toward allegory and the seductive persuasiveness of his handsome person, Melville rewrote his whaling story and dedicated Moby-Dick to his friend.
[from THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY, January, 1993]


text:
Is there anything vinegar can't do? This pantry jack-of-all-trades proves over and over again why you should never be without it.
From dressing your salad to softening your callouses, you'll find a use for apple cider vinegar in every room of your home.
Have a bottle of vinegar in your pantry? Use it to save your rhododendrons, to attempt to choose the sex of your unborn child, and in other unexpected ways.
Baking soda and vinegar have long been touted to have great cleaning properties, but never did I think that they could clean hair.
Here are a few household cleaning hacks that will save you money on power costs, cleaning solutions, and will even save your precious time.
Vinegar has at least 30 uses that make it a viable alternative to many household and personal products. Save money — the natural way, with vinegar.
what do you do when you return home from an outing and you resemble a well-done lobster bake? Try one of these time-tested home remedies for sunburns.
I began hearing whispers of the incredible versatility of vinegar. So I did some research. I was shocked!
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I recently viewed an exhibit of artifacts from ancient Egypt. This week I'll share some of the words I found there.
ankh – a figure resembling a cross, with a loop or ring forming a handle instead of the upper arm. used in ancient Egyptian art as a symbol of life.
– Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code
caduceus (pl. caducei) – a herald's wand, often with serpents twined around it (used as a symbol of the medical profession)
sistrum – an ancient percussion instrument (still used in Nubia) of metal rods or loops attached to a metal frame.
The entry on the caduceus reminded me of an article --Deadly Tiny and Ready For Its Close-up, August 25, 2004, Corante Tech News:
" The quivering strings of flesh -- now known as guinea worms -- may have been the fiery serpents that the Bible describes plaguing the Israelites in the desert. They certainly plagued much of Asia and Africa. They couldn't be yanked out at one go, since they would snap in two and the remnant inside the body would die and cause a fatal infection. The universal cure for guinea worm was to rest for a week, slowly winding the worm turn by turn onto a stick to keep it alive until it had crawled free. Someone figured out this cure, someone forgotten now for perhaps thousands of years. But it may be that that person's invention was remembered in the symbol of medicine, known as the caduceus: two serpents wound around a staff."
By the way -- we must remember to distinguish the caduceus from the staff of Asclepius. See, for example:
Years ago I had the opportunity to write a piece about the caduceus.
The Caduceus and the Aesculapian Staff (symbol of the medical profession).
The single serpent of the Aesculapian wand is not to be confused with the two serpents comprising the caduceus, or 'Herald's wand', used by Hercules or Hermes (Mercury) to open doors between the Gods and men.
It appears that the snake symbolised many qualities.
The President of the Royal College of Physicians of London carries a silver caduceus on ceremonial occasions. It was given, as part of the Presidential insignia, to the College,3,4 together with the Statutes and the crimson velvet edged with gold cushion, by John Caius, (1510-1573), President in 1555, 1562, and 1571 The College caduceus bears a head adorned with the College arms supported by four serpents, reputed to have magical powers of rejuvenation and healing because they shed and regrew their skin every year. In John Caius's own coat of arms are two serpents, referred to in the College of Arms, one representing wisdom, the other grace. A caduceus is to be found in Caius College, Cambridge where it supports scholarship.
Historically, the caduceus was carried for the President by a college servant, the Bedell, called the caduceator in the College Statutes. The caduceator was "to be an honest man, inaccessible to bribery." Today the Bedell carries the Mace, a symbol of authority and formally a weapon of war, while the President carries the caduceus at all formal occasions to
" the authority of the President should be exercised with gentleness and mercy, in contrast to the ways those who were accustomed to rule at one time who used an iron staff. But the snakes, symbols of prudence, teach that one should rule and act with prudence."
scarab – a large dung beetle, sacred in ancient Egypt; also, an ancient Egyptian gem in the form of a scarab beetle
– We're Deer. We're Queer. Get Used to It. Plenty Magazine, Oct. 25, 2006
At least one museum refers to its volunteers, in the Egyptian section, as its "shabtis".
– Hiroshi Obayashi, Death and Afterlife: Perspectives of World Religions
faience – glazed ceramic ware
[a toponym: originally denoting pottery made at Faenza, Italy (French name Faïence)]
– Anita Diamant, The Red Tent
Unlike the tin-glazed earthenware of the European Middle Ages and Renaissance, Egyptian faience is not clay but a ceramic consisting almost entirely of quartz … . Egypt produced small-scale masterpieces of faience from about 3500 B.C. until the first century A.D. … The copper-based blues and greens … often recall life in the marshes and along banks of the Nile … . The palette of faience expanded over the millennia to include carnelian reds, lemon yellows, and rich cobalt blues and violets - each color with its own symbolic meaning.
– Magazine Antiques, Sept. 1998
natron – a mineral salt, consisting of hydrated sodium carbonate [baking soda]; used to dessicate bodies for mummification
[another toponym: named for the wadi Natrun, where the salt was found]
– Joy Masoff, Oh, Yuck: The Encyclopedia of Everything Nasty
Rosetta Stone – a key to some previously unattainable understanding
– CNN, Feb. 24, 1996
– The Jewish Week, Dec. 30, 2005
– British Museum, The Rosetta Stone
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Welcome to the world of the Volvo S90, a new era in design and innovation.
VOLVO S90 T5 Momentum
Other engines available, contact us for more information.
Fuel Consumption
Official fuel consumption for the Volvo Range in MPG (l/100 km):
Urban 19.1 (14.8) – 68.9 (4.1), Extra Urban 37.7 (7.5) – 85.6 (3.3), Combined 27.7 (10.2) – 155.2 (1.8). CO2 emissions 237 – 48g/km.
Offers are valid for Canadian specification,
left-hand-drive, model year 2017, until further notice. While we try to
make sure that all data are accurate, we are not responsible for
typographical and other errors that may appear. Images may not reflect
the exact specification as the cars on offer.
All prices are in Canadian Dollars.


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As the world population climbs and water stress spreads around the globe, finding ways of getting more crop per drop to meet our food needs is among the most urgent of challenges.
One answer to this call is drip irrigation, which delivers water directly to the roots of plants in just the right amounts. It can double or triple water productivity – boosting crop per drop – and it appears to be taking off worldwide.
Over the last twenty years, the area under drip and other "micro" irrigation methods has risen at least 6.4-fold, from 1.6 million hectares to more than 10.3 million. (One hectare is about 2.5 acres. The latest figures from the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage include countries accounting for only three-quarters of the world's irrigated area, so the 10.3 million figure is low.)
The most dramatic gains have occurred in China and India, the world's top two irrigators, where the area under micro-irrigation expanded 88-fold and 111-fold, respectively, over the last two decades. India now leads the world, with nearly 2 million hectares (about 5 million acres) under micro-irrigation methods.
Amazingly, most farmers today still irrigate the way their predecessors did thousands of years ago — by flooding their fields or running water down furrows between their rows of crops. Often less than half the water applied to the field actually benefits a crop.
The rest isn't necessarily wasted. Some of it makes its way back to a river or groundwater source where it can be used again. But the excessive diversions can deplete rivers and streams, pollute water supplies with pesticides and salts, and result in large losses to evaporation.
Drip irrigation, commercialized by Israeli engineers in the 1950s, delivers water directly to crops' roots through porous or perforated tubing installed on or below the soil surface. Compared with conventional flood or furrow irrigation, drip methods can reduce the volume of water applied to fields by up to 70 percent, while increasing crop yields by 20-90 percent.
This month Dr. Daniel Hillel was named the 2012 World Food Prize Laureate for his pioneering research leading to the development of micro-irrigation methods.
Today, as throughout modern history, irrigation is crucial to the global food supply: the 18 percent of the world's farmland that's irrigated yields 40 percent of the world's food. Yet less than 4 percent of the world's irrigated land is equipped with micro-irrigation systems. Clearly, the irrigation revolution has a long way to go.
To date, farmers have adopted micro-irrigation mainly for fruits, vegetables and other high-value crops that can provide a good return on the investment. California is the king of drip in the United States, in large part because it is the nation's fruit and vegetable bowl. It accounts for 62 percent of the nation's area under micro-irrigation; Florida and Texas come in a distant second and third.
But as rivers run dry, water tables drop, and cities look to farmers for additional supplies, the rationale for getting more crop per drop is mounting in more places and with more crop varieties.
Netafim, the global market leader in drip irrigation, has expanded drip's use on cotton in Australia, Egypt, Israel, the United States and elsewhere. In the Philippines the installation of a subsurface drip system on a sugar cane farm resulted in a 90% increase in yield compared with a conventional (center-pivot) sprinkler, and a 70% reduction in water use– resulting in a dramatic increase in water productivity. Netafim reports that the cane's sucrose content increased by 5%, an added bonus.
Anil Jain, the managing director of Jain Irrigation – the second biggest global micro-irrigation company – expects the drip irrigation market in his native India to expand by 1 million hectares (nearly 2.5 million acres) per year during the coming years and to soon become a $1 billion market in India alone. Between 2003 and 2010, Jain's drip business grew 20-fold.
But what really caught my attention was Jain's endeavor to expand drip irrigation to rice, a notoriously thirsty crop and the food staple for nearly half of humanity. India alone has some 43 million hectares of rice under cultivation, so saving even 10 percent of the water now used to grow the crop could free up a great deal of water for other purposes and help slow the depletion of India's aquifers.
Jain is collaborating with the International Rice Research Institute and other agricultural centers on research and field trials for drip-irrigated rice.
At its R&D farm in the state of Tamil Nadu, Jain has reportedly gotten some promising early results: drip-irrigated fields yielded 22 percent more rice per hectare and required only a third as much water.
For drip-irrigated rice to catch on commercially, however, Indian officials will need to reduce the heavy subsidies to water and energy, which discourage farmers from investing in more-efficient practices.
Over the last decade, low-cost drip systems tailored to the needs of poor farmers have begun to spread, as well. iDE (formerly International Development Enterprises), which successfully introduced the treadle pump to poor farmers in Bangladesh, has also pioneered the development of low-cost drip systems for poor farmers.
iDE's suite of systems ranges from $5 bucket kits for home gardens to $25 drum kits for 100-square meter plots (about 400 plants) to $100 shiftable drip systems that can irrigate 0.2 hectares (half an acre), including plots on terraced hillsides. More than 600,000 of iDE's low-cost drip systems have been sold in India, Nepal, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
So will there be enough water to grow the food we need while still keeping our rivers and freshwater ecosystems healthy?
The answer depends in large part on whether farmers will find it profitable to invest in more efficient technologies. Reducing water subsidies, for example, would help expand the drip market.
Drip irrigation is clearly on a roll, but its potential has barely been tapped.
Sandra Postel is director of the Global Water Policy Project and lead water expert for National Geographic's Freshwater Initiative. She is the author of several acclaimed books, including the award-winning Last Oasis, a Pew Scholar in Conservation and the Environment, and one of the "Scientific American 50."


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Retail - Sales Leader - University Village
- Seattle, WA
Life at Hanna as aSales Lead
Would you describe yourself as...
An excellentcommunicator with strong interpersonalskills?
A role model of relationship based customerservice?
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A brand that has a strong connection tocustomers and is GROWING!
Flexible schedulesand a great discount.
Then, Hanna is looking for you!
A day in the life as a Sales Lead will include:
- One on one interaction, delivering high levels of serviceand empowering all associates to convey our Unconditional Guarantee to eachcustomer.
- Teamwork! Work alongside a strong store Leadership team todeliver exceptional service, drive sales and develop others.
- Providing work direction on sales floor, leading the team indriving sales through floor management, communication and delegation.
- Owning a piece of the business through your DOR (Departmentof Responsibility) and ensuring its full execution.
- Maintaining the beautiful appearance of your store throughyour exceptional visual merchandising skills.
- Supporting and making sound judgments regarding Hanna'svalues, policies and procedures.
At Hanna we value quality whether that's in the products wemake, how we serve our customers or the people we hire.
We believe in play and encourage a balance of hard work andfun.
We show accountability to each other and collaborate in ourdaily work.
Come join the Hanna family during this exciting time ofgrowth!
Back to top


text:
Tracking for
If your tracking number starts with "1Z..."
that means it was shipped UPS.
If so, please enter your ORDER NUMBER
or your EMAIL ADDRESS then click track
Tracking for POSTAL
If the tracking number you were given starts with
anything other than "1Z..." that
means it was shipped USPS. Please
click here to enter your tracking number...


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Maine paper rescinds request for gun permit lists
Bangor Daily News backs off controversial move
The Bangor Daily News has dropped its request to get records of every concealed weapons permit holder in the state from area police agencies.
The latest development comes after backlash Thursday from Maine Republican lawmakers as well as Gov. Paul LePage.
State GOP lawmakers were outraged by the newspaper's request to police agencies.
In an article Friday on its website, the newspaper said, "We are disappointed with the reaction to our request, which we felt was with the best intentions to help study issues affecting Maine through an analysis of publicly available data. We will continue our reporting, but will use other sources of information to do so."
The newspaper also said, "The BDN regrets that its request for information may have been taken as a personal attack on concealed carry permit holders, some of whom work at the BDN."
Republican lawmakers said releasing such information, as a New York newspaper recently did, could leave gun owners vulnerable to thefts and endanger non-owners of guns.
Gov. Paul LePage sent out a tweet and picture Thursday, saying he is a concealed weapons permit holder.
The tweet said, "If newspapers want to know who has a concealed weapons permit, they should know I do."
LePage later issued a statement that said, "I have serious concerns that BDN's request will incite fear among gun owners and non-gun owners alike regarding their safety. There is no reason why these records should be public and I encourage the Legislature to act quickly to make this personal information confidential.
The newspaper originally said it requested the records as part of long-term reporting projects on domestic violence, sexual assault and drug abuse.
The newspaper said it has never had any intention to release identifying information about permit holders.


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CI Financial announces earnings conference call and webcast
Jul 24, 2017, 15:56 ET
TSX Symbol: CIX
TORONTO, July 24, 2017 /CNW/ - CI Financial Corp. ("CI") will release its financial results for the second quarter of the 2017 fiscal year on Thursday, August 10, 2017. The results will be issued through CNW Group Ltd. and on www.cifinancial.com.
CI will hold a conference call with analysts that day at 4 p.m. Eastern Time, led by Chief Executive Officer Peter Anderson and Chief Financial Officer Douglas Jamieson. The call and a slide presentation will be accessible through a webcast at www.ci.com/q2. Alternatively, investors may listen to the discussion by dialing (416) 340-2217 or 1-800-806-5484 (passcode: 1869614#).
A replay of the call will be available until August 24, 2017 at (905) 694-9451 or 1-800-408-3053 (passcode: 1019565#). The webcast will be archived at www.ci.com/q2.
CI Financial Corp. (TSX: CIX) is an independent, Canadian-owned wealth management company with approximately $161.7 billion in assets as of June 30, 2017. Its primary operating businesses are CI Investments Inc., one of Canada's largest investment managers, advisory businesses Assante Wealth Management and Stonegate Private Counsel, Grant Samuel Funds Management of Australia, and First Asset Investment Management, a leader in providing actively managed exchange-traded funds to the Canadian marketplace. CI is on the Web at www.cifinancial.com.
SOURCE CI Financial Corp.
For further information: Investor Relations, CI Financial Corp., (416) 364-1145


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Girl Scouts' new headquarters in former auto dealership to serve as cookie distribution point
Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com
The Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan is relocating its Ann Arbor regional office to a 30,000-square-foot building in Ypsilanti Township.
The building is at 444 James L. Hart Parkway on approximately seven acres. The facility officially will open Jan 28. The GSHOM purchased the building for an undisclosed amount.
NAI Farbman real estate agent Hal Stulberg declined to provide any information and said the purchase price was confidential. Stulberg also declined to provide the listing information, saying there was no specific asking price.
The site previously was owned by Jackson Land Holding Co., LLC, who purchased the building in 2002 for $4.3 million from Argonaut Holdings Inc. Prestige Pontiac Buick GMC was the last business housed at that location. It closed in 2010 and the dealership was part of the Prestige Automotive dealership group, based in St. Clair Shores.
The building's 2012 assessed value was $415,100, making its market value nearly double that.
GSHOM CEO Jan Barker said the company purchased the property because it outgrew its previous location at 1900 Manchester Road in Ann Arbor. The building had served for more than 15 years as GSHOM's Ann Arbor Regional office and was sold in November to Memorial Christian Church.
The decision to move was prompted by continued increases in the number of girls and adult volunteers becoming a part of the organization. Barker said 22,000 girls are members of the organization, which has about 40 employees. GSHOM currently serves more than 20,000 girls and 6,000 volunteers in a 34-county area.
"The membership in Ann Arbor continues to grow, which is really exciting," Barker said. "The economic impact will be quite large. We have about 50 visitors to the office every day. Hopefully the businesses in some of the areas around will benefit."
Barker said during the course of the year, many of those girls and their families visit the area, which she hopes will spur economic development. In mid-February, the building will be the distribution point for more than 80,000 boxes of Girl Scout cookies. More than 400 volunteers are expected to come pick up cookies and supplies during that time.
The staff will be moved into their new offices by Jan. 28, while renovations continue to take place.
The move will be a three-phase process with the first being moving the employees in. The second will be to involve the girls and volunteers in designing the space and the third will make improvements to the building.
There will be no disruption in services while the move takes place.
"Right now we're trying to get the site painted and spruced up and we are all about the girls being involved in leadership opportunities," Barker said.
The girls will be able to provide input on the look of the building as well as the programs they want to see in the new center.
The new space will provide enough room for the more than 200 programs the organization has for members, Barker said.
"We had limited space and many of our volunteers are having to utilize the school classrooms and those are becoming less and less available," Barker said.
The most recent filing for the organization shows that for fiscal year 2010-11, it had a total revenue of $7.1 million and its expenses totaled $7.9 million.
Katrease Stafford covers Ypsilanti for AnnArbor.com.Reach her at firstname.lastname@example.com or 734-623-2548 and follow her on twitter.
Seasoned Cit
Thu, Jan 17, 2013 : 4:41 a.m.
With the old Service area... folks should be able to drive through to pick up their cookies !!! Thin Mints on the streets even faster than before 1
dading dont delete me bro
Wed, Jan 16, 2013 : 4:54 p.m.
selling price will be recored on townships website. give it sometime. public record
Katrease Stafford
Wed, Jan 16, 2013 : 5:18 p.m.
Dading, I have looked at the township's assessor site. As of this morning, it hasn't been updated.
Wed, Jan 16, 2013 : 4:18 p.m.
I hope scouting will be more available to girls living in the Ypsilanti Township/ Superior Township areas of both Ypsilanti and Willow Run schools. They have been under served and are most deserving. How many full time and part time paid employes are there at the GS headquarters? I truly believe GS money and effort should go to girls who can benefit from the camaraderie and confidence building of scout activities.
Katrease Stafford
Wed, Jan 16, 2013 : 4:30 p.m.
Jan Barker, CEO, said they have about 40 employees.
Wed, Jan 16, 2013 : 3:26 p.m.
The church relocating to the site is Memorial Christian Church, not Christian Memorial Church.
Katrease Stafford
Wed, Jan 16, 2013 : 3:49 p.m.
Thanks, Pablo. It's been corrected.
Wed, Jan 16, 2013 : 2:39 p.m.
Girl Scouts is an excellent program and I wish them well in their spiffy new facility. But how accessible is the new hq for all the girls participating in all these programs? The former building was near many Ann Arbor schools and on a bus route. How will people get to the new building - must they all drive or be driven by parents?
Wed, Jan 16, 2013 : 11:54 p.m.
Well, golly gee, write to AATA like I have been telling them they need to get a bus out there. But are they listening? Nope. Looks like a car or walking is in order.
Wed, Jan 16, 2013 : 2:27 p.m.
I am so glad to hear the GS is coming back to Ypsilanti. never should have left. Otherwise, mine never became a GS because of issues I have with this program. As for leadership? They should have thought about that before they said things to me that were unfounded and untrue. I think there are better avenues for girls to learn leadership then the GS program. IMO Otherwise, good money intake for Ypsilanti.
Wed, Jan 16, 2013 : 12:44 p.m.
I'll miss the old place, but have visions of a great center like the one that is in Kalamazoo...great space for girls to meet and have programs.


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Family of Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
Compiled by Rashid Zia Cheema
Jinnah Bhai Poonja (Quaid-e-Azam's Father). Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah's parents, Poonja Bhai Jinnah and Mithibai Jinnah had seven children, namely Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Ahmad Ali Jinnah, Bande Ali Jinnah, Rehmat Bai, Maryam Bai, Fatima Jinnah and Shireen Bai.
Quaid's First Wife: Emibai. Mohammad Ali Jinnah's marriage with Emibai took place in 1892. She was 14 and he was 16. Only Nikkah was solemnized and the rukhsati was to take place later on. Shortly after the marriage, Jinnah left for England. When he returned, his bride had died. She died in 1893. Struck by the tragedy, Jinnah didn't marry for a long time.
Quaid's Second Wife: Rattenbai Petit. In 1918, Mohammad Ali Jinnah married Ruttenbai Petit (who converted to Islam and changed her name to Maryam Jinnah), the daughter of a prominent Parsi banker Sir Dinshaw Petit. Maryam give birth to a baby Dina Jinnah. On her 18th birthday, she left her father's mansion with two pets only to marry Quaid-e-Azam, Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Exactly eleven years later she was dead of an overdose of painkillers to treat her abdominal cancer. Quaid never married again and died a lonely man. Known as the nightingale of Bombay, Ruttie died on her 29th birthday on 20 February 1929.
Marriage of Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Ruttanbai – An Extract from the Nikah Register. This extract from the Nikah Register is in Persian language which was in vogue at that time. Photo by Doc Kazi.
Rattanbai Petit in 1918. Photo by Doc Kazi Dr Ghulam Nabi Kazi.
Rattanbai, the Second Wife of Quaid
Ruttie Jinnah, the Second Wife of Quaid. Photo by Doc Kazi Dr Ghulam Nabi Kazi.
Ruttie Jinnah's Photo in Her Biography by Khwaja Razi Haider. Photo by Doc Kazi Dr Ghulam Nabi Kazi.
Portrait of Ruttie Jinnah on the Cover of Her Biography by Khwaja Razi Haider
Painting of Ruttie Jinnah on the Cover of 'Mirror' Magazine in the Early 1980s. Photo by Doc Kazi Dr Ghulam Nabi Kazi.
Ruttie Jinnah's Last Letter to Her Husband, Mohammad Ali Jinnah. Ruttie Jinnah's simple but beautiful English makes this letter very moving. Each and every word of this sad but beautiful letter makes the readers cry. It was such an ideal couple and it pains when we learn about the demise of Ruttie at a very young age of 29. This letter was written on 5 Oct 1928 and she died after four and a half months on 20 Feb 1929.
She wrote this letter when she was aboard the SS Rajputana, a British passenger and cargo carrying ocean liner, which sailed on a regular route between England and British India. This ship was requisitioned into the Royal Navy during World War II. It was torpedoed and sunk off Iceland on 13 April 1941, after escorting a convoy across the North Atlantic. Read more about SS Rajputana.
S. S. Rajputana,
Marseilles 5 Oct 1928
Darling – thank you for all you have done. If ever in my bearing your once tuned senses found any irritability or unkindness – be assured that in my heart there was place only for a great tenderness and a greater pain – a pain my love without hurt. When one has been as near to the reality of Life (which after all is Death) as I have been dearest, one only remembers the beautiful and tender moments and all the rest becomes a half veiled mist of unrealities. Try and remember me beloved as the flower you plucked and not the flower you tread upon.
I have suffered much sweetheart because I have loved much. The measure of my agony has been in accord to the measure of my love.
Darling I love you – I love you – and had I loved you just a little less I might have remained with you – only after one has created a very beautiful blossom one does not drag it through the mire. The higher you set your ideal the lower it falls.
I have loved you my darling as it is given to few men to be loved. I only beseech you that the tragedy which commenced in love should also end with it.
Darling Goodnight & Goodbye
I had written to you at Paris with the intention of posting the letter here – but I felt that I would rather write to you afresh from the fullness of my heart. R.
Ruttie Jinnah's Last Letter to Her Husband (Original Letter). This original letter has been preserved with the archives, the Quaid-e-Azam Papers Project, of the Cabinet Division. Photo by Doc Kazi.
Grave of Rattanbai (Ruttie) Jinnah, the Second Wife of Quaid
Quaid's Father-in-Law, Sir Dinshaw Manockjee Petit. Sir Dinshaw Manockjee Petit, an extremely rich Parsi was a close friend of Jinnah. He used to stay at Dinshaw's summer home in Darjeeling, a summer resort in the north of India. In 1916, Quaid-e-Azam met Dinshaw's daughter Rattanbai or Ruttie as she used to be called, who was just 16, and legally a minor. In February 1918 Ruttie turned 18 and was free to marry as per English Law. Nobody from Ruttie's family attended the marriage.
Quaid with His Mother-in-Law Lady Dinshaw Petit
Quaid's Brother Ahmed Ali Jinnah with His British Wife Emmy
Photo of Quaid-e-Azam's Three Sisters. Miss Fatima Jinnah and two of her sisters mourn the death of their brother, Muhammad Ali Jinnah. From left to right are Maryam Bai, Fatima Jinnah and Shireen Bai.
Quaid's Four Sisters. In this rare photo, Quaid-e-Azam's four sisters, Rehmat Bai, Maryam Bai, Fatima Jinnah and Shireen Bai are seen together. Photo by Doc Kazi Dr Ghulam Nabi Kazi.
Miss Fatima Jinnah and Ladies Offering Fateha at the Grave of Quaid, September 1948
Quaid With Miss Fatima Jinnah on His Birthday, December 25, 1947
Quaid with Miss Fatima Jinnah, December 25, 1947
Quaid and Miss Fatima Jinnah. Smiling faces of brother and sister.
Quaid with Miss Fatima Jinnah
Quaid Enjoying a Cigar in the Company of Fatima Jinnah
Family of Muhammad Ali Jinnah: Quaid with Fatima Jinnah (Sister) and Dina Jinnah (Daughter)
Family of Muhammad Ali Jinnah: Quaid's Sister Shireen Peerbhoy
Family of Muhammad Ali Jinnah: Quaid's Daughter Dina Jinnah (later Dina Wadia) at Old Age. Photo by Mr The Poet. Quaid's daughter Dina Jinnah was born in London on August 15, 1919 and was raised as a Muslim. Quaid-e-Azam disowned her when she got married to an Indian Parsi Neville Wadia. Dina did not travel to Pakistan until her father's funeral in Karachi in September 1948. Dina and Neville had two children, a boy and a girl. Dina's son Nusli Wadia has two sons; Ness Wadia and Jehangir Wadia.
Family of Dina. Why is Dina Wadia not in this photo?
Quaid's Daughter Dina Wadia Visited Lahore to Watch a Cricket Match, March 2004. Dina witnessed the final (5th) ODI between India and Pakistan at Lahore on 24 March 2004.
Dina Wadia Visits Her Father's Tomb, March 2004. Dina visited the mausoleum of her father, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, on 26 March 2004 and laid floral wreath. She was accompanied by her son Nusli Wadia and grandsons Jehangir and Ness. She stayed there for 50 minutes. She never visited Pakistan in her father's lifetime. This was her second visit to Pakistan. Her first visit was at the time of the Quaid's death.
After laying the wreath she visited the place where personal belongings of the Quaid are on display. She also went to the mazar of Madar-i-Millat Fatima Jinnah to pay respects to her aunt. She also visited the Flag Staff House and the Quaid's birthplace, Wazir Mansion. Read more details of her visit….
Photo by Doc Kazi Dr Ghulam Nabi Kazi.
Family of Muhammad Ali Jinnah: Dina Wadia Overcomes with Emotion while Visiting Her Father's Tomb, March 2004. Photo by Doc Kazi Dr Ghulam Nabi Kazi.
Family of Muhammad Ali Jinnah: Dina Wadia with UN Secretary General Dr. Kurt Waldheim in 1976
Family of Muhammad Ali Jinnah: Fatima Jinnah and Dina Wadia at the Funeral of Quaid, September 11, 1948
Family of Muhammad Ali Jinnah: Dina Jinnah Marries Neville Wadia, 1938. Photo by Dr. Ghulam Nabi Kazi.
Family of Muhammad Ali Jinnah: Quaid with Dina Jinnah and Pet Dogs
Family of Muhammad Ali Jinnah: Dina Jinnah at Hampstead, London, 1931. Hampstead is an affluent area of London.
Family of Muhammad Ali Jinnah: Dina Jinnah as a Young Girl. Photo by Doc Kazi Dr Ghulam Nabi Kazi.
Family of Muhammad Ali Jinnah: Group Photo of Some members of Quaid's Family
Related Pages:
Photos of Quaid-e-Azam
Memorabilia of Quaid-e-Azam
Editor's Note: If you have liked this Post (Family of Muhammad Ali Jinnah), then please share it on Facebook, Twitter or any other social media. Please also write your brief comment at the end of this page under the heading "Leave a Reply here".


text:
can u compare those headphones for me?
p.s : how much did dr.dre payed you for this review?
A Fresh Look
With almost a quarter million views, a lot of people have experienced my opinion regarding the original Beats Solo in this video. I've been quoted in the New York Times, Huffington Post, and numerous places elsewhere expressing my distaste for their products. I now find myself with the unenviable task of reversing my opinion, at least in part, with the introduction of their new Beats by Dre Solo2a very fine headphone indeed. Unfortunately praise doesn't seem to get the attention that negative criticism does, but I'm going to try. With the release of the Solo2, Beats deserves an open minded second look, and with thisand some subsequent reviews and opinion piecesthat's exactly what I'm going to do.
Beats by Dre Solo2 ($199.95)
It's fairly safe to say that the original Beats by Dre Solo is one of the mostif not the mostpopular headphones in the world. I found its performance abysmal. This saddened me tremendously because I felt that a whole lot of people bought the Beats Solo on the basis of claims that you would be getting the music as the artist intended, but their experience would be fairly poor. This would leave a bad impression in Solo owners minds that really good sound on headphones (which is what they thought they were getting) was no big deal when, in fact, really good sound on headphone is a pretty terrific experience. Solo users just weren't getting it, and didn't know they weren't getting it. A sad state of affairs for headphone audio.
Well, I'm very pleased to report that the new Solo2 does, very much, deliver on the promise of great sound on headphones. And with it's introduction we will see many people in the general public having their first experience with very good sound on headphones. Beats has not only developed an excellent headphone at a very good price, but with it they will now likely become the most important source of terrific user experiences with headphone audio. Thank you, Beats by Dre, the new Solo2 is one of the best things to happen in the world of headphones this year...and maybe ever, in my opinion, due to the incredible market share that will be enjoyed by this model.
Physical Description
The quality of construction seems very good as well. Adjustment sliders are appropriately detented, and adjust fairly easily but stay in place securely when adjusted. The headband folding mechanism holds the arms open in place firmly with little if any creaking, the detent mechanism is positive and nicely adjusted. The earpads swivel at a central point, and range of movement, though relatively small, seems very well suited to the task. Some modest creaking exists when manually moving the ear cups, but I experienced no noise when worn.
The comfort of the Beats Solo2 is quite good. The headphones are light weight and the shape fairly ergonomic. The headband does touch in a relatively small patch on the top of your head, but the light weight and the nicely firm clamping force tend to have most of the support provided at the ear pads. The ear pads are fairly large (2.65" x 3") with a good size hole in the middle (1.4" x 1.6"). The top surface of the pad is quite flat and the softness of both the protein leather and underlying memory foam are seemingly ideal as the combination was very comfortable for me.
At 53" the included cable is, what I consider, just the right length for a portable headphone. The 3.5mm plug going into the left ear capsule does insert into a small recess, so aftermarket cables will need to have a plug housing diameter of 0.23" (5.85mm) or less. The 3.5mm plug at the player end of the cable has a 90 degree angle, which does provide for a small amount of "reach" through protective cases, but I would have liked a little more. Plugs on both ends of the cable are plastic, but nicely designed and executed. The three-button Apple-compatible remote is a bit unusual, but works quite well. The central button is indeed a button, but the outer button are actuated by squeezing the remote end. I had no problems correctly identifying and actuating the buttons accurately. Cable, plugs, and three-button remote are color coordinated with the chosen headphone color. The Solo2 folds to a compact size and can be stored and transported inside the included soft-sided case.
"What's so funny about that", you might ask? Well, for the last five years or so, headphone manufacturers world-wide have been attempting to play catch-up with Beats. The rallying cry has been "We've got to make cool/fashionable/celebrity-endorsed headphones to do it!" Sennheiser stepped up their game with the Momentuma very good looking headphone; B&W's offerings are sophisticated and sexy; Sony's MDR-1R is a terrifically good looking headphone. Headphones today look much different than they did ten years ago, and it's almost entirely due to the sense of having to compete with Beats, as I see it. Beats market dominance in the past has had very little to do with sound qualitythe original line-up was pretty mediocre in that departmentand has had everything to do with the coolness factor. What's so funny to me is that everybody has stepping up their game with stylish headphones and striking designs, and now Beats is producing what I can only see as a fairly ordinary, though tasteful, product. Beats, it seems to me, has just juked everyone out of their sneakers again.
And then, as if pouring gas on the fire, the Beats Solo2 sounds absolutely terrific! Which we'll talk about on the next page...
The Beats by Dre Solo
I've broken this part out separately because I find the styling of the Beats Solo2 rather...um...humorous. Not that they look funny, they don't. In fact, they look quite handsome in an understated way. The Solo2 says to me, "Hi. I'm a headphone." No flashy bling; no celebrity pretentions; it doesn't scream to be worn as a necklace. It's just a nice, conservative headphone.
The quality of construction seems very good as well. Adjustment sliders are appropriately detented, and adjust fairly easily but stay in place securely when adjusted. The headband folding mechanism holds the arms open in place firmly with little if any creaking, the detent mechanism is positive and nicely adjusted. The earpads swivel at a central point, and range of movement, though relatively small, seems very well suited to the task. Some modest creaking exists when manually moving the ear cups, but I experienced no noise when worn.
The comfort of the Beats Solo2 is quite good. The headphones are light weight and the shape fairly ergonomic. The headband does touch in a relatively small patch on the top of your head, but the light weight and the nicely firm clamping force tend to have most of the support provided at the ear pads. The ear pads are fairly large (2.65" x 3") with a good size hole in the middle (1.4" x 1.6"). The top surface of the pad is quite flat and the softness of both the protein leather and underlying memory foam are seemingly ideal as the combination was very comfortable for me.
At 53" the included cable is, what I consider, just the right length for a portable headphone. The 3.5mm plug going into the left ear capsule does insert into a small recess, so aftermarket cables will need to have a plug housing diameter of 0.23" (5.85mm) or less. The 3.5mm plug at the player end of the cable has a 90 degree angle, which does provide for a small amount of "reach" through protective cases, but I would have liked a little more. Plugs on both ends of the cable are plastic, but nicely designed and executed. The three-button Apple-compatible remote is a bit unusual, but works quite well. The central button is indeed a button, but the outer button are actuated by squeezing the remote end. I had no problems correctly identifying and actuating the buttons accurately. Cable, plugs, and three-button remote are color coordinated with the chosen headphone color. The Solo2 folds to a compact size and can be stored and transported inside the included soft-sided case.
"What's so funny about that", you might ask? Well, for the last five years or so, headphone manufacturers world-wide have been attempting to play catch-up with Beats. The rallying cry has been "We've got to make cool/fashionable/celebrity-endorsed headphones to do it!" Sennheiser stepped up their game with the Momentuma very good looking headphone; B&W's offerings are sophisticated and sexy; Sony's MDR-1R is a terrifically good looking headphone. Headphones today look much different than they did ten years ago, and it's almost entirely due to the sense of having to compete with Beats, as I see it. Beats market dominance in the past has had very little to do with sound qualitythe original line-up was pretty mediocre in that departmentand has had everything to do with the coolness factor. What's so funny to me is that everybody has stepping up their game with stylish headphones and striking designs, and now Beats is producing what I can only see as a fairly ordinary, though tasteful, product. Beats, it seems to me, has just juked everyone out of their sneakers again.
And then, as if pouring gas on the fire, the Beats Solo2 sounds absolutely terrific! Which we'll talk about on the next page...
can u compare those headphones for me?
p.s : how much did dr.dre payed you for this review?
The Solo 2 are very good headphone and are much improved from the horrible Solo hd, but i think the low end is still a bit too prominent. The mids are no longer as recessed and sound clear. But the highs, in my opinion, are not quite as good as Tyll thinks they are. Yes they are good but they start to roll off relatively early at around 18,800 - 19,000 hz, where as headphones such as the NTune hd reach all the way up to the 20k hz range. Now thats not saying much because that range is usually not prominent in many songs, but it's just something to think about. In comparison to the NTune hd i found the Solo 2 to be slightly inferior to the NTune hd, and more on par with the NTune (2013 model). The Solo 2 are by no means a bad headphone, nor are the NTune hd perfect, but I found the Solo 2 to have their issues that were not well addressed. Tyll obviously knows more than me and I respect that, but i feel that he over praises these headphones.
Last year I went to the store to listen to the Beats to finally hear what all the complaints were about. It wasn't 10 seconds into it and the Solo came back off my head. Yuck. Then I tried others. The only other one I actually liked was the MIXR. I really liked it and hoped the sound improvements they demonstrated would find themselves into newer models. Glad to hear they finally got a winner with the Solo2.
I'm curious to which solo model you checked in Apple store as the previous model to the solo2 - the solo HD monochromatic, is actually superb (IMO)
Mixr Beats are so an amazing DJ headphone - I absolutely love that can - BIG time
But getting back to the beats solo2 - I honestly think that outside of classical music, these cans are good to go with most genres, however, they do soar with dubstep and glitch hop and even sound amazingly good with YouTube music videos like this:
What Up Detroit ;)
From what I gather, the new beats mixr2 is due out shortly, so let's hope Tyll is hot to trot with a review?
i really want to try them out now..
thanks for the review, as always you are the best =)
I'm not a "hater" but I'd like to say a few words...
All of your reviews to this point have been top notch and thorough. This one, however is totally inaccurate.
Like I said in a previous post on one of your other articles, I auditioned these headphones in the apple store. I was unimpressed to say the least. They're too warm sounding, the mids are artificial and the treble isn't articulated at all. I think that you may be misleading audiophiles, the general public, and aspiring audiophiles into believing these headphones are worth $200. And for you to say that they're better than the headphones mentioned above is something I wouldn't expect from you.
Next thing you know, you'd be calling the TAD CR1 "substantially coloured." And talking about how "smooth" a Cardas cable sounds. Cables shouldn't impart any character of their own on gear, period. They should be perfectly transparent. That's why you buy pure copper cables and now CCAW.I'm worried for you Tyll, and I really hope you get your hearing checked.
Measurements are nice but they're not always necessary. Here's an example: I go into a store and listen to some demo headphones. They sound articulate and are fairly neutral to my ears. Then I go home and read some reviews and look up measurements. The measurements and reviews indicate that the headphones I auditioned objectively are "terrible performers, with annoying colorations."
Would it be wise for me to purchase the headphones?
The same can be said for speakers.
I don't have a brand bias, or expectation bias. I just listen objectively and my conclusions are reached proceeding a cold and emotionless listening session. This said, my subjective side is calcified completely.
I actually don't know you reached your conclusions. I'm puzzled.
10 minutes testing headphones in a store means nothing. FYI.
Of course you have bias, and the more you claim otherwise, the more it shows. We all do, whether we care to admit it or not.
I'm certain you don't know how long I actually spent listening to the solo 2s. FYI, I spent a little over a half an hour in the Apple store listening to them. The source was my smartphone – The Sony ZL.
I objectively auditioned them with Wav. and a few 320s. I went through quite a few tracks ranging from orchestra pieces, from pop to mainstream, and even some rap (to test the bass impact and quality of course)- such as biggie smalls "Get money." where the bass is inherently dense and air pocket tight.
I don't have bias. I don't know why you and Tyll suggest that I have bias. It's strange because his previous reviews have all been astoundingly brilliant; stomping over all other headphone reviews on the net as far as quality and valuable info are concerned. And from them, I'd say even a novice audiophile/average joe could make an educated purchase.
I have nothing against Beats headphones. However, I do think they're a terrible value for the money and I wouldn't drop cash on them myself, but I couldn't care less what the general public does.
You're obviously free to disagree with Tyl (I have several times), but your abrasive approach leaves a lot to be desired. It's one thing to disagree, it's another to insult and questions someone's skills or ability to do their job.
Tyl obviously spent quite a bit of time with these, listening and measuring. But hey, you spent a few minutes listening to them in a retail store so your opinion MUST be valid. Unbelievable...
Why wouldn't my opinion be valid? And how was I abrasive? I spent a little over a half hour listening to them objectively. Isn't that why they're there, out in the open?! So that people can hear them, and if they like them, they buy them. Umm.
I don't know why you guys are all coddling Tyll so much, it really isn't necessary. I've commended him a number of times already and I think he's stellar as a reviewer. That's the truth. I'm not attacking him and never was.
I am anticipating his next review...aren't you?
To ass (didn't want to type your whole username)
You don't think telling someone whose job it is to review audio gear that they need to get their ears checked because their opinion is different than yours is abrasive?
You really think that your opinion, formed while listening for half an hour in a store full of noise and distractions, is as valid as a proper review with measurements?
If that's truly your stance then I guess there's not much else to discuss, those who don't get it generally don't know that they don't get it.
That's a BRILLIANT use of my screen name to call me an ass, I've NEVER seen that before! The ironic thing is that from your first post in this article, you're the one being an ass the rest of us are just calling you out on it.
one with a personality disorder....
Understand that Tyll's brain auditory cells have personal preference for mildly 'dark' sounding headphones. The lack of well extended treble does not bother him as much as it does you. That's his thing and nothing can be done about it. You have to adjust his reviews in light of this fact. So for someone like you or me, who cannot stand dark muffled sound signature, the new Beats are still substandard. It all also depends what kind of music one listens to - with bass and beat music the screwed up tonality that is due to the lack of treble is not that annoying or important. The different thing would be classical music or music on acoustic instruments where the Beats would be exposed as second rate headphones. So remember, to each his own, remember that the Beats are not headphones to be used to listen to good music but to peculiar one and for those applications Beats may do their job rather well. Tyll was simply addressing certain audience, it just should have been mentioned in his review. There was no need for the unpleasant exchange you were involved with. Make peace.
I was listening to them today and I must say the treble is noticeably rolled off.
They sounded warm, they lacked attack and ended up sounding a little dull / muffled, maybe it was the demo tune or something, but that's my opinion from today. Also the instruments sounded a little far away, which is weird considering the sound stage was not spacious at all.
...because on-ear is my least preferred headphone type. (For me, it goes IEM>around-ear>on-ear.)
i'm a bit suspicious as well, especially what Tyll said at the end here:
Tyll and John are definitely the top people to listen when it comes to headphones/amps, but beats....cmon, a recommendation from Tyll could very well double their sales, thats why i'm bit suss. and we're well past april 1st.
I don't know what you are implying, but Tyll has given a review of a good, solid performing headphone regardless of its brand.
In this case it just so happens to be beats.
Why does any of this seem suspicious, to any other brand Tyll has put on the WOF before?
You're highly deluded if you think a positive review from Tyll would double Beats sales. Again, no offense to Tyll as I find his work invaluable, but a vast majority of Beats' target market has never even heard of InnerFidelity...
So a positive or negative review is quite inconsequential, audiophiles are just as likely to turn their nose up at these regardless, and it's not like mid priced on ear portables are the most popular category amongst enthusiasts and audiophiles anyway.
If the veiled assumption was that he's being paid off, I can think of several more high profile blogs and sites that would have a higher ROI (and probably the lax standards to accept a payoff) for a market leader as large as Beats.
They've done quite alright (arguably better than anyone else, by a big margin) without his endorsement or audiophile community's approval... I'm glad they're at least investing on what counts the most at the end of the day.
I don't know about behind deluded as if you check out sites like head-fi.org you will find many an "audiophile" who likes a little more on the low end now giving beats a credible chance that they would not have even considered outside of Tyll's review.
IMO a true audiophile will be open to any brand of audio gear if the SQ is up to par which the solo2 covers for a small closed back portable.
Just saying...
The general public is being mislead regardless. Tyll's review will not have much impact on their purchase even if his review were negative. Most average consumers despise audiophiles anyway.
Thr trouble is with novice audiophile's and wanna-bes who only know "Highs,mids,lows,and "base" lol. They'll read Tyll's review and make a silly impulse purchase.
Great review Tyll! I just got my pair a week ago and I've been comparing against the XS, and I completely agree that the Solo2 is surprisingly good. I think this might cause an existential nightmare for some hobbyists.
This is good news! I really hated it when people said that their beats was better than anything else even though it sucked balls. Finally the beats fans can say that their cans are better than many other cans and be right for a change :)
Now I am intrigued at how much they improved their over the ear models.
Thank you so much for making this awesome review of a worthy headphone that will hopefully significantly reduce beats from being the default whipping boy on audio forums such as head-fi - I really think this review will challenge even the most hardened of beats haters perceptions.
Also thank you for using my beats thread on head-fi as a resource - I'm honoured for you to find it somewhat useful in whatever capacity - just wow!
I've got the solo2's in every colour but white and pink and just love them by design and their sound which is beats most "neutral" sound signature from them to date, clearly they listen and react to constructive criticism to their benefit.
My lord! Who'd of thought a beats can could ever get such high praise and be entered into the wall of fame - just amazing.
Beats got me into this hobby, but I've always liked their fun sound and brand image and it's great to see their evolution of sound and form factor working to such great success.
Thanks for taking your time to make this review, maybe beats owners won't get treat like lepers as much or anymore off audio snob fellow site members on sites like head-fi?
This is a great day for beats owners, and more specifically solo2 owners and possibly the opening of ears and minds to beats as a credible headphone brand and not just a fashion accessory.
Thanks so much again - I wonder what Dre would say? LoL
One of the largest, if not the largest electrical device stores in the UK have there top four selling headphones listed as beats solo2!
1. solo2 in red
2. solo2 in pink
3. solo2 in black
4. solo2 in white
Currys and beats owe you money!
Pretty slick marketing of beats to do the full colour range that they do so well - funny to see the likes of Bose also doing a range of colours, playing catch up.
I wonder if a judicious use of EQ could solve those FR issues. Worth a try.
I'm not getting rid of my UERMs or my Aedles, but I will listen to these carefully and with an open mind. The original Solo really sucked; if these are even decent that's a hugely important development.
How do you decide what's on ear and what's over ear? Solo2 looks more over ear than the Focals.
Thanks for the explanation. It would be a good idea of add that to the WOF info, so nobody blames you if the product doesn't match the company's description.
Solo2 vs. Zoro -- which sounds better?
Imagine all of those high end portable and transportable rigs, all those expensive DAPs and portable DAC/Amps, attached to a pair of Beats headphones… It would be a sight which we would previously have thought to be mad
I have the m-100 but find the bass to be a tad lacking at lower volumes but clarity awesome. will swapping the solo 2s solve this?. which headphone do you think is better? and which one is better at lower volumes?. also you stated the solo2s were better than any you heard in the beats line-up. does this include the the current gen beats pros as well?
why is it impossible for a manufacturer to improve their product without folks attacking a reviewer for pointing out that it is improved?
Beats have had a bad rap from the head fi community with good reason. now it seems that with ONE model they have produced something that sounds pretty good. is this unexpected from their past record? yes. is it impossible, given their resource? no.
attacking Tyll for a positive review, especially when he looks rather uncomfortable with having to back off on his earlier (and accurate) negative comments concerning the Beats line is just wrong.
methinks that personal attacks on reviewers should carry no weight whatsoever.
the GYTW and my experience with the reviews on Inner Fidelity has been that what Tyll hears and what we hear have been pretty much spot on.
or you can discount a positive review simply based on the maker (or for that matter, discount all models of cans simply based on the maker}, and remain in ignorance.
"beats have had a bad rap from the head-fi community with good reason"
Yeah, there's a shed load of beats haters on head-fi who are as ignorant audio snobs, still regurgitating the usual beats haters sound bites, "muddy bass" "plastic headphones for kids" etc.
I'd bet half these audio snob beats haters haven't even heard a pair of beats but enjoy the mob membership - wolves hunt in packs.
The solo2 IMO isn't alone in being an outstanding beats headphone - the mixr and Studio 2.0 wireless are excellent too, but make no mistake, I welcome Tyll's solo2 review wholeheartedly as he doesn't just throw up any old can onto the wall of fame, plus he's the only guy who can make this review that people will take seriously and pay attention to, especially the HF community.
If you've never eaten at a 5 star restaurant, than you don't quite know how good the food tastes there. Now people who dine at budget priced chain restaurants may complain about "snobs" who pick on the the mediocre quality of their entrées and then leave.
So are those fine diners snobs, or do they just appreciate quality food?
In audio, audiophiles who have heard excellent systems/own excellent rigs are beyond mediocrity. And so, they pinpoint the colorations in a headphone and are more conscious of materials used in their cans. I'm one of them.
A snob is be someone who disregards positives and amplifies negatives based entirely on bias and disregard for a manufacturer. (in this case) I've a friend who despises android phones and he's an apple fanboy. When I showed him the specs on my Sony phone, he came back with: ya but sony is cheaper. (my phone is a little under $700. He's a snob.
I guess based on your comments that I must be a fine dining audiophile and am beyond mediocrity as I have eaten at Michelin star hotels and have a fine collection of headphones including AUDEZE LCD-X, Sennheiser HD800, HIFIMAN HE-6, AKG K812 etc - you can check my full headphone and amp inventory at head-fi.com, my username is cb3723.
Within my inventory is a number of beats by dre headphones including the subject of this thread, namely the beats solo2, which in regards to Tyll's review, agree with wholeheartedly ;)
Bon appetite!
If you've got beats in your collection, then you enjoy colored sound from time to time I suppose. And you enjoy the way the way they're colored.There's nothing wrong with that.
Happy listening!
The leading edge of the 300 Hz wave looks to indicate the top octave roll-off or "thickness". I'd be interested to audition these in a more clinical setting (i.e. NOT Best Buy).
I suppose my problem with Beats Electronics is less its headphones and more the business itself. Regardless of their measurements, it's still a company started by a snake-oil cable salesman and a hip-hop "artist" with a knack for mastering tracks to be irritatingly loud.
The plastic headphones themselves are made in China (Source: South China Morning Post) by under-paid workers who most likely have no pride in their craftsmanship. The logo is a blatant knock-off of the 1971 Stadt Brühl logo by German designer Anton Stankowski and their marketing is disgustingly targeted toward uninformed consumers with superiority complexes.
My opinion of the company alone would prevent me from ever recommending a Beats product to anyone. There are companies with far better values and ethics that deserve the business.
That being said, business practices have no place in an objective headphone review. I'd like to commend you on an honest review of a controversial product. Cheers!
They cut ties with Monster, who now has their own headphone line, probably a big blow to Monster's potential growth. The Verge had an interesting article on the debacle surrounding that whole situation...
With Apple buying Beats in the midst of lawsuits from Bose, it's bind to get even more curious, in a train wreck kinda way. They're laughing all the way to the bank tho...
It's indeed a very unexpected and nice surprise to read this review about the new Beats Solo2.
How would you compare them to the latest Beats Studio model?
It's in a different category, how would you compare the audio quality of the Beats Solo2 vs the Audio Technica M50X?
Those measurements are not exactly what I'd call good, Tyll. Perhaps I'm reading it wrong but those square waves are awful and the IR suggests a slow driver with significant chamber resonations. The FR is smooth enough I suppose but the treble just falls off a damn cliff.
They're definitely better than the originals but with headphones like the K/Q701 available, how could you possibly say these are worth $200?
"Awful"? No, you're right, you don't know how to read the charts.
You're comparing a small, lightweight portable to full-sized, over-ear cans? Really? That's an entirely different category of product. That's like saying a Mercedes C-Class has a smoother ride and more features than a Fiat 500. Again, really?
If it can be had at around the same price, then why not? Sure, you could compare a Fiat and a Mercedes. Suppose both are $35K But if the Mercedes includes a GPS, stylish leather interior, a more powerful engine, and a more desirable design - then wouldn't it be logical to choose the Mercedes over the Fiat?
Or, you could choose Fiat and say: "Well I guess they're doing better this year." - And yes, slowly but surely beats will improve their sound quality -incrementally. This way, they'll make chunks of profit over a period of time.
They aren't the type, they aren't in the same class, they aren't even targeted at the same audience. No. Actually, hell no. As I said before, a person isn't going to be shopping a C-Class and a Fiat 500, they have entirely different markets. In an AKG, it's more apples-to-apples to compare these to the Q460, another highly portable on-ear.
...suddenly means we have to hold the headphone to lower standards? Seriously? Closed CAN match open if done right and I've heard two on-ears now that are significantly superior to over ears of the same price/caliber.
As for reading the sheets, here are my problems with the measurements:
1: Huge rounded overshoot on the 30Hz indicates an extremely thick and emphasized bass fart
2: Upwards slanting on the 300Hz indicates a hole in the midrange
3: Wiggling on 300Hz indicates either a lack of diaphragm control in the treble or resonation in the earcup (most likely both based off the IR)
4: Treble drops off after 10kHz
5: Bass distortion rises with volume
6: IR suggests a slight echo in the cups, slow decay, and low-level trampoline movement of the diaphragm typically indicative of treble hash and tizz
Look at the measurements for one of the most beloved sets of headphones in all of Head-Fi: http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/SennheiserHD650.pdf
Yeah, they shouldn't sound as good as they do: 1. horribly peaked 30Hz square wave that isn't even square at all. 2. Rounded and loose 300Hz wave. 3. Approaching 3% THD in the sub bass region (meaning they should be rather muddy). However, the graphs don't tell the whole story, you have to listen to them, and with the right amplification they are rather extraordinary. The Solo2s measure fine for such a small, portable on-ear, within the almost strictly image-driven mainstream market, they're a breath of fresh air in that segment and deserve their accolades.
And you know, if Beats finally starts receiving a little critical acclaim, for a change, they may just decide to start putting even more cash into R&D, which could even benefit us. They can spend >20x more than any other headphone maker, and that kind of money could change the hobby forever.
"This highly regarded headphone measures poorly too so that makes it alright."
This is what you sound like.
The point is, measurements aren't everything, never have been. I don't listen to charts, I listen to music. Also, it's a compact portable, there are going to be compromises.
Headphone performance is everything when it comes to immersion in music, and measurements are the most reliable metric available to gauge a headphone's performance. There are a few things they indeed cannot tell us (presentation/soundstage/imaging being the primary one) but they still give us a good 80-90% of the picture.
There don't have to be compromises. The ER-4PT is one of the most accurate sound reproduction tools on the planet and it's smaller than any of the gear we're talking about. Granted it's $500, but we're not talking about differing prices, we're talking about differing performance between headphones at the same price range.
Again, you're off-base. An in-ear, seriously? That's another altogether different category, due to how the drivers are designed to react inside the ear canal, they're completely different in terms of dynamics.
There are different design rules for different types of headphones but that does NOT mean that one is inherently worse than the other.
Yes, one form factor is harder to develop for than the other, with different challenges, get over it, already.
No, it is not, but believe what you want. Enjoy your overpriced headphones.
You were the one who was recommending Q/K701s to start this off, which along with being much more bulky, also have a much higher MSRP, by nearly double. You're being terribly inconsistent with your arguments.
What are you talking about? I was talking about their tiny size and portability. They aren't in the same class.
There is no god forsaken "class" system, headphones are headphones.
There are no inherent design flaws with using small enclosures over large ones, or closed enclosures over open, despite what headphone companies would like you to believe. They use it as an excuse to under-engineer their equipment and the people who allow that misconception to survive (you) are enabling them to do so.
Horse-hockey. I've spent 100s of hours modding and testing Fostex T50RPs, there are many more challenges to a small, closed enclosure. You're grossly uninformed.
Cool, the T50RP is an inherently flawed headphone and no amount of mods can fix it. Modding an already existing headphone is not even anywhere near the same thing as engineering one from the ground up.
Now I know you're trolling, because modded T50RPs are some of the best bang-for-buck purchases you can make. You're sounding more ignorant as this goes on, you know?
If you need closed then yes, they are. That's not my point. My point is you are not in full control of the headphone's design, and you cannot overcome certain problems when you're only modifying the enclosure.
But you said there were no additional inherent problems. Which is it? Either they are more tricky to develop or they aren't, you can't have it both ways.
Stock T50RPs: http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/FostexT50RP2011A.pdf
MY modded T50RPs that I made myself (tested by Tyll): http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/FostexT50RPDIYModifiedMagicman.pdf
What you are talking about is not designing a headphone from scratch. This is modifying an existing design, using that design's flawed transducer in a better enclosure.
While there is an obviously significant improvement over the stock RP and a startling lack of closed headphones available that perform similarly (nice job on the bass control), the odd order THD is very high across the board and the high treble rolls off. There is nothing you can do about these things because they are borne from the driver. If you were able to tweak the driver itself, you could probably fix these issues as well with enough effort.
The issue here is that headphone companies don't bother trying to fix these sorts of problems, and just release it as-is. Usually, you can only get a truly well-thought-out, consistent, properly tweaked design when you shell out more than a grand.
When you factor in the cost of modding materials, a modded T50RP should come to about $135 -- maybe less if you catch a sale on B&H. The Qs are $200. Not much of a difference imo and the performance increase is quite disproportionate; you are getting a headphone that is 95% of the HD800 with a few differences here and there for under 1/5th of the cost.
Magick Man - I think it would be wise for you to just quit posting your responses. You aren't making any sense. Headphones are headphones, and that's why they don't track so well with price. That's why there's diminishing returns, and that's why you'll never understand what others are telling you.
I'd rather have a headphone that provides sound quality "just as it has been recorded"than to have a showpiece which promises accurate sound reproduction.
You can continue to support beats on their incremental sound quality boosts, and like I said in a previous post - they'll move at a turtles pace. Don't you understand how the hifi business works?
Big bucks homie slice!
Yeah, you're an ass, and an elitist one at that. Go soak your head in ice for a while, maybe it'll take the swelling down. Nothing that's $200 will give a person "just as it has been recorded", but keep believing that you have the answers to all of the industry's woes, sport. You failed as soon as you started posting on this topic, because your type of person is what's wrong in head-fi.
So, yeah I WILL support Beats' SQ improvements, because it's the right direction, unlike effete snobs, like you.
"Nothing that's $200 will give a person "just as it has been recorded""
The Qs are very, very close. Just a tiny bit better bass extension and slightly faster decay, and they're the HD800.
I own them, they aren't that great. Their detail retrieval is sub-average for their price point. However, you can't just throw them into a briefcase or purse (or even a jacket pocket) and go, and that's the whole point. With the Solo2, you can.
and their bass below 30Hz is nonexistent.
There is no bass below 30Hz, all there is is a loose subbass rumble. And no electrodynamic driver can reproduce below 30 Hz in sufficient volume.
Try the Fostex TH900, their 1.5T drivers are amazing.
No headphone will give you what is "just as it has been recorded" unless it's a binaural recording. And even then the Q701 doesn't achieve that goal considering its soundstage that is very wide but has very little depth. The Q701 is a bright, drying sounding HP with some unevenness in its treble, an emphasized upper-midrange that gives it an unrealistic glare. And you already mentioned the lack of bass extension and impact. And this is coming from someone who owns and likes the Q701 - an excellent sounding HP for $200. When you compare it more expensive HPs like the HE560 it becomes thoroughly outclassed in all technical performance as well as tonality.
"No headphone will give you what is "just as it has been recorded""
Are you calling 'Dr.Dre' a liar ?
Dre can't lie, he's an employee of Apple now.
Would Apple lie?
Yes they would, for profit. Generally many marketing slogans contain truths that are so stretched that they become lies.
Indeed you understand headphones. I appreciate your comment and agree with your prior.
Comment was for takato
Mrs ForBin here (aka GYTW). I must say, well done Tyll!! I really liked your review of the Solo 2s. I think that you gave an honest review and admitted a manufacture can evolve and grow and produce a product that the public (should) enjoy hearing.
Personally, I do appreciate Tyll's reviews because they give both the objective (measurements) and subjective ('I thought...') review that makes me feel that he is looking at all sides of the product for the listeners. Having studied music since I was 6, however, I am Very Picky as to what goes into my ears. If I can't see the music, then the headphones suck. Tyll does a good job in describing the headphones to help me decide what would be good for my ears, though the headphones may not be what others may like.
That being said, you did say a few things that lean me towards not getting these headphones. I appreciate that the treble sounds neutral, but you said that the upper ranges were 'muddy' and 'not very articulate' while the bass is a little heavy. Since my ears lean towards wanting more of an accentuated upper range to hear the upper tones, I don't think these would work well for me. I am all for rocking out sometimes, but I do like those classic tunes as well.
That being said, I think this is why Tyll does what he does so well. He presents the facts, along with his own subjective thoughts, and lets you, the listener decide. And let's admit it: Though we may want to hear what the performer is trying to convey, what we listen to is subjective and we should get the cans that meet our own desires.
Thanks again for the review Tyll. Keep up the great work!!
My two cents on the matter, in the Beats price range :
Closed headphones - Audio Technica A900X or a bit improved version A900XLTD. Buy from Japanese stores and not from Ebay as there are fakes being sold on Ebay. [if you need help to figure out how to buy email me - firstname.lastname@example.com] Great overall headphones, will do classical; on some badly mastered tracks of popular or rock music the treble might need to be EQ down a bit
[Semi]Open ones - Philips Fidelio L2
I've felt that you've been tilting at windmills with your anti-Beats campaign, but it's commendable that you're prepared to give credit it where it's due here and to acknowledge the limitations of headphone measurements.
...you've got to hand it to them for one thing: their products have gotten consistently better-sounding with each release (especially the current Studio's and these Solo2's).
At least, that's what I've gathered from reviewers I trust. :)
Would you say that these are a better sounding headphone than the beyerdynamic dt 1350s??? Just wondering which is better by comparison...
I've heard both and the Beyers are better if you want more detail retrival and a flatter response overall. The beats arent worth it as far as sound/build quality goes.The Beyers are warm sounding though, and they hardly ever sound harsh. I think you'd enjoy them.
If you want a wooden headphone that outperforms both, check out the ZAGG ZR-LE. They're warm in the mids with crisp treble, and the bass quality is great too.
For which style of music? For modern Pop, the Solo2 appears to be better. If you're into classical or Jazz, then you should probably choose the DT1350s.
I found the Solo 2s to be very competent headphones, but I have to say I am a little surprised that they made it to the hall of fame. I would place them behind the Beyerdynamic DT-1350 and the V-Moda XS. I would maybe put them on par with Momentum on-ears, but the Beats have inferior build quality - at least the model I had made an occasional squeaky sound when I moved my head. Still, Beats have made a lot of progress and offer good sound for a fair price (compared to the competition - I still feel headphones are overpriced in general).
Brave of you to post that review Tyll, given the community's overall hatred for Beats. I thought the last gen Pros were acceptable, if overpriced. Anyway, I'm excited that the general public will be consuming better quality audio, for a change, maybe it'll herald the dawn of a brighter future for the industry as a whole.
Don't feel butt-hurt, it's nothing personal. There are superior options available for less dough; regardless of if they're on ear, over-ear or in ear options. Do you really believe most Head-Fiers "hate" beats headphones? Nah, they just know better.
The pro's were not acceptable for the money. Do you feel a strong sense of pride in defending beats headphones, or are you just excited for the general public?
Don't' forget! They still need a good source and quality source material. A good pair of headphones paired with an inferior rig is an uphill battle. Oh, and hardwood floors and great speakers! That's a reflective nightmare. The general public needs to be informed, and I don't think there's anyone who could enlighten them as well as Tyll.
Your evangelism against Beats is noted (repeatedly). "Know better"? What does that even mean? Head-Fiers are already biased and good headphones from Beats won't sway their opinions? Geez, you're the one who sounds butt-hurt, and an audio snob, to boot.
If Tyll likes them, then he likes them, and no amount of you wandering around his site trying to disparage his opinion will change that. Do I feel a "strong sense of pride"? What's that about? My statement was self-explanatory: "I'm excited that the general public will be consuming better quality audio, for a change". The Solo2 is far better than its predecessor, and as a mainstream product that will sell millions upon millions of units (even more now that Apple owns them), it can't help but have a positive impact on all of personal audio. That's good for them and all audio fans.
Thank you for your comment which I agree with to a point.
I believe that Tyll's review genuinely has the capacity to change minds and perception bias, largely because he is so well respected in the head-fi community and the audio world in general.
Of course, the most hardened beats hater would condemn even a beats rebranded Sennheiser Orpheus, but in the few days since Tyll's review broke, I have noticed many members showing genuine interest in the solo2 that they most likely would never have previously entered their minds as a good sounding credible on ear headphone.
I know in the Mission thread, sszorin was skeptical of the Solo2 to the point of saying that they contained a circuit to boost treble. Since this is certainly the offspring of the cans that made Dr. Dre a billionaire, they certainly deserve a thorough examination. Have you taken them apart and seen whether any circuits are present and to examine the construction?
Since generally for years the Beats were not getting good reviews in the more knowledgeable audio community, to the point of embarrassment, the Beats execs asked the Chinese designer of Beats line of headphones and its manufacturer to improve its sound. The Chinese tweaked the sound of these headphones by toning down the bass a little and by boosting the treble a bit, all this without having to redesign the Beats drivers. They used a circuitry within the earcups to tweak the electro-acoustic signal.
Here are some photos of this circuitry [just scroll down a bit]
Measurement charts look astoundingly similar to the Noontec Zoro HD measurement charts... coincidence??
Hi Tyll,
I currently own the noontec zoro hd as an exercise headphone, it is lightweight, comfortable and I like the sound quality a lot, however, I think it is time to upgrade. Would you recommend me the Solo's 2 or should I buy another pair of Zoros?
Tyll hello, great review as always. I have negative feelings towards Beats headphones like most of the audiophile community. Maybe I should go to an Apple Store and try them.
Currently I have Onkyo ES-HF300 as portable headphones. It's a rather thin sounding (compared to Momentum) headphone with good detail retrieval and bass. How do you think compare to Beats Solo 2? Would buying Solo 2 be an upgrade or sidestep (or downgrade)? Onkyos are cheaper.
Also, is Beyerdynamic T51P better than both?
I mostly listen to modern genres (EDM, pop, alternative rock) but also some jazz and classical.
BTW, I ordered a set of Solo 2s yesterday, just to see what the fuss is about. I'll post back when I've had a chance to listen to them.
Cool beans bru - what colour did you choose?
Just noticed Apple UK also have the solo2 in matt white finish also, http://bit.ly/XyEc1S - it's so white that it makes the white gloss finish one look light grey.
I've had the solo2 from the day they were released in UK and really appreciate the sound and form factor of these headphones.
Such a big step in the right direction for beats and they deserve Tyll's accolade for this, IMO.
Looking forward to your impressions.
FWIW, here's link to my first impressions made at head-fi should you have an interest http://bit.ly/XyFwBN
Please do and I hope that Mr.TAD91 gets involved because I've found your exchange of posts hilarious.
Replying here post site revamp is dodgier than it used to be. Restoring the edit function would be helpful.
These vs onkyo es fc300?
As I personally find the measurements with that curve to look more like the headphones sound, I like that you are doing this. Hope to see more Olive curve frequency responses in future reviews.
I will say that the measurements are pretty good, though not outstanding as you mentioned and they portray the flaws mentioned. I find that when the measurements don't explain things well it's because they aren't interpreted well.
I'll start from the midrange and treble. The Solo2 is more refined than both. The Momentum here is the worst of the three with a hole in the 4k region and small peaks in the 2k and 8k regions. XS are very neutral in the midrange and treble, except a very apparent 3k peak, which I know Lachlan had complained about in his review, similar to what happens with some AKG headphones. Solo2s do have a small 5k bump but stay very controlled throughout the range like the XS. While the Solo2s treble response drops a bit more past 10k than the other two, it actually has better treble extension than both.
Solos have the lowest distortion, while the XS and Momentums have audible distortion in the bass, attributing to their mentioned looseness here. Matter of fact, I think Solo2s is among the lowest distortion I've seen on an on-ear portable headphone.
XS and Momentum have very similar bass characteristics, both jump below 300hz to about 5-7hz above neutral in the midbass region [subbass boost is debateably relatively neutral]. The Solo2 however starts jumping early in the 700hz region to about 10db above neutral in the midbass region. This becomes the caveat of this headphone as it darkens the whole sound even though there is refinement throughout the range.
I'll say, use the bass reduction EQ in iOS and this Solo2 should sound very nice for those that want a relatively easy way to make them sound better.
I'll look in into the Thinksound ON1 Tyll. It measures better than these 3 in purely frequency response, though I'll have to see if the distortion levels and tracking are good.
I've got the thinksound On1, and I find it very, very good sounding, and if any on ear headphone could come along and knock the Momentum, xs and solo2 off the WOF, I'd wager that the On1 is the can that could very well do it....
The thinksound On1 has been released for a little time now - can't we give the solo2 a little time to soak up it's WOF status for a decent stretch of time? Lol :D
You know, I did recommend the On1 to Tyll for reviewing - I think I sent him a personal message through this site a while back last year and never thought about it again till when you mention it here now.
Oh well, guess we'll have to wait and see what Tyll makes of the On1 himself :)
You may want to contact thinksound's CEO Aaron Fournier for info on some replacement part they were making from die cast metal to ensure a more durable headband.
The last email I got from Aaron was March this year where he stated that the part would be available from 3 weeks from date of email, and that I'd receive email around that time with details on how to proceed with fixing any issues I had with my pair of On1's, not that I found any issues with my pair, but it sounds as there has been issues with other On1 customers that has prompted this replacement part.
I've not had any further email correspondence from thinksound since, but I get strong impression that thinksound are a company that is small enough to care and resolve any issues quickly.
Amazing sounding wood ear cup on ear cans though for sure.
$80? Wow, that's a great price for the Fidelio M1 - Amazon UK has it listed around just £20 cheaper than the solo2, so not such a variance in price to Amazon USA I guess, but from what I gather the M1 is now discontinued by Philips.
I've not heard the M1 myself but have the Fidelio X1 and love it, though obviously totally different type of headphone to the M1 and solo2 for sure.
I personally don't think the price of the solo2 is a rip off, I think the refined sound signature, comfort, form and ease to use as a portable on the go type of headphone give it value that I appreciate.
Also the subtle svelte design of the solo2 really appeals to me especially on colours such as the black and dark blue models which don't attract attention unlike more bold colours such as the red and pink models.
Also very worth mentioning, Beats by Dr. Dre contributes a portion from the purchase price of every Beats by Dre (PRODUCT)RED Solo2 Headphones to the Global Fund to fight AIDS.
Now that's pretty noble and generous of beats & Dre to do this for such a worthy cause.
in one of your earlier responses Tyll You stated 'graphs don't lie' but i submit the graph below comparing the Grado PS500 vs Koss PortaPro as proof that fr graphs are not always to be trusted when it comes to headphone performance level or over all value.
anyone who looks at this graph would presume the $45 PortaPro would not only hold their own against the $595 Grado PS500 but in fact outperform them,and yet anyone who has heard both headphones knows that notion is laughable,it would be the same as saying a Honda Civic was faster or better built than a Bugatti Veyron,and this is not a knock against the PortaPro for the price they are fine headphones but they are not (despite these measurements) anywhere close to providing the incredible experience the PS500's offer.
Pretty surprising review, Tyll, but not for the obvious reason. I'm surprised that you praise these phones so highly despite that broad hump in the lower midrange. I do a lot of live-concert restoration and have found the 125-250Hz range to be THE critical range to attenuate in order to reduce muddiness, tame excessive reverb, improve inner detail, or exact overall improvements in soundstage, imaging, & focus. It's hard to believe that this anomaly in the Solo2 isn't a dealbreaker. In fact, a similar (but admittedly subtle) hump in my Audeze LCD-3's response is the main reason I'm considering investing $600 in a stator upgrade). Given the huge range of possible EQ-based colorations, this one is to my ears, one of the worst.
Then again, I dunno -- I haven't heard these cans myself. Are you maybe talking about just a fractional decibel rise here?
Beats reign at my high school, but now I can tell them that if you want much better sound buy the Beats V2 if your parents are going to drop 2 bills on a set of can for your phone. At $200 it is time to expect much more and glad they deliver it. Me I'm sticking with the 2 pairs of Sony 7506's for my studio and my AKG 701s.
I bought the Solo 2 at the Apple store just for the hell of it and to have something small and decent that I could leave in the glovebox of my car. Compared to my Amperiors I found them more uncomfortable and less resolving so I returned them. It was only later, and in retrospect, that I realized how good of a job they did without doing anything offensive (the Amperiors have a bit of rough edge in the upper frequencies). Doing nothing glaringly wrong is a pretty big deal for me so I think I'm going to have to go back and repurchase them.
P.s. As good as the Momentums are the bass is so floppy and and lacking in definition I simply could not abide them. The fact that he Beats 2 don't seem to be in any way particularly offensive is a HUGE plus in a headphone of this type designed to be run out of a portable source.
Great review Tyll. Unfortunately I missed hearing the Beats Solo2, because I had written off the Beats for so long.
In my case, I bought the V-MODA XS at RMAF last weekend because I felt that they had the fewest faults in a $200 portable closed headphone, with the smallest portable package when folded up. I'll use these until the XS Master series, aka "Hi-Res" balanced version is available.
I do like the more prominent highs in the Momentum on-ear, but not their looser base (which I posted about last year vs the M-80). The Momentum over-the-ear treble was a little too much at times, with even looser bass.
In contrast, I thought the XS highs are smooth although slightly recessed, and don't cause fatigue or sibilance, but a little more sparkle would be nice with some amps or sources. However, I consider the XS treble to be less offensive with highly compressed low bit-rate music.
The XS bass is still tight and punchy, although not as prominent as that of my V-MODA M-100 which are my favorite portable phones. While the M-100 treble is also softer and smoother than the Momentum, I believe that they don't feel as rolled off as the XS's treble because the M-100 mids are not as forward as the XS mids (or the M-80).
If there is anything I would change about the XS, it would be to make the mids slightly less forward and more balanced vs the bass and treble. I'm not sure how to do that because pulling out a few dB in the mids with EQ in iTunes kills some of the life from the XS.
I look forward to the chance to try the Beats Solo2 sometime, but with owning the V-MODA M-80, XS, and M-100 I'm not sure I'll be compelled to buy a pair. Heck, if my ATH-ESW10JPN had any isolation from outside noise at all then I'd be using them all the time instead.
Just a note--on your "Wall of Fame" page the Beats 2 review link takes you to the Sennheiser review instead.
hi! I totally loved your point of view, I like when people are open mind enough to change their opinion. I am not a beats fan, I am not even an hater. My point of view is going a bit far than the simple discussion if those headphones are good enough or not. I own a recording studio, and, of course, I am not using beats to mix (actually, we all know that you CAN'T mix on headphone, unless you want a second listen or just fix few things) but I also can't ignore the fact that almost the whole world is listening to their favorite music with them, and our job is making music good to listen. I won't use those headphones to mix, they are not flat, and I can't use them as a reference to mix, but I am gonna have them just to realize how appealing the music will be once listened into them. I honestly had the chance to try them in a shop (I must say, not with the music I will work on, or my fav genre - basically rock, metal) they were almost appealing, the sound was not that bad, surely not "sincere", boosting bass freq enough but with a very good overall sound. I was curious in particular about your opinion regarding their construction, honestly I had the sensation that they are very delicate and weak, ready to be easily broken, they do not looks that solid, am I wrong? plastic looks pretty cheap to me, also lot of people complain about that.
It may be an off topic argument, but I also think that even if we don't like those headphones, we really can't ignore them just for the fact that they are almost everywhere. what do you think about?
btw, thank you so much for your review!
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