Headphones

You never really know what you’re going to get here on the blog. One week, it might be a deep reflection on the mysteries of life; the next, it could be a story about some dorky gadget that I bought. (In case you haven’t guessed by now, this week’s article falls into the later category.) But to be honest, both are on brand for me because both are important parts of who I am. So this week, I’m here to tell you the story of the headphone roller coaster I’ve been on over the past couple of weeks and what it taught me. I hope you like it.

A quick glance over my credit card statement reveals that in the past fourteen days, I have purchased three separate sets of headphones and returned two of them. Actually I’ve bought four if you count the pair we bought for Katherine; she was immediately happy with her purchase and didn’t give it a second thought. I, on the other hand, have been agonizing over which headphones to buy and which to keep for far too long.

I guess you could say fretting over headphone purchases is a hobby of mine. When I bought my first pair of Beats Solo cans back in college, I sold them to my brother after wearing them once because I thought they made me look pretentious. When AirPods first came out a few years ago, I bought two pairs, one from Apple and the other from Best Buy, just to see who could get them to me first. I had to have them, and I had to have them right then.

I’ve tried just about every kind of headphone out there: ear buds, ear hooks, on-ears, over-ears, in-ears, wired, Bluetooth, Lightning. You name it, I’ve probably looked into it. It’s not that I’m even much of an audiophile. I’m just really interested in the technology and the design that go into making a good set of headphones.

And so when I heard a few weeks ago that Beats was preparing to release the newest version of their Solo headphones, I was intrigued. Since Apple owns them now, the Beats Solo Pro offer the same near-magical wireless connectivity as AirPods. But because they’re Beats, they also have the incredible sound and build quality that people have come to expect from the brand. To me, they represented the best of both worlds.

Beats had already impressed me with the Powerbeats Pro I picked up over the summer. Basically a sportier version of AirPods, the Powerbeats come in different colors and feature buttons to control your playback without having to pick up your phone. I had come to really enjoy the sound and especially the look of the Powerbeats, and so I was open to giving these new Beats a try.

At the same time I was eyeing the Beats Solo Pro, Katherine was in need of some new AirPods. The batteries on the first-gen pair I handed down to her were worn to the point that she could barely get through a single TV episode with them. Fortunately, they lasted just long enough that we were able to wait for the long-rumored AirPods Pro, which we ordered for her alongside my new Beats (in black, of course).

My new headphones and Katherine’s had a lot in common. Both featured the same W1 chip for connecting wirelessly to our phones and switching between our various Apple devices. Both included Apple’s new active noise-cancelling technology to help us focus on what we were listening to. And their price tags were in the same ballpark, though mine did admittedly cost a little more.

Basically, they were the same headphones in different form factors. Audio quality differed somewhat because the Beats could pack more punch into their bigger size. But as far as the features we cared about, we were getting the same thing, and we were both very excited to try them out.

When I say I loved the Beats Solo Pro, I mean I loved them. From the moment I pulled those headphones out of the box, I was hooked. They connected to my phone immediately, and when I put them on, the world around me disappeared. The noise cancellation was that good. And the sound—it was incredible. Much better than what I was used to with ear buds. I loved it.

But my favorite feature by far was the design. The way they looked was exactly what I was looking for in a pair of headphones. They were built well, not an inch of cheap, glossy plastic in sight. The color was a muted, matte black. And I loved the way I looked in them, which is not something I can say about much anything else.

When I put them on, I felt cool. I felt like I looked the way I want to. I felt like I was truly expressing myself.

Then came the headaches. No, not the figurative kind. Literal headaches.

At first, I thought it was just me, but over time, I came to admit that these headphones, as wonderful as they were, had one fatal flaw: They hurt. In order to block out noise, the Beats had to create a seal on my ear. And in order to do that, they had to press in on my head… hard.

Denial set in immediately. I’d read several reviewers who mentioned that they couldn’t wear these headphones because they caused discomfort, but I thought, “I’ve never had trouble with headphones before. I’ll be fine.” I tried to convince myself that they would “break in” and be a perfect fit if I just kept wearing them. No matter how hard I tried to stretch them out or find the right way to wear them, though, I always had a headache by the time I took them off.

When denial didn’t work, I tried downplaying and compromising. Would it really be so bad to experience a little bit of pain for something so awesome? Maybe I could limit the amount of time I use them and that would help. Or I could just learn to live with a headache.

The lengths to which I was willing to go to make these headphones work might seem over the top, but that’s how much I liked them. I really felt like these Beats were made just for me, and I did not want to give them up.

Of course, a little bit of time and a few chats with my wife led me to the conclusion that this wasn’t going to work. I couldn’t live in constant pain just to look cool, no matter how cool I looked. (Have I mentioned that I looked cool?) I agonized over the decision for several days, changing my mind many times, before finally admitting that my precious Beats Solo Pro couldn’t stay.

And so with great sadness, after spending only a short week with the coolest headphones ever, I packed them up and shipped them back to where they came from. I know it’s silly, but it was an emotional decision for me to make. I had found something that really connected with me, and giving that up wasn’t easy. But I knew it was for the best.

The only logical replacements were the AirPods Pro. I wasn’t particularly thrilled with the design or lack of color choices they offered, but I tried Katherine’s pair on, and they sounded great. The noise cancellation was actually just as good as the headphones I’d just sent back. I would have gone back to the Powerbeats, which are still really cool-looking, but once you’ve experienced noise cancellation, you realize that the world is just too noisy to go without it.

The problem was that I had already missed the initial rush to order AirPods Pro. The Apple Store was sold out and wouldn’t have more for a few weeks. Fortunately, Best Buy came through for me (just as they did with the original AirPods). They promised to have a fresh pair sent to me within a few days. So I ordered them, and then I waited.

You might be thinking, “Didn’t you say earlier that you ordered three pairs of headphones this week?” And you would be correct. In a move that only truly nerdy, impatient weirdos will understand, I ended up finding a pair of AirPods Pro for sale in town while I was waiting on my shipment to come in. I bought those instead and returned the pair that Best Buy sent me as soon as they arrived. I can’t say that I’m proud of this part of the story, but it got me my headphones earlier, so… 🤷🏽

A couple of weeks and lots of money-swapping later, I really do like my AirPods Pro. They don’t look as cool as the Beats Solo Pro, but they work just as well, and they are much more portable. They aren’t the perfect headphones, but they are certainly the right ones for me right now. I’m satisfied with them.

Just don’t be surprised if you read another post like this when they update the Powerbeats or revise the clamping pressure on the Beats Solo Pro. What can I say? I have a problem.

I try to learn from everything I experience in life, no matter how seemingly silly or petty. As you can probably tell, I’ve put a lot of mental and emotional energy into this headphone decision, and it’s led me to reflect on a few things.

First of all, it’s a reminder of how attached I can get to things. I’m not normally one to latch onto a physical possession like that, but something about those headphones just spoke to me. It’s a quirk, I know, but it’s a part of me, and this was a nice chance to recognize it.

Secondly, I had to learn to accept that, no matter how hard I tried, things weren’t going to go the way I wanted them to. It happens to all of us to varying degrees, but I’m not used to running into a brick wall. I like finding solutions and making things work. In this case, that wasn’t an option, and the only thing I could do was accept that.

And finally, this experience has helped me remember that just because things don’t go according to plan, that doesn’t mean they won’t end up where they’re supposed to be. I’m not infallible, my preferences aren’t the standard for what’s right, and not getting my way isn’t the end of the world. Everything is just fine—different from what I imagined, but fine.

TL;DR: I bought the most amazing headphones ever, and they didn’t fit me. I got all up in my feelings about it. Eventually, I exchanged them for a pair that work better for me, and despite all of my worrying, it turned out the way it was meant to all along.

If you actually read this, thank you. If you skimmed it and jumped to the end, I can’t blame you. I know this is different from what I usually write, but it’s what’s been weighing on my mind, and I thought someone might get something out of it. If you did, I’d love to know!

I promise I’ll stop talking about headphones now. On here, at least. No promises if you follow me on Twitter or we run into each other in person. It’s just such an interesting little nook of the technology world right now, and I love talking about it.

As always, thank you for reading. Next week we’ll talk about something less nerdy. I’ll see you then!