PROS: Comfort, in-line volume control, stereo/mono switch for DJs.
CONS: Good, not great sound quality. Short cable.
PRICE: $60
So let’s address the elephant in the room. Wicked Audio’s new Solus headphones are meant to look like Beats by Dre. Are they a direct rip-off? Well, that’s for the lawyers to decide, but for under $100, they do sound pretty decent, and you can have that black-and-red flair without dropping a ton more cash.
The good: these cans are super comfy, no doubt about it. The cushions and head strap won’t cause any problems, even after a 3-hour DJ set. The swiveling cups are a bonus, and make mixing and cutting easier, and the addition of a stereo/mono switch is an incredibly useful DJ feature we hardly ever see on models in this price range. For budding DJs, and even professionals who want a cheap back-up pair of headphones, these might just be the perfect choice.
Now, the not-so-good: sound quality is just OK, bordering on good. We ran our test unit through a battery of DJ tests, spinning and mixing vinyl as well as digital tracks, and while we wouldn’t say audio fatigue set in quickly, there was a definite lack of clearly articulated bass; more often than not it came off as more boomy than defined. For hi-fi enthusiasts who want to listen to music for pleasure, this may pose a problem. In a club setting, it’s probably less of an issue. But, the midrange and high-end clarity was just fine. So if you can handle the artificial bass bump, you should have few complaints.
Overall, the Solus is a comfy, decent-sounding set of headphones that also has a few nice touches for the working DJ. You’d be hard-pressed to find something this good for the $60 price tag most online retailers are charging.
SPECS:
Driver: 40mm
Sensitivity: 105 dB
Freq. Range: 20Hz – 20kHz
Cable: 4 feet
Impedance: 32 ohms
Controls: Stereo/Mono and In-Line Volume