Key Points
- The Beats Pro by Dr. Dre x Graff are the most expensive headphones in the world, with a price tag of $750,000.
- The headphones feature 123 carats of Graff diamonds and 3.76 carats of rubies, making them a luxurious and extravagant accessory.
- Beats by Dr. Dre collaborated with Graff, a renowned jewelry company, to create these exclusive headphones.
- Despite their high price and luxurious design, the Beats Pro by Dr. Dre x Graff received criticism for their substandard audio quality and being seen as a tasteless fashion accessory.
The first thing most people assess on headphones is their audio quality. The primary use of pair of headphones is to listen to music, podcasts, audiobooks, and more. However, for the last fifteen years, headphones have also become statement pieces. Some people use them as part of an outfit when going out.
As a result, headphone manufacturers have also taken an interest in designing aesthetically pleasing devices to attract the segment of customers that appreciate audio quality and appearance. One headphone brand that exemplifies the emphasis on appearance is Beats by Dr. Dre.
The brand associated with hip-hop rapper and producer Dr. Dre has a long history of designing attractive headphones, many times in partnership with other celebrities to amplify their appeal. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the company made the most expensive headphones in the world, the Beats Pro by Dr. Dre x Graff. Keep reading to find out the story behind the most expensive headphones in the world.
4 Facts About the Most Expensive Headphones in the World
- The Beats Pro by Dr. Dre x Graff headsets are the most expensive headphones in the world. They have a retail price of $750,000.
- The headphones were made as a collaboration between Beats by Dr. Dre and Britain-based jeweler Graff.
- They contain gemstones such as diamonds and rubies plus the precious metal platinum.
- The headphones contain 123 carats of diamonds.
Beats Pro by Dr. Dre x Graff Specifications
The Beats Pro by Dr. Dre x Graff headphones have similar specifications to the standard Beats Pro headphones. The difference is the weight of the Beats Pro by Dr. Dre x Graff because of the jewels added to the device.
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Driver Size | 50mm |
| Frequency Response | 20 Hz – 20,000 Hz |
| Impedance | 16 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 115 dB |
| Connectivity | Wired, 3.5mm jack |
The History of the Beats Pro by Dr. Dre x Graff: What to Know
The history of the Beats Pro headphones by Dr. Dre x Graff is filled with celebrities. However, to understand the product’s connection to the stars, let’s learn more about the histories of the two brands.
History of Beats by Dr. Dre Headphones
Beats by Dr. Dre was founded by producer Dr. Dre and record label executive Jimmy Iovine in 2006. The company’s primary goal was to make accessories like headphones, earbuds, and speakers to deliver high-quality audio with minimal distortion. The co-founders sought the advice of notable celebrities like Pharell Williams and Gwen Stefani while developing their first product. The result was the launch of the Beats by Dr. Dre Studio headphones in 2008.
However, the audio accessories industry was and remains a competitive industry. Therefore, Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine banked on celebrity advertising to carve out a niche in the industry. Initially, it involved product placement in music videos. It later evolved into collaborations with celebrities and notable brands to create signature headphones and earbuds. By 2012, Beats by Dr. Dre had become the must-have pair of headphones.
History of the Graff Jewelry Company
On the other hand, Graff has a more storied history. The British jewelry company was founded by Laurence Graff in 1960. Laurence Graff’s beginnings in the jewelry industry began when he enrolled in an apprenticeship at London’s famed Hatton Garden Jewelry District at the age of fifteen.
After his apprenticeship, Graff opened a ring repair shop that would evolve into the eponymous Graff jewelry house in 1960. By 1962, he had two shops in London. Laurence Graff would build a glowing reputation within the jewelry industry. His company has handled some of the most recognizable gems of the past century. They include the Windsor Yellows, once owned by the Duchess of Windsor, the Lesotho Promise, the Wittelsbach-Graff, and the Graff Lesedi La Rona.
As noted previously, Beats by Dr. Dre has a reputation for working with celebrities and brands to create exclusive audio accessories. Therefore, it was not entirely surprising that the company chose to work with Graff sometime in 2011 or early 2012 to build the Beats Pro by Dr. Dre x Graff.
History of the Beats Pro by Dr. Dre x Graff
Beats and Graff worked together to create a pair of headphones that would be part of a fashion ensemble worn at the Super Bowl halftime show. The commissioned headphones would go on to be worn by singer Madonna and electronic dance music duo LMFAO at Super Bowl XLVI held on February 5, 2012, at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Beats Pro by Dr. Dre x Graff Versions: Each Edition
As mentioned earlier, the Beats Pro by Dr. Dre x Graff is based on the discontinued Beats Pro. Let’s take an in-depth look at both the Beats Pro and the Beats Pro by Dr. Dre x Graff.
Beats Pro
The Beats Pro has a sturdy build and design. The headband is made from steel, while the ear cups have an aluminum frame, meaning they can survive extensive use. The aluminum frames have a leather cover to cushion the ears; the headphones are comfortable to wear for hours. The ear cups also fit snugly around the ear, forming a tight seal that negates the need for noise-canceling technology. The aluminum and steel build contribute to the weight of 400 grams.
Regarding performance, the Beats Pro offers excellent bass and decent audio, thanks to its 50 mm audio drivers. They also have a wide frequency response range, which refers to the frequencies a pair of headphones can produce. The Beats Pro can produce frequencies as low as 20 Hz for Bass sounds and as high as 20,000 Hz for treble sounds.
Other performance specifications include an impedance of 16 ohms and a sensitivity of 115 dB. Impedance refers to the resistance a circuit exerts on the audio signal. In contrast, sensitivity refers to the volume the headphones will produce when connected to a specific amount of power or voltage.
Lastly, when the Beats Pro was sold, it was available in several colors, including black, black and red, white, red, pink and white, black and white, and black and silver. The Beats Pro had a $399 retail price tag when released in 2012. At the time, they were considered expensive for consumer headphones, but they can’t compete with the $750,000 price tag of the Beats Pro by Dr. Dre x Graff.
Beats Pro by Dr. Dre x Graff
Given the Beats Pro by Dr. Dre x Graff’s association with celebrities and internationally broadcasted events, one might ask what makes this particular pair of headphones so special. For starters, the headphones have 123 carats of Graff diamonds covering the earcups’ exterior and a section of the headband. That is the equivalent of 24.6 grams of diamonds.
It also contains 3.76 carats of rubies, equivalent to 0.752 grams on the earcups. Graff used the rubies to inscribe the Beats by Dr. Dre logo, a simple “b” at the center of each earcup’s exterior, and encircled them with diamonds. The Beats and Graff collaboration produced a pair of headphones with 126.76 carats (25.352 grams) of round-cut gemstones laid in platinum. The quantity and quality of precious metals used justify the headset’s rank as the most expensive headphones in the world.
Other design features include a white headband with Beats by Dr. Dre inscribed on it, white ear cup seals, and a detachable plug-in cable. Graff also signed the product and provided a certificate declaring the authenticity of the gemstones used to make it.
Given the number of jewels on the Dr. Dre x Graff headphones, they were initially reported to cost $1,000,000. However, the headphones were confirmed to be worth $750,000 when they were put up for sale.
Public Response
At the time of releasing the Beats Pro by Dr. Dre x Graff, the Beats brand was very popular in the United States, accounting for a considerable chunk of the market share for headphones retailing above $100. However, despite the brand’s popularity with the general public, it did not gain favor in the audiophile community.
Numerous audiophiles wrote articles that Beats by Dr. Dre headphones produced substandard audio quality at unnecessarily high prices. They also claimed several cheaper or equally priced headphones from other brands offered better sound quality. Moreover, the consensus was that the most expensive headphones in the world should be ranked from a performance and audio experience viewpoint.
Jewels are associated with traditional fashion items like necklaces, rings, and watches. Placing them on headphones, an accessory used to listen to music, rendered the device unusable in public because you must be on guard from the moment you step out of the house wearing them.
Therefore, it was no surprise when articles popped up bashing the Beats Pro by Dr. Dre x Graff for being a tasteless waste of money and resources. People could not understand why one would adorn a pair of headphones with so many jewels, hence writing off the headphones as a fashion accessory.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©dubassy/Shutterstock.com.
