At this price point, you won’t find a better looking pair of cans. Overall, though, Beats leads the pack when it comes to design. For $200, you expect a more protective case, especially given that competitive devices including the special Star Wars edition Street by 50 offer that. The ability of the Solo 2 to fold up and the included soft carrying case make these fairly portable, too, but the lack of a hard case means while you’re able to carry them with you, you might not feel perfectly comfortable throwing these into a backpack with assorted heady items.
That said, the cord does seem thick and decently sturdy, despite the plasticky feel of the inline remote and cable housing, so hopefully it’s long-lasting.
It just feels a bit cheap compared to the overall quality of the Beats 2 headset itself, with a button response that’s not ideal either. If anything mars the Solo 2 design, it’s the included audio cable. They’re also quite light for cup-style headphones, and they feel comfortable on the ears and head, even when worn for prolonged periods. They borrow some design cues from the Studio line, which got an update last fall, and look dramatically better than the Solo HD, with smoother lines and more uniform color schemes. Design is where Beats excels, and the Solo 2 headphone is no exception.
