> Because their main job is to reproduce sound in
> an acceptably accurate manner?
Check the frequency response graph of almost any speaker or headphone in the sub-$1,000 range (and quite a few over that price as well). Peaks and valleys all over the place. They're not trying to sound "accurate," they're trying to sound pleasing.
And this isn't even a bad thing. Just understand that sound quality isn't objective, unless you're judging things by how flat their frequency response curve is -- and the headphones/speakers trying to achieve that are generally aimed at audio engineers.
Sure, but the GBP169(!) Solo's (not tried the full sized Beats) really don't sound good (I used a pair for an afternoon and was hugely disappointed by them), they are truly the epitome of a high performance car body wrapped around a lawn mower engine. I mentioned this in another comment, my 15 quid Sennheiser CX300 buds sounded way better than these overpriced fashion statements.
I agree that sound quality isn't objective when it comes to hearing what passes through one's ear holes, but the sound reproduction that passed into my ears from these Solos was noticeably and objectively bad. I don't need a fancy graphs to tell me that.
I should add that I did actually like the construction and build of the Solos.
And this isn't even a bad thing. Just understand that sound quality isn't objective, unless you're judging things by how flat their frequency response curve is -- and the headphones/speakers trying to achieve that are generally aimed at audio engineers.