Beats by Dr. Dre Executive review

Essentially a fancier version of the Beats Studio, Dre's Executive cans add noise cancelling, more metal in their construction, and more elaborate packaging than ever.

The ear-cups are also thicker and more plush and the headband bigger. There's some added weight, but the overall effect is more one for the added comfort. The fold-able design also protects the cups in transit, with a new slimline carry case ensuring the Executives travel in first-class style.

Sound is excellent: loud, bassy and forceful. They don't lack in detail by any means, but they're also certainly not subtle. For hip-hop, dance, rock and the more strident end of classical, it does the job, though they can also deliver mellower numbers effectively in that's your bag.

The built-in noise-cancelling is more troublesome. It works well enough against the background hum of a train, bus or private jet but does impart a little hiss, and its can't be turned off, which means that when your two AAA batteries run out, so do you musical japes. At this price, that's a pretty jarring oversight.