When you open up the box, it's pretty exciting and a very cool affair. Any teen (or cooler adult) would be pleased to receive this as a gift set, I am certain. You get the headphones themselves, two 3.5mm cables - one is red and that's for MP3 players and the other one is black with a built-in microphone and a 'ControlTalk' remote for iPhones/iPods. You also get an aeroplane adapter and a small adapter for use with your stereo at home. Also included is a hard carry case with a thick climber's clip attached. Another extra is a cleaning cloth to wipe off the greasy marks that these phones are prone to pick up. The headphones are noise-cancelling if you flick a switch on the right earcup - this feature needs some standard batteries but luckily, some come with the pack. I was surprised to be told that these headphones do leak some sound so you can still expect some annoyed glances from other bus-users if your volume is up too high (which it shouldn't be if you want to protect your hearing!).

The design of these earphones can be compared to some much much cheaper £50 Shure ones I have seen online. I think that Monster Beats have the edge though - they are very sleek and actually very comfortable. The ear-cups have a swivel mechanism for extra comfort. I find it very cool that on the outside of the right ear-cup you can depress the red 'b' logo for mute! That's extremely handy for when you bump into a friend in town or for when you are buying something at the till.

Interestingly, the cable on these earphones is made of steel. I listen to mainly punk, indie and alternative music and these are great for these genres. The bass is deep and powerful. You can buy good earphones for half the price of these, of course. I suspect that you are paying for Dr.Dre's name. Not a bonus to me as I am not a hip-hop fan, as a rule! I must admit that the design was a big pull for me. I was delighted to find that these earphones actually stay on my head as the grip is ok even for smaller heads. This has been a big problem for me in the past. The ear-cups are very squashy and comfy, it has to be said.

These earphones are a big investment and I love the look of them and am very happy with the sound. However, you can get other good quality phones online for a much much cheaper price. It's your call...