It's been a long time coming, but a day after Beats officially announced its sale to Apple for $3 billion, it released the successor to its on-ear Solo , one of the most popular headphones in the world.

The Beats Solo 2 on-ear headphones are sturdier and better-sounding than the original Solos, with somewhat more balanced sound and strong, tight bass; They offer a relatively comfortable fit and have an inline remote and microphone for making cell phone calls.

Fairly pricey; some people may find they fit too snug

For quite some time now, Beats has been one of the most highly visible brands in the world of consumer audio, and considering the company has recently been acquired by Apple, it isn't likely that will slow down any time soon.

Looking for a new pair of headphones? Have a look at the Beats Solo 2 by Dre headphones, here's our Beats Solo 2 unboxing hands on video. ...

Since first pair of Beats was released in 2008, the brand has had somewhat of a negative stigma attached to it. Audiophiles have panned the headphones' bass heavy sound, dubbed them over-priced and dismissed them as nothing more than a fashion accessory.

I've never really liked Beats headphones. I think they look gaudy, they're overpriced, and they're aimed at buyers more concerned with fashion than frequency response. For all these reasons, I'm really conflicted about the new Beats Solo2 - since they're actually pretty damn good.

I'm a finicky person when it comes to headphones. Not so long ago, I pined for over-ear headphones, thinking they were cool. Then I stopped wearing them in a while and went back to in-ear buds, because, in hindsight, they're more comfortable than headphone cups.

Beats headphones have achieved a level of notoriety based on their style, but the sound they offer isn't for everyone. Often touted as headphones for urban music-rap and hip-hop-the Beats sound doesn't transfer well to all genres.

Beats is without a doubt one of the most popular and well-known headphones being sold today. Beats made its mark on the audio business in the last decade that left it reigning supreme on top of the list of best headphones.

Beats headphones have gotten a lot of criticism over the past few years especially from the global hardcore audiophile community. Their main issue was that the buyer could get headphones with superior sound quality at a much lower price.

It's been a few months now but Beats has slowly revised their two flagship headphones the Beats Studio series and the Solo series. Doing this was necessary to shave off any excessive fat they had associated with Monster and also just give their products new life.