Dre Beats unleashes Solo 2 Wireless for "the haters". Haters of wires, specifically

Nowadays it seems like everybody has got something to say. But what comes out when they move their lips? "Wow, those headphones are expensive and overly bassy," mainly, if it's people of the audiophile persuasion.

However, for the millions who love Beats by Dre's style, sound and enormously lucrative Apple affiliation, there's now the Solo 2 Wireless. Launched yesterday on Beats by Dre's turf on the Apple Store, this pairs the classic Dre styling in a choice of black, red, white or blue, with, obviously, wireless sound. That's got a quoted 10 metre range and 12 hour battery life.

Unlike some older wireless on-ear headphones, although very much like most newer wireless on-ear headphones, there's tthe ability to use the Solo 2 Wireless with a wired connection, specifically the trademarked RemoteTalk cable, should your battery flag. There's also a mic and earcup-mounted audio controls for your certified Apple smartphone.

At 215g they're not unbearably heavy and the smart, streamlined frame folds up for easier storage. The wirelessness is via Bluetooth, of course, though not the higher definition Apt-X variant, as far as we can make out. Our reviewer has given his initial verdict: comfy, "loving" the sound, and battery life seems decent. We'll have a more nuanced version of that later.

Fact is, we're agnostic on Beats headphones - their detractors can be annoyingly shrill, which is ironic given the nature of their complaints, and the best Beats 'phones sound propulsive and engaging with the right types of music. The styling always impresses too, though it could stand a bit of a refresh at this point.

But are they worth the decidedly premium asking price - five pence shy of 270 quid in this case? Well, that's up to you, innit. Our street team is road testing them now and we'll have a full review shortly.