Frederik S
12-11-2007, 07:00 PM
[page=Introduction & Specifications]
Introduction
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/logovmoda.jpg
V-MODA differs from most in-ear-monitor companies because they focus on producing good looking earphones. Besides being good looking the Vibes which I will be taking a look at today have a much warmer sound signature than most in-ear-monitors (IEMs). This is largely because V-MODA doesn't aim to produce a pair of headphones with a natural response curve. Instead V-MODA has tried to imitate the response curve of a clubbing environment.
The thing that makes the V-MODA Vibe earphones stand out from the crowd is the fact that they feature an aluminum enclosure which not only looks good, but also makes them very durably compared to other in-ear-monitors.
The V-MODA Vibes come with three different sized ear tips right from small through medium to large. These tips are made out of silicon which produces an air tight seal between ear and monitor.
Specifications
Compatibility: all iPod, Zune, MP3, DVD, computer, and CD players
Included Accessories: black leather pouch, modawrap, six pairs of silicone ear fittings (S,M,L) in clear and black
Frequency Response: 12 Hz – 22 kHz
Speaker Driver: V-MASQUE dynamic technology, 9mm neodymium rare-earth magnet
Cable length: 32” plug to y-connector, 13.5” even-length earphone cables
Cable diameter: 2.2mm optimal for sport
Plug: 24k gold-plated, straight 3.5mm (1/8”) stereo plug
Weight: 12 grams (0.42 ounces)
Impedance: 16 ohms
Sensitivity: 92 dB (at 1kHz 1mW)
Rated Input Power: 2mW
The specifications put up by V-MODA looks pretty good. The dynamic driver that the Vibes use has a rated impedance of only 16 Ohms which means that you can drive them with the majority of MP3-players and other portable media devices on the market today.
[page=The Package & Closer Examination]
The Package
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/package_1_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/package_1.jpg)
The V-MODA Vibes ship in a cardboard box with a plastic case around the headphones to protect them. One of the most striking features of the Vibes is the fact that they have an all aluminum shell which makes them look very different compared to most normal plastic IEMs. The Vibes I got for review had the Flashback Chrome color scheme which I have to say looks pretty damn good.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/package_3_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/package_3.jpg)
Inside the cardboard box the earphones are placed in a plastic box with all of the usual warnings on the front of the package.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/cable_manager_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/cable_manager.jpg)
Besides three different sized tips in both black and white/clear the V-MODA Vibes come with a cable manager that lets you alter the length of the cable by wrapping it around a rubber "V". This works quite well and makes it easy to trim away excess cable.
Closer Examination
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/side_of_iem_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/side_of_iem.jpg)
From the side the Vibes look quite funky with the long tunnel and a bulky main body. The contrast between the chromed housing and the diamond plate like black "belt" makes Vibes look outrageous. I haven't seen any IEMs looking quite as attractive as the Vibes. The Vibes are small even compared to normal IEMs. This means that very little of the earphone is visible once you have inserted them properly into your ear.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/iem_from_bottom_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/iem_from_bottom.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/iem_angle_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/iem_angle.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/back_of_iem_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/back_of_iem.jpg)
When it comes to looks the Vibes are far ahead of the competition. They simply look amazing. The flashback chrome color scheme looks really cool. The fact that their enclosure is made out of aluminum both makes them hard to break and gives them a real exclusive feel compared to normal plastic in-ears. Even though they are really durable they are still so light that you can barely sense their weight when you got them in your hands.
The fact that V-MODA focuses on producing good looking in-ear-monitors is a first. Most in-ears are all about sound and noise attenuation, but the Vibes are different in that sense. At first glance they look really good just sitting there on your desk, but once you place them in your ears almost the entire body of the earphones is more or less covered by your ears.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/y_splitter_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/y_splitter.jpg)
The cabling on the Vibes is done the proper way with an even length y-split. The split is held together with a small metal casing. The cable itself is of a pretty smart design. The cable is first covered with a woven sock and then it's covered with some form of rubber or silicone coating which makes it quite durable and light weight. The downside to this is that the cable is rather stiff which I presume is because of the sock. Even though the cable is quite stiff the soft coating makes it cope with microphonics a bit better than I expected. For some reason the cable system on the Vibes was more affected by microphonics than the cable on the Ultimate Ears Super.fi 3 Studio's. Of course the cable on the Super.fi's is quite a lot thicker and has an even softer coat, but what I think made the difference is the way you insert them. The Ultimate Ears have an arch that goes over your ears and helps to even out the tension on the cord. The Vibes doesn't have that system and therefore the cable is always stretched out all the way up to the ear.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/mini-jack_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/mini-jack.jpg)
Another interesting feature of the cable is the fact that V-MODA has gone with a very odd mini-jack design. The jack is quite long, without a 90 degree bend, and is made of metal. This looks good, but takes up a lot of space in your pocket. It's clear that V-MODA has opted for looks over function which has hurt the general ease of use a bit.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/comparison_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/comparison.jpg)
In comparison to the Ultimate Ears Super.fi 3 Studios the V-MODAs are very small. The V-MODAs are both shorter and have a slimmer body and are generally a much more attractive looking IEM than the rather clumsy Ultimate Ears. The Vibes are mounted in your ear just by inserting them from an angle whereas with the Ultimate Ears you have to wiggle them around a bit to get a good seal. The fact that the V-MODAs are easier to mount makes them a bit easier to use on the move because you don't have to spend a lot of time fiddling around trying to get a good seal.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/iem_front_angle_view_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/iem_front_angle_view.jpg)
The traditional layout of the earphones coupled with the aluminum body makes them very hard to break. Even the cord assembly is made to withstand a decent amount of abuse. This is done via a small rubber fitting that helps to protect the cable from daily wear and tear.
[page=Performance]
Performance
The performance of an audio device will always be hard to judge objectively because there are so many variables that are hard to compensate for. What I always try to do is put the headphones through a series of different types of music at different intensities to check how they perform under various circumstances.
The V-MODA Vibes are equipped with a normal dynamic driver with the impedance of only 16 Ohm. So I think it's safe to say that pretty much every type of audio device out here can drive them fairly well. To test the Vibes I used my Cowon iAudio i7 MP3 player and my PC which has a Creative X-Fi XtremeMusic (ASIO enabled) along with the Foobar player.
To start off with I listened to some of my favorite tunes, some that I have listened to thousands times and know all of the details in them. After listening to them for about an hour I had gotten a so and so impression of the Vibes. They are very bass heavy and tend to sound a bit muddy compared to what I'm used to. The bass was very present, but wasn't precise enough to justify the amount. The lack of definition continued up through the mids and the highs. When it came to listening to Rock and Classic the Vibes apparent lack of definition hurts the listening experience quite a bit.
The dynamics of most of my favorite rock tracks were ruined by the poor high frequency response. All of the little things sounded muffled and made the riffs sound weak and half hearted. Because you can't distinguish between different types of strokes on the guitar or intensity most Rock tunes will sound plain and therefore the listening experience will suffer greatly.
Overall the Vibes sound very soft and warm which actually made Hip Hop and R&B sound quite interesting, however, the lack of definition will still be apparent when using the Vibes in conjunction with a high end player. Since they sound so soft and have enough bass power to make you feel your ears are starting to fall off will probably satisfy even the most enthusiastic bass freak. So I guess if you are a bass freak and want a good looking pair of in-ears you should probably consider the Vibes just because they have such an immensely powerful deep end, but please bear in mind that midrange response isn't on pair with other midrange in-ear-monitors.
[page=Durability & Comfort]
Durability
The Vibes are the most durable in-ears on the market today by a large margin. The fact that the shell is made entirely out of aluminum makes them extremely hard to break. These are the first in-ears that I would consider safe to carry around in your pocket along with all of your other pocket gear. Besides the immensely tough body the way the cable is mounted to the earphones is durable and will help to avoid the cord being bent and broken by normal use.
Overall the V-MODA Vibes are easier to use and maintain because you don't have to carry around a protective bag for them which I find very appealing.
Comfort
Wearing comfort with IEMs is quite hard to judge objectively because each ear is unique. What I can recommend is that you try them before you buy them. It's the only way to be perfectly sure that the fit is good. The V-MODA Vibes are quite easy to insert and you get three different sized pairs of ear tips, however, you don't get foam tips like with, e.g. Ultimate Ears IEMs. The silicon tips supplied with the earphones are of a good quality, but they are quite thin so they don't cancel out that much noise compared to similar solutions from other companies. Despite being thinner they are actually quite pleasant to wear and I didn't have any problems with soar ears during my tests even though I used the in-ears almost constantly. If you are new to IEMs there will probably be an acclimatization period where you have to get used to wearing them.
[page=Value and Conclusion]
Value & Conclusion
<table width="100%" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" id="result">
<tr><th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/dollar.gif</th>
<td>
The V-MODA Vibes are available at V-MODA (http://www.v-moda.com/) for $109.99.
</td>
</tr><tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbup.gif</th>
<td>
Powerful bass
Easy to insert into one's ear
Comfort
Build quality, it's made of aluminum!
Bundle
Durability
Minimal microphonic disturbance compared to the design of the earphones
Price
Works with the iPhone because of the rather odd mini-jack design
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbdown.gif</th>
<td>
Cord length
Mids and highs not all that precise
Noise isolation could be better
Design of mini-jack connector
Bass is a bit muddy some times
</td></tr>
<tr><th>8.0</th>
<td>
The V-MODA Vibes is an interesting pair of in-ears from a design point of view. The stylish aluminum body and carried through design just looks fantastic compared to normal in-ears. However, the sound performance isn't exactly stellar. Even though the performance of these in-ears isn't that good it's still a nice upgrade from normal ear buds that you get with your iPod, iPhone etc. The interesting design paired with a not so interesting performance makes it hard for me to do an overall conclusion.
One thing is certain and that is that you can't get your hands on a better looking pair of IEMs right now and that has got to count for something. When it comes to audio performance the Vibes did an O.K. job I just expected them to perform better because they come at a whooping $109 price tag, but when I come to think of it I find that the asking price is about right for a pair of "designer" headphones. If you are only into really bass intensive music the Vibes will be a good choice because they do offer that booming bass experience that's hard to get from in-ears.
Price / Performance wise these in-ears are a bit below average because they don't offer over -20 dB noise attenuation and their music reproduction capabilities are less than desirable.
Overall these V-MODAs have some good things going for them, the durable aluminum body, good cable design, and a comfortable small ear piece design. I can definitely recommend these in-ears to people looking for a pair of easy to use in-ears that can withstand a fair amount of beating before breaking, and have a reasonably good bass performance.
</td></tr><tr><th></th><td>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/recommended.gif</td></tr>
</table>
Introduction
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/logovmoda.jpg
V-MODA differs from most in-ear-monitor companies because they focus on producing good looking earphones. Besides being good looking the Vibes which I will be taking a look at today have a much warmer sound signature than most in-ear-monitors (IEMs). This is largely because V-MODA doesn't aim to produce a pair of headphones with a natural response curve. Instead V-MODA has tried to imitate the response curve of a clubbing environment.
The thing that makes the V-MODA Vibe earphones stand out from the crowd is the fact that they feature an aluminum enclosure which not only looks good, but also makes them very durably compared to other in-ear-monitors.
The V-MODA Vibes come with three different sized ear tips right from small through medium to large. These tips are made out of silicon which produces an air tight seal between ear and monitor.
Specifications
Compatibility: all iPod, Zune, MP3, DVD, computer, and CD players
Included Accessories: black leather pouch, modawrap, six pairs of silicone ear fittings (S,M,L) in clear and black
Frequency Response: 12 Hz – 22 kHz
Speaker Driver: V-MASQUE dynamic technology, 9mm neodymium rare-earth magnet
Cable length: 32” plug to y-connector, 13.5” even-length earphone cables
Cable diameter: 2.2mm optimal for sport
Plug: 24k gold-plated, straight 3.5mm (1/8”) stereo plug
Weight: 12 grams (0.42 ounces)
Impedance: 16 ohms
Sensitivity: 92 dB (at 1kHz 1mW)
Rated Input Power: 2mW
The specifications put up by V-MODA looks pretty good. The dynamic driver that the Vibes use has a rated impedance of only 16 Ohms which means that you can drive them with the majority of MP3-players and other portable media devices on the market today.
[page=The Package & Closer Examination]
The Package
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/package_1_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/package_1.jpg)
The V-MODA Vibes ship in a cardboard box with a plastic case around the headphones to protect them. One of the most striking features of the Vibes is the fact that they have an all aluminum shell which makes them look very different compared to most normal plastic IEMs. The Vibes I got for review had the Flashback Chrome color scheme which I have to say looks pretty damn good.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/package_3_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/package_3.jpg)
Inside the cardboard box the earphones are placed in a plastic box with all of the usual warnings on the front of the package.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/cable_manager_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/cable_manager.jpg)
Besides three different sized tips in both black and white/clear the V-MODA Vibes come with a cable manager that lets you alter the length of the cable by wrapping it around a rubber "V". This works quite well and makes it easy to trim away excess cable.
Closer Examination
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/side_of_iem_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/side_of_iem.jpg)
From the side the Vibes look quite funky with the long tunnel and a bulky main body. The contrast between the chromed housing and the diamond plate like black "belt" makes Vibes look outrageous. I haven't seen any IEMs looking quite as attractive as the Vibes. The Vibes are small even compared to normal IEMs. This means that very little of the earphone is visible once you have inserted them properly into your ear.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/iem_from_bottom_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/iem_from_bottom.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/iem_angle_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/iem_angle.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/back_of_iem_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/back_of_iem.jpg)
When it comes to looks the Vibes are far ahead of the competition. They simply look amazing. The flashback chrome color scheme looks really cool. The fact that their enclosure is made out of aluminum both makes them hard to break and gives them a real exclusive feel compared to normal plastic in-ears. Even though they are really durable they are still so light that you can barely sense their weight when you got them in your hands.
The fact that V-MODA focuses on producing good looking in-ear-monitors is a first. Most in-ears are all about sound and noise attenuation, but the Vibes are different in that sense. At first glance they look really good just sitting there on your desk, but once you place them in your ears almost the entire body of the earphones is more or less covered by your ears.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/y_splitter_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/y_splitter.jpg)
The cabling on the Vibes is done the proper way with an even length y-split. The split is held together with a small metal casing. The cable itself is of a pretty smart design. The cable is first covered with a woven sock and then it's covered with some form of rubber or silicone coating which makes it quite durable and light weight. The downside to this is that the cable is rather stiff which I presume is because of the sock. Even though the cable is quite stiff the soft coating makes it cope with microphonics a bit better than I expected. For some reason the cable system on the Vibes was more affected by microphonics than the cable on the Ultimate Ears Super.fi 3 Studio's. Of course the cable on the Super.fi's is quite a lot thicker and has an even softer coat, but what I think made the difference is the way you insert them. The Ultimate Ears have an arch that goes over your ears and helps to even out the tension on the cord. The Vibes doesn't have that system and therefore the cable is always stretched out all the way up to the ear.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/mini-jack_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/mini-jack.jpg)
Another interesting feature of the cable is the fact that V-MODA has gone with a very odd mini-jack design. The jack is quite long, without a 90 degree bend, and is made of metal. This looks good, but takes up a lot of space in your pocket. It's clear that V-MODA has opted for looks over function which has hurt the general ease of use a bit.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/comparison_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/comparison.jpg)
In comparison to the Ultimate Ears Super.fi 3 Studios the V-MODAs are very small. The V-MODAs are both shorter and have a slimmer body and are generally a much more attractive looking IEM than the rather clumsy Ultimate Ears. The Vibes are mounted in your ear just by inserting them from an angle whereas with the Ultimate Ears you have to wiggle them around a bit to get a good seal. The fact that the V-MODAs are easier to mount makes them a bit easier to use on the move because you don't have to spend a lot of time fiddling around trying to get a good seal.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/iem_front_angle_view_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/V-MODA/Vibe/images/iem_front_angle_view.jpg)
The traditional layout of the earphones coupled with the aluminum body makes them very hard to break. Even the cord assembly is made to withstand a decent amount of abuse. This is done via a small rubber fitting that helps to protect the cable from daily wear and tear.
[page=Performance]
Performance
The performance of an audio device will always be hard to judge objectively because there are so many variables that are hard to compensate for. What I always try to do is put the headphones through a series of different types of music at different intensities to check how they perform under various circumstances.
The V-MODA Vibes are equipped with a normal dynamic driver with the impedance of only 16 Ohm. So I think it's safe to say that pretty much every type of audio device out here can drive them fairly well. To test the Vibes I used my Cowon iAudio i7 MP3 player and my PC which has a Creative X-Fi XtremeMusic (ASIO enabled) along with the Foobar player.
To start off with I listened to some of my favorite tunes, some that I have listened to thousands times and know all of the details in them. After listening to them for about an hour I had gotten a so and so impression of the Vibes. They are very bass heavy and tend to sound a bit muddy compared to what I'm used to. The bass was very present, but wasn't precise enough to justify the amount. The lack of definition continued up through the mids and the highs. When it came to listening to Rock and Classic the Vibes apparent lack of definition hurts the listening experience quite a bit.
The dynamics of most of my favorite rock tracks were ruined by the poor high frequency response. All of the little things sounded muffled and made the riffs sound weak and half hearted. Because you can't distinguish between different types of strokes on the guitar or intensity most Rock tunes will sound plain and therefore the listening experience will suffer greatly.
Overall the Vibes sound very soft and warm which actually made Hip Hop and R&B sound quite interesting, however, the lack of definition will still be apparent when using the Vibes in conjunction with a high end player. Since they sound so soft and have enough bass power to make you feel your ears are starting to fall off will probably satisfy even the most enthusiastic bass freak. So I guess if you are a bass freak and want a good looking pair of in-ears you should probably consider the Vibes just because they have such an immensely powerful deep end, but please bear in mind that midrange response isn't on pair with other midrange in-ear-monitors.
[page=Durability & Comfort]
Durability
The Vibes are the most durable in-ears on the market today by a large margin. The fact that the shell is made entirely out of aluminum makes them extremely hard to break. These are the first in-ears that I would consider safe to carry around in your pocket along with all of your other pocket gear. Besides the immensely tough body the way the cable is mounted to the earphones is durable and will help to avoid the cord being bent and broken by normal use.
Overall the V-MODA Vibes are easier to use and maintain because you don't have to carry around a protective bag for them which I find very appealing.
Comfort
Wearing comfort with IEMs is quite hard to judge objectively because each ear is unique. What I can recommend is that you try them before you buy them. It's the only way to be perfectly sure that the fit is good. The V-MODA Vibes are quite easy to insert and you get three different sized pairs of ear tips, however, you don't get foam tips like with, e.g. Ultimate Ears IEMs. The silicon tips supplied with the earphones are of a good quality, but they are quite thin so they don't cancel out that much noise compared to similar solutions from other companies. Despite being thinner they are actually quite pleasant to wear and I didn't have any problems with soar ears during my tests even though I used the in-ears almost constantly. If you are new to IEMs there will probably be an acclimatization period where you have to get used to wearing them.
[page=Value and Conclusion]
Value & Conclusion
<table width="100%" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" id="result">
<tr><th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/dollar.gif</th>
<td>
The V-MODA Vibes are available at V-MODA (http://www.v-moda.com/) for $109.99.
</td>
</tr><tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbup.gif</th>
<td>
Powerful bass
Easy to insert into one's ear
Comfort
Build quality, it's made of aluminum!
Bundle
Durability
Minimal microphonic disturbance compared to the design of the earphones
Price
Works with the iPhone because of the rather odd mini-jack design
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbdown.gif</th>
<td>
Cord length
Mids and highs not all that precise
Noise isolation could be better
Design of mini-jack connector
Bass is a bit muddy some times
</td></tr>
<tr><th>8.0</th>
<td>
The V-MODA Vibes is an interesting pair of in-ears from a design point of view. The stylish aluminum body and carried through design just looks fantastic compared to normal in-ears. However, the sound performance isn't exactly stellar. Even though the performance of these in-ears isn't that good it's still a nice upgrade from normal ear buds that you get with your iPod, iPhone etc. The interesting design paired with a not so interesting performance makes it hard for me to do an overall conclusion.
One thing is certain and that is that you can't get your hands on a better looking pair of IEMs right now and that has got to count for something. When it comes to audio performance the Vibes did an O.K. job I just expected them to perform better because they come at a whooping $109 price tag, but when I come to think of it I find that the asking price is about right for a pair of "designer" headphones. If you are only into really bass intensive music the Vibes will be a good choice because they do offer that booming bass experience that's hard to get from in-ears.
Price / Performance wise these in-ears are a bit below average because they don't offer over -20 dB noise attenuation and their music reproduction capabilities are less than desirable.
Overall these V-MODAs have some good things going for them, the durable aluminum body, good cable design, and a comfortable small ear piece design. I can definitely recommend these in-ears to people looking for a pair of easy to use in-ears that can withstand a fair amount of beating before breaking, and have a reasonably good bass performance.
</td></tr><tr><th></th><td>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/recommended.gif</td></tr>
</table>