With ever-increasing support for bigger microSDHC cards, a decent native media player and slick 3rd party music player options like FlipSide available, for more and more users the BlackBerry is becoming their one and only device for listening to music.
And thanks to Bluetooth A2DP technology, you can even stream music wirelessly from your BlackBerry to your ears, taking in the sounds via a set of Stereo Bluetooth Headphones. Many of these stereo bluetooth headphones also allow you to control your BlackBerry's media player (play, pause, skip, etc.) and even take calls as you would on a standard bluetooth headset.
Despite the rapid adoption of stereo bluetooth headsets, there are still many BlackBerry users who simply want to plug in a good set of wired headphones to listen to their tunes and control their media player on the device - just as they did with their old iPod that they're not going to replace now that they have a BlackBerry that does it all. But taking your old iPod's headphones and plugging them into your BlackBerry isn't going to sound very good (not as good as it could!) and let's face it...it just seems wrong. Enter V-MODA. They know how to do both style and sound.
Ryan recently reviewed v-moda's moderately-priced Bass Freq headphones and gave them a well-deserved near-perfect rating (I've used them, and they do rock). V-MODA's Vibe headphones carry a heftier price tag, but still offer great value as they pack a ton of high-fidelity punch. Oh, and like the Bass Freqs, the Vibes come in a bunch of colors.
About V-MODA
The Official line on the V-MODA Vibe, from their web site reads:
V-MODA is the music lifestyle brand based in Hollywood, California. It designs and markets innovative products that fuse high-fashion and high-function, while paying homage to a rock-and-roll and house music lifestyle. The Modaphone Hearwear Collection is part of the V-MODA collection of music-inspired products, apparel, and DJ compilations unveiled in 2006.
Founder Val Kolton, together with designer Joseph Bucknall, leads the innovation and creative nucleus responsible for transforming their music lifestyle vision into an inspired reality. More information about V-MODA and its progressive products can be found at www.V-MODA.com.
The luxurious, unprecedented all-metal design of VIBE puts the earphones on par with high fashion jewelry, while the lightweight micro-size and ultra-soft silicon fittings provide a secure, comfortable fit during the most rigorous activities. VIBE is the first hi-fidelity earphone of its caliber to possess such mobile flexibility. At a suggested retail price of $101, VIBE is designed to coordinate with the iPod, the new Zune and other portable music players, as well as modern apparel and fashion accessories.
“VIBE modaphones are the benchmark of the Hearwear category V-MODA has fashioned, ” said Val Kolton, founder and CEO of V-MODA. “They’re the first hi-fidelity earphones that don’t tether you to your chair when you want to experience pristine audio. And the sleek design and polished metal craftsmanship make a bold statement in a world of ordinary, carbon-copy plastic earphones.”
Premium metal composition and superior technology enable a sculpted response curve fashioned for the discerning audio enthusiast, providing a precise balance of rich bass, warm mids and unprecedented clarity. Utilizing V-MASQUE dynamic driver technology, VIBE is able to achieve a precise yet natural sound stage in comparison to other high-end earphones. BLISS (Bass Level Isolating Soft Silicon) technology further reduces outside noise for a precise and rich bass response (frequency 12Hz to 22Hz).
V-MODA Vibe In-Ear Headphones
Product features are as follows:
- hi-definition sound
- vibrant bass, vivid mid-range, and vivacious highs
- alloy metal enables sculpted sound curve fashioned for discerning music enthusiasts
- rich and precise bass levels that accentuate bass-enhanced music
- V-MASQUE dynamic driver provides natural and warm sound stage
- essential sport ergonomics
- three sizes of ultra-soft silicon fittings (S,M,L) provide comfortable, quick, and secure fit
- lightest earphone in class at 12 grams
- micro-sized and flush-fit for active lifestyles and relaxation
- durable even-length cables optimized for sport
- noise isolating technology
- bass level isolating soft silicone (BLISS) technology reduces noise and enables deep bass
- unlike bulky active noise cancellation, BLISS introduces no artificial sound into your music and requires no batteries
- leather pouch and modawrap cable manager
- gold leather pouch provides effortless storage
- modawrap provides convenient cable management
- VIP card access to exclusive “V-MODA modcasts”, music and gear
Tehnical Specifications:
- Compatibility: all iPod, Zune, MP3, DVD, computer, and CD players
- Included Accessories: gold leather pouch, modawrap, six pairs (S,M,L) of clear and two pairs (S) black silicone fittings, V-MODA VIP Card
- 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
Design
The V-MODA vibe is an in-ear, semi noise canceling design. It doesn't go as far in as other true noise canceling design earphones - which can be a good thing. The VIBE is a metal earphone - which sounds like it should be heavy and uncomfortable, but it is anything but. The Chrome finish is available in four colors: Gunmetal Black, FlashBack Chrome, La Mocha Gold Edition and Red Roxx. I gave the Flashback Chrome a try.
There are silicon tips that fit onto the end of the VIBE. V-MODA thoughtfully includes several sizes. The cable is plastic encased and feels very sturdy.
Overall, the build quality of these Earphones is simply amazing - sturdy, solid and very expensive looking and feeling.
Comfort
The Vibe was a superbly comfortable Earphone to wear for extended periods of time. I thought that I would somehow "feel" the metal in my ears - but in my testing that just didn't happen at all. The Silicon tips were very comfortable and made a tight enough seal that I never thought they would fall out - yet, the seal wasn't so tight that the whole world was blocked out. For me, this is the perfect balance between form and function in an Earphone.
I found I could listen for hours on end with little or no discomfort. I was even able to take a nap wearing these Earphones - a true testament to their comfort.
Sound Quality
I know what you are thinking - OK, so they are very cool to look at and hold - but how do they sound? Thinking back on my personal experiences with the V-MODA Bass Freq Earphones, I was truly impressed with them - at ~$40 they offer definite bang for the buck. The Vibes, however, really kick things up a notch. They pretty much blow every sub-$150.00 Earphone I have ever tested right out of the water. They sound amazing.
That being said, these might not be for the "audio purists" of the group. There is a definite "sound" that V-MODA is going for here - one that is very full at the low end, clear at the high end and sort of like a dance club in your head. This is not a "Flat" sound - far from it. That being said, I really love the sound. It was so full at the lower frequencies that I could turn off the EQ on the iPod and get more bass than almost any headphone out there - save the Super.fi. EB - which costs two and a half times as much! With no EQ settings on the BlackBerry (though they are coming on OS 4.5), the sound quality of the BlackBerry is also much improved.
I tried all sorts of music and found the Vibe to reproduce vocals beautifully, instruments were clear and crisp and the Bass was amazing. It is hard to believe that these things retail for $101.00 ($99.95 at ShopCrackBerry.com).
Overall Conclusions
This is an amazing set of Earphones. It is a work of art in design and a work of genius in sound engineering. For $99.95 you simply cannot go wrong picking up a pair.
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| Buy Now: Purchase the V-MODA Vibe In-Ear Headphones in the CrackBerry.com Store >> |
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